I have 3 projectors at home. 1x Sony HW40es in my basement theater room for 3D movies (complete light control with a 120 inches diagonal brilliant white screen). 1x 720p LED pocket projector (Vivitek QUMI Q5) in my bed room (projecting an 80 inches diagonal image on wall. I watch movie almost every other night on bed. It is great enjoyment before sleeping). the third projector is my older projector (Panasonic 2000) replaced by the Sony 40ES. I also have a TV set (50 inches) in my family room, to watch TV broadcast or casual viewing of movie and video. You can check a few photos of my theater setup from my profile in the webpage.
Projector users definitely recommend to buy projector, not TV set. However, One's favorite is other's poison. I would suggest new buyers to answer these questions themselves before pick a projector or a TV set:-
1/. is the wall for the screen is limited to 80 inches diagonal? If yes, buy a TV set. If insist to projector, buy a 720p projector which is good enough. Save some money for something else. 1080p projector should match with a 120 Inches diagonal screen or bigger screen to recognize the full benefit of it resolution.
No. The max diagonal size would be 153"
2/. Any chance to increase the size of the screen in the future? Or just stick to 80 inches forever?
If go with the projector, I'll get the max size allowed.
3/. Can you control the light at the room? To get the best performance out of the projector, a dark room is necessary.
No windows at all.
4/. if you like ambient light whilst watching movie in the room (especially if it is a family room or a multi-function room; if cannot stop outside light from outside through windows; walls and celling are WHITE) and the size of the screen is limited to 80 inches, better choose TV set which is less sensitive to light reflection. If still want Projector, buy a highest rated 720p or an entry level projector around US$1k. and match with a 80 inches screen that fit you wall.
No Windows
5/. If you have or will have a bigger room for bigger screen size, go for 120 inches screen (which is the smallest size for projection - my opinion) and buy a 1080p projector at price range of $1.5K to $2K. Save some money on room light control (must be able to view movie in complete darkness. This is a must to get the best Black and Contrast of your projector). Again, TV set is not that sensitive to outside light. That is the advantage over Projector. There are quite some decent TV sets in the market. TV set has more buyers than Projector nowadays, because of room limitations. That's why manufacturers produce more TV model in various size, resolutions at different price range.
6/. How much you are ready to spend is most important. No money no talk. TV set is rather simple to setup, but projector needs more accessory to match with.
Does this make sense to you?