Background Information:

This projector will be used to display video at wedding receptions. Basically I edit a short ~3 minute trailer of the wedding day and it's presented at the wedding reception. This means that it's usually dark outside and I usually have the ability to dim the lights. It's never completely dark though.

Details:
Budget: ~$1,000

Projector Musts: 720p, HDMI or DVI input, ability to adjust picture so it will display properly on the screen (the projector will usually be ~3 few feet lower then the center of the screen).

Screen Musts: Easily set up, take down, and transport. Rear projection is preferred 98% of the time but having the ability to do both would be great. Prefer a size ~ 96" wide (less is okay).

Currently Thinking...

The Optoma HD71 is a little over budget ($989) but it appears to be a much brighter projector (2.4k Lumens)

The Optoma HD65 is about my budget ($750) but it has 800 less Lumens. Seems like getting the 71 would be worth it?

The dalite screen systems I believe are too much for me. I don't know what to get...

If you're planning on rear projecting 98% of the time, you could be asking a lot from a portable screen. When you project from the rear, it will shadow the folding center tension bar onto the screen. Normally, rear projection is done with a fixed screen although I'm sure you can find a portable that tensions by use of dual arms on the sides (just not sure it's in your budget).

Greg

mitsu hc 1500 = $599 I got it for
Focupix Flexio 125" 120" viewable = $390 shipped

Unreal combination

well you may need to do some keystoning, but not a huge deal. I suggest the infocus x10 at tigerdirect.com $600 and 12 percent cash back through live.com.

I doubt you will find an hc1500 left anywhere

hc1500 for $750

screen 106" from the nerds.net for $100

:)

Planar PD7130 for $750. :D

well you may need to do some keystoning, but not a huge deal. I suggest the infocus x10 at tigerdirect.com $600 and 12 percent cash back through live.com.

I doubt you will find an hc1500 left anywhere

you just about gave me a heart attack since I paid 1300 for the x10 last week! The x9 is 600, the x10 is still a great deal, but out of budget.

I might add, that if you are doing this commercially, you NEED an extra bulb (ideally a backup projector, but I'd look for a used non-hd projector for that if I were you). consider that in your costs, as you do not want your clients getting upset during their wedding reception!

well you may need to do some keystoning, but not a huge deal. I suggest the infocus x10 at tigerdirect.com $600 and 12 percent cash back through live.com.

I doubt you will find an hc1500 left anywhere

I'm assuming that $600 is a typo, yes?

If you're planning on rear projecting 98% of the time, you could be asking a lot from a portable screen. When you project from the rear, it will shadow the folding center tension bar onto the screen. Normally, rear projection is done with a fixed screen although I'm sure you can find a portable that tensions by use of dual arms on the sides (just not sure it's in your budget).

Greg

Thank you Greg for resurrecting my thread.

I've decided to go with front projection...

So I'm looking for the best projector to project on a 92" x 52" Da-Lite screen (Regular Matte White).

The screen is $330 leaving me ~ $670 for the projector!

Suggestions?

Remember I will be placing this projector in the middle of a dance floor and projecting on to my screen. It will only be used for 3-4 minutes every few weeks.. lol

infocus x9 tigerdirect.com 12percnt cashback from live.com cash back

infocus x9 tigerdirect.com 12percnt cashback from live.com cash back

I'm thinking about the X9 and the 92" x 52" Da-Lite Picture King!

Anyone object? :eek:

Just make sure you can live with the placement requirements of the x9
It has limited zoom, for a 92" screen, you need to be 12-13 feet away

Also, it does not have vertical offset adjustment, so you either need to place it where it wants to go, or use the keystone adjustment.
I'm not sure how much vertical offset it has, for a 92" screen, but I would guess it either needs to go above or below the screen.

For this type of use, I would consider a business projector, they are made to put out more lumens, for a lighted room.

I have a LCD projector, and it has vertical and horizontal adjustments and a wider zoom range, so it is much more flexible in where you can put it. This is a HT projector, I'm not sure the options for LCD business projectors.

My 2 cents.

Randy

My IF X1 recently died, so I'm shopping for a pj with about the same budget as yours. Its for my family room, so there will be some ambient light during the day.

According to ProjectorReviews (http://www.projectorreviews.com/infocus/X9/index.php), the X9 puts out about 1000 lumens calibrated, and 2000 lumens in PC mode, which is close to what business pjs output. The X9 is a good crossover business/ht pj. Bulbs are around 250 clams, with a 4K hour lamp life in eco mode.

The Epson powerlite HC 700 looks to be a good lcd with similar specs, and bulbs are around 200 clams, same lamp life. Not too many reviews out there, except for user reviews on this site. This one is going for about 800 clams or so.

Get a Dalite Model B (pulldown), either HCMW (1.1 gain) or HP (2.5), and you'll be set for most situations. Actually, for the wedding, you can probably go with any portable pulldown, because these pjs can pump out more than adequate lumens for the setting that you mentioned...

Neither one has much flexibility as far as lense shift goes, but you get what you pay for in this budget range. On the plus side, their 720p rez is mentioned as being akin to 2K+ pjs of 5 years ago...

Just make sure you can live with the placement requirements of the x9
It has limited zoom, for a 92" screen, you need to be 12-13 feet away

Also, it does not have vertical offset adjustment, so you either need to place it where it wants to go, or use the keystone adjustment.
I'm not sure how much vertical offset it has, for a 92" screen, but I would guess it either needs to go above or below the screen.

For this type of use, I would consider a business projector, they are made to put out more lumens, for a lighted room.

I have a LCD projector, and it has vertical and horizontal adjustments and a wider zoom range, so it is much more flexible in where you can put it. This is a HT projector, I'm not sure the options for LCD business projectors.

My 2 cents.

Randy

Hey Randy,

I have a lot of room to work with in terms of placement. The screen will go on the far side of the dance floor so I'll have 20+ feet in every direction to place the projector. According to the projector calculator the projector will be placed 12' 6" from the screen. Not a problem there. The projector will have to be low enough that it doesn't cover the screen. At 12.5' away from the projector I can't see that I would need that much keystone. The X9 has 15% keystone which I think would be enough.

As far as lighting... The calculator says I'll get away with 16% or 6fc.

If I got the HP screen (2.8gain) then I could get away with 44% or 16fc.

The problem with the HP screen is it has a viewing angle of 30.. As opposed to 60 with the Matte screen.

Hi again
I just wanted to make sure you had considered all of the placement issues. Sounds like you have.

And, I didn't think about the screen height, I would expect you would have the screen higher than in a HT setup, which lets you keep the projector up off of the floor.

I would stay away from the HP for your application, because of the viewing angle, as you have said.

2000 lumens is bright. I have 1500 lumens, and it is watchable is some ambient, especially bright scenes. Dark scenes don't look as good in ambient.

Randy

Hi again
I just wanted to make sure you had considered all of the placement issues. Sounds like you have.

And, I didn't think about the screen height, I would expect you would have the screen higher than in a HT setup, which lets you keep the projector up off of the floor.

I would stay away from the HP for your application, because of the viewing angle, as you have said.

2000 lumens is bright. I have 1500 lumens, and it is watchable is some ambient, especially bright scenes. Dark scenes don't look as good in ambient.

Randy

Thank you Randy.. I'm about to pull the trigger on this and I feel like I'm making an uneducated decision... Like my grandma at best buy!! :eek:

I think finding the right projector has been the most terrible experience in my consumer history! lol

You can get a refurb hd71 at the bay for 777

You can get a refurb hd71 at the bay for 777

The Planar PD7130 is a much better projector.

The Planar PD7130 is a much better projector.

True but where can you find one new or refub?

WOOT Had this for $600 about 6 months ago, too bad

But the lamp itself is over $600 that insane for a lamp

You can buy the lamp for less than that from Planar. When I need a new lamp for my PD7130 I will pay around $200 for it. I will buy OEM bare lamp and install it in my housing (5 min. job). $250 dollar savings for 5 minutes of work.