Projector Woes! Please Help! (Optoma HD143X) (1 Viewer)

[Shane Come Back]

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here...

My current projector that I've been using since 2006 - and still produces a DAMN good image for a 13 year-old, 720p native machine - is a Panasonic TH-AE900. It was considered the best projector in its class at the time. It's been thru a lot. From getting whacked with sticks while the kids were playing Anakin vs. Obiwan, to tall people cracking their head on it as they walked by. Even came crashing down one time by the latter event. It's been back to the manufacturer, once, for bulb replacement and maintenance. Now, although the image is fine, it treats us to no less than 3 unannounced intermissions per film (intermittently shuts down and reboots itself, for some unknown reason - overheating?).

So, I figured it's time for a new projector, and not being wealthy, I ordered an Optoma HD143X for around $550, which had good reviews and its predecessor HD142X is the #2 overall recommended projectors on CNET. Go to set it up in the same spot as my current machine, and the image is way to large for my 80" screen, with the manual AND digital zoom all the way out. I take it down and no matter where I place it, I cannot get it to conform to my 16:9 screen, even tho I set the projector aspect ratio to 16:9. The image still does not fill the screen horizontally. The best I could do was to sit it on an ironing board in the middle of the room, about 8' from the screen, in front of the viewing area, so people would have to look OVER a projector practically in line of sight to view a movie. The thing is, most all the settings are digital and when I try to adjust the the image up, down, side to side, or do any kind of keystone correction, it looks like just the center of the image is moving, while the image edges hardly move at all. On max correction, the image moves only a few inches, or so. I spent like, 2 hours just trying to get the image to conform to my screen from the most optimal (for the projector) position, could NOT get it done. Is this how it is with all projectors these days or just Optoma? Am I doing something wrong? With my Panasonic, even back in 2006, I put the machine where I needed it, fired it up, zoomed it out manually, focused it, put the image where I needed it with the image shift lever, badabing-badaboom! Done in minutes! What's with this new seemingly aggravating digital process?

I've boxed the Optoma up to send back, but I am all ears for suggestions on setup, if I'm doing something wrong. I am also open to recommendations for a different sub-grand, 1080p projector. Thank you!

 

[Robin9]

Optoma projectors do not have a short throw, and are unsuitable for rooms where the projector lens is only a few feet from the screen. Most Benq projectors do have this short throw capability and are probably more appropriate for your situation.

 

[Shane Come Back]

Optoma projectors do not have a short throw, and are unsuitable for rooms where the projector lens is only a few feet from the screen. Most Benq projectors do have this short throw capability and are probably more appropriate for your situation.

Actually, the opposite seems true. This Optoma projector produces too large an image, than what I need, from too short a distance. The zoom spec is only 1.1:1, but one operation manual that I downloaded and read for this projector said that it could produce an 80" image from a max distance of 13.1' from the screen, and I made the purchase based on this. A misprint perhaps? I came to find that I can fill my screen, top to bottom, from only 8 or 9 feet away, but the image does not reach end to end horizontally, which is the main problem, otherwise I would consider keeping it and just placing it elsewhere in the room.

After a bit more research, I've found that most projectors in the sub-$1000 category have a very limited throw distance (short zoom), even the HT and TK series BenQ projectors, some of which go well over $1000, only have a zoom ratio of 1.2, and cannot produce an 80" image from my needed 12' distance. It seems that on lower-budget projectors, manufacturers have limited the focus ratio, perhaps because most people, especially in the US (I'm in Japan), don't mind a larger image being produced from a shorter distance, because they have a sufficiently large wall or screen, but I need more flexibility, because I have a smaller screen...

 

[Bryan^H]

Actually, the opposite seems true. This Optoma projector produces too large an image, than what I need, from too short a distance. The zoom spec is only 1.1:1, but one operation manual that I downloaded and read for this projector said that it could produce an 80" image from a max distance of 13.1' from the screen, and I made the purchase based on this. A misprint perhaps? I came to find that I can fill my screen, top to bottom, from only 8 or 9 feet away, but the image does not reach end to end horizontally, which is the main problem, otherwise I would consider keeping it and just placing it elsewhere in the room.

After a bit more research, I've found that most projectors in the sub-$1000 category have a very limited throw distance (short zoom), even the HT and TK series BenQ projectors, some of which go well over $1000, only have a zoom ratio of 1.2, and cannot produce an 80" image from my needed 12' distance. It seems that on lower-budget projectors, manufacturers have limited the focus ratio, perhaps because most people, especially in the US (I'm in Japan), don't mind a larger image being produced from a shorter distance, because they have a sufficiently large wall or screen, but I need more flexibility, because I have a smaller screen...

Why don't you go with a Optoma short throw projector? I know it won't work if you have it ceiling mounted, there has to be some flexibility with a short throw projector, but if you can figure a way (like a very low to the ground end table), this projector could get that image size from about 3 feet away from your screen

https://www.amazon.com/Optoma-GT108...w&qid=1554560191&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1


The picture quality is fantastic, and the Darbee processor is pretty amazing. While I don't use this projector as much as my other one, it is great to easily set up for a movie night at other places not just my home.

 

[Shane Come Back]

Yes, I was looking at some short throw or ultra short throw projectors. But for my room, it has to be either long throw (longer zoom) or ultra short throw, because it either has to sit where I had my old projector, behind the viewing area, or right at the front - max distance of about 30" from the screen - unless it's a short throw projector which has exceptional horizontal shift and keystone correction, without sacrificing picture quality, so it can sit all the way off to one side, because I don't want cables running into the middle of the room.

I have it narrowed down to the Epson HT2150 (long throw) or the Optoma GT5600 ultra short throw. Both can be had for about the same price, but I'm leaning toward the Epson because it can be bought in Japan, where I live. I got the HD143x from Amazon US and had to send it back, which cost about $70 in postage (only $15 of which Amazon will compensate me for), and I want to avoid that predicament again, if possible...