[SDB553]

hello,


ive never used a projector before, and know nothing about them. right now i have a vizio 55" LED, and while it's fine, something about the idea of watching a movie on a 90"+ screen just seems appealing.


what i'm wondering is, is it possible to get a projector that would rival my LED TV for under $2000? If not, how much worse would it be?


Could anyone give me some suggestions on what a good sub $2000 projector would be?


also, I would need to purchase a screen I suppose. my walls are a light beige color and i'm assuming that wouldnt work too well for a projector.


my viewing distance could be between 8 and 10 feet.


thanks

 

[wormraper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SDB553  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24581202


hello,


ive never used a projector before, and know nothing about them. right now i have a vizio 55" LED, and while it's fine, something about the idea of watching a movie on a 90"+ screen just seems appealing.


what i'm wondering is, is it possible to get a projector that would rival my LED TV for under $2000? If not, how much worse would it be?


Could anyone give me some suggestions on what a good sub $2000 projector would be?


also, I would need to purchase a screen I suppose. my walls are a light beige color and i'm assuming that wouldnt work too well for a projector.


my viewing distance could be between 8 and 10 feet.


thanks

with that short of a thow... I'd suggest the Benq W1070... or the 1080... that will give you a nice big picture for that short of a throw.


as for a vizio 55 LED.... you won't be AS crisp as a 55 incher as long as your vizio isn't years old but the overall picture quality will blast your vizio out of the water.


another suggestion is LIGHT CONTROL.. and we don't mean turning off all lights and blanking out the windows.. that light biege color will play hell on your blacks and wash out the colors as well. a dark matte color is best for HT (matte black is the best, but a lot of other darker colors will work well too). I had white walls and I guarantee you that it made a HUGE difference in my viewing when I darkened those walls and ceiling


other factors we haven't asked yet


1. what's your room dimensions

2. what type of room is it (living room, dedicated room etc

3. what type of light sources do you have in the room (windows, ceiling windows etc)

 

[SDB553]

thanks.


the room is my living room. my living room kitchen and dining area kind of flow together. With my couch against the back wall, on the right wall is patio doors, which is about 14 foot long. Front TV wall is about 12 foot, then breaks into an area where the bedroom and bathroom are. The wall behind me that flows into the dining area is about 28 foot. i'll post a diagram of the apartment i live in when i get a chance.


and yes, from what ive read, the beige walls might not be good. this is why i'd look into buying a pull down projector screen. not sure what i can do about darkening the ceiling, as the landlord probably wouldnt want me painting the ceiling...but a screen, i can do.


there is one crazy idea ive been toying around with...i live in a one bedroom apartment. what ive been thinking of is this. removing the bed from my bedroom and placing like a futon/pull out type of bed there, and then getting a couple of recliners or theater seats, put my surround sound system in there, and a screen and projector. This way, I could have a dedicated theater in my apartment, and still have a bedroom...lol. thoughts?

 

[SDB553]

ive heard of the BenQ W1070 and 1080 before. ive also looked online and found that there are several projectors that are 1080 for under $2000. Problem is, ive heard that in order to get a comparable projector to a TV, you'd have to spend a lot more money.


The question I asked one day was, i was looking at a 51" plasma that was about $700. I posted on a forum and the response was that, I wasn't going to be able to buy a projector that would touch a $700 plasma for under $2000.


So, having said that, is there a formula or something that would help you gauge a projector? such as, if I spend $x to buy a LED or plasma TV, then i'd have to spend $x to get a comparable projector.


In my case, I bought a 55" Vizio LED for $698. If I were to want to buy a projector that had the same image quality, how much would I have to spend?

 

[wormraper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SDB553  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24589702


ive heard of the BenQ W1070 and 1080 before. ive also looked online and found that there are several projectors that are 1080 for under $2000. Problem is, ive heard that in order to get a comparable projector to a TV, you'd have to spend a lot more money.


The question I asked one day was, i was looking at a 51" plasma that was about $700. I posted on a forum and the response was that, I wasn't going to be able to buy a projector that would touch a $700 plasma for under $2000.


So, having said that, is there a formula or something that would help you gauge a projector? such as, if I spend $x to buy a LED or plasma TV, then i'd have to spend $x to get a comparable projector.


In my case, I bought a 55" Vizio LED for $698. If I were to want to buy a projector that had the same image quality, how much would I have to spend?

that's a hard one to estimate.. but I'd say something along the lines of JVC RS46 or Sony 55ES would do quite nicely and if you're on a budget the Epson 5030 would get your really darn close


without know what model and what your specs are on the TV it's hard to say. the Benq w1070 is a great projector with great colors, but it's black levels are "introductory". however, I have an LG 55 inch LED and I have to say that my epson 8350 (which is very comparable to the w1070) was VERY close in terms of picture quality, but not AS good.

 

[umairsemail]

I doubt your landlord would let you drill holes in the wall. All projector screens require this except a pull-up projector (from the floor).

 

[wormraper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by umairsemail  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24590014


I doubt your landlord would let you drill holes in the wall. All projector screens require this except a pull-up projector (from the floor).

I forgot he was in an apt.. I'd recommend a Benq W1070 then. the increased contrast and black levels aren't as easily recognizable in a non light controlled room


and drilling holes... pfffft, that's what spackle is for... I drilled all over my old apt...

 

[umairsemail]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wormraper  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24581218


with that short of a thow... I'd suggest the Benq W1070... or the 1080... that will give you a nice big picture for that short of a throw.


as for a vizio 55 LED.... you won't be AS crisp as a 55 incher as long as your vizio isn't years old but the overall picture quality will blast your vizio out of the water.


another suggestion is LIGHT CONTROL.. and we don't mean turning off all lights and blanking out the windows.. that light biege color will play hell on your blacks and wash out the colors as well. a dark matte color is best for HT (matte black is the best, but a lot of other darker colors will work well too). I had white walls and I guarantee you that it made a HUGE difference in my viewing when I darkened those walls and ceiling


other factors we haven't asked yet


1. what's your room dimensions

2. what type of room is it (living room, dedicated room etc

3. what type of light sources do you have in the room (windows, ceiling windows etc)

How would you go about blanking the windows though? I have a new room extension, 20x15, that has only one line of three windows and would like to know the best way to blank em out lol.


I don't know if a projector is a feasible option for this guy. He obviously can't paint his walls, can't watch with any ambience unless he's willing to buy expensive screens, and has to stick to a floor screen (very odd) cuz the rest will make holes in the wall.

 

[wormraper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by umairsemail  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24590099


How would you go about blanking the windows though? I have a new room extension, 20x15, that has only one line of three windows and would like to know the best way to blank em out lol.


I don't know if a projector is a feasible option for this guy. He obviously can't paint his walls, can't watch with any ambience unless he's willing to buy expensive screens, and has to stick to a floor screen (very odd) cuz the rest will make holes in the wall.

I'd use black out curtains... usually can get them pretty decently priced... will kill all outside light pretty easily and can be put over regular blinds/curtains... plus they'll have an added benefit of keeping out heat.

 

[Sonyad]

You can also use a tripod screen.

 

[SDB553]

I have a vizio E550I-B2. As far as drilling holes, the landlord says that you can drill holes in the walls, im sure the rule is to not get carried away, and they will be repaired when I move out.


Also, the tripod screen is also an option.

apartment1.jpg 20k .jpg file
apartment2.jpg 85k .jpg file


This is the layout of my apartment. The only windows are the windows on the doors leading to my patio, which have full blinds over them. They are on the wall to the right of my love seat. At night, light seeping in isnt a problem.


frys sells several different projector screens that range between 84" and 120" some are screw in, some are tripod style, or i could look at something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Screens-100-Inch-Projector/dp/B000YTRFEG/ref=sr_1_1/180-7407100-7571248?ie=UTF8&qid=1397100916&sr=8-1&keywords=home+theater+projector+screens


or this?:

http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Screens-F120NWH-ezCinema-Projection/dp/B001N2N6U0/ref=sr_1_6/180-7407100-7571248?ie=UTF8&qid=1397100916&sr=8-6&keywords=home+theater+projector+screens


one question though, someone mentioned that projectors cant project black color, so, if you have a white screen, how do you end up getting black colors?


what is the difference between the BenQ 1070 and 1080? Both are pretty close to the same price.


however, from what im seeing of the options you listed, it's looking like i would have to spend upwards of $3000 to get a comparable projector. The sony and JVC you listed were about that price. The epson 8350 and the BenQ projectors would be more along my price range, but, seems like i'd be better off spending $1500 on a good LED TV than a projector. Would this be correct?

 

[Rarshaiz]


Personally I think your over thinking this quality thing. I have a 60" Sony TV. I can tell you with out a doubt I would much rather watch a movie on my Benq W1070 projector then on that led TV. But then again I am watching my projector on a 135" screen.

 

One thing the projector will do your $700 Vizzio won't do is 3D.

 

Another thing to keep in mind when stepping up to a projection is this. The bulbs are not cheap by any means. Though not as bad as they used to be. So dont do what a friend of mine did and watch normal TV on it every day.

 

I have seen the 1070 for less then $800 at Fry's if you have one near you go in store to get a price, as the speakers I bought were $80 less in the store then their online price was listed at.

 

I once paid $4000 for a projector and after getting my 1070 I can guarantee you I will never spend that amount of money on a projector again.

 

But that is just my opinion.

 

Forgot to mention do not buy a screen right out of the gate. Play it on your wall first then go to some place where you can view it on a screen then decide if you want to spend the extra money on a screen. Screens are easy to buy but depending on where you get it, it can be a pita to return.  I have seen projection on flat grey walls, white walls, and white textured walls and now on my screen. The only reason I have a screen now is because the room I have my projector in has 3 windows and the screen goes over the 3 windows other wise I would have projected it on a wall with most likely flat grey paint, which the rest of the room was painted with.

 

My experience with BenQ customer service is the reason I have now purchased a second BenQ projector. The first projector I purchased worked for a day and then it stopped working. I called BenQ and they had me a new one 2 days later on my door step. No hassles no headaches.

 

[wormraper]

agreed. you're over thinking it. a projector won't match an excellent TV except in the really high prices, but they'll come REALLY close, and the extra immersion of a 100+ inch screen is unbeatable.


btw, the 1070 and 1080 are almost identical. the 1080st is a short throw projector and can give you a large picture projecting from 5 feet or so vs. the 8-10 feet of the w1070... but unless you want a 140 inch screen or something the 1070 will do you fine.


especially with you living in an apt like that, the JVC and Sony LCOS models are great and will give you a serious leap in quality, but only if you have a room that you can light control with dark walls etc... in a light colored room the Benq, optoma or epson 3020 will do just FINE.

 

[Ftoast]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SDB553  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24590459


one question though, someone mentioned that projectors cant project black color, so, if you have a white screen, how do you end up getting black colors?

The projector shines colors so brightly that your eyes adjust to the light and see the spots that aren't being projected on as black. Most DLPs (and LED/LCD TVs) around this pricerange have a native-on/off contrast ratio around 2000:1 which is the same as a well setup movie theater. This means white is 2000X brighter than the darkest black this projector can get to because it's nearly impossible for any projector (or LED/LCD TV) to block every bit of its own lightsource. So a w1070 that is set for lighting a surface with 2000lumens of peak power, is still hitting that surface with 1 lumen when it's showing black..so depending how dark your room is; if a curtained window is letting 1lumen of light or less sneak through onto your screen, you won't really notice a difference. If that curtain is letting more light onto your screen, your darkest available black is now higher than the projector's natural black and is lowering your contrast ratio. If you lower your contrast ratio enough, your picture will look bad and washed-out.


The important thing to remember is, darker shades of plain paint absorb all light equally. So. A white wall reflects 100% of the light hitting it to look white. A medium grey wall only reflects 20% of light hitting it, so it looks darker..grey. That brighter (5 lumens) light coming through your curtain is only reflecting 1 lumen off your grey wall, BUT the 2000lumen maximum from your projector is only able to reflect 20% as well..so it only looks like 400lumens which still leaves you with the exact same contrast handicap, AND a darker overall picture.


Specially reflective paints/screens can redirect light so projector lumens shine toward your seating positions whilst light sneaking through a side-window gets reflected to the opposite side of the room. These special paints need to have very narrow viewing-angles to do their job properly, and that means sitting too far to the sides of your couch will show a much dimmer picture than the center seat AND sometimes the outside edges of the screen will be noticeably dimmer than the middle.


Plain/flat paint is much easier and more forgiving to deal with. And darker shades won't improve contrast, only darken your entire image. This is why the cheapest, easiest and best solution in most cases is to go with a white screen and a few pair of $20-30 curtains.

 

[SDB553]

I went to a home theater store over the weekend and they had an epson. I cant remember if it was the epson 8350 or the 2030 (or 3020?). Anyway, it was around $1500 if i recall. I must say, the image looked very good. The colors were bright and vibrant and the picture quality was really good. I asked him about light and that it would wash out the picture. He turned up the lights in the room and the image quality, from what I could tell, didnt change much at all.


How does the 8350 compare to the BenQ 1070? I know the epson is more in price, but as far as brightness and picture quality, how do they compare?


Also, the screen he was projecting it on was a Stewart screen. Said the screen was about $1500. In order to make a projector look good, do you really need to spend that much on a screen? Will the ~$200 screens give you a good image?

 

[Rarshaiz]


As I said before I would try the projector with out a screen first then if you decide the picture isn't quite what you would like then go after a screen. I have always projected on to a wall on flat grey paint but have seen them projected on white walls in both glossy and textured walls. The picture was always good. The only reason I have a screen now is the wall I want to project to has 3 windows on it. So I purchased a $500 screen 135" DaLite to cover the 3 windows and leave about 4 inches on both sides of the screen of wall left showing. If it was not for the windows I never would have bought a screen.

 

As for the BenQ Epson debate you are going to have to look at them separately or find a place that has a good return policy where you can buy and if you do not like it you can return it. All I can say is I have the BenQ w1070 I love it and for the price difference of the two I can buy 3-4 bulbs to replace in my W1070 or even wait a couple years and keep saving my money so that when the 4k projectors start filtering down to the budget range I have a big head start.

 

Think of projectors like stereo receivers and computers. They are always getting better and cheaper. If you bought today's top of the line model it will be outdated in 6 months by something better.

 

[Ftoast]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SDB553  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24606975


How does the 8350 compare to the BenQ 1070? I know the epson is more in price, but as far as brightness and picture quality, how do they compare?


Also, the screen he was projecting it on was a Stewart screen. Said the screen was about $1500. In order to make a projector look good, do you really need to spend that much on a screen? Will the ~$200 screens give you a good image?

In brightness and picture quality the 8350 and 1070 are pretty matched. The 1070 has a touch better contrast and the 8350 can squeeze out a few extra lumens, but the difference is small enough for most to call equal. The 1070 games better (low lag), has fantastic 3D, and is much cheaper. The 8350 has more flexible zoom/offset options if you need to mount your projector somewhere specific (to avoid a ceiling fan or beam). If you don't need the added placement options and aren't super RBE sensitive, I'd strongly suggest the Benq.


The only advantage that screen has is the ability to still look decent in a room with some angled lights hitting it. In a darker room a plain, cheap white screen will look fantastic and even have better viewing angles than that $1500 Stewart.

 

[wormraper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ftoast  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24608150


In brightness and picture quality the 8350 and 1070 are pretty matched. The 1070 has a touch better contrast and the 8350 can squeeze out a few extra lumens, but the difference is small enough for most to call equal. The 1070 games better (low lag), has fantastic 3D, and is much cheaper. The 8350 has more flexible zoom/offset options if you need to mount your projector somewhere specific (to avoid a ceiling fan or beam). If you don't need the added placement options and aren't super RBE sensitive, I'd strongly suggest the Benq.


The only advantage that screen has is the ability to still look decent in a room with some angled lights hitting it. In a darker room a plain, cheap white screen will look fantastic and even have better viewing angles than that $1500 Stewart.

+1... a $500 or cheaper screen is MORE than enough. take a loot at the Elite screens.

 

[AV_Integrated]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SDB553  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24606975


...the screen was about $1500. In order to make a projector look good, do you really need to spend that much on a screen? Will the ~$200 screens give you a good image?

You need a good screen for best results. Don't confuse 'good' with 'expensive'.


If at all possible ALWAYS use a fixed frame screen.


If you must use a retractable screen, then use a tab-tensioned screen. Those are pricey, but actually worth the money.


Non-tab-tensioned screens are a waste of money, but often a necessary evil due to budgetary constraints. Spend as little as possible as the screen WILL develop waves in it and will be garbage bin quality in about 1-2 years or so.

 

[umairsemail]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ftoast  /t/1526335/projector-advice#post_24608150


In brightness and picture quality the 8350 and 1070 are pretty matched. The 1070 has a touch better contrast and the 8350 can squeeze out a few extra lumens, but the difference is small enough for most to call equal. The 1070 games better (low lag), has fantastic 3D, and is much cheaper. The 8350 has more flexible zoom/offset options if you need to mount your projector somewhere specific (to avoid a ceiling fan or beam). If you don't need the added placement options and aren't super RBE sensitive, I'd strongly suggest the Benq.


The only advantage that screen has is the ability to still look decent in a room with some angled lights hitting it. In a darker room a plain, cheap white screen will look fantastic and even have better viewing angles than that $1500 Stewart.

No way, the picture quality of the 1070 is WAY better than the 8350.