TV vs. Projector (1 Viewer)

[Kevin_F]

I have another concern or question, the space that I will be using is not a "dedicated" home theater area. I will also have a gym, bar, pool table, etc. There will be many times when I will have the tv/projector on with the lights on as well. How much will the projector be affected with the lights on?

 

[Evan M.]

"I guess I opened up a can of worms after all."

LOL!! yeah you might have...... Seriously though, if you are thinking of looking into FP's check out www.projectorcentral.com they have a ton of good advice on which projector is for you and IF a projector is good for you. There are a TON of questiong you need to answer before you really start looking at projectors. such as:

What will it be used for....HT, HD, TV, Games..etc.

Do I want DLP or LCD....or even CRT.(big and VERY heavy though)

16:9 or 4:3 ratio?

is there total light control or partial light control.

How big a screen do I want?

Where will the main viewing are be?

Once you answer these questions and other you will have a better idea of what projecto is right for you. As for your set up right now...I think a projector is fine. As long as you are not doing any SERIOUS viewing while people have the lights on playing pool. A higher Lumen projector might be best for you in you situation but you really need to decide first if you want to opt for brightness over picture quality. I personaly think that the Infocus 4805, Optoma H31, Pannasonic 700 and Sanyo Z3 are the best bang for the buck for HOME THEATER projectors out there right now. So research research research.....it is actually kind of fun and not as much work as it seems...a lot of it you already know. Best of luck to you.

 

[Elinor]

>"I run most of them through the processor/pre amp"

And if you're ok with that, then you don't have an issue. I prefer direct connections. So that's why I mentioned it.

Obviously, even a tv can have too few inputs, and there are receivers/preamps/switches that can deal with it.

It's not my preference is system design, unless I could go with a serious piece of switching equipment (high end scaler, Theta/Meridian prepro, etc.).

 

[Citizen87645]

Oh man, if you have $3000 to spend you have ALOT of options. I can definitely recommend the 4805, but the others would be great too I'm sure.

You probably don't feel like "starting over" in all your research, but look at it this way: A projector is a whole lot easier to pack up and return than a 60" RPTV, especially if you're in a basement. Given that, I would probably do a thorough trial with projectors FIRST before committing to an RPTV.

 

[Kevin_F]

I was speaking to someone here at work that has a projector and one thing he mentioned is that the bulb lasts about 1 year. He says they cost between $300-$500 each, is this true? If so, I am now a little hesitant about purchasing the projector, I am looking at it financially, if I have to spend $300/yr to replace a bulb, then it ends up costing me more money in the long run. Yes, the picture size will be better with the projector, but at what cost?

Are any of my above statements incorrect? IF so, please enlighten me.

 

[Elinor]

Bulb life on FPs is definitely shorter than RPs.

Someone should be able to pop open their manual and give a nominal figure. I'm thinking I have heard around 3-5,000 hours.

My RP-LCD is nominally 10k hours.

 

[Neil Joseph]

Typical FP bulb life is between 2K and 4K hours.

 

[Sami Kallio]

Used CRT FP is the best bang for buck but it also required much more knowledge to set one up. Bulb on them should last for years if you only watch movies.

 

[Citizen87645]

Your friends statement of one year is a bit of an exaageration, unless you have the projector on all the time. The InFocus 4805 lamp is rated for 4000 hours. Figure four hours a day, every day, then you are looking at 2.75 years of usage, just in time for another upgrade Seriously though, lamp life is a consideration. Those who want to save it for the good stuff invariably watch regular TV on a tube and DVDs and HD on the projector. With the (ahem) expansion of HD this may change the dynamic a bit.

 

[BrianKR]

My projector (Sim2 300e) has a 8000 hour bulb.

 

[Kevin_F]

Thanks for everyone's experience with projectors, it has helped me greatly. After taking everything into consideration I am going to stick with the RP-LCD I initially planned to purchase. Whether the bulb lasts 1 yr or 2.5 yrs, that just isn't enough for me. Like Cameron said, HDTV is the technology out right now, which means more program watching, therefore I would be watching the projector more than 28 hrs per week.

 

[Kelvin Tucker]

Thanks for asking a good question Kevin! But, before you relax and spends you money on RP LCD.... I believe they have a replaceable bulb also. Although I'm not sure what the life expectancy is, I KNOW that it's not up to the CRT levels.

Good Luck

53" Sony RP-CRT - 9 years and going....

 

[Drew Bethel]

Kevin, I have a Panasonic 300U PJ in my basement HT which is also used as a gym. I actually had a Hitachi 57" delivered but it wouldn't fit through the staircase leading to my basement. Thank God it did not fit! I won't even consider a big screen tv for movie watching...I'd be bored!

I don't watch regular TV on my PJ - just movies. I purchased it in March of 2002 and the bulb is going strong. I believe I have about 600 hours or so it and it's rated for 3000 hours. I built my own screen using the popular parkland plastic material from Home depot. The labour was about half a day and total cost was around $100. I have friends lined up to come to our house to watch movies...the PQ is that sweet.

So, if you plan to use it for mostly HT you're set for many years. Even if you use it 20 hours per week the bulb will still last for about three years!

I highly recommend you call the folks at www.visualapex.com and ask them about the latest and greatest, the Panny 700U. It is 3rd or even 4th generation, has DVI and all the goodies. I and many folks here and over at AVS highly recommend visual apex. Even if you decide to purchase a screen and PJ you can come in well below $3k! Good luck.

PS. A review of the 700 is over at projectorcentral.com

 

[Ricky T]

I just replaced a 4 year old Toshiba 56H80 widescreen CRT HDTV with an Epson Cinema 500 LCD projector (and 96" screen)....everthing is so much better (in 720p)...DVDs, TV, football games, etc. It's in my living room with decent light control. The $300 bulb is rated to 3000 hours, or only 10 cents per hour. Oh, my 2 channel soundstage is better too! I can't see going back to a big TV.

 

[Pat Frank]

Drew, very helpful post to me in looking ahead to my own plans and projector ownership. Thanks!

 

[Kevin_F]

The projector sounds like a great idea if you intend to use it for movies only, but I already know that when my basement is complete that I won't be watching only movies down there, I intend to watch sports, direct tv, movies, PS2, etc. There will also me many instances where lights will be on while the tv is on, I need something that will be able to handle all of this and from what I have heard, the projector doesn't seem like a good choice for all of this. I am aware that RP-LCD's have bulbs that have to be replaced, but the life expectancy of these, if I am not mistaken, is still a lot longer than a projectors.

But, if I were to build a dedicated home theater just for movie watching, then I would probably go the projector route. Also, buying both a tv and projector is not in my budget.

 

[Oren Paul]

I have my PTL500 Panasonic in my 12' X 37' basement home theater. I watch DVD, TV, News etc on it. I sit at a "breakfast table" 20' away and read the paper while the projector is on many times, picture compared to RPTV is great even while the light is on, better when off. The size, shape, and configuration of your room will have a lot to do with how much light affects your picture. Lamp life is rated at 2000 hours in regular mode, I operate mine in the low lamp mode which extends the lamp life.