Projectors

[tiggerai]

Well.. since having moved into my flat 8 months ago... I'm thinking of getting a TV... it's the only thing I don't own at the moment.

Now, I've got a lovely piece of flat wall opposite my main "TV watching" Sofa, with an open bookcase behind it, so logistics are perfect for a projector instead.

Anyone got any suggestions for sub-£700 Home cinema (I don't have HD so not really required) projector options?

And does a projector screen really make that much difference?

Thanks all

Tigs (just need to find the money now)

[Fornowagain]

An Optoma HD70 is a nice projector for that budget. And a screen is a must, youcan make your own fixed ones with special paint.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=121

[Funkstar]

You going to be using this as a TV as well as home cinema?

Remember that the bulbs are expensive and it will need relaced at some point.

[bigblue]

If you are planning to use a projector as a tv replacement it can be a wee bit of a pain. I was all set on getting one recently but wussed out and decided on a rear-pro TV instead. Just a lot less hassle for "normal" telly. If you hop over to AVForums, you'll see that a lot of the PJ guys have a smaller LCD too, for day to day viewing.

As for screens, a dedicated one does make a difference. As mentioned, you can buy screen paint (Goo) but it's not terribly cheap. You're better off splashing the cash for a decent screen, especially if the PJ is going to be used as your main viewing source.

As for what projector, it kinda depends on what size image you want, and what sources you're hooking up to it. And also what you're doing for the sound side of things.

If you're just wanting as much of a one-box thing as you can, maybe an Optoma Movietime ? http://www.optoma.co.uk/projectordet...inment&PC=DV10 They have a DVD player onboard and a couple of integrated speakers. Not the all-out performance choice, but certainly the easiest to live with. A friend has one and raves about it You can sometimes get it in package deals with screens, 5.1 audio systems etc.

[dancingmatt]

There's quite a lot to learn about projectors to get the best for your money and whilst I love Hexus you're better off for this at AV Forums.

Can I give you these suggestions from my experience as a happy projector owner: Firstly, get a cheap TV for quick turning-on background-noise day-to-day watching. It's not practical to use a projector exclusively because you need a dark room and it will cost a lot for the bulb, and there will be times when you just want to switch on the telly without having to fire up the projector, shut the curtains, etc. etc.

There are 2 main technologies: LCD and DLP. Read up on these, some people find their eyes can't stand watching DLP (although it has got much better).

Research projectors to find one that will suit the size of your room: they will have minimum and maximum dimensions at different "throw" lengths so you need to measure your room and then find a model that will project an image the size you want at the distance it will be from the wall/screen.

Online there are many projector comparison things that will let you see the min/max sizes for different models of projector. Believe it or not, it is entirely possible that certain projectors could throw an image that is too big for the space you have to project on!

Do really try to go future proof and get a HD projector, 1280x720 not 1080. I'd be astonished if you couldn't for £700 or ever so slightly more (you could for £800-£1000 2 years ago). You may not have Sky HD or a HD player now, but I bet you do have a PC that you could connect to it, which means you can use it as a perfect HD desktop for gaming... or watch DVDs via that. You could get some free software to upscale DVDs to 1280x720, for example. A good projector will have a range of in-built upscaling options so you could also connect consoles, Freeview box, etc. to it and use them. Trust me, gaming on a PS2, normal DVDs, even some footy on Freeview looks fantastic on a 100" image from a projector (assuming you buy a projector with the right connections).

I was always looking to spend about £400, ended up spending £850 2 years ago on a Sanyo Z3, LCD 1280x720, all sorts of connections and it came with a free extra bulb, and it's brilliant. Really glad I went for the bigger resolution.

Go for it!

Hope this helps

DM

[TheAnimus]

I've got a DLP projector, with a blown bulb.

I cant be bothered too replace the bulb.

Its because projectors need a really dark room to work properly i find.

You want a screen enless you have a perfect texture on the wall, even freshly painted wall i find shiney and has a skin like pattern.

I wouldn't recomend this over a 42" TV, even thou my projector was about 62".

The only thing my projector did better than the TV was cartoons (southpark/family guy etc).

Films/TV just not a patch on the TV. This i think is due largely to the ambiant light in the room.

[menthel]

Another vote for a TV I am afraid. The logistics of day to day projector use and the associated costs are just to great. I did the maths before we got our TV 2 1/2 years ago and even at prices then our panasonic plasma was by far the best option. Since then the price of decent TV's has plummeted.

[dancingmatt]

Frankly I've never seen an LCD or Plasma that I thought looked anything like acceptable for anything SD, bear in mind PAL SD is only 720x576.

It's ridiculous how much it costs for a 30-40" flat panel with a 1366x768 resolution when you compare it to the price of monitors.

I think flat panel TVs are overpriced and many of them not suitable for SD or HD! Even so, I maintain: get a TV for day-to-day watching, and a HD projector if you're into films/gaming/PC usage or PC-based content.

DM

[tiggerai]

Thanks guys, that really helps!

It's only because as i mentioned I have already the ideal logistics for a projector in the layout of my room, but can't afford both a telly and a projector.

I'll have another think and then pick your brains a bit more.

[schmunk]

Unless you've got a huuuuuuge room, then at £700 I'd be looking around for a deal on a 1080p 32/37/40" LCD, but then I'm planning to HTPC my TV when I can justify buying an LCD.

e.g. this one's just out of reach, but prices are falling...

[TarnxTarn]

Projector is very good choice for home cinemas and does not good for everyday watch due its lamp life time and require a darkly environment to view its best,,,, plus you will lose the projected area as.. there can not be anything or shinny object nearby...

if you do not need to view more than 7 feet away i would recommend for the plasma screen....

there are quite good 700 plasma out there... LG and Samsung do good budget HD plasma... try to see if they are good on SD as well...

like mention above,. please check the avforums

[Fornowagain]

I use mine as a TV every evening have done for years. Practical? No, not very, looks great though.








Hand held stills taken with Fuji 610 from seating 10ft or so. That's the PJ from HTPC at 720p on a 86" white screen. The last one is Freeview through a sweetspot card and upscaled to 720p. I also get HD satellite from a DVB-S2 card. There's some nasty Jpeg compression there, old snaps, but you get the idea.

[TheAnimus]

52 inches of pure 1080p pleasure.

The quality of that is FAR better than my projector (an IBM XGA native chappy).

Its intresting to me that someone said about LCD TVs not looking as good, projectors are LCD remeber, magnified up. They suffer from all the same upscaling issues, but in my experiance have big problems with contrast (compared to the very latest TFT TVs, i love my new samsung) rapid movment, and DLP ones seam to me to have a 3 colour edge around exploisions and the like in films.

Given that todays HighDef films are all 1080p, why would you want 720p?

[bigblue]

Given that todays HighDef films are all 1080p, why would you want 720p?

Because of the price I imagine ? Tiggerai was looking for a projector around the £700 mark, but I think a few of us AV fans are getting carried away If 1080p is desired then there will have to be a trade off, of size (projector) against resolution (panel).

I'd agree that a big LCD is a good compromise, especially if there's going to be much PC or gaming use, or you're concerned about screen burn. Just for movies, I can't see past a plasma. Panasonic 50PX70 perhaps ?

[rentagas]

I have a projector a themescene H56. It is really quite old and still on the original bulb. When I want immersive film/tv action it is fantastic and much better than my 1080i toshiba telly. When I come to replace the bulb I may well buy a HD80 instead

as well as the 42inch tosh I have a 15" tosh LCD telly.

If I had to get rid of the projector or the telly I would get rid of the 42inch 1080i teely and use a cheap 15inch telly for the news etc and the projector for serious watching. This includes HD sources where the LCD with it's native HD resolution should win hands down.

So buy the projector, buy a £50 screen from Jessops, buy a £100 15" LCD telly, make sure you have good curtains. When the bulb blows buy a new projector. Just my opinion.