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looking for projector under a $1000

post #1 of 11
2/12/12 at 2:23pm
Thread Starter 
first time posting, but I need advice.

I have a Dennon 5700 and Infocus X1 right now. I bought a Samsung BD-C6500 and my X1 needs a new bulb soon.

I want a Receiver for DTS-HD which I can't get from the Dennon. I'm looking at one of the Onkyo's, maybe Onkyo TX-SR805. I only Have 5 speaker system (Definitive Technology). I'm trying to stay around $500 for the Receiver.

So if I get a new Reciever with HDMI I will need a new projector and this seems to be a harder decision. I'm not as worried about picture as much as sound, so i think this could keep the cost down. my screen is 48" tall and I built a soffit for the projector, so I need the throw distance to work at 14'8" from screen.

My questions are is this a good choice for sound and what should i get projector wise. I'm okay buying used, but I don't want to have to upgrade again in 5 years (which I'm sure no one can predict).

Any help would be great.
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post #2 of 11
2/12/12 at 4:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Theatre237 View Post

first time posting, but I need advice.

I have a Dennon 5700 and Infocus X1 right now. I bought a Samsung BD-C6500 and my X1 needs a new bulb soon.

I want a Receiver for DTS-HD which I can't get from the Dennon. I'm looking at one of the Onkyo's, maybe Onkyo TX-SR805. I only Have 5 speaker system (Definitive Technology). I'm trying to stay around $500 for the Receiver.

So if I get a new Reciever with HDMI I will need a new projector and this seems to be a harder decision. I'm not as worried about picture as much as sound, so i think this could keep the cost down. my screen is 48" tall and I built a soffit for the projector, so I need the throw distance to work at 14'8" from screen.

My questions are is this a good choice for sound and what should i get projector wise. I'm okay buying used, but I don't want to have to upgrade again in 5 years (which I'm sure no one can predict).

Any help would be great.

ceiling height?
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post #3 of 11
2/13/12 at 6:25am
Thread Starter 
8' ceiling bottom of soffit 7', that i I have the projector in.
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post #4 of 11
2/14/12 at 3:15pm
Thread Starter 
My ceiling is 8'-4" and my screen is 15" down from there. The X1 projector I use right now is ceiling mounted in a soffit I built which is about 15" down from the ceiling, so don't have a lot of room to move it around.

I'm thinking of the ViewSonic PRO8200 which from Projector Central Calculator says I need to be 20.1" above the top of the screen at 14'-8" from the screen. Does it matter a lot if I tilt the projector. Not real worried about picture quality, but if like 10" of the top or bottom of the screen is blurry because of this, it would drive me nuts.
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post #5 of 11
2/15/12 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 
I found a Reciever I like Pioneer VSX 1120-K AV, now all I need is a Projector.

Do I need an HDMI Projector because I'm fine with my X1, but the way I understand it I can't send a HDMI signal to the AVR and then send a component signal to the projector.

Thanks in advance for any help.
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post #6 of 11
2/16/12 at 3:43pm
I would've recommended the onkyo txnr 709, reburb unit would be 450. But if you have a lot of apple i-stuff the pioneer will play more nicely with your portable electronics than the onkyo would. The main selling point for the onkyo for me (I was looking at these 2 and some denon and yamaha receivers as well) was having 2 hdmi outputs (one for tv, one for projector), plus I wanted the audyssey multi EQ XT, and though 1 sub is fine for me now, I might want to upgrade to 2 subs at some point.

You are correct, you can only output HDMI if your inputs are HDMI. You can upconvert other sources and output via HDMI but not the other way around. You don't NEED a new projector, you can convert the hdmi output from the receiver to component or VGA with something like this

http://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Compone...ata/B004F9XVBC

ViewHD-component converter.

If you want a new projector that is another thing entirely. 720p projectors are around 500 bucks. 1080p are around 1000. 720p with 3D is around 750-900 (either optoma gt750 or get a projector for 500 and 3D box for another 300). 1080p with 3D is around 1500. These are approximate cheapest prices for these features.

If you tilt the projector the image will appear trapezoidal instead of rectangular which is probably more distracting than using the keystone and ending up with a softer image.
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post #7 of 11
2/17/12 at 6:43am
Thread Starter 
I like the Pioneer VSX 1120-K AV, because i can buy it new for around $550 and it seems to be more future proof.

Thanks for the converter idea (wasn't sure if they worked). now I could keep the X1, which I like a lot. I know what I get from it and I think that is why it was so hard to move on to another projector. Like I said before I'm not real worried about the picture, don't think it makes the movie any better, but sound can.

Right now I only have 5 speakers with the subs built in to the 3 fronts. Maybe in the future I will add more surrounds, but that should be it.

I have a very simple theater room (movies 90% NFL 5% music 5%)
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post #8 of 11
2/17/12 at 11:51am
I think you'd notice quite a bit of quality improvement even with a new 720p projector. I might be wrong but isn't the infocus X1, SVGA? 800X600 resolution? If so, that's about half the resolution of 720p and native 16:9 just feels more movie like to me and doesn't squish 2.35:1 ratio movies quite as much.

I used to have a NEC MT1045 projector, it's 4:3, 720p native. It didn't have hdmi. I just connected sources to it with component cable and used toslink for audio, I couldn't get the highdef loseless sound formats but at least I could get DD5.1 and DTS. I upgraded recently to optoma gt750 projector. Most projectors from the late 90's early 2000's can't come close to new ones, tech has gotten much better/cheaper. The NEC MT1045 came out in 99' and at the time it had a MSRP of 12,000.00 (I got mine from a college computer recycling center for 25.00). But my newer 750 dollar projector is much better.
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post #9 of 11
2/17/12 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
I think I'm going to order the Pioneer VSX 1120-K AV and ViewHD-component converter today. I will upgrade my X1 later and all I will lose is $90 for the converter.

I guess I'm not done needing advice, but thanks for the help wyen78
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post #10 of 11
2/17/12 at 2:03pm
Thread Starter 
just placed the order. I just noticed I order HDMI cables Mediabridge Ultra Series - High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet. Is this Ethernet thing going to work with the receiver and converter I just ordered, same connector right?
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post #11 of 11
2/19/12 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
"I think you'd notice quite a bit of quality improvement even with a new 720p projector. I might be wrong but isn't the infocus X1, SVGA? 800X600 resolution? If so, that's about half the resolution of 720p and native 16:9 just feels more movie like to me and doesn't squish 2.35:1 ratio movies quite as much. "

yes i believe the X1 is all those things you mentioned. talking about more movie like feel, I bought a new TV for the living room. 42" Vizio with 3D and this huge contrast ratio. I bought this on Christmas eve and I'm still trying to get us to the Soap Oprah effect. The picture doesn't look right, it looks like a cheap documentary or Mexican Soap Oprah. I don't want that to happen in my Theater room, I like the film look. It does look really good with sports tho.
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