I'm pretty new to this whole thing. I picked up the Mitsubishi HC1500 from Amazon for $800 last month. Learned the lesson that everything has to be connected backwards because the projector is in the back, not the front.

Because my apt is small, I'm projecting a ~70" image with a viewing distance of 8 feet. Right now I'm just projecting it on my white(ish) wall.

When I turn off all the lights, the image from my HD devices looks great, but I still feel tinges of sadness and regret.

I'm not able to get a sweet 100"+ projection image. (but 70" IS pretty nice)
I can't install a wall-mounted projection screen.
And I feel guilty when I'm using it, knowing that the $330 bulb is burning away.... when I watch TV with it I feel like that's a waste you know?

When I started I thought the projector was all I needed, but now I've invested in 5.1 surround sound, a PS3, cables... and I will still need a screen + bulbs!

It will probably be 18 months before I can be in some place long enough to install a wall-mounted screen and realize the projector's full potential. I do love the fact that it's so portable. No way I would be able to lug around a 48" LCD all the time. But it sucks that I can't get the most value out of it. If I haven't been too spoiled, I could stay with a 24" LCD.

Should I just return the projector, make my credit card $800 happier, and wait until I'm 100% ready, or are there any tricks that can get me by?

As a long time appartment dweller I know exactly how you feel, trust me. After moving 4 times in the last year I am starting to believe there is no place unsuitable for a projector. Every time I've had to run wires for 5 speakers, install and match the screen, ceiling mount and projector, and set everything up I get the same sour feeling that I should trump everything and exchange for a simple LCD with a 2.1 sound system.

I am very glad I haven't. I actually bought the LCD and the 2.1 and ended up returning both. There's just no way no how.

Here's what I think you should do: keep your porjector and the 24" LCD, you'll get over your regret in time. Watch whatever TV you don't care about on the TV and use the projector for the good stuff. It sounds very expensive having to change the bulb, but I had my projector for 5 years and didn't even make it to 3000 hours before I decided to buy a new projctor. 3000 hours is a lot longer than I imagined.

Honestly if it wasn't for my roommate at the time I would've never bougt a screen, but she couldn't live with the idea of a giant white, uncovered area on the wall so she ended up buying the creen. To me matching the screen with the projector is the biggest headache, and the one I'd gladly trade some marginal decrease in quality to avoid. Granted I have a cheap luma pull down screen and I am sure there's a lot better ones out here, but when money is a problem you can't be too picky. Frankly I prefer the flatness of the wall over the waves from the screen too.

Soo to sum up - keep the projector, the 24"LCD, skip the screen, worry about the credit card some other time.

I'm new to owning a projector also and had mine for about 4 months or lil more, I have 600 hours on it already but no way could I go back to a 50 inch tv, the way i see it by the time I need to replace the bulb I'm sure they will be alot cheaper by then.

I'm throwing a 106 image on a wilsonart designer white laminate got it for about 75 from hd cut it to size and made a frame used two round hooks on each corner and is hangin from the border of the wall top part since i rent myself had to minimize in adding too many holes.

Bulbs are only $253 when you Buy from Japan (http://********/HC1500).

Takes some of the sting away.

Bulbs are only $253 when you Buy from Japan (http://********/HC1500).

Takes some of the sting away.

Thats a nice price on the bulbs!

To the OP, continue to use your wall or a 300+ thread count bed sheet for now.

Thats a nice price on the bulbs!

To the OP, continue to use your wall or a 300+ thread count bed sheet for now.

I had to lobby the guy to start carrying them lol.

I would keep the projector and get some laminate for your screen, make a lightweight frame and use hercules hooks found at walm*rt or HD to hang it. You will be much happier with a quality image, than a bare wall.. trust me.

Newegg has a EliteScreens 92" 16:9 Silver/Gray manual pull down for $102.98 shipped to your door.

I just picked that up for myself to get away from the bedsheet route. It should be delivered today but for the cost, I hope to get my monies worth.

I kinda felt like that about the projector at times, and I have a house... I basically came to the fact you need two TVs. For all my TV and basic stuff like news I just use my normal TV. I only turn on the projector for movies... Main reason is really just buld life and sometimes I want to sit in a dark room to watch something.

turning on the projector is an event, not something I do every day.

You have a nice projector... I was going to buy that until a friend gave me a good deal on a used Panny AE700. Which might have been a FANTASTIC projector for you since its got a 2x zoom and a lens shift... Awsome feature for an appartment person. I can throw a HUGE image.

Your Projector.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Mitsubishi-HC1500-projection-calculator-pro.htm

I get buyers remorse every once in a while too... but if you need the money you need the money. Projectors are not really a set it and forget it item to me. Its a toy, and requires tinkering and a little room treatments to really enjoy. There is a lot of science and art that goes being a good projector system... something I am still learning.

Newegg has a EliteScreens 92" 16:9 Silver/Gray manual pull down for $102.98 shipped to your door.

I just picked that up for myself to get away from the bedsheet route. It should be delivered today but for the cost, I hope to get my monies worth.

I kinda felt like that about the projector at times, and I have a house... I basically came to the fact you need two TVs. For all my TV and basic stuff like news I just use my normal TV. I only turn on the projector for movies... Main reason is really just buld life and sometimes I want to sit in a dark room to watch something.

turning on the projector is an event, not something I do every day.

You have a nice projector... I was going to buy that until a friend gave me a good deal on a used Panny AE700. Which might have been a FANTASTIC projector for you since its got a 2x zoom and a lens shift... Awsome feature for an appartment person. I can throw a HUGE image.

Your Projector.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Mitsubishi-HC1500-projection-calculator-pro.htm

I get buyers remorse every once in a while too... but if you need the money you need the money. Projectors are not really a set it and forget it item to me. Its a toy, and requires tinkering and a little room treatments to really enjoy. There is a lot of science and art that goes being a good projector system... something I am still learning.

Nice ,,Find .

I'm all about the best bang per buck.


How about a electric screen 100-inch Electric Screen (16:9) - Black

for under $200 shipped to your door.


Google " 100-inch Electric Screen (16:9) - Black part# ELECTRIC100H "

provantage.


happy holidays

Murph:D

I went straight for convenience... I didn’t want to get too caught up in the what’s the perfect screen... Newegg is just my one stop shop for a lot of things.

85" was actually the biggest I was able to go in my condo, but I moved it away from the wall a little in order to fit the 92"! I got a really funky shaped living room in my condo. Ill take a picture later so you can see what I am talking about.

Good find on the electric, I just stayed away from that since I really didn’t want to tear up my walls to run power to it lol.

To the OP: Make a cheap DIY screen or find one for under $100 shipped. Im sure you can get even cheap due to the screen size and DIY might be the best way.

Cheapest way is seamless white photography backdrop paper (which I also had on hand since I am a photographer). Few sticks of pre-cut poplar, and some black spray paint and a staple gun. Assuming you have the tools it can be pulled off in a few hours.

One thing I noticed about my projector and originally not being happy with image quality or whatever it is was more due to my bright white walls and not masking the projector onto my wall or in your case bedsheet. You would be surprised how much black borders make on a screen. Same reason people have variable masking system but now that’s opening a whole new can on worms… Darker colored walls also make a HUGE difference.

If you are just not happy with the projector, return it… Technology is just gona keep getting better than prices are always getting better in relation to technology. When you are ready to buy again you might be getting a lot more for a lot less.

Newegg has a EliteScreens 92" 16:9 Silver/Gray manual pull down for $102.98 shipped to your door.

I just picked that up for myself to get away from the bedsheet route. It should be delivered today but for the cost, I hope to get my monies worth.



I recently bought the 120" 16:9 Elitescreens pulldown, very nice, but WOW does it stink for the first day or two. Smells like someone painted a room in battleship epoxy paint. Once it airs out its fine.

That just means its brand spankin new =)

Mine wasn’t that bad really haha. Prolly sittin of the shelf for a while.

I really got to say... I had a chance to check it out for a little while. For what you pay, you can’t DIY that even if you wanted to for the price (a pull down manual that is). I think it just made the setup worth while. I have a 92" wide DIY that came out decent, but I actually wanted the light gray screen this time around. Seems like it just made the setup worth while as far as IQ. (As far as my room is concerned)

I recently bought the 120" 16:9 Elitescreens pulldown, very nice, but WOW does it stink for the first day or two. Smells like someone painted a room in battleship epoxy paint. Once it airs out its fine.

Good to know that the smell goes away, I think I would have freaked if I unloaded a stinky screen in a small space - and thought I would have to live with it - figuring "That's why it was such a deal!"

If your room is high enough, I guess you can try this:

Mount the projector on the ceiling, pointing to a mirror on the wall opposite of where you want the image to be. Then go to the Installation > Image reverse menu and correct the image.

Anyone has tried this?

you still have time to get the warranty on the pj.
if you are going to use a pj almost every day(or even not imho) you must get the warranty.

most are 4 years and 2 bulbs.

you know you will need at least 1 so why not save yourself money, and peace of mind.
i always avoided the warranty like a plague. but with pj its a must.