Video Projector help (1 Viewer)

[bryan_so]

A friend of mine wants to buy a projector for his home theatre. I was
wondering if someone could recommend one for him. Here are his requirements:

He is using a satellite system
Pioneer 606D DVD
He wants a 116" width (16:9 aspect ratio).

He wants to spend about $4000 Canadian. What do you think is good for him.
He pretty much has unlimited wall space.

TIA

Bryan

 

[Neil Joseph]

One possible solution would be the HE-3100 Piano DLP Projector. Check here. Where in Canada is your friend? If he is in the Toronto GTA then there are some specific stores I can recommend for him to check out some setups.

 

[bryan_so]

Neil,

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately we are both located in Edmonton, Alberta...

Bryan

 

[KrisA]

116" width is very big for most projectors which are priced new under $4000.

If you really want 116" width, a used DILA G11 would have a resolution of 1360 X 1024 (approx) and would be well within the price range. The challenge is to find a good source for used of course. YOu may also want to check avsforum.com. It is geared towards higher end projection systems.

If you are able to live with about 80" to 90" width, there is a guy in your neck of the woods called curt palme (search on avsforum for his address or email me and I can get it for you). He would sell you a decent 8" projector for $2000 to $4000 range (my guess). While I have never purchased from him, he seems to have a decent reputation.

If you the primary source is a satellite TV, the CRT would be a better option - its picture would be quite superior. If your primary source is a DVD, the digital projectors would suffice.

 

[Dave Getson]

I've had a chance to view the Piano (HE-3100) myself, and it is every bit as nice to watch as the review says in Neil's post.

I'm going to bring some of my own DVDs to the retailer and watch a bit. If I'm as impressed as I was with Might Joe Young they had as a demo, it'll most likely be the projector I get for my HT.

A few things to keep in mind. There is not manual zoom on it, so you have to move the unit forward or back to get the size correct on your screen. And with many DLP projectors I've come across, the brightness is fairly low (450 lumens). Looks phenominal in a very dark room, but for sporting events, I don't think it would perform up to what many people expect. I'll have to get the guys to show me that too.

 

[Chauncey_G]

Just a quick note on the Plus Piano. The new model (HE-3200), due out at the end of July, does feature zoom as well as being HD-ready (the older model, the HE-3100 didn't have either of those features). I've decided the 3200 will be my first FPTV purchase. I can hardly wait!
Try looking here for more info on the Plus Piano, both old and new.

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

A quick note: the HE-3200 can accept HDTV inputs, but cannot display HDTV resolution.