Do I still need to wait for 1080 P DLP

How about the LCOS units that are going for like $2500? I know that's a bit over your budget but isn't the LCOS imager a superior technology to the DLP projectors?

Refurb Benq W5000 is in that price range right now. It is even toward the low end of your price range.

Waiting for technology to evolve is a losing proposition - LOL! We are using a Panasonic 720p and I am still waiting for prices for 1080p to reach an "affordable" level.

Then Up Conversion came along and suddenly all our 400 standard dvd movies look SO MUCH better on the big screen - darn near HD to our eyeballs so we decided to wait a bit longer as we are still perfectly content with our existing machine.

Holy Cow!! Now 3D is seriously beginning to emerge as the next step in the evolution of video entertainment and since I have considered flat 2D technology obsolete for the past 50 years now I'm gonna wait a bit longer while the conflicting standards of multi-dimensional 3D battle it out.

So if you are yearning for 1080p and can be happy with spending the cash for the up grade I'd go ahead and take the step - OR - you can wait as each new change is announced like I'm doing.
Best of Luck

...and it throws an excellent image. You can save the extra $$ to use on your next upgrade.

It's an excellent projector but it has some serious placement limitations due to it's narrow optical (throw) range...

I wish I wouldn't have bought my wife a new living room set. $1300 is a sweet spot. I hope this sale keeps coming back.

Looks like a long throw projector, which is what I prefer.

However, I've also got pretty high ceilings and I need a fairy large vertical offset to keep the projector from hanging too far down off the ceiling. Looks like this has vertical lens shift, but can I use it so that the top of the image is at least 20% below the lens center in a ceiling mount set-up?

If you're sending a 1080p signal to it you'll notice a big improvement over the 4805. I think BenQ's refurbs have the same warranty as their brand new projectors, so I wouldn't worry about the fact that it's been previously repaired.

Buy extended warranty if you're not comfortable with the one year.

I noticed a HUGE difference going from a 4805 to a 7210.

For real, no comparison at all. The 7210 has been awesome for me and looks 3d at times!

I have seen some 1080p PJs in person and the difference is not nearly as drastic.

I too will upgrade to a 1080p machine when the price is around $1500.

I might have to check out that Benq too!

not sure what,if any, the rebates are like now, but i bought a Sanyo Z2000 last march for $1550 after rebate. Very happy with it. Comes with 3 yr. warranty.

He is coming from a 4805 (DLP). I think he would be happier with the W5000 over the LCD Z2000.

Quite seriously, unless your eyesight is seriously impaired, you should notice a HUGE difference going from 480p to 1080p. Going from 720 to 1080 would be far less noticeable, but at any reasonable viewing distance, HD will outshine SD any day of the week. If you can get a 1080 DLP projector in that price range, it doesn't make any sense to consider something less.

As another poster said buy an extended warranty on the projector and lamp. You would have around $1,700 total in the projector, but you would be covered for five years on the projector and three years on the lamp. You would have 2-1/2 times the warranty of a new one.

well i think we know which side of hte DLP vs. LCD fence you sit on

i was not daring to imply that an LCD would be better then DLP, just offering up a 1080p solution that is budget minded which seemed to be a requirement of the OP.

Technology fight!

good one

no fight from me, i am not of one persuasion or the other. for me it was a simple choice. $1550 for 1080p with lense shift (required due to placement issues). At the time i bought my PJ, there was no other option for that price range.

I have had LCD and DLP. I currently have two DLP projectors and one has vertical lens shift and the other has vertical and horizontal lens shift. Both cost way below his price point. You just have to be patient and look for a good deal.