What projector to get if I am on a budget...

well if your on a budget then freight might be out of the question, and you will be looking locally. Where are you located?

Don't get too caught up in the numbers!

Find someone local and go and check it out and see for yourself!

Just get a M8500 for 6 to 8 bills and call it a day...keep in mind you will also need an input device to feed it an hdmi/dvi signal

Hope this was helpful

Martin

I have about the same exact room size using a 100" screen. Having used an NEC XG at 720p and 1080i, and an RS-1 at 1080p I'd say 100" is perfect for size IMO. I had 3 rows of 3 folding seats and actually preferred the back row very near the wall. I never really used the front seats at just pass 11' from the screen, so I'm remodeling for 2 rows of 3 recliners.

By the way after going to the RS-1 and seeing the digitals I'm looking to go back to CRT with another XG, G-70, or as suggested M8500, WAF permitting!

What's your budget?

Take a look at Curt's site http://www.curtpalme.com/CRTforSale_Intermediate.shtm look at the intermediate section. This will give loads of background info and tell you what might be able to do 1080p. Most guys will recommend against 1080p unless you go with a high performance CRT (9 inch tubes), but I know there are guys running 1080p happily on their 8 inch sets.

NEC's are tough for a new person to learn, but I believe you can do 1080p on some (but it will supposedly look soft). I have a NEC 9pg+ as my first projector and it looked REALLY good at 1080i/ 720p. It was REALLY sharp, but I could see the scanlines at 6 feet away. Mine couldn't resolve 1080p. The NEC XG series are loud, but when you have a movie going, you don't notice it. I find my PS3 louder than the projector.

I'd say talk to Curt if you have the budget. Or if not, try to find a Marquee 8500 locally if you can. Try craigslist to see what's available. Even if you had to drive a couple hours, it might be worth it.

Hope that helps.

No problem. You almost got sucked into an obsessive hobby... ;-)

Try to get a demo of any of those projectors before you buy. There's some not bad digitals to be had, but they won't give you good black levels (most Best buy projectors are like 2500-1 contrast, but they'll be nice and bright). I almost went that route, but it turns my wife gets really bad eye fatigue (like looking at your monitor too long) with digitals, so bad that we couldn't get through a movie. That's why I went CRT. Depends how hands are you are. If you don't want a big heavy beast that requires some attention, digital is the way to go.

I'd still take a look at the link, just to see what it's all about. Good luck with your search.

where do you live?

You can get an Optoma HD65 720p PJ for a little over $600, and the 1080p version of that for somewhere under $1,000. They haven't got fantastic black levels but are otherwise more than competent, and I can personally testify to their ability to withstand (as of last count) dozens of hours of use on a vibrating, jolting, slamming-around racing simulator!

I was at Bed, Bath and Beyond yesterday and saw a projector they're selling at $99. Check this out and it's really good price.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...1&SKU=16698083



Good luck with your search!!!

Complicates things unless you are by St. Louis or KC... southern Missouri doesn't have alot of projectors for sale so you would have to ship.

dust blob hopefully, common problem with digital crap boxes

pretty much anything, stay away from Floptoma or Unfocus. Panasonic has a better electronics track record than most as does JVC. I wouldn't buy a used bulb machine, that 1 year warranty and 90 days on the lamp for a new machine might save you 600 dollars.

for 6 bills you will get a sub-data grade "digital" with such annoyances as the screen door affect and very annoying noises by teh color wheeeels and the cooling fans....lets not forget the freebe in the mist: a great room heater!

But for that same budget you can get a decent M8500 ...or any other mid level CRT that will knock the pants off any digital short of the triple chipped models that are over 8/10ks.

So there you have it, if the size and the so called learning curve does not intimidate you...it is the only way to go if you want professional results at the so called "hobby" prices! (needless to say that the hobby budget sometimes hist the 30k ceailing as it did in a lot of our cases!)

Anyhow the choice is yours.

Hope this helped

Martin

I don't disagree with the general gist of your argument but every CRT projector I have had is great room heater. It is hard for me to believe that the average digital consumes that much more power and therefore puts out that much more heat than the average CRT. And yes I am typing this on my Runco 1100/Barco 1209s room heater :-).

hehe

....Yeah but with a bulbed machine it almost feels like you can sun tan with them!

With the CRTs it is subtle!

Martin

'Tired of hot spots on your body tan? The Barco/Marquee/Sony CRT projector lines offer a slow even tan that lasts longer than one from a standard bulb'

There's a runco on craigslist for sale, i'd offer the dude 100 spot for it.. even if the tubes leave alot to be desired, better than an HD65. They really don't look very good.

get the Runco (NEC PG) like Verge posted, it's a no brainer even for the full asking price of $275. just make sure it comes with the full factory set-up remote.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ele/1482276726.html

A PG will not do 1080p and even if you manage to feed it that signal it will be soft!

A properly set up 1080i or 720p will be much better for that type of PJ.

Keep in mind that it will also depend on the source material, just because you has magically appeared from a source material that was shot in 720.

The trick is to get the best PQ from the source resolved as best possible on the display device!

Find someone locally to you th a proper set up and go check it out person.I suspect that you will like the results even at those resolutions.

Most folks are used to seeing a crappy picture so when they see a proper one for the first time they are flabbergasted!

Anyhow hope this helped...don't get too hung up on the numbers!

Martin

It won't do 1080p... but neither will an HD65, sooooo.