1080p vs 720p Projector

Do you want 3D ? You may want to consider Optoma 750E. Short throw, 720P.

BTW, polls aren't that useful. You don't to pick the winner of a popularity contest - but something that works for you.

Is < 12' throw a requirement?

Do you see rainbows with dlp?

If your looking for a really nice projector under 1200 I would look at the mitsubishi hc4000. Really nice 1080p projector for under 1200.

Start by reading this guide if you haven't yet:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1339241

Yes, I would say the HC4000 blows the 8350 out of the water. Unless you'll have placement issues then that's the leg up for the 8350. Since LCDs tend to come with lens shift, it is a plus (if not a must) if you need it. The HC4000 will definitely project a more stunning image in my opinion. It will also be a mcuh sharper projector which you will enjoy the benefits when it comes to gaming. It sounds like you're very picky when it comes to imaging capabilities so I would recommend you to go with HC4000 or at least find a chance to see it in action and then see the difference.

Another projector you can look into in Canada which will be slightly cheaper than the HC4000 is the BenQ W1100. The BenQ is a brighter alternative to the HC4000. It is sharper to details and content compared to the HC4000 (although the HC4000 is sharp on its own) and has a very nice POP effect as well. The colors are superb and black levels are great (although HC4000 has the upper hand when it comes to colors and black levels). If you plan to ever change your setup and want a larger display (you'll need a longer throw distance though), the plus of the W1100 will be its brightness and therefore capable of stretching and throwing a further distance. Overall, the BenQ is a more portable projector if you ever plan to take it to friends place or bring it on the road to set it up and use as its bright enough for most scenarios, capable of large screen, longer throw displays and has onboard speakers.

I think the main difference is that LCDs and DLPs project 2 different types of images. Each technology has it's strength and weakness, but one thing is certain, most people who switch from LCDs to DLPs never go back to LCD. That is also factoring in that you won't be sensitive to RBE which is also a slim possibility since only 5% of the population are sensitive to RBE and the sensitivity varies from person to person. Another issue most people forget is that LCDs are prone to dust and will probably need maintainence cost or changing dust filters now and then which adds to annoyance factor and cost. Also 8350 in specifics, has a notorious tendency to have bulb failures. For majority 4x color wheel is fast enough for people in general to not have an RBE problem with a projector, and both the HC4000 & W1100 have 4x color wheels.

Regardless, you should review Coderguy's Projector Guide (the link I provided on top) because I think it's the most comprehensive review and guidelines you can find to compare all popular projectors. He won't shy from labeling the weakness of each either.

Hope that helps!

Haha, I believe you can achieve 100" at 10.2' on both W1100 and HC4000 with the 1.5x zoom it comes with.

Since resolution is such a 'HUGE' factor for you, I would honestly not go down 720p road. You'll set yourself up for disaster and regret. That's what happened to a buddy of mine. He ended up miserable and constantly complained to me how much he wish he went with 1080p. 6 months later he went out and got a 1080p LOL.

Think about it carefully. OR if you have time, just purchase 720p from a retailer that has no-question asked return policy and test it out. Just be sure to glue your eyes to the picture while you have those few days to intensively test it. You don't want to make a premature decision to keep it based on one or two views then find out later you can't stand it!

Is there a reason why you stuck to 10' throw? Is there any possibility to have a bigger setup? I mean you can always try out the Epson 8350 as well. Heck you might love it and fall in love with it. Most people new to projectors enjoy the 8350 very much! It's great for a first 1080p projector. It's worth trying out if you got the time to spare

That's a pretty good price, is it new or returned?

For me with 720p it actually looks quite good as well, problem is you usually need to sit back a bit further for that effect. I believe 10'-12' is what most people would recommend?

Don't make an impulse buy, think about it, because if I remember correctly BestBuy charge restocking fees if you want to return or exchange it down the road!

720 can look really quite good. I have a 135" screen at 14' viewing distance and lay people think my image looks amazing. 1080 would be better in my situation, but it is mostly for the screen door more than the resolution.

Keep in mind that the 8350 is very quiet in comparison to other projectors mentioned in this thread.
If you are mounting above/near your viewing area, the quiet fan is a plus.

For the screen size and viewing distance you are allocating, the slight sharpness a DLP projector may have over LCD will be neglectable.

Also, try not to skim on a good fixed screen.

If you have really kept track of 8350 bulb failures, there have been 4 I can count of out of thousands of owners and Epson replaced the bulb or projector free of charge.

Dust issues with LCD?
I guess if you have a dust storm in your room maybe but I've cleaned my 2 LCD projectors filters once a year and they are virtually dust free.
I've never encountered dust blobs.

Also, DLP projectors are notoriously known for light leakage and loud fan noise.

Pick your poison.
No need to fear monger.

For $520, I would definitely impulse buy that in a second (if i had the $$$ ).

The review looks good and the videos on youtube look awesome. I would take the extra money I saved and buy a OPPO BDP-93, rip all my blu-rays to it and never have to get up to change a disk again.

you dont want 200" of 720P at 12 ft, just saying. maybe you'll like it though because financially the price was right. either way, not sure why you didn't spring for the GT750 it may have been cheaper by April.

"if you buy it, use it"

I stumbled across this post and it really surprised me. I've owned a Sanyo PLV-70 (LCD) for years and have been considering a change. I think the entry level projectors can now give it a run for its money and I was all but sold on the Epson 8350. I guess I need to give the HC4000 a look if I can find it locally on display in Houston.

What distance back from the screen do you plan to sit? If it is greater than 2 times the screen diagonal you cannot see the difference from 1080 and 720, to see the full benefit you need to be 1.5 times the screen size or closer. There is a chart at:
http://carltonbale.com/1080p-does-matter
that documents recommendations. I sit 2x back and am happy at 720P.

Robert.

I am also still 720p in my dedicated room. The panny ax100 now with ax200 optical block is still going strong. The issue I have had is bulb life has been really long. I still have a rnew replacement bulb in the box so would theoretically have another 3-4 more years of life on this PJ.

I was going to add that content does play a role in driving the decision. I also watch many DVD's (huge collection) and a ton of 720p sports and movies via dish also stream 720p from netflix. Very rarely do I watch blu ray's as they are a pain to rent and I refuse to purchase content that I only watch one time.

I sit 14' back from a 120" diag screen and the pj is mounted 18' away. I have had an opportunity to view new 1080p projectors in friends rooms and although impressive with 1080p material I still think there is little difference when running 720p content through them. Yes, they do have better contrast and black levels but it boils down to how you use it and how critical you are.

Also, with this projector I do not feel bad about my son having friends over for gaming marathons that last for hours at a time. Not something I would be comfortable with if I replace this with a new 3-4K 1080p unit.

Best of luck with your purchase and enjoy your new theater.

JD

Early on the best examples were 1080p-720p shoot-out in Athens! be sure and read Post#51
i have a Sony BluRay--> Infocus LP7210 (720p) --> 106in fixed screen
sitting about 11ft away i can't see any screen-door effect
but i did read somewhere for 720p > 110in screen w/20-20 vision u will begin to see pixel borders==screen-door effect
on my 2nd Lamp--still quite happy watching BluRay & DVD movies (that's all i do) so my needs are limited
if i were buying a new PJ today it would probably be the Mitsubishi HC4000
ive had 4 different Infocus DLP PJs todate...prefer DLP for movies

You could also look at the Benq W1200 - only slightly more than the 8350. I just got one from one of the stores on shopbot.ca
It's excellent! Plus, it has frame interpolation if you like sports.