HDTV/ Projecctor?

Question

I want an HDTV perferably or Home-theater projector that has the same quaility as HD(1080pi) but I want to stay under or at $2,000. Anybody got some good isea with links where I could find one!!

Answer 1

A couple of points...Stay away from Rear Projection as they don't have a very good reliability record...Sony and Toshiba are even getting out of that business....Stay away from Toshiba as their reliability, durability and service is VERY POOR (from personal experience) Toshiba ....Do your homework and see what people have to say after they've had the item for a few weeks -not a few hours....If the cost is too good to be true it may be for a good reason...also, if many are recommending the extra warranty, as is the case for rear projection TVS, it may be because the TVs break down often!

Answer 2

I wanted to save a little bit so I bought a 720p projector (SONY VPL-AW10).  You can get one for less than $800 now on-line (e.g. Amazon).

Under low lighting conditions, it just like going to the theater.  The HD quality from souces like Blu-ray is fantastic.

Good ideas:

1.)  Get one as bright as possible.  Mine is 1000 lumens and it can't be calibrated for contrast / brightness at 6500K under room light or during the day.  With the room lights off and/or with the windows curtained off during the day, the projector is good.

2.)  Get one that can accept 1080p and 1080p at 24 frames per second signals and can display them at their native frame rate (24 frames per second, 30 frames per second for de-interlaced 1080i, or 720p at 60 frames per second).  Movies are filmed at 24 frames per second.  TV is broadcast at 60 fields per second for 1080i or 60 frames per second for 720p.  Usually, unless your set/projector states it can accept and show 24 frames per second, the 24 is converted up to 30 by taking 4 movies frames and making up a fictional 5th one and showing those (because 24*5/4=30).  Motion artifacts introduced by this common process are called "judder".

3.)  Check out the bulb life.  A regular plasma/CRT set is usually rated for 60,000 hours until the phosphor is half as bright as when you bout it.  Some projector bulbs have a lifetime rating of only a few thousand hours and cost hundreds of dollars (the bulb for my lower end HDTV projector costs $350).

4.)  Make sure it supports keystone adjustment.  If you have high ceilings, you have to aim the projector down and the resulting image is shaped like a trapezoid until you adjust it electronically (although it's easy to image some projectors which are more expensive have an optical adjustment which could compensate).  Electronic Keystone adjustments scale the image and you lose 1:1 pixel alignment with the source

5.)  As someone else posted, you end up paying a few hundred more dollars for the screen.  Better screens mean more brightness.  I saw screens ranging in price from $60 to over $1000.

6.)  Get a decent ceiling mount.  It blew my mind that the preferred custom ceiling mount recommended by the vendor Sony in the user manual cost $600, but the projector was availble for under $1000.  What's that?  I bought a universal mount for about $50.  Since it was universal, it was very important for the mast to be almost exactly over the center of gravity of the unit and I had to fit it three times before I got it right.

It'd be nice to have 1080p projector, but if I'm 20' from the screen there's no difference according the on-line charts.  20' is when 1080p starts to make a difference for a 100" screen.  Some shows are broadcast in 720p anyway.

http://www.carltonbale.com/2006/11/1080p...

In all, I'm very happy with the 720p projector.

Answer 3

Check this place out: http://www.digitaldealz.net, I have done some business with them in the past for both business and personal use.  Just bought a TV from them not too long ago.

Answer 4

well i don't know any link's but go to sam's club...i know sounds weir but theres sony rear projection tv's (1080i) under $2000....i hope it helps

Answer 5

Yea, and I want to date Terry Hatcher, but that isn't gonna happen either.    Only the NEWEST units have "true" 1080p and you would be HARD PRESSED to see the diff in your setup anyway.  Look, unless your spending 5000K on a really good HD metal screen, your 1080P projector won't look more then 480 anyway.   Lower your needs to at least 720p and you may get what you want, but remmember, the screen is the "FINAL" and must be good  (unless you meant "REAR screen projector, and then you should have said that so we know what you are really doing)

Answer 6

You can find a lot of 50" to 55" tvs out. I recommend the sony sxrd tvs that support full high definition 1080p . even some samsung sets. the good thing about projection screens is that the only major maintance is a lamp replacement that will set u back $250 istead of more than $1000 you cand spend to fix an LCD screen

Answer 7

Good decision. I can't figure out why so few people have figured out that for the price of a 50" 1080p HDTV they can have a 100" or larger 1080p image from a projector.

You are in luck, 1080p projectors have fallen in price over the last year so that you CAN buy one for under $2000. See the Mitsubishi HC4900. Several others are only a bit more.

But remember you need a screen too, so if you are willing to make your own you only need to add about $100 for that (paint or blackout cloth are the two easiest. I've made both and they turned out great).  If you buy one it will be at least $500.

See the first two link for projector reviews, recommendations, and links to dealers. See the 3rd link for a forum with lots of ideas about DIY screens.