I would say most on here would say BenQ. The 2050a is still around $800 range for the best entry level 1080p projector made. The TK800m I think is in the $1K range if your looking for 4K. The TK850 or the HT3550 are $500 over your budget new but refurbed and used one are a good bargain.
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What is the hottest budget to quality ratio? (Modern day HD25e?)
I had purchased an Optoma HD25e for about 800$ Almost a decade ago and it’s still going strong with yearly bulb changes (50$) but the lens is starting to get that smear and getting old now.
what had come out in recent years that is available to buy that has the most wow factor picture quality and brightness that is under 1K but looks up there with the best? Could be 1080p or 4K with a normal throw.
Anything juicy out there? I only saw various threads for higher end ones but what’s the best bang for the buck out there right now and is there a huge leap forward lately like DLP was back then?
Thanks for bringing me up to date.
what had come out in recent years that is available to buy that has the most wow factor picture quality and brightness that is under 1K but looks up there with the best? Could be 1080p or 4K with a normal throw.
Anything juicy out there? I only saw various threads for higher end ones but what’s the best bang for the buck out there right now and is there a huge leap forward lately like DLP was back then?
Thanks for bringing me up to date.
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Thank you.I would say most on here would say BenQ. The 2050a is still around $800 range for the best entry level 1080p projector made. The TK800m I think is in the $1K range if your looking for 4K. The TK850 or the HT3550 are $500 over your budget new but refurbed and used one are a good bargain.
what made BenQ so successful this gen compared to other brands like optoma? Better picture or build quality or technology?
All of the above backed by a 3 year warranty. All the others are 1 or two year at most. From my own experience BenQ's service support is top notch.Thank you.
what made BenQ so successful this gen compared to other brands like optoma? Better picture or build quality or technology?
Hi Nick
There were a few great 1080p DLPs that had an RGBRGB color wheel coupled with the Dark Chip 3 DMD and the larger .65” DMD that produced a pretty bright image and still maintained a good CR number. BenQ had a line of them and with a continuous improvement concept ended with the 2050A. Viewsonic had a close contender that I still enjoy that was always priced just enough higher BenQ always got the market. There were a few others. Viewsonic finally gave up on the model I own and made a new offer that IMO wasn’t as good. The big advantage BenQ had at the end with the 2050A was they changed the case and were able to get the fan noise lower than the rest.
The DLP projectors had a rocky start shifting into the 4k market and for the money I personally felt enough improvement over 1080p to make the move to a new projector. I had hoped to have been into a new projector by now and had high hopes for a DLP HT projector with LED solid state light engine to have met my needs. I think they are getting very close and there is a whole bunch of reasons I’m hoping they get there. All they really would have to do is match the specs of the above 2050A type projectors with or without 4k and I would be in. But 4k is a marketing point now and it will stay one.
So if you don’t have a couple years to wait I don’t think you will go wrong with the 2050A. Lamps might be a little more than the $50 you are used to and if you are going thru one a year that’s heavy usage and you might want to look at the current 1080p LED light source projectors.
There were a few great 1080p DLPs that had an RGBRGB color wheel coupled with the Dark Chip 3 DMD and the larger .65” DMD that produced a pretty bright image and still maintained a good CR number. BenQ had a line of them and with a continuous improvement concept ended with the 2050A. Viewsonic had a close contender that I still enjoy that was always priced just enough higher BenQ always got the market. There were a few others. Viewsonic finally gave up on the model I own and made a new offer that IMO wasn’t as good. The big advantage BenQ had at the end with the 2050A was they changed the case and were able to get the fan noise lower than the rest.
The DLP projectors had a rocky start shifting into the 4k market and for the money I personally felt enough improvement over 1080p to make the move to a new projector. I had hoped to have been into a new projector by now and had high hopes for a DLP HT projector with LED solid state light engine to have met my needs. I think they are getting very close and there is a whole bunch of reasons I’m hoping they get there. All they really would have to do is match the specs of the above 2050A type projectors with or without 4k and I would be in. But 4k is a marketing point now and it will stay one.
So if you don’t have a couple years to wait I don’t think you will go wrong with the 2050A. Lamps might be a little more than the $50 you are used to and if you are going thru one a year that’s heavy usage and you might want to look at the current 1080p LED light source projectors.
Do you need 3D? If not then check out the Viewsonic PX701-4K refurbs in the Deals Found subforum. The PX747-4K can often be found at very good prices as well. You can read my initial impressions of the PX747-4K here:I had purchased an Optoma HD25e for about 800$ Almost a decade ago and it’s still going strong with yearly bulb changes (50$) but the lens is starting to get that smear and getting old now.
what had come out in recent years that is available to buy that has the most wow factor picture quality and brightness that is under 1K but looks up there with the best? Could be 1080p or 4K with a normal throw.
Anything juicy out there? I only saw various threads for higher end ones but what’s the best bang for the buck out there right now and is there a huge leap forward lately like DLP was back then?
Thanks for bringing me up to date.
Viewsonic 4k PX747 - $750
https://www.viewsonic.com/us/outlet/shop/projectors/px747-4k-s.html
www.avsforum.com
and if you read the rest of the short thread I put up a series of screen shots from my 145in grey painted screen wall.
The 2050a at its current selling price on Amazon is nearly impossible to beat for a new unit but if you are willing to go after a used unit then look for a Sony HW45es, they pop up on AVS frequently for ~ $1K and outperform the 2050a regarding over-all image quality.
- Jason
- Jason
This is a thing? Are you saying projector lenses will generally degrade after 10 years? How do you tell what smear is from the lens and what is from the source? Does this only happen after many hours of usage, or it happens over time even when the projector is not used a lot? Does it only happen to plastic lenses or all types?but the lens is starting to get that smear
I think he's talking about that impossible to remove layer of dust that accumulates inside any projector that's been on for long enoughThis is a thing? Are you saying projector lenses will generally degrade after 10 years? How do you tell what smear is from the lens and what is from the source? Does this only happen after many hours of usage, or it happens over time even when the projector is not used a lot? Does it only happen to plastic lenses or all types?
Like a threshold once crossed, is all downhill from there
Sure, you can try vacuuming and pressurizing and this/that/other
That one blob won't move though
Ah I see. Thank you. How many hours of use do you think that takes? @Nick Loll how many hours is on your unit?I think he's talking about that impossible to remove layer of dust that accumulates inside any projector that's been on for long enough
Like a threshold once crossed, is all downhill from there
Sure, you can try vacuuming and pressurizing and this/that/other
That one blob won't move though
If anyone is interested, @zombie10k did a great dust cleaning of his DLP projector in the Older High End DLP thread. Let me find it... Older High End DLP. Unfortunately it seems both very difficult, and easy to break the projector if you arent an expert like he is, but, the link is there if it helps anyone. All credit to zombie10k who made that post.
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