I'm thinking about turning my basement in a multipurpose media game room. I've never had a projector before.

Is it bad form to use the projector for general TV watching? Or should it only be used for lengthy periods of time (i.e. movie/sports watching). Aside from shortening the bulb life, are there any other drawbacks to "flipping channels" with a projector?

I think the only downside/concern would be repeatedly turning the PJ on and off for short durations. In other words, watching TV for 30 minutes. Turning it off. Grabbing a bite to eat. Turning it back on 30 minutes later, etc. As for changing channels, I can't see that being any more of an issue than changing scenes in a film or going to commercial. With an LCD PJ at least, I don't think the bulb is really affected by the changing of scenes or channels....it stays on the whole time....its the LCD panel in front of it that flickers/changes/blinks/etc when you change channels. In other words, its no different than changing channels on an LCD flat panel TV.

Honestly, I find that I watch LESS TV now that I have a PJ simply because I won't turn it on just to "see what's on" knowing that I may turn it off 5 minutes later. Plus it means I have roll the screen down and put it back up when I am done. I only fire up the PJ if I am going to watch for an hour or more. If I had a motorized screen or a fixed screen I might be more motivated.

That said, I do still watch more TV on my PJ than DVD's.

The other question for you is how is your light control? PJ's are designed to be used in the dark, and alot of ambient lighting will wash out your picture unless you have a really bright PJ. Daytime watching could be a problem if you don't have at least some light control.

Forgive my ignorance but what would the drawback be of turning the PJ on and off multiple times? Ironically when we watch TV it usually stays on for a few hours. (i.e. sit down to watch a show and then it stays on for background noise).

In terms of light control I think I'm good. It's in the basement and there are 2 2feet x1 foot mini windows that have blinds that I could cover with blackout drapes for complete darkness.

Forgive my ignorance but what would the drawback be of turning the PJ on and off multiple times?

The major ongoing expense of a PJ is the bulb. Frequent cycling reduces bulb life. One rule of thumb I read somewhere is if you are going to be back in less than an hour leave it on.

As for PJ versus TV. There was a thread somewhere for PJ owners asking if they could ever go back to a TV and the answers were basically no.

HD TV programming looks stunning on a PJ.

I'll never go back. Even if I down size to a room with 2 folding chairs, it will have a projector.

I was using a projector as my main display device in my living room for a bit over a year until I recently decomissioned it and got a 47" LCD. I liked the projector at night, but during the day it was too washed out from ambient light. I have blinds and heavy curtains over every window but it was still impossible to really darken it enough in here when the sun is out.

I say if you have built that as a dedicated space (closed off, no light!) then go for the projector.

Watching movies and playing games on this 47" is just not the same as the 92" screen I had before. I'm moving soon and will be building a theater so I'll have both :)

I figured out that using the pj as my primary TV cost me $35/month in bulb life.

I was using a projector as my main display device in my living room for a bit over a year until I recently decomissioned it and got a 47" LCD. I liked the projector at night, but during the day it was too washed out from ambient light. I have blinds and heavy curtains over every window but it was still impossible to really darken it enough in here when the sun is out.

I say if you have built that as a dedicated space (closed off, no light!) then go for the projector.

Watching movies and playing games on this 47" is just not the same as the 92" screen I had before. I'm moving soon and will be building a theater so I'll have both :)

I figured out that using the pj as my primary TV cost me $35/month in bulb life.


My plan in my ht is to have a 40+ LCD behind the screen for TV viewing and such. I'll also mount a 40+ LCD on the far side of the room where my poker table is.

Those things are cheap now-a-days. Nice looking Samsung for less than $2K means Ill buy a gross.

My plan in my ht is to have a 40+ LCD behind the screen for TV viewing and such. I'll also mount a 40+ LCD on the far side of the room where my poker table is.

Those things are cheap now-a-days. Nice looking Samsung for less than $2K means Ill buy a gross.

Does that mean you're going to use a pulldown screen that hangs from the ceiling?

I would go with a perm screen. You are going to drop quite a bit of money on a nice TV you will NOT use once you get comfortable with the PJ. The wiring also gets pretty tricky if you want t ouse the same components (maybe not that tricky but certainly expensive). You don't want to turn the PJ on and off all the time but its not the end of the world either. It will just cost a few minutes of bulb life. A 120" screen is exactly NINE TIMES AS BIG as a 40" TV. HD on a PJ is delightful. Watching Lost, Heroes or whatever your favorite show on a big screen in HD is something to behold. You won't want to go back.

I recently made the jump from a 32" standard tv to a 92" screen with pj. I am never going back. It is so fun having neighbors and friends come over for the first time to see the screen. They gasp at the high quality, bright, contrasted image that is HUGE.

It blows them away. Too bad for them they have to leave and I get to stay and watch it all the time.

The things mentioned, the fact that projectors need to power down slowly to protect the bulb, and if you have it go out or turn it off you have to wait a bit for it to cool before you turn it back on, and when we say it is is expensive to replace the bulbs we are talking average $250 to $600 for a bulb. Also the bulbs dim over time not just suddenly go out like a light bulb but fine till then.

Over all general TV use is not their best use.

They are certainly not for everyone, but with the long life of my CRT projector tubes I never give a second thought to watching it as much as I want.