Newbie Projection Question (1 Viewer)

[Matt Stone]

Front projection, is just about the only thing left in the HT universe that I basically know nothing about. Are there any good faqs online?

Also...I know they can get price (errrry pricey), but can any decent ones be found for cheap ~1000...or would that just be a waste of money?

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

There's no really great FAQ's around, but the avsforums are a great place to look for info. You may be able to get a used one for around $1k (both digital and CRT), but nothing new. The best new choice is probably the $1400 Panasonic AE100.

 

[Matt Stone]

Kewl. Thanks for that. The only reason I ask, is because I've been thinking of going HTPC, and thought a projector would be a good idea.

 

[Matt Stone]

Okay...after a little looking, I'm now very interested in doing this.

I currently live in an apartment (i'm in college), and my HT room is about 10" x 13"...could I get a proper picture from having the projector ~10feet away from the screen?

 

[Matt Stone]

Also...this is very newb-ish. But do you have to ceiling mount PJs, or what?

 

[JoelM]

They can be mounted on the ceiling or on the floor. I think it's the highest point of the screen or the lowest. CRT is the hardest to set up, they are pretty bulky/heavy but the best picture. Also the bulb lasts like 4-5 times longer. LCD and DLP and pretty much plug and play but suffers in certain areas (screendoor effect, lack of black) Times are a changing and some brands are coming out with stellar pictures, but the prices are quite high. Your best bet would to go with a used CRT projector. Whatever you choose place that baby on a 100 inch screen...and you will never leave your house.

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

CRT throw distance is generally about 1.5X screen width which puts a floor-mounted projector where you want to be sitting.

Apartment mounting options which get it off the floor include free-standing trusses, or just bolting unistrut to the joists and patching the holes when you move.

Digitals often allow for more flexibility in the mounting distance (many have zoom lenses), but can be less tolerant of changes in the angle between the projector and screen center (a CRT projector can electrically warp the image to have correct keystone within some range (I can go from at least -2 degrees to +17) while some digitals have no optical keystone correction and others are limited so they must rely on digital correction instead, turning straight lines into jagged ones).

Personally, I am technically inclined, like to tweak things, have light control, can live with a smaller (as in 7-8 feet wide) screen, and don't play a lot of video games so I went with a CRT. If any of those don't apply to you, you might want a digital projector.

 

[Greg Foan]

I have the AE100 and at 12 ft the screen WIDTH is 96". It's ceiling mounted and the top of the screen is approx. 3" higher than the height of the centre of the lens from the floor. I sit approx 12' back and with slight defocus and the use of HTPC (perfect pixel mapping) the picture looks great to me. I might add a Hoya FLD lens as I hear that it helps the blacks. 1 thing about LCD's......you need very good light control for your room. One advantage of LCD over CRT.....it's much quieter.....as in a slight hum verses a leaf blower.....oh yeah.....no "burn in" to worry about.

 

[BobJ]

But do you have to ceiling mount PJs, or what?

They can also be placed on shelves or on the coffee table. I've also seen one mounted on a shelf inside a bedroom closet-just open the door when it's time to watch a movie.

 

[Matt Stone]

Hmm...Now I don't think I'll get one. I don't have great lighting control in my apartment, and bulp replacment is a little costly for me.

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Light control is key. You're wise not to get a projector without proper light control.

 

[Matt Stone]

Yah...that's what I thought.
Right now I'm broke, but I'm going to get a new TV sometime around this Christmas...so I can have time to save. Please see my other post...
thanks,
matt
Edit: Here's a link to the other post: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=71353