[ellin]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I'm a projector noob. Canadian Black Friday is coming up (Boxing Day), and I was looking to get a new projector in the $1000 - $2000 range.
The dimensions of my screen are around: 9'' x 5'1'' (10'4'' horizontal).

I was going over the sticky and the projectors that were recommended were: Epson Home Cinema 3100 ($1300, LCD), 3700 ($1500, LCD), 3900 ($2000, LCD).

So the Epson projectors that are available at Costco and Bestbuy are the: Epson Home Cinema 1450 1080P 3LCD ($1800), Epson Home Cinema 3100 Full HD 1080p 3LCD ($1500), and the Epson PowerLite 1795F Wireless HD 1080p ($1600). They will most likely be on sale on boxing day so I am open to recommendations of any brand and I'm also open to the idea of buying one off amazon.ca.

Thanks

 

[Dave in Green]

I would eliminate the Epson 3900 as independent testing has not shown a sufficient performance improvement over the 3100/3700 to merit the price premium. The 1795F is a business projector and will not be optimized for home video so I'd also eliminate that. The 1450 is a crossover business/home video model that will not produce quite as refined an image as the 3100/3700. The 1450 is typically only used for home video where a bright room light cannon is needed to overcome significant ambient light. The 3100 and 3700 are virtually identical in performance to each other except the 3700 is ~15% brighter.

You have only mentioned Epson models so it seems you are committed to 3LCD and are not considering DLP or LCoS models. Generally speaking all of the Epson models are brighter than average and are often preferred for use in varying degrees of ambient light. In a dark home theater setting they can be almost too bright in some situations and are more like bright LCD TVs than the level of screen brightness you'd experience watching a movie at your local commercial cinema.

Since screen size on this forum is usually given in diagonal inches, your screen dimensions suggest a 16:9 aspect ratio screen with a 124" diagonal. That's considered a medium-size screen so there should be no issue properly illuminating it with any of the more popular projector models. Understanding the type of lighting conditions you plan to view in, what type of material you plan to view and whether you want a TV bright or theater bright image will help narrow down the options.

 

[ellin]

I would eliminate the Epson 3900 as independent testing has not shown a sufficient performance improvement over the 3100/3700 to merit the price premium. The 1795F is a business projector and will not be optimized for home video so I'd also eliminate that. The 1450 is a crossover business/home video model that will not produce quite as refined an image as the 3100/3700. The 1450 is typically only used for home video where a bright room light cannon is needed to overcome significant ambient light. The 3100 and 3700 are virtually identical in performance to each other except the 3700 is ~15% brighter.

You have only mentioned Epson models so it seems you are committed to 3LCD and are not considering DLP or LCoS models. Generally speaking all of the Epson models are brighter than average and are often preferred for use in varying degrees of ambient light. In a dark home theater setting they can be almost too bright in some situations and are more like bright LCD TVs than the level of screen brightness you'd experience watching a movie at your local commercial cinema.

Since screen size on this forum is usually given in diagonal inches, your screen dimensions suggest a 16:9 aspect ratio screen with a 124" diagonal. That's considered a medium-size screen so there should be no issue properly illuminating it with any of the more popular projector models. Understanding the type of lighting conditions you plan to view in, what type of material you plan to view and whether you want a TV bright or theater bright image will help narrow down the options.

Thanks for the reply Dave, the reason I have only mentioned Epson models is because there are no Sony projectors available in that price range for Bestbuy Canada. Do you have other brands in mind? Also the theater will be in my basement. I can control the outdoor lighting and can block the windows if I wish, and for that reason I was leaning towards a theater bright image. Sorry for my ignorance but I will have to do more research on 3LCD vs DLP vs LCoS.

 

[stopdog]

Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD. Best Buy has it though slightly different model #. It's DLP and best bang for buck right now in 4K projectors.

 

[bix26]

Hey everyone,



I'm new to the forum and I'm a projector noob. Canadian Black Friday is coming up (Boxing Day), and I was looking to get a new projector in the $1000 - $2000 range.

The dimensions of my screen are around: 9'' x 5'1'' (10'4'' horizontal).



I was going over the sticky and the projectors that were recommended were: Epson Home Cinema 3100 ($1300, LCD), 3700 ($1500, LCD), 3900 ($2000, LCD).



So the Epson projectors that are available at Costco and Bestbuy are the: Epson Home Cinema 1450 1080P 3LCD ($1800), Epson Home Cinema 3100 Full HD 1080p 3LCD ($1500), and the Epson PowerLite 1795F Wireless HD 1080p ($1600). They will most likely be on sale on boxing day so I am open to recommendations of any brand and I'm also open to the idea of buying one off amazon.ca.



Thanks

I would strongly suggest either the HC2150/HC2100($649/$599) as they will have nearly identical features with almost as good picture quality as the 3000 series models. Or spend a few hundred more for the HC4000($1,799) and get much better features and better picture quality. The prices and model names may be different in Canada.

 

[Dave in Green]

Thanks for the reply Dave, the reason I have only mentioned Epson models is because there are no Sony projectors available in that price range for Bestbuy Canada. Do you have other brands in mind? Also the theater will be in my basement. I can control the outdoor lighting and can block the windows if I wish, and for that reason I was leaning towards a theater bright image. Sorry for my ignorance but I will have to do more research on 3LCD vs DLP vs LCoS.

The Sony HW45ES is the least expensive LCoS model and I see it's out of your price range in Canada. That leaves 3LCD and DLP, and Epson is the best option for 3LCD so you have that covered. The Epson 3100 or 3700 would be the best choice for a 3LCD projector in your price range. Choosing from between those two models depends on how many lumens you need, and that depends on screen size and lighting conditions. The larger the screen the dimmer the image gets as you are spreading the same number of projector lumens over a larger screen area. And any ambient light will start to wash out the image and require more projector lumens to overcome. If you watch any 3D that also requires more projector lumens. So these are the variables in deciding between a 3100 and 3700.

There are many who prefer DLP projectors like those from BenQ because they tend to produce a sharper image. That's because DLP uses a single chip whereas 3LCD uses 3 panels that can never be in perfect alignment. On the other hand 3LCD can produce brighter colors to help overcome ambient light. So many comparison reviews give an advantage to DLP in the dark but as ambient light increases 3LCD begins to get the advantage. 3LCD models like the 3100/3700 also have an advantage over DLP with wider lens zoom ranges and extensive horizontal and vertical lens shift for greater mounting flexibility.

As you research projectors for the first time you will learn that none of them are without compromises. Each projector has a different balance of pros and cons. What you need to do is consider what strengths are most important to you and which weaknesses you can most easily live with. But as long as you stick with the most recommended models from the most recommended brands you can get satisfying performance from both 3LCD and DLP.

 

[ellin]

Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD. Best Buy has it though slightly different model #. It's DLP and best bang for buck right now in 4K projectors.

Couldn't find one available in Canada.

 

[ellin]

I would strongly suggest either the HC2150/HC2100($649/$599) as they will have nearly identical features with almost as good picture quality as the 3000 series models. Or spend a few hundred more for the HC4000($1,799) and get much better features and better picture quality. The prices and model names may be different in Canada.

I looked into the HC4000 and found this model: BenQ 1080p Home Theatre Projector (HT4050). On some reviews people are saying it has rainbow effect? Should I rule this model out because of that?

 

[ellin]

The Sony HW45ES is the least expensive LCoS model and I see it's out of your price range in Canada. That leaves 3LCD and DLP, and Epson is the best option for 3LCD so you have that covered. The Epson 3100 or 3700 would be the best choice for a 3LCD projector in your price range. Choosing from between those two models depends on how many lumens you need, and that depends on screen size and lighting conditions. The larger the screen the dimmer the image gets as you are spreading the same number of projector lumens over a larger screen area. And any ambient light will start to wash out the image and require more projector lumens to overcome. If you watch any 3D that also requires more projector lumens. So these are the variables in deciding between a 3100 and 3700.

There are many who prefer DLP projectors like those from BenQ because they tend to produce a sharper image. That's because DLP uses a single chip whereas 3LCD uses 3 panels that can never be in perfect alignment. On the other hand 3LCD can produce brighter colors to help overcome ambient light. So many comparison reviews give an advantage to DLP in the dark but as ambient light increases 3LCD begins to get the advantage. 3LCD models like the 3100/3700 also have an advantage over DLP with wider lens zoom ranges and extensive horizontal and vertical lens shift for greater mounting flexibility.

As you research projectors for the first time you will learn that none of them are without compromises. Each projector has a different balance of pros and cons. What you need to do is consider what strengths are most important to you and which weaknesses you can most easily live with. But as long as you stick with the most recommended models from the most recommended brands you can get satisfying performance from both 3LCD and DLP.

I was leaning towards DLP and the BenQ 1080p Home Theater Projector (HT4050), but I have read some reviews and people are saying it seems to have a rainbow effect? I have narrowed it down to the BenQ (HT4050) and the Epson 3100. Which would you think would be best for 124'' diagonal with a dark room (no ambient lights).

 

[Dave in Green]

I was leaning towards DLP and the BenQ 1080p Home Theater Projector (HT4050), but I have read some reviews and people are saying it seems to have a rainbow effect? I have narrowed it down to the BenQ (HT4050) and the Epson 3100. Which would you think would be best for 124'' diagonal with a dark room (no ambient lights).

The rainbow effect (RBE) is one of the cons of DLP. The best DLP models with the least RBE are those with fast RGBRGB color wheels like the BenQ HT4050, so I would consider it to be one of the better DLP options for not seeing RBE. There's a wide variation in individual sensitivity to RBE. Some never see RBE. Some only see it when it's pointed out to them but can easily tune it out. Some find it slightly annoying and a small percentage of people are so sensitive to it that they can't stand it.

Those who are most bothered by RBE are the best candidates for 3LCD. The problem is that you can't really know how sensitive you are to RBE without actually viewing a DLP projector. So it's advised that those buying a DLP projector for the first time without ever having seen one buy from a vendor with a good return policy.

The HT4050 is a mixed bag. It has a higher quality lens and more features than the less expensive BenQ HT2050 and HT3050. While it's been credited with having a slightly more refined image due to the better optics it has also been independently measured with slightly worse black levels than the HT2050/HT3050. Consequently many do not consider the extra cost of the HT4050 to be worth the difference in performance from the HT2050/HT3050 and not many on this forum have purchased a HT4050.

To me it's a tough call between one of the BenQ DLP models and the Epson 3100. One review of the 3100 suggested that it was approaching Sony HW45ES image quality in many areas aside from native black level. But there's nothing in your price range that can match the HW45ES in native black level. The 3100 does have a dynamic iris that stops down on dark scenes to make the blacks a little less grey. One issue that is important to those who use their projectors a lot is replacement lamp cost. Genuine replacement lamps for the HT4050 cost $250 compared with $100 for the 3100.

I think I could be happy with either the HT4050 or 3100, but I know I'm not sensitive to RBE so that wouldn't be an issue for me but it could be for you. With the 3100 you wouldn't have to worry about RBE and you would get more mounting flexibility with the 3100's extensive lens shift compared with the more modest lens shift of the HT4050. As I said earlier, it's a matter of trying to weigh all the pros and cons and pick the best balance that satisfies your needs and preferences. I would advise doing a search for professional reviews of the HT4050 and 3100 and reading them all. Doing so will give you a much better perspective on each projector's balance of pros and cons.

 

[bix26]

I looked into the HC4000 and found this model: BenQ 1080p Home Theatre Projector (HT4050). On some reviews people are saying it has rainbow effect? Should I rule this model out because of that?

I wouldn’t recommend the HT4050, the less expensive HT2050 has better picture quality minus a few features. The rainbow effect is pretty rare with high speed red/green/blue color wheels. My older BenQ HT1075 has a slower 4x RGB color wheel. I have only seen RE a few times when I catch the screen or lens in my peripheral. Haven’t gotten any complaints from friends or family. I’m personally waiting for the new BenQ HT2550 coming in January.

 

[bix26]

Hey everyone,



I'm new to the forum and I'm a projector noob. Canadian Black Friday is coming up (Boxing Day), and I was looking to get a new projector in the $1000 - $2000 range.

The dimensions of my screen are around: 9'' x 5'1'' (10'4'' horizontal).



I was going over the sticky and the projectors that were recommended were: Epson Home Cinema 3100 ($1300, LCD), 3700 ($1500, LCD), 3900 ($2000, LCD).



So the Epson projectors that are available at Costco and Bestbuy are the: Epson Home Cinema 1450 1080P 3LCD ($1800), Epson Home Cinema 3100 Full HD 1080p 3LCD ($1500), and the Epson PowerLite 1795F Wireless HD 1080p ($1600). They will most likely be on sale on boxing day so I am open to recommendations of any brand and I'm also open to the idea of buying one off amazon.ca.



Thanks

Hi Ellin,
If I was in your shoes I would go for an entry level projector. I have a feeling that a lot of 4k options will be available in a year or two. Investing a lot in a projector that might be obsolete in a few months or years is kind of a gamble. If you spend less than $700 now you’ll still have an experience that is as good or better than most cinemas. When it’s time to upgrade to 4K you’ll be able to sell your old projector for about half of what you paid for and will only be out a small sum of money for a year or two of enjoyment.
Good luck

 

[stopdog]

Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD. Best Buy has it though slightly different model #. It's DLP and best bang for buck right now in 4K projectors.

Couldn't find one available in Canada.

Frys has it for well under your budget and I think they ship internationally. Once you see 4K HDR on a big screen you will never be happy with 1080p again. Period. All those other projectors are 1080p.

 

[stopdog]

I agree if you are ok with 1080p would not spend more than about five hundred. Look you can barely find a 1080p big screen tv anymore. Now blow it up so much bigger on a screen why do it.

 

[stopdog]

I'm rewatching "Bright" streamed in 4K HDR from Netflix looks amazing on my HK2288 !

 

[stopdog]

Also HK2288 has RGBRGB color wheel have not seen a single rainbow.