Projector for everyday use

[gt07]

I'm looking to buy a projector for everyday use (tv, xbox, dvd, etc). I've been hunting around a little and am getting pretty confused about what i really need.

My budget is $1000 and it needs to obviously have a good amount of inputs (notably and regular cable tv hookup [the pin from the wall ] )

i've really been looking at infocus but ALL brands are welcome.

Can any of you please give me a hand or some personal experience? :thumbsup:

 

[Soccerman06]

I dont know which one is the best, but if your looking to spend $1000, you wont get a great one, maybe 480p (maybe 720i). For general tv watching at 100" or more you need to have one that can do 1080i/p. And generally the bulbs wont last over 500 hours and they usually cost atleast $100.

 

[Sonikku]

I'm not sure a projector is what you should be looking at if you're aiming for something with general every day use. You need a dark room to get a good image and even then the bulb has to be replaced eventually. My Infocus X1 has a 4000 hour lamp life and when it blows, it costs $300 to replace. Keep that in mind. For $1000 I would advise you to look around for a Infocus 4805. It has a component input, DVI input, composite and S video. But only one of each. Unless the material you'll be feeding into is is 480p or higher I also would not suggest displaying it on a projector. HD channels will look stunning on the projector, but regular cable will look awful. The Infocus 4805 has a native resolution of 854x480. It is exceptional for widescreen 480p. It also accepts 720p and 1080i signals and downconverts them to it's native resolution. However, the scaling on this infocus projector is so exceptional with it's Faroudja chip you'd swear it was true high definition.

Here are a few pics from my X1. I got it last year for about $900. But prices have fallen so much that If I were buying now I'd get the 4805. It's the X1 on steroids!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/Foxy_McCloud/Largepics005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/Foxy_McCloud/Sonic_themovie.jpg

Edit: Here's another picy.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v600/Foxy...ud/?action=view&current=X1pics6009.jpg

Note the small black shape on the left is a power outlet. Picture will no doubt look much better on a sheet or a screen, this was broadcast on a tiled wall. (Not the best choice)

 

[Mickey21]

Sonikku has some great advice... To do a projector well, you will be spending a little bit more money... Screens will add to the cost if you use them (I recommend them for better picture). A dark room will be best, and the darker the better. Sun lit rooms will take quite a bit away from quality and apperance. I would suggest tieing into a good AMP that has a good set of monitor selections (ie, you put all your video and audio imputs into it, and it has one output that you component into your projector). To that end, make sure your projector will accept component inputs (if you want to do HD and such), or convert your vga cabling to component with RGB adapter connectors. Other than that, I repeat what Sonnikku said...

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

You can't just adapt VGA to Component with a cable as far as I know.

Here's what I said in your OT thread:

I have a 4805 and I'm quite happy with it.

DLP is pretty nice for gaming as there is no chance of burn-in and response time is good.

It has a faroudja de-interlacer chip, so SD stuff will look good on it.

Check AVSforum and Projector Central for info if you haven't. Sound like you might have been over there if you're confused though

Go out and look at some if you can. You can see if Rainbow effect on DLPs bother you etc.

You have a dark room for this, right?




I have some pics of my images in my sig.

Here's the last one I took

I'm pretty happy with how SD looks on the thing. Naturally it's not so great because it's blown up so big, but it's a 480p projector and all the thing has to do is de-interlace the signal which the faroudja chip is good at.

 

[Sonikku]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can't just adapt VGA to Component with a cable as far as I know.

http://store.infocus.com/escalate/store...atname=Accessories-Cables+and+Adapters

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Sonikku

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can't just adapt VGA to Component with a cable as far as I know.

http://store.infocus.com/escalate/store...atname=Accessories-Cables+and+Adapters

"from the VESA port on your InFocus digital display to Component Video"

Do you have this thing working?

It looks like it takes component input and changes it to a "VESA" input on those projectors listed.

Will this do VGA to component?

 

[LoungeAct404]

something you might want to check out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-5X-FRESNEL-LENS-D...13QQcategoryZ67919QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I ordered one, though I haven't put it together yet. My friend also ordered one and he said he put it together (comes with instructions on a disc of how to make it with a cardboard box, or with wood) and he did the crappiest, most bootleg job on a cardboard box one just to test if the whole thing was BS or not, and he said the picture it produced was surprisingly good. I think I might actually attempt to put this together tomorrow, seeing as my computer's currently broken and I don't have anything to do :\

 

[Sonikku]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Sonikku

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can't just adapt VGA to Component with a cable as far as I know.

http://store.infocus.com/escalate/store...atname=Accessories-Cables+and+Adapters

"from the VESA port on your InFocus digital display to Component Video"

Do you have this thing working?

It looks like it takes component input and changes it to a "VESA" input on those projectors listed.

Will this do VGA to component?

If he goes with a Infocus X1 or any projector on that line, yes. If he goes with the 4805 their should be a component input right on the unit itself. However, if worse comes to worse a adaptor like this can be used.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/kdxb.asp

I got one very much like for $59 a year ago made my Key Digital that let's me play any content I wish in 480p/720p/1080i be it on my Infocus X1 or NEC 21" computer monitor. It's a component to vga device that will work with any monitor using the vga standard. ...I just suggested the VESA to component adaptor as it's cheaper and it would solve the problem if he was looking into Infocus projectors. But in any case component to vga is very possible.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Sonikku

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Sonikku

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can't just adapt VGA to Component with a cable as far as I know.

http://store.infocus.com/escalate/store...atname=Accessories-Cables+and+Adapters

"from the VESA port on your InFocus digital display to Component Video"

Do you have this thing working?

It looks like it takes component input and changes it to a "VESA" input on those projectors listed.

Will this do VGA to component?

If he goes with a Infocus X1 or any projector on that line, yes. If he goes with the 4805 their should be a component input right on the unit itself. However, if worse comes to worse a adaptor like this can be used.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/kdxb.asp

I got one very much like for $59 a year ago made my Key Digital that let's me play any content I wish in 480p/720p/1080i be it on my Infocus X1 or NEC 21" computer monitor. It's a component to vga device that will work with any monitor using the vga standard. ...I just suggested the VESA to component adaptor as it's cheaper and it would solve the problem if he was looking into Infocus projectors. But in any case component to vga is very possible.

So that's a component to VGA adapter... he would want a VGA to component adapter. Does it work both ways?

 

[oupei]

for the price of component cables, vga=>component adapter, why not just use the dvi port? i have a 5700 and the computer inputs are much more flexible than the (hd)tv inputs. names, vga and dvi accept many more resolutions and stuff than component, s-video, and composite. plus, with the tv connections, there's all the timing/dscalar stuff to worry about. just plug the dvi in and forget about it.

edit: use dvi for you computer. use component/s-video/composite for your tv and stuff. use a vcr for RF=>composite conversion.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Just to see if Infocus agreed with me on the VGA to Component not working for a connection between a computer and the Component input on projectors:

"Thank you for contacting InFocus with your questions. In response to your request, this probably won?t work. We have set up our projectors to accept component video through the computer port, but most computers are not set up that way. You can certainly try it, but we cannot guarantee it will work since it was not meant to be used in that fashion. Our part number is SP-VESA-ADPT, $10. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Thank you!"