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Talk me out of buying a projector ...

post #1 of 7
8/30/10 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 

... or not.

 

I recently bought a new condo, and my TV wall is now about 10' wide by 20' tall (yeah, the ceilings are super-high).  I have a Samsung LN46A650 46" TV that I absolutely love and really am not in a hurry to replace; however, it looks tiny against this massive wall.  I really want to swap to a projector because the wall is screaming for one (and I think that under ideal conditions, projection provides a dramatically better viewing experience); having said that, there are a few challenges:

 

  1. I'm able to control ambient light fairly effectively at night, and I'll be doing almost all of my viewing at night, but during the day the room will be downright bright.  I am willing to accept that during daytime picture quality will be dismal, but will your average 1000-1800 lumen home theater projector (projecting on a 100"-ish screen) at least be watchable in a high-ambient-light situation?
  2. My budget is around $3000.  I'm eyeing the Panasonic AE4000, Epson 8500UB, and Sony VPL-HW15.  Are there any other projectors that I should be looking at?  Do any of those scream out at you for my situation?
  3. I was originally thinking about going with a paint-on screen, but it seems that image quality would suffer and doing it right would be more difficult and as expensive as going with a basic fixed-frame screen that I would just mount on the wall directly.  I saw HTDepot mentioned here.  Would I gain much by going with something more fancy than what they offer?
  4. It seems like grey (instead of white) is the best option given that it will be difficult for me control ambient light.  Is that accurate?

 

Am I crazy for continuing down the projection path given my situation?  I could probably swing a 60-65" plasma for a similar overall budget, and that's probably the smartest move, but I can't get the idea of going with a 100" front projection solution out of my head.  I'm not particularly interested in 3D at this point, so that's not really a concern for me either.

 

What do you think?

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post #2 of 7
8/30/10 at 3:50pm

Kyle,

 

By the points in your post.

 

1.  Maybe.  I am in an environment where I can control the light even in the daytime and that is certainly what I would recommend.  I guess it depends on how direct and intense the light will be during your daytime viewing and the output of your projector.

 

2.  Placement is one of the keys to selecting a projector.  The Panasonic AE4000  and the Epson 8500UB, due to their zoom lenses, are probably two of the more flexible projectors in your price range (assuming you need a throw distance of over 14 feet.)  It would help if you indicated how far from the screen you will be placing the projector.  Will you be doing a table mount, shelf mount or ceiling mount?  There are projector calculator web apps available at review sites on the web that can assist with your room planning.  (see urls below.)

 

3. There are directions on the web for DIY screens if you want to minimize your expenditures in this area.  Personally, I think a good screen is a fundamental requirement; but I have no experience in this department with DIY screens.  How much ambient light, off-axis viewing, and screen gain are some of the things you need to consider when weighing your options.

 

4.  I'm uncertain if grey is advantageous.  It will still reflect whatever light hits the screen (from the projector and from ambient sources.)

 

 

http://www.projectorcentral.com  and   http://www.projectorreviews.com

 

are two of the sites I frequent when examining projector capabilities / reviews.

 

I recently upgraded from a Panasonic AE700 to an Epson 8500UB and I am impressed with the performance of the 8500UB.  The black levels on the 8500UB (in a light controlled room) are very nice indeed.  Sin City (on Blu-ray) looked incredible.  Despite their restrictions, once you get into Front Projection I don't think there is any turning back.  The ability to display a high definition signal on an 100" 16x9 screen is pretty special.

 

Good luck,

Walter...

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post #3 of 7
8/30/10 at 7:12pm

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would not even consider a projector with your room.

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post #4 of 7
8/30/10 at 10:39pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Mcc View Post

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would not even consider a projector with your room.


I agree. After all, you did ask to be talked out of it! Projectors are meant for DARK rooms. With a lot of ambient light you will never see anything anywhere near black even with the brightest projector because the screen is, you guessed it, white! It will only work if you restrict it to night viewing, and that's hard to do because everyone wants to be able to watch a movie when they want to.
 

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post #5 of 7
9/5/10 at 11:35pm

I own a lower end toshiba projector..it's a cheapy...and it RULES.

  
  Yes,ambient light will destroy the picture...so i use it at night.I don't see the problem unless you work nights,or hate having all lamps off.

 

 Stoner friendly...the ambient light from screen is enough to twist blunts.           

 

 

   You don't need to drop 3 grand.I paid $400 for mine on ebay..new bulb included.Limited bulb life at 2000hrs (for mine),so i use it on weekends only.New bulbs are $200 for this one !...I have a pussy,32" for regular use.I'm at 2600hrs now,and it still hasn't burnt.I wonder if they're lying about bulb life ? haha

 

   This projector is my weekend PC monitor...great for surfing,games,and movie watching.The picture is so large it's a tad fuzzy.I think it's cause the letters you see are 3 inches tall on this end,my max rez is 800x600,and my wall isn't even white.This 'fuzzy' isn't even noticable on movies or games...just text.I don't care though (did i say my picture was 10'x7' ? ...i can make it far larger,but don't have the wall for it...besides,it will degrade the picture).

 

 My friend has a better one.He paid $500 for a 1024x768,and his bulbs are only $75.His picture is incredible (at night).

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post #6 of 7
9/6/10 at 6:36am

Hey Kyle

the epson is a great entry level PJ.

Spring for a real screen. Carada makes some good entry level stuff and is reasonably priced.

 

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post #7 of 7
9/6/10 at 7:02am

From what you describe about the height of your room this TV would look and perform superbly.

the Ambilight would look great with all that wall space and 56" isn't too small either.

The TV is true Cinema proportioned 21:9 ratio does 2560x1080p resolution and supports 3d if that's your thing.

 

http://www.philips.co.uk/c/cinema-21-9/30849/cat/

It sells in the US too I just found a link and posted it.


Edited by safesinger - 9/6/10 at 7:15am
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