So im looking for a projector for my living room in my house. Being a college student im on a pretty tight budget, ideally i would like to keep my total costs under about 1200-1300. Ive been looking at a bunch of different projectors and reading everything i could about them. The room will have a total of a 13' throw range(i know this is VERY small compared to most setups) theres windows in the room, im just gonna throw some dark curtains or blinds on it, but there will be some ambient light. The projectors I have been looking at range from the BenQ MP721c, to the Epson PowerLite 1700C(which i considered because i can get it cheap, but the 400:1 cr doesnt work for me) to the Mitsubishi HD1000U. with the mitsu i can get roughly a 90" screen, which works(although i would like as big as possible). For my screen I was thinking about going the FnEasy DIY route. I will be using the PJ for my xbox 360, TV, HTPC, everything of which will be run through my reciever to it.
So questions....
1) would the Mitsu HD1000U be a good projector? if not is there a better?
2) how would the Mitsu handle video games? would i notice color seperation since its DLP?

Thanks ahead of time for your help, and thanks to everyone who has already unknowingly helped me in these forums!

Have you excuded these models already? You should be able to get a larger screen with a few of these models.

BenQ W500
Sony VPL-AW15 or AW10
Sanyo Z5
Espon 400

Optoma HD70

The HD1000u will work fine. You could also look at the Benq W500, the Optoma HD70, the Epson Home Cinema 400, and a couple others. You will love the picture.

13 feet will get you a 106" screen, just adjust the zoom.

All of these will handle video games fine.

I have a 12 x 12 room with a 10.6 foot throw onto a 90" screen. Works great!

My choice if you want a larger screen is the Benq mentioned above because of it's advanced silicon optix video processor. The HD1000 is a great choice though. DLP rainbows have nothing to do with video games, but with the indivdual person.

yeah, i just now started playing with the zoom, i guess i totally misunderstood the function of zoom on PJ's, but i would be very happy with a 106" lol

MJN...
I havent excluded those models at all, but i also have yet to look at them lol, i will deffinately give them a browse, I just like how many people have the HD1000U around here, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that if I ever have a problem i can ask and theres tons of people to help ya know?

EDIT
I just ran those couple through a projector calculator and couldnt seem to get much out of them, most of them were only 1100 lumens which is just to dim for my room i think. Thanks for the suggestions though!

GW
Thanks man, I wasnt sure if it had anything to do with fast movement or such. Which BenQ are you referring to the one I mentioned or the 500?

I too have 13ft throw, and I'm using a projector very similar to the Epson you're looking at. you're right though cr isnt the greatest but in a light controlled room with grey screen, I'm happy with the results.

Victor

I was referring to the w500. Do not get the one you mentioned.

okay, cool, yeah i ended up getting the mitsu, thanks for all your great input though! i figure everyone is going to have some level of bias towards one or the other, its really hard to get a sience based solution, instead of an opinion based solution. After comparing the brightness, the throw that I would get etc. i really think the mitsu was the better choice, but thanks again for all your help guys!

Awesome choice man. I've played my 360 on my projector and even on a tan wall with no sound it was still awesome. You ceiling mounting it or table?

I have the Mits HD100 with my 360 and LOVE IT. I just did a gray wall with the proper gain, and it pops!

the nice thing about the vault ceilings is it allows me to mount it as high as i need to to get the right picture, so i will deffinately be ceiling mounting it. As for a screen, right now the wall is some grey pain that the dude who lived here before me painted it, im going to putty over it(its textured right now) smooth it out, and do a proper fneasy grey screen over it, as well as a nice velveteen border :) im excited, i cant wait for it to get here lol, and your messages about playing your 360 are leaving me in tears that halo 3 isnt out yet... thanks alot guys i think i really made the right choice with this projector :) i cant wait to see it in action