Projectors UST or normal throw are no where near a TV as far as 4K/HDR. They are slowly improving but have a long way to go. UST costs a lot to get good quality lens as it's a lot more complicated optics to get UST right. Sony's premiere 4K UST projector costs $60K. Is it worth waiting, not really since if you wait for technology to catch up you will never get one.
-
Get an exclusive sneak peek into our new project. >>> Click Here
-
Our native mobile app has a new name: Fora Communities. Learn more.
1 - 11 of 11 Posts
I will ask the big question. Why do you want a UST in an unfinished space and on a budget? Regular screens could also be a problem forcing you to upgrade to a special UST screen.
Short throw or regular throw lengths seem the logical choice going to 4k at this time. There are not many ST offerings yet.
Short throw or regular throw lengths seem the logical choice going to 4k at this time. There are not many ST offerings yet.
The reason I wanted UST was really because of the design and ability for me to start using it now...I will ask the big question. Why do you want a UST in an unfinished space and on a budget? Regular screens could also be a problem forcing you to upgrade to a special UST screen.
Short throw or regular throw lengths seem the logical choice going to 4k at this time. There are not many ST offerings yet.
1. I have an 8foot ceiling. So, ST/RT projectors will be on the way (or create a bump in the ceiling). Having UST would "hide" the projector.
2. UST would allow me to start using it right away. with ST and RT, without having the room design finalized, I'm worried I will have to compromise the design of the room to fit the projector's throw. With UST, it really doesn't matter how the room is going to get finished. I'm guaranteed of having a few feets of space between sofa and screen for the center speaker.
Right now, I have zero motivations to unpack my home theater equipment as I know within a few months/years I have to repack to get my basement finished. I was thinking of buying UST projector and use my current pull-up screen now so that I can at least use the built-in soundbar to start enjoying 4k contents, and maybe I'll start unpacking receiver/speaker/shield/HTPC. I didn't think my current pull up screen was going to be an issue with UST projector as my basement is extremely dark.
The shorter throw projectors seem to place the projector directly above or just slightly behind the perfect row of seating, and IMO that should be the front row or the only row in the case of single row.
In a temporary mode a projector can be hung from a floor joist in a few minutes and a extension cord and HDMI cable strung along the joists quite easy.
As to regular screens and UST projectors if the gain of a white screen is over 1.0 some disproportional amount of the light will want to go to the ceiling. I haven’t had one so I don’t know how much you loose or how much you need. But the slight angle has to play some part in the PQ I would think.
When we were rebuilding our home 100% renovation while living in it. We used to pull out a projector every night set it on the table saw and use a sheet of drywall for a screen. we hooked up a couple old speakers to get sound and a old DVD player. Two lawn chairs and a pizza. We could set up in 5 minutes and tear down the next morning just as fast. In some way that was so much fun and a great way to unwind.
This is pretty much a deal breaker for UST projectors. You need a perfectly flat screen surface for UST projectors. You never see them pictured with roll-up/down screens, always with fixed frame screens. So, you would need to get a new screen.
You are also paying a premium price for doing this. The HT3550 is the right price and will give you a very solid image for about half of what UST will cost you. You can set it up quickly on a shelf or from your ceiling mount. Yeah, it may cost you a Saturday afternoon setting everything up, but are you REALLY complaining about having to unbox some stuff and run some wires to speakers? Come on.
When you finish your basement if the projector doesn't work, you likely could still get $1,000 for it and you can buy something more appropriate to your final space, but I would just get the 3550 now and call it a solid deal.
I literally have my JVC hanging from a single joist. It vibrates a bit when kids walk around upstairs, but otherwise it is amazing looking and took about an hour or two to get mounted and move my HDMI cable from the old W1070 to the new projector/location.
Took me a bit longer to run the speaker cabling around my unfinished basement to the 5.1 surround sound setup, but... I knew it was going to be a few years before I finished the space.
Really, if you are unsure of what you will end up with, there is NO WAY I would drop nearly $3,000 on a UST single chip DLP model when the Epson 5050 will blow it away for similar money and the JVC 540 can be had for not much more and do even better.
Your situation just does not scream out 'I need UST'. Complaining about opening a box of electronics and spending a day setting them up does scream something though.
1 - 11 of 11 Posts
