Projectors....

[Cuda1447]

So I recently purchased a new house. The living room is fantastic. Great view of a pond/patio. Tons of space. Tall ceilings. Pre-wired for surround sound. One problem though. The couches sit kinda far from the tv. The width of the living room is ~ 20 feet. That means our wall mounted 55" tv is sitting a good 15 feet from our couch on the back wall. It's not absolutely unbearable, but honestly this shit is to small for this distance.


I thought about getting a 70" LED, but the absolute cheapest is $1500 vizio. Realistically I'm looking at 2k+ for a good quality tv. So it got me thinking... maybe... just maybe a projector can get the job done. I'd loooove a 100" screen. I've heard the quality has improved a ton over the last few years.


Here's my problem though. Lighting during the day. As I mentioned before, our living room has some BIG windows leading out to the patio/pond. We get a lot of good natural light in the room. We could close the blinds during the day if we wanted, but I don't think my wife will go for full on curtains.

So the question is, are these projectors decent with some natural light getting through? I'd have a budget of ~$1000 give or take a few hundred. Ideally, quality would be close to my couple year old 55" Samsung lcd during the day. And when we kill the lights at night, I'd want the quality to be absolutely awesome. But I'm concerned projectors just aren't there yet.

 

[hack_tc]

If you are looking to completely replace your TV with a projector, in a bright room, I wouldn't recommend that. However, If you want something amazing to watch movies on at night, no TV will ever compare to the experience a large projector can give.

Many of the newer projectors are considered light cannons, and actually do fairly well in lighted areas. I recently bought an Optoma HD131xe (1080p / 3d Ready) projector on Amazon for $700 and it looks astounding on a 125" homemade screen I made. I can watch movies in a fairly bright room no prob. Obviously I prefer it dark, but its not half bad. Just keep in mind projectors require a bit more planning, that many people simply aren't up to. Do research on the exact projector, on where you want to place it, on what size image that projector will shoot from the distance you want to place it. Will you be able to route your HDMI cable/s to the projectors location? Do you have surround sound (cuz you definitely dont want to use the projector speakers!) Just a lot of little things that add up.

Anyways, I ABSOLUTELY love my projector, and actually find it hard to get excited about seeing a movie in theaters now. Its soooo much better in my own living room. An astronomical step up from my 51" Samsung Plasma.

As for good budget projectors, I would consider the BenQ 1070 (1080p 3d DLP) , Optoma HD131xe (1080p 3d DLP), or the Epson 2030 (1080p 3d 3LCD).

 

[Malik2981]

If you are looking to completely replace your TV with a projector, in a bright room, I wouldn't recommend that. However, If you want something amazing to watch movies on at night, no TV will ever compare to the experience a large projector can give.

Many of the newer projectors are considered light cannons, and actually do fairly well in lighted areas. I recently bought an Optoma HD131xe (1080p / 3d Ready) projector on Amazon for $700 and it looks astounding on a 125" homemade screen I made. I can watch movies in a fairly bright room no prob. Obviously I prefer it dark, but its not half bad. Just keep in mind projectors require a bit more planning, that many people simply aren't up to. Do research on the exact projector, on where you want to place it, on what size image that projector will shoot from the distance you want to place it. Will you be able to route your HDMI cable/s to the projectors location? Do you have surround sound (cuz you definitely dont want to use the projector speakers!) Just a lot of little things that add up.

Anyways, I ABSOLUTELY love my projector, and actually find it hard to get excited about seeing a movie in theaters now. Its soooo much better in my own living room. An astronomical step up from my 51" Samsung Plasma.

As for good budget projectors, I would consider the BenQ 1070 (1080p 3d DLP) , Optoma HD131xe (1080p 3d DLP), or the Epson 2030 (1080p 3d 3LCD).

I would also recommend a Acer 5360 (1080P 3D DLP) and it runs around $600

 

[mazeroth]

I would also recommend a Acer 5360 (1080P 3D DLP) and it runs around $600

That's only a 720p projector.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

Move your couch in so that it's not up against the wall? 15' is a big distance to have totally empty. Fill in that space by moving the couch forward and creating a nice sitting/watching area. Get a nice console table to go behind the couch and fill in some of the space, but leave enough to walk behind the couch. With the walkway there, it won't matter if the sitting/watching area is a little cluttered and hard to walk straight through.

 

[olds]

I'd move the couch. You're not going to get good blacks unless you spend some $$$.

 

[sdifox]

when in doubt, bring out the big guns :biggrin:

http://www.christiedigital.com/en-u...christie-d4k2560-3-chip-dlp-4k-projector.aspx


http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/08/christie-60fps-4k-projector/

For more realistic considerations, ever consider shutters for the patio door and windows? Women seem to like those more than curtains. Also, The roll down cloth blinds might be another option, you just roll them up again when you don't need them. Something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Coolaroo-Selec...oll+down+blind

bottom line, you need to control light source, no matter which display type you go with.


Another option is 2 layers of curtains, one that is sheer which is basically just privacy curtain, then the second layer is thick blackout curtains. usually you have just the sheer ones fully deployed, then when you need to control light, close the black out ones.


something along these lines

http://www.amazon.com/allen-2-Pack-...&qid=1386250102&sr=8-5&keywords=2+curtain+rod

 

[cbrunny]

As a projector-user, controlling light should be the #1 consideration when pondering a home projector.

 

[Paul98]

Get a projector like the optoma 131xe and a motorized screen, keep your current tv for daytime viewing. Have the motorized screen mounted so it comes down in front of your wall mounted tv. Then during night time you can bring the screen down, during the day time you can watch on your current tv.

 

[Cuda1447]

Get a projector like the optoma 131xe and a motorized screen, keep your current tv for daytime viewing. Have the motorized screen mounted so it comes down in front of your wall mounted tv. Then during night time you can bring the screen down, during the day time you can watch on your current tv.

This is what I thought might be a good solution. The only problem is my ceiling above my tv is probably at least 15 feet high, so I don't know what I could mount it to.

 

[Cuda1447]

Move your couch in so that it's not up against the wall? 15' is a big distance to have totally empty. Fill in that space by moving the couch forward and creating a nice sitting/watching area. Get a nice console table to go behind the couch and fill in some of the space, but leave enough to walk behind the couch. With the walkway there, it won't matter if the sitting/watching area is a little cluttered and hard to walk straight through.

That may have to be an option. I just don't know how well it will look/work. I'll try to get some pictures later. The problem is if we move the couches forward than we are covering up half our our sliding patio doors, which I think would look funny. As it is right now, the couch along the wall opposite of the tv is behind the glass doors, so it isn't covering any of the view you would have of the patio from inside the house. Hard to explain.

 

[Cuda1447]

If you are looking to completely replace your TV with a projector, in a bright room, I wouldn't recommend that. However, If you want something amazing to watch movies on at night, no TV will ever compare to the experience a large projector can give.

Many of the newer projectors are considered light cannons, and actually do fairly well in lighted areas. I recently bought an Optoma HD131xe (1080p / 3d Ready) projector on Amazon for $700 and it looks astounding on a 125" homemade screen I made. I can watch movies in a fairly bright room no prob. Obviously I prefer it dark, but its not half bad. Just keep in mind projectors require a bit more planning, that many people simply aren't up to. Do research on the exact projector, on where you want to place it, on what size image that projector will shoot from the distance you want to place it. Will you be able to route your HDMI cable/s to the projectors location? Do you have surround sound (cuz you definitely dont want to use the projector speakers!) Just a lot of little things that add up.

Anyways, I ABSOLUTELY love my projector, and actually find it hard to get excited about seeing a movie in theaters now. Its soooo much better in my own living room. An astronomical step up from my 51" Samsung Plasma.

As for good budget projectors, I would consider the BenQ 1070 (1080p 3d DLP) , Optoma HD131xe (1080p 3d DLP), or the Epson 2030 (1080p 3d 3LCD).

I have been eying the BenQ. I read good things about it and it is right around my target budget. I just think it will suck far to much during the day. We also have light colored flooring and light colored walls, which I hear will further exacerbate the problems.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

That may have to be an option. I just don't know how well it will look/work. I'll try to get some pictures later. The problem is if we move the couches forward than we are covering up half our our sliding patio doors, which I think would look funny. As it is right now, the couch along the wall opposite of the tv is behind the glass doors, so it isn't covering any of the view you would have of the patio from inside the house. Hard to explain.

I've got the same situation in my house. I think it's about 13' from the TV wall to the wall opposite it, and on one side there is a sliding glass door as well as a fireplace. Our couch is lined up pretty much in the middle of the sliding glass door, albeit a good 6-7 feet away we still have easy access to the door. Of course we don't have a "view" out the glass doors (just a typical suburban backyard/fence, and then the backs of other people's houses) but we don't find it weird at all. Much better to walk behind the couch to get to the back door; that way you're not walking in front of people watching TV, and you're not running into ottomans and coffee tables and whatnot. We've got a wooden storage bench behind the couch, and still plenty of room to walk between that and the wall to the back door.

Most couches really are fairly short. If you're standing and looking over them out your big sliding glass door, you'll barely notice the couch. And anybody who really wants a good view will walk over to the glass anyway. :shrug:

 

[hack_tc]

I have been eying the BenQ. I read good things about it and it is right around my target budget. I just think it will suck far to much during the day. We also have light colored flooring and light colored walls, which I hear will further exacerbate the problems.

I run my projector in a room with off-white walls, that is completely open to our kitchen, with sliding glass patio doors with no shades, and several large windows with nothing on them but typical miniblinds. At night, I can turn on all the lights in the kitchen, and still get a nice picture.

I think many people really miss out on the joy of projectors due to the fears that many "videophiles" tend to bestow on people. The fact is, until the few years or so, projectors were not really a viable, affordable option for the average person. Yes, you will absolutely the best picture in a nice, secluded dark room. Does it require the perfect room. No. Does it even require a half perfect room. No. To each their own, I guess. I just hate to see people miss out on a great experience, worrying about not being able to achieve the perfect setup.

In my case, I have a decent TV to rely on during the really bright times, but come 5-6 o'clock (if not earlier), it's projector time.

All in all, the thing I love the most, is the seeing the different response when people see it. In in 1997 (when nice 50" TV's were rare) I would get "Wow, that's an awesome TV." Now I get, "Holy %$#, what the @#$% is that?!! Do you need a roommate?!"

 

[Malik2981]

That's only a 720p projector.

No its 1080p.

 

[neovan]

No, its really a 720p.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Acer_H5360_home_theater_projector_review.htm

 

[Soundmanred]

Yup it's 720p native. It can accept a 1080p input, but it's still a 720p PJ.

 

[Soundmanred]

I'd move the couch. You're not going to get good blacks unless you spend some $$$.

Why would he pay them to move his couch and how good does someone have to be to move a couch a few feet?

 

[Gillbot]

Yup it's 720p native. It can accept a 1080p input, but it's still a 720p PJ.

I was looking for a used projector and you have no idea how many times I had to explain this little nugget to nearly EVERYONE. People kept offering me 800x600 or 1024x768 projectors and arguing they were 1080. I even had people take pictures of the screen and send them to me even after I linked them to the specs and highlighted the native resolution part.......

I eventually gave up and decided i'll wait for a better deal at newegg or something.

 

[Malik2981]

No, its really a 720p.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Acer_H5360_home_theater_projector_review.htm

I own one myself and can confirm it inputs and outputs 1080p @44.1Hz and 720p @120Hz

 

[LikeLinus]

My person light canon is a Panasonic AR 100U

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-PT-A...nasonic+ar100u

Family absolutely loves it and use it almost daily. We watch tv and a ton of movies on it. Kids play games on it all the time. Their friends love to come over and play on the 100" screen.

As others mentioned, light control is a good thing to look at and think about. 2" nice blinds and curtains that close work great for us.

We have our screen triggered to the projector so that when the projector turns on, the screen drops down. When the projector turns odd, the screen goes back up. We have a 55" Panasonic plasma behind it for normal use. It's a great setup.

 

[LikeLinus]

I own one myself and can confirm it inputs and outputs 1080p @44.1Hz and 720p @120Hz

No, it's not. It's native output resolution is 1280x720, which is 720p. It can accept and display a 1080p signal, but it's scaling or down converting the image.

 

[Soundmanred]

I own one myself and can confirm it inputs and outputs 1080p @44.1Hz and 720p @120Hz

So...you're saying every site with the specs saying its a 720p projector is wrong?

Amazon.com: Native Resolution: 1280 x 720
Newegg: ACER H5360 720P
Projector Central: The Acer H5360 is a 1280x720 DLP projector
CNET: The 720p H5360
BHPhotovideo.com: Resolution (1,280 x 720)

 

[Paul98]

This is what I thought might be a good solution. The only problem is my ceiling above my tv is probably at least 15 feet high, so I don't know what I could mount it to.

Mount it to the wall with a spacer so that it's far enough off the wall that it will clear the tv.

 

[Paul98]

I own one myself and can confirm it inputs and outputs 1080p @44.1Hz and 720p @120Hz

It's ether 720p or 1080p, it's not both, it will scale to it's native resolution which is 720p. It will output a 1080p source, but it will be scaled to 720p.