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Attention projector owners: I have a dream
ZackSchilling
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
It has always been a dream of mine to have a home theater projector for movies and games. But I've never had the money to justify the cost. Some recent research into the market has shown me that projectors seem to have come down in price a lot in the past two years, especially with technologies like DLP offering really bright, contrasty images in projectors that don't cost $4000 or need a lot of special setup. The time is now.
I'm looking for an inexpensive projector (both in upfront cost and in terms of lamp replacement). I'm thinking of something in the sub $1000 range, with the sweet spot being $800, though I am willing to pay more up front if I need to. I want a 720p projector, but if there's a highly rated 1024x768 projector for cheap, I'd be all over it, as long as it has component inputs. Other important factors are being able to shoot a big, sharp image in about 10 feet and good (hopefully optical) keystoning controls, as this projector will not be mounted for at least its first year of use.
This Samsung looks like sex, especially at $900 for a 720p DLP projector with all those inputs (DVI, VGA, 2 component, a composite and an S-Video!!!). From users on forums who actually own the thing, picture quality is great, especially details and color fidelity, but the blacks aren't as black as they could be because it uses an old DLP chip(?). Bulb price/life ratio is about $0.30 per hour. That makes me want to hold down the 'a' key on my keyboard. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-700-Lumens-XGA-Projector/dp/B000F5CCTC/
Everyone also seems to be in love with the BenQ projectors, but I'm not so sure about them myself. Reviews either gush or talk about sub-par image quality. BenQ isn't exactly a brand that has good report with me (it has no report, it fact), but I could give it a try if it's really recommended. The W500 seems to be their 720p, sub $1000 model. Bulb life is a claimed to be 4000 hours, which I imagine is a horrible, horrible lie. Samsung lied about 50% so I assume BenQ does too. That leaves a lamp cost ratio of $0.15 / hour. Not as aaaaaaaaa.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889106017
These two are what I've come up with so far.
I'm also interested in what people use for mounting, where to buy bulb replacements, what screens you use. I was planning on using the ultra-cheap bedsheet solution at first until it becomes practical for me to use something else. Are there better, cheap, makeshift screens? I'll be mostly playing games and movies in a college townhouse, so cheap and temporary are a must.
Well, that about covers what I know. Come on in and share. Help computer.
I'm looking for an inexpensive projector (both in upfront cost and in terms of lamp replacement). I'm thinking of something in the sub $1000 range, with the sweet spot being $800, though I am willing to pay more up front if I need to. I want a 720p projector, but if there's a highly rated 1024x768 projector for cheap, I'd be all over it, as long as it has component inputs. Other important factors are being able to shoot a big, sharp image in about 10 feet and good (hopefully optical) keystoning controls, as this projector will not be mounted for at least its first year of use.
This Samsung looks like sex, especially at $900 for a 720p DLP projector with all those inputs (DVI, VGA, 2 component, a composite and an S-Video!!!). From users on forums who actually own the thing, picture quality is great, especially details and color fidelity, but the blacks aren't as black as they could be because it uses an old DLP chip(?). Bulb price/life ratio is about $0.30 per hour. That makes me want to hold down the 'a' key on my keyboard. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-700-Lumens-XGA-Projector/dp/B000F5CCTC/
Everyone also seems to be in love with the BenQ projectors, but I'm not so sure about them myself. Reviews either gush or talk about sub-par image quality. BenQ isn't exactly a brand that has good report with me (it has no report, it fact), but I could give it a try if it's really recommended. The W500 seems to be their 720p, sub $1000 model. Bulb life is a claimed to be 4000 hours, which I imagine is a horrible, horrible lie. Samsung lied about 50% so I assume BenQ does too. That leaves a lamp cost ratio of $0.15 / hour. Not as aaaaaaaaa.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889106017
These two are what I've come up with so far.
I'm also interested in what people use for mounting, where to buy bulb replacements, what screens you use. I was planning on using the ultra-cheap bedsheet solution at first until it becomes practical for me to use something else. Are there better, cheap, makeshift screens? I'll be mostly playing games and movies in a college townhouse, so cheap and temporary are a must.
Well, that about covers what I know. Come on in and share. Help computer.
ZackSchilling on
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I am fairly certain what I purchased was a low-end projector but I was 100% satisfied with the quality. I did not however get to play any HD games on it so I don't know about that aspect. I did have my Xbox hooked up through some component cables and it was mind-blowing to play Halo 2. The guys running around on my wall were life size if they were close enough to you.
They both look like pretty good options. The Mitsubishi looks to be slightly better on brightness and setup, but the Optoma is cheaper: $800 vs $900. Both have identical inputs. Digital keystone makes me sad though.
For the 4:3 option, I would only go for it if someone showed up and said: hey look, $300 LCD projector, 1500+ lumens, throws up to 100" in 5 feet.
10 ft. is going to be no problem for any of these projectors you're looking at.
Bulb life will depend on its frequency of use, not necessarily time used. I.e.- if you turn it on and off a lot (in a short amount of time), it will degrade the lumens lv. My projector has prolly 2,000 hrs + on it and there's only been a slight dimming.
Remember though, that if you're going for a great HT on the cheap, you're going to have to factor in audio. I've got logitech z5500's and they do the job.
Mario Strikers: 266395 286788
Like games/movies/other awesome stuff? Check ouy my blog: http://freakinawesome.wordpress.com/
Thats a strange pricepoint because that will get you a good/great 720P projector, but not 1080P. Still, with that I would make sure it is DLP with a HIGH contrast ratio. It depends on the room you will be using, but for the most part contrast ratio is more important than lumens.
InFocus Playbig IN74 (720P), Optoma HD72 (720P) or HD80 (1080P), BenQ PE8720 (720P), Mitsubishi HD4000U or HC1500
Really? I swore I saw some projectors that said they could do 1080P for around 3 grand.... Or are they just not of good quality? Whats price should I be paying for a good 1080P one?
Mario Strikers: 266395 286788
Like games/movies/other awesome stuff? Check ouy my blog: http://freakinawesome.wordpress.com/
Just a little longer, and as soon as I find a good deal.
You can get 1080P for around the 3 grand mark, but make sure you check contrast ratio, the HD80 has a great contrast ratio of 10,000, but lumens at 1300 (Lumens should be noted are the lamps output, not what makes it OUT of the projector), would make it (depending on what size of screen you want to use) a bit hard to see with ambient light.
DLP and LCD projectors have a fixed resolution, you can scale (to an extent), but depending on how big of an image you use, you will see a loss of quality.
www.avsforum.com
http://www.lumenlab.com/
He paid around 600 US and it's been in thier front room for about a year now, it does 480p so the wii and my xbox are happy, and hooked into our sound system it makes for a nice home theatre. I know I've been content with a 6 foot screen to play on these days.
It's pretty much what you are looking for. thank me later?
Having a 200 or 300 inch screen is pretty awesome, I will admit, but I don't like re-occurring costs so often, so I picked up an LED engine DLP HDTV. I most certainly don't regret that decision. I may buy a projector in the future, though, for just watching DVDs. The 720p models will keep coming down in price eventually. For gaming, however, I'll probably stick to the DLP.
Apparently it's $400 now. Replacement bulbs are $30. This is really, really tempting but I must resist.
I have to know, under realistic conditions, how is the brightness, color fidelity, and ghosting?
$750 upfront, $300 lamp with 2000 hour bulb (hopefully).
Not bad. Projects 100" from 12'. That's pretty good. It's only 1000 lumens though. Will that be enough if there's a 60 watt incandescent bulb on next to me, the viewer? I wish I had a way to test these things in a show room or something.
What am I missing because that projector looks like it might be the one. good price, 720p native, seems like good throw, brightness is questionable, but I can deal with using it only in black out conditions if thats what it takes.
What he said. Seriously, go lurk over there a while, see what they have to say. Their forums are amazing sources of information (not hype), and they cover all aspects of HT. It was through that forum that I learned of the Infocus X1 a few years back, and it's been my primary "TV" ever since. Sure, it's not "HD", but it was an amazing deal at the time, 800x600, and it looks awesome on my 100" screen (which I got direct from AVScience).
I currently have an INFocus IN72 480P projector, projected on a white wall at around a 90" screen.
It is fantastic. Using the component or HDMI inputs, the image is spectacular.
The bulb is rated at 3000 hours, and in the past 8 months i've put 600 on it. sounds good to me.
if you have the money and the space, a projector is the shit. metaphorically speaking.
edit: oh and the IN72 cost me $420. good deal for me
Well, the conditions I play in are hardly ideal, a front living room with HUGE glass windows (partialy curtained) and my girlfriends horrible yellow lamp of projector killing. all those things aside, it gives a pretty awesome picture, whites get a little washed out when I turn up the brightness/contrast to counter out the yellow light, but for those moments the lamp is NOT on, it works like a dream. my XBOX360 in particular runs very very sharp off the component inputs running at 480p.
Ghosting is not an issue, guitar hero, for example, plays perfect down to the millisecond.
I have pictured uploaded at home, I will post, might help sway your decision,. But the small visual quality dip for this price point seems justifiable, and as a SERIOUS video game addict I prefer this screen any day to my LCD monitor or Component ins on my TV at home.