Where to go to buy Projector (1 Viewer)

[Gregg Loewen]

For the price of the Sony you can get the Panasonic 8000 AND the next version that comes out in the line.

some people are willing to pay for better quality.
just sayin

 

[Jim Mcc]

some people are willing to pay for better quality.
just sayin

Better quality yes, but the Sony 95ES is not bright enough for what sheraz wants to do.

 

[sherazFromNj]

Today I went to Best buy and they had Sony VPL-HW30ES hooked up on 100" screen. For some reason they couldn't hook up their DVD player so they showed me Television in HD which is basiclly 720P. The display was not displayed on whole screen so it was like watching like 80" screen (based on their words). The room was completely dark but I could see small squares (specially in the background in dark areas). It was kind of disappointing to see considering the reviews say that it brings great 2D experience.
So those of you out there who think they have great projector, do you see any boxes on the screen viewing 100" or bigger screen (preferrably 130")? When I read reviews and it says great picture quality or flawless, it expect it to have a sharp picture with no boxes. Am I missing something here ???????

 

[Jim Mcc]

You cannot expect much when viewing a projector at Best Buy. Of course that's not normal. The projector could be bad. Or a cable could be bad. Or the TV source could have been bad.

 

[schan1269]

You shouldn't judge any TV/projector based on "fed from God knows where" broadcast at Worst Buy. You shouldn't even judge a craptastic $200 Dynex using broadcast*
*My definition of broadcast includes ALL broadcast...payed for, or otherwise...aerial or cable/sat.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by sherazFromNj /t/325188/where-to-go-to-buy-projector#post_4002858
For some reason they couldn't hook up their DVD player so they showed me Television in HD which is basiclly 720P. The display was not displayed on whole screen so it was like watching like 80" screen (based on their words).

Regardless of whether this was at Best Buy or the world's greatest projector store - you should NEVER judge something that isn't properly set up. Period.

What you are referring to, I believe, is called "Screen Door Effect" because as you get closer and closer to the image, you start to see the "gaps" between pixels as if you're looking through a screen door.

From normal viewing distances (based on your screen size) you should not see any SDE (or it should be minimal).

 

[sherazFromNj]

Ok so I went back today and thier main technician was there. He hooked up the sysem to HDMI and walla. It was so much better. So as Jim said, it could be wire and it was.
I agree with you guys that I can't judge what I see in store but my main reason was to get an idea. They have Sony 30Es hooked up projecting on 100" and it looked very nice.
The interesting part about it is that just switching from Component to HDMI make a huge difference. The technicial told me that they are using high quality HDMI which costs around $300.00. Really??????? Now I have to buy an HDMI that expensive??? Don't don't remember the make and model but do we really need to buy this expensive HDMI????
Also the screen issue now. Based on reviews, Studiotek 130 seems like the best choice but it's also one of most expensive scrrens. Your opinon please. I am not willing to paint my wall to make screen out of it(FYI).

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by sherazFromNj /t/325188/where-to-go-to-buy-projector#post_4003367
The technicial told me that they are using high quality HDMI which costs around $300.00. Really??????? Now I have to buy an HDMI that expensive??? Don't don't remember the make and model but do we really need to buy this expensive HDMI????

No, you don't need to buy any expensive HDMI cables. For a ceiling-mounted projector, you may need a rather long (20'+ cable) and you may run it inside the wall/ceiling. For this, you need a CL-2 rated cable (for in-wall use) and should get a 24gauge cable like this one (25' for $20) from monoprice.com. They have some even thicker 22 gauge cables, but those may be a bit too stiff to use.

Personally, I wouldn't buy ANY cables/wire from a place like Best Buy.

 

[sherazFromNj]

I won't either because I know that's how they make money but it's important to know if a good HDMI cable plays a very important role or it's just a way for them to make money.

 

[sherazFromNj]

What about the screen guys??? StudioTek 130 for 130" is around $2,800 wowwwwwwwwwwwwww. This is a very expensive screen. I have been told that if I compromise on screen then I won't get what a high quality projector is capable to showing. In orther words, if I buy a projector that is over $4,000-5,000 (high end models), I won't be able to get what those projectors are capable to display if I go with lower end screens.

 

[Jim Mcc]

You shouldn't buy a screen until you decide on the projector.

 

[sherazFromNj]

I have. I want to buy Sony VPL-VW95ES.

 

[Jim Mcc]

Good luck. I'm not beating that dead horse anymore.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by sherazFromNj /t/325188/where-to-go-to-buy-projector#post_4003416
What about the screen guys??? StudioTek 130 for 130" is around $2,800 wowwwwwwwwwwwwww. This is a very expensive screen. I have been told that if I compromise on screen then I won't get what a high quality projector is capable to showing. In orther words, if I buy a projector that is over $4,000-5,000 (high end models), I won't be able to get what those projectors are capable to display if I go with lower end screens.

I can't speak specifically to that screen. As others have mentioned, 130" diagonal is VERY LARGE so screens are going to be pricier. I got a 96" screen from Carada for about $600. I don't remember exactly what I paid for the projector at the time, but I want to say it was under 1k. So I spent half as much on the screen as the projector - not too far off from what you quoted (DIY is always the least expensive route - and can yield excellent results, but the added "cost" is your time and research into what DIY method you want to utilize).

You say you have total light control and the room can be totally dark, but even still, at that size and throw distance you're pushing beyond that projector's optimal capability. You also seem to be obsessing over whether or not the projected image will be every bit as "perfect" as a flat panel display (which we all know aren't "perfect" at all). Based on that, I think you probably should expect to need a higher-end screen in order to try and get you as close as possible to your expectations (which may still be a bit beyond what you'll actually get).

Choosing and setting up a front projection system is a lot more involved than "choosing components". You choose a starting point that's in the ballpark of what you want, then you take the time to figure out how well that will work in the room and how that compares to your goals. At this point you find out that what you chose isn't ideal, so you research different equipment and start the process all over again. After a few rounds, you'll have figured out the hardware and setup that will work best for you.

You did the first step and then stopped. Now you're facing the challenge of trying to "force" a piece of equipment to work in your room at your screen size and discovering that it's a) difficult, b)expensive.

I think you'll just have to bite the bullet and see how it all comes out.