[BestInTheWorld]

I rent a decent sized room in my apartment; so I have room for a projector--more so than a very thin bezel 42-55 TV.


I would prefer a projector costing $600-$1000 (max), and with 1080p if possible, or a 720p with 3D capabilities.


I heard BenQ and Optoma are good (from hearsay and in the Best Buy Stores)


The plasmas and LCDs I seen are nicer than most projectors, it's just I will barely have any free room if I bought a 42" or larger screen TV with a TV stand.


My guess, is the projector would be cooler, in the sense the "theater" feel would be closer replicated (in cinemas, the colors aren't as bold and "colorful" as a good Plasma or LED, or LCD (glossy and a lot of matte screens) TVs.


So I'm leaning towards getting a projector for $1000 or less, and would like your guys' input and suggestions.


Thanks!!

 

[BestInTheWorld]

This is the one I have my eye on, the Optoma GT750 3D DLP Gaming Projector:


http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/optoma-optoma-wxga-3d-dlp-home-theatre-projector-gt750-gt750/10180961.aspx?path=730026fb2762039820aa216afb0bd2cben02



Amazon.com users gave it good reviews; 5 out of 5 from all 3 owners.

 

[markr041]

I have the Optoma 750, and I am really happy I got it. Watching HD movies on my 80" projector screen is just great, not to mention 3D. Really beats watching a 42" or even 55" TV by a mile. It really does replicate the theater feel, without the sticky floor. You do not even have to blacken the room; very bright image.

 

[BestInTheWorld]



Quote:
Originally Posted by markr041  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22148842


I have the Optoma 750, and I am really happy I got it. Watching HD movies on my 80" projector screen is just great, not to mention 3D. Really beats watching a 42" or even 55" TV by a mile. It really does replicate the theater feel, without the sticky floor. You do not even have to blacken the room; very bright image.

Hi Mark, did you have this exact model or the other 750 version ($100 less)? I'm VERY tempted to pull the trigger after what you said. Is it able to adjust screen projection sizes to accommodate larger or smaller walls?


Lastly, can I also connect to my Acer laptop without an A/V receiver through HDMI, and use it as a part-time computer monitor?

 

[man4mopar]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BestInTheWorld  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22148879


Is it able to adjust screen projection sizes to accommodate larger or smaller walls?

Lastly, can I also connect to my Acer laptop without an A/V receiver through HDMI, and use it as a part-time computer monitor?

Projection size is determined by distance from the wall or projected surface. Per spec doesn't appear to have zoom. Will also not have lens shift so ceiling mount or table mounted willhave some limitations but sure you can make it work. There are projector calculators that will tell you screen size etc with distance/height projector is placed.

And yes you can use your laptop via HDMI. Fact this 750 is HDMI 1.4 compliant so can watch 3D BD rays and play 3D games via PS3 or 360.

And if your a gamer this is projector has very little input lag, scores 0 lag per laptop testing.


Biggest down side of a projector to a LCD or Plasma tv is the contrast will be far less and the lighting in room effects the picture a lot. And the biggest one is lamp life. Unless getting a LED projector they do not handle quick on/off viewing and in general lamp life is 2k-4k depending on projector. But even at 2K hours that is 5 hours a day of viewing for a year or 83 days non stop

 

[BestInTheWorld]



Quote:
Originally Posted by man4mopar  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22148999


Projection size is determined by distance from the wall or projected surface. Per spec doesn't appear to have zoom. Will also not have lens shift so ceiling mount or table mounted willhave some limitations but sure you can make it work. There are projector calculators that will tell you screen size etc with distance/height projector is placed.

And yes you can use your laptop via HDMI. Fact this 750 is HDMI 1.4 compliant so can watch 3D BD rays and play 3D games via PS3 or 360.

And if your a gamer this is projector has very little input lag, scores 0 lag per laptop testing.

Biggest down side of a projector to a LCD or Plasma tv is the contrast will be far less and the lighting in room effects the picture a lot. And the biggest one is lamp life. Unless getting a LED projector they do not handle quick on/off viewing and in general lamp life is 2k-4k depending on projector. But even at 2K hours that is 5 hours a day of viewing for a year or 83 days non stop

I took the lamp life into consideration, and i can only assume you can buy replacement bulbs for it, for $500 or less (only going by how much this particular model sells for)


And if I were to set it on a small table (my only option), what would the lens shifting do if it were included?


Thanks again guys!

 

[markr041]

"Biggest down side of a projector to a LCD or Plasma tv is the contrast will be far less and the lighting in room effects the picture a lot."


This is not right: I have a plasma TV and the Optoma 750 ($100 less, so no 3D glasses came with it). You cannot see the plasma if there is room light because it is reflective - I can shave using the plasma as amirror. The 750 is one of the brightest projectors available. It is fine if there is ambient light when the plasma is unwatcheable in my experience.


Worry about the lamp after 3000 hours of using it; and pay ~$250, maybe for replacement.

 

[BestInTheWorld]



Quote:
Originally Posted by markr041  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22149273


"Biggest down side of a projector to a LCD or Plasma tv is the contrast will be far less and the lighting in room effects the picture a lot."

This is not right: I have a plasma TV and the Optoma 750 ($100 less, so no 3D glasses came with it). You cannot see the plasma if there is room light because it is reflective - I can shave using the plasma as amirror. The 750 is one of the brightest projectors available. It is fine if there is ambient light when the plasma is unwatcheable in my experience.

Worry about the lamp after 3000 hours of using it; and pay ~$250, maybe for replacement.

Mark, would you say it's worth the $900 CDN/USD asking price? I am VERY certain I will get it this weekend, and love the fact it's small, light and takes up as much room as the Yellow Pages.

 

[man4mopar]

To OP, if a projector had lens shift it gives more versatility in projector placement. There is Keystone adjustments on the GT750 I think but that usually gives side effects in outer picture as it is using a algorithm to adjust projected image to fit. Far as I know the Epson 8350 is the only projector with lens shift close to your price limit listed. But you may like the GT750 more as it is a short throw projector so will make a larger image in less space and the 8350 is 2D only but is 1080P vs 720P.


Highly recommend using the projector calculators, they will give a good idea of what size and height will be projected in locations you plan to use. Here is Optoma's calculator may have to click on link to distance calculator http://www.optomausa.com/products/detail/GT750E Example at 5ft back image is 95" diagonal 16:9 and bottom of image will be 9" above projector lens center, may need a filter to lesson brightness, So the above if on a 2 foot high coffee table 5ft back will have a 95" diagonal image and if 8ft walls top of image will be roughly 23" from the ceiling and 26" from the floor if my math is correct. Assuming 2" from table top to projector lens center. Anyway that calculator will get you a rough idea.

Here is coderguy's calculator a member on these forums who has painstakingly built this http://www.eliteprojectorcalculator.com/ which has some projectors in it like the Epson 8350.

 

[man4mopar]



Quote:
Originally Posted by markr041  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22149273


"Biggest down side of a projector to a LCD or Plasma tv is the contrast will be far less and the lighting in room effects the picture a lot."

This is not right: I have a plasma TV and the Optoma 750 ($100 less, so no 3D glasses came with it). You cannot see the plasma if there is room light because it is reflective - I can shave using the plasma as amirror. The 750 is one of the brightest projectors available. It is fine if there is ambient light when the plasma is unwatcheable in my experience.

Worry about the lamp after 3000 hours of using it; and pay ~$250, maybe for replacement.

My experience is different. Panasonic VT20 kills my H9500BD projector in contrast, deep blacks and shadow detail. And the H9500BD is pretty well regarded for doing contrast and deep blacks very well for a projector. That said my H9500BD makes a very large to me 100" screen at the moment and performs 3D completely ghost free, as will the GT750.


And is a fact the more ambient light in a room for a projected image the blacks suffer.

 

[BestInTheWorld]



Quote:
Originally Posted by man4mopar  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22149715


To OP, if a projector had lens shift it gives more versatility in projector placement. There is Keystone adjustments on the GT750 I think but that usually gives side effects in outer picture as it is using a algorithm to adjust projected image to fit. Far as I know the Epson 8350 is the only projector with lens shift close to your price limit listed. But you may like the GT750 more as it is a short throw projector so will make a larger image in less space and the 8350 is 2D only but is 1080P vs 720P.

Highly recommend using the projector calculators, they will give a good idea of what size and height will be projected in locations you plan to use. Here is Optoma's calculator may have to click on link to distance calculator http://www.optomausa.com/products/detail/GT750E Example at 5ft back image is 95" diagonal 16:9 and bottom of image will be 9" above projector lens center, may need a filter to lesson brightness, So the above if on a 2 foot high coffee table 5ft back will have a 95" diagonal image and if 8ft walls top of image will be roughly 23" from the ceiling and 26" from the floor if my math is correct. Assuming 2" from table top to projector lens center. Anyway that calculator will get you a rough idea.

Here is coderguy's calculator a member on these forums who has painstakingly built this http://www.eliteprojectorcalculator.com/ which has some projectors in it like the Epson 8350.

Thank you very much for both of those calculators, it will help me out a ton in deciding which small table to get according to height. I would probably only do 5 feet away from the wall, and my wall is very wide and likely 9 feet tall (from baseboard to stucco ceiling).


How would the Epson 8350 and GT750 do for movies that aren't 16:9, or content that is either 4:3, 2:35:1, etc? How will that display, and affect the width and/or height of the image, from the same distances (e.g. 5 ft back on a 2 ft table)?


To everyone, is the 120 Hz feature in the GT750 the same (more or less) as the plasma and LCD's 240 Hz/120 Hz? (e.g. soap opera feel)

 

[man4mopar]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BestInTheWorld  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22152869


Thank you very much for both of those calculators, it will help me out a ton in deciding which small table to get according to height. I would probably only do 5 feet away from the wall, and my wall is very wide and likely 9 feet tall (from baseboard to stucco ceiling).

How would the Epson 8350 and GT750 do for movies that aren't 16:9, or content that is either 4:3, 2:35:1, etc? How will that display, and affect the width and/or height of the image, from the same distances (e.g. 5 ft back on a 2 ft table)?

To everyone, is the 120 Hz feature in the GT750 the same (more or less) as the plasma and LCD's 240 Hz/120 Hz? (e.g. soap opera feel)

As to the 120hz of the GT750. I am thinking your reading that as the resolutions it can receive example 720P 120hz which is used in PC games is also capable of 720P 120hz 3D or better described as 720P 60 fps per eye again used in PC gaming. LCD's typically when stated 120hz or 240hz And plasma's stating 600hz are giving the refresh rates of the image nothing to do with input resolution frequency. Frame Interpolation will give the soap opera look, some dig it some don't. Some who don't in 2D do like it used in 3D though.

As to the different aspect ratios used in movies the Optoma calculator originally gave a 16:10 which I believe is the native size of 1280/800 so anything else will have black bars top and bottom or side to side depending on aspect ratio of content. In short the light beam will always be the 16:10 and content will change within it. If you want specifics the optoma calculator gives different aspect ratio inside it at 5ft is 4:3 is 87" diagonal, 16:9 is 96" diagonal 16:10 is 98" diagonal and 2.39:1 is 90" diagonal .

 

[BestInTheWorld]



Quote:
Originally Posted by man4mopar  /t/1416553/would-a-projector-make-more-sense-than-a-lcd-plasma-in-a-small-space#post_22153063


As to the 120hz of the GT750. I am thinking your reading that as the resolutions it can receive example 720P 120hz which is used in PC games is also capable of 720P 120hz 3D or better described as 720P 60 fps per eye again used in PC gaming. LCD's typically when stated 120hz or 240hz And plasma's stating 600hz are giving the refresh rates of the image nothing to do with input resolution frequency. Frame Interpolation will give the soap opera look, some dig it some don't. Some who don't in 2D do like it used in 3D though.

As to the different aspect ratios used in movies the Optoma calculator originally gave a 16:10 which I believe is the native size of 1280/800 so anything else will have black bars top and bottom or side to side depending on aspect ratio of content. In short the light beam will always be the 16:10 and content will change within it. If you want specifics the optoma calculator gives different aspect ratio inside it at 5ft is 4:3 is 87" diagonal, 16:9 is 96" diagonal 16:10 is 98" diagonal and 2.39:1 is 90" diagonal .

Okay, I see... thanks for the aspect ratio displays. Will I get frame interpolation on the GT750? I would like that soap opera look and feel for some movies.