LCD Projector
- Thread starter ronik15
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Well-known member
Good, or cheap? Projectors are commodities now so a good one can be had for about a grand, a great one for $3500+. I highly recommend that you look for these key features:
DLP - (LCDs still can't compete with the size and performance of DLP, LCoS and D-ILA are close but still underutilized and as such untested technology.)
1024x768 native resolution or better there are some 16:9 native projectors out there if that is what you would need most often
At least 1000 Ansi lumens if you have control of ambient light where you will be using the projector. Much more if you dont. 2500-3500 ansi is great for use in a board room or classroom where you have lots of uncontrollable ambient light issues, but 3000+ ansi can be fatiguing to watch in a dark room on a screen <= 100" diagonal.
Get the highest contrast ratio you can get and afford. No one ever complained that there was just too much LCD or DLP projector induced contrast. In this case the manufacturers just cant engineer a projector with ENOUGH contrast so get the most you can. 1000:1 is a good start 3000:1 is better. But both are hard to come by. Many sub $1500 projectors cannot manage 1000:1.
Brand wise it depends on what you are using it for and your budget The $1000 DLP's from Optoma have good spec's and a decent price, but I have yet to personally try one out to see what you get for your grand.
I have personally used In Focus, HP, Sharp, Sanyo (Eiki) Christie Digital, Barco, Sony, all have compromises, all have advantages. If you have a specific projector model in mind, let me know. Check out Tigerdirect.com for some cheap deals if you are cost consious.
DLP - (LCDs still can't compete with the size and performance of DLP, LCoS and D-ILA are close but still underutilized and as such untested technology.)
1024x768 native resolution or better there are some 16:9 native projectors out there if that is what you would need most often
At least 1000 Ansi lumens if you have control of ambient light where you will be using the projector. Much more if you dont. 2500-3500 ansi is great for use in a board room or classroom where you have lots of uncontrollable ambient light issues, but 3000+ ansi can be fatiguing to watch in a dark room on a screen <= 100" diagonal.
Get the highest contrast ratio you can get and afford. No one ever complained that there was just too much LCD or DLP projector induced contrast. In this case the manufacturers just cant engineer a projector with ENOUGH contrast so get the most you can. 1000:1 is a good start 3000:1 is better. But both are hard to come by. Many sub $1500 projectors cannot manage 1000:1.
Brand wise it depends on what you are using it for and your budget The $1000 DLP's from Optoma have good spec's and a decent price, but I have yet to personally try one out to see what you get for your grand.
I have personally used In Focus, HP, Sharp, Sanyo (Eiki) Christie Digital, Barco, Sony, all have compromises, all have advantages. If you have a specific projector model in mind, let me know. Check out Tigerdirect.com for some cheap deals if you are cost consious.
HansK
Veteran
What about the Marantz projectors?
http://us.marantz.com/Products/497.asp
They sure look perfect for a home theatre!
I've found some good info projector here:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/
One of the things I read is that no matter what the contrast ratio a projector has, once you have ambient light the ratio drops down to under 100:1. So if don't plan to use a projector that much in a dark room then paying for a high contrast projector will be a waste.
http://us.marantz.com/Products/497.asp
They sure look perfect for a home theatre!
I've found some good info projector here:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/
One of the things I read is that no matter what the contrast ratio a projector has, once you have ambient light the ratio drops down to under 100:1. So if don't plan to use a projector that much in a dark room then paying for a high contrast projector will be a waste.
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Be sure to get one with Component inputs, and make sure it is of course HD ready (most of them are now) - an HDMI input would be even better!
- MIkko
- MIkko
hitcher
Member
Beware of DLP "flash" effect. Some people are very sensible to this effect.
To test if you are, bring a black&white DVD (better with subtitles) and look at the picture and the subtitles, if you're sensible you will see some RGB flash, very disturbing.
In this case, chose a good LCD like the Sanyo Z3. Very good quality for the price.
To test if you are, bring a black&white DVD (better with subtitles) and look at the picture and the subtitles, if you're sensible you will see some RGB flash, very disturbing.
In this case, chose a good LCD like the Sanyo Z3. Very good quality for the price.
pywl
Active member
Hey Ronik15, If you are going for decent to mid range check out these two projectors. Most people think that Dell would be an odd place to buy a projector, but they are into just about everything and actually have really really good prices. I have the 2300MP and love it. Its been one of the best projectors I have had out of 1-Viewsonic, 2-Mitsubishi, 1-Infocus, and 2-Dell's. But like HansK said www.projectorcentral.com has good information.
Oh yea about the light. Of course it goes to say that any projector when introduced to light will suffer. The higher the lumens the better the job in high lite rooms. I find that even with my 2300MP that during the day it is moderately dim (but still very viewable),not like at night where it sooooooo bright it almost hurts to look at the screen when a pure white signal is on it! The main thing I can stress is that you need to buy very good cables!!!! Again buy very good cables. This is where most people go cheap and trust me it shows. I bought some cable from www.bettercables.com and they are amazing, they are called Silver Serpent. Don't be surprised if your cables for your unit end up costing you alot. If you do it correctly your cables should cost you about 1/3 of what you spend on the equipment. Let me know if you have any more questions.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/proj_5100mp?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=2300MP&s=dhs
Oh yea about the light. Of course it goes to say that any projector when introduced to light will suffer. The higher the lumens the better the job in high lite rooms. I find that even with my 2300MP that during the day it is moderately dim (but still very viewable),not like at night where it sooooooo bright it almost hurts to look at the screen when a pure white signal is on it! The main thing I can stress is that you need to buy very good cables!!!! Again buy very good cables. This is where most people go cheap and trust me it shows. I bought some cable from www.bettercables.com and they are amazing, they are called Silver Serpent. Don't be surprised if your cables for your unit end up costing you alot. If you do it correctly your cables should cost you about 1/3 of what you spend on the equipment. Let me know if you have any more questions.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/proj_5100mp?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=2300MP&s=dhs
phd
Well-known member
Panasonic new modell PT-AE900. Read the reviu at this link
http://www.projectorreviews.com/review.asp?reid=50
http://www.projectorreviews.com/review.asp?reid=50
GraBird
Member
Do check out www.projectorcentral.com. It's THE place for projector info.
You CAN get an awesome 16:9 native high-res projector for under $2K! Screen will cost another $700, then good component (must) CABLES will cost another $100-150 (cablestogo.com). Add surround sound for about $250. Add another $120 for a ceiling mount. YOU DON'T NEED THE POLE. Just mount the bracket to a piece of poplar wood, lag screwed into ceiling joists. Note the heat clearances listed by the projector manufacturer. You'll also need to lag-screw mount the screen to wall studs. (Lag screws are those thick 1/4 screws, pre-drill for all.) SCREEN WEIGHS 50 lbs!!!
Definitely get 16:9 native.
When watching widescreen, do you want black bars top/bottom like TV? Yechh. That's 4:3 native. Instead, have black bars left/right for non-widescreen, but full screen for widescreen. That's 16:9 native. Get the bigger 16:9 screen. You'll love it.
Contrast, definitely 2000:1 or more. Brightness, 750:1 or more IF you also get a high brite screen. (DaLite). High brite luminescent material DOUBLES your projector brightness, and they're not much more expensive than standard screens. The darker the room the better. Get some room darkening curtains. (Cheaper than a high bright projector!)
DLP! Or even DLP II! Not LCD! You WILL notice the difference. It's night and day. Even first generation DLP beats the latest LCD.
Higher pixel count the better. If 1080i HDTV ready, you've got plenty. At a minimum 720p/i HDTV ready. It's really plenty cool enough. Our Toshiba does 1080i and projects onto a 10' wide screen. I spent $1800 for it, regularly $3800 but I found it at Overstock.com. New, not refurb'd. Our screen is a roll-up DaLite, great for keeping it sparkling clean.
Be warned, though. You may never go to the movie theater again.
You CAN get an awesome 16:9 native high-res projector for under $2K! Screen will cost another $700, then good component (must) CABLES will cost another $100-150 (cablestogo.com). Add surround sound for about $250. Add another $120 for a ceiling mount. YOU DON'T NEED THE POLE. Just mount the bracket to a piece of poplar wood, lag screwed into ceiling joists. Note the heat clearances listed by the projector manufacturer. You'll also need to lag-screw mount the screen to wall studs. (Lag screws are those thick 1/4 screws, pre-drill for all.) SCREEN WEIGHS 50 lbs!!!
Definitely get 16:9 native.
When watching widescreen, do you want black bars top/bottom like TV? Yechh. That's 4:3 native. Instead, have black bars left/right for non-widescreen, but full screen for widescreen. That's 16:9 native. Get the bigger 16:9 screen. You'll love it.
Contrast, definitely 2000:1 or more. Brightness, 750:1 or more IF you also get a high brite screen. (DaLite). High brite luminescent material DOUBLES your projector brightness, and they're not much more expensive than standard screens. The darker the room the better. Get some room darkening curtains. (Cheaper than a high bright projector!)
DLP! Or even DLP II! Not LCD! You WILL notice the difference. It's night and day. Even first generation DLP beats the latest LCD.
Higher pixel count the better. If 1080i HDTV ready, you've got plenty. At a minimum 720p/i HDTV ready. It's really plenty cool enough. Our Toshiba does 1080i and projects onto a 10' wide screen. I spent $1800 for it, regularly $3800 but I found it at Overstock.com. New, not refurb'd. Our screen is a roll-up DaLite, great for keeping it sparkling clean.
Be warned, though. You may never go to the movie theater again.
PanasonicNZ
Well-known member
Yup, projectorcentral is THE place. We have the new AE900 in the showroom and it's the best projector I've seen in the price range. And it beats ANY DLP projector in the same category by far.