Help me find a Home Theater Projector for me!!???

Question

I want to watch my HDTV and play DVDs, Xbox 360, Wii, and normal TV on the projector, as well as hook up surround sound. I have no idea what all this 480i,1080p blah blah mess is so can someone tell me if that all really matters and which projector is right for me? I was looking at this Dell:

http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-projectors/dell-2400mp-projector/4505-7858_7-31878925.html?tag=prod.txt.5

But I was not sure if it was for Home theater or for presentations...I also looked at the Infocus IN models like the IN1, IN74, ETC...

http://www.infocus.com/Segments/Entertainment/Home%20Entertainment.aspx

I want to spend under $1,000...please help!

Answer 1

I agree with agp that a 720p is the way you want to go and it is possible to find both new and refurbished pj's for less than $1000.  I'm looking for a new 720p myself so here's some links to what I'm looking at so far.

http://www.projectorpeople.com/projector...

http://www.projectorpeople.com/projector...

weeder

Answer 2

Sony has a wonderful little projector that sells for right under a grand. The Sony Bravia HD Home Entertainment Projector(VPLAW10)  is 720p and project a screen from 40 inches to 200 inches.  and yes all that 1080i and 1080p talk does matter but 720p is fine for what you have plus you couldn't 1080p for under a grand.

Answer 3

the in74ex is an excellent model projector. infocus is one of the leaders in projectors and projector technology. i agree, stay away from dell, but i would also recommend not buying a used one. even if you find one for a decent price the lamps for these cost 300-500 dollars and more. so buy new and get a lamp replacement warr. if you can swing the money. dont worry about 1080p for under a gran. it doesnt exist. the 576p, with dlp technology will give you an excellent picture.

perfect choice for your application. make sure you pick the proper screen to help bring the image alive.

Answer 4

thats a a cheap little projector. never had a ton of good memories from dell projects. Ben-Q DLP is the way to go.

Answer 5

I'd pass on the Dell offering since it has a low contrast level of 665:1.  You need at least 2000:1 for movie quality presentations.

Unfortunately, there are no affordable bargain home entertainment units currently selling on infocus.com.  Even though the new Model N1 has a contrast ratio of 1600:1, it's still not enough.

Check out Craigslist for a used or refurbished Infocus ScreenPlay 4805 which has everything you need to enjoy high-quality DVD, games and HD TV.  Prices start around $560 and move upwards until they hit around $900.  The SP4805 is still the very best all around bargain for a DLP 365 lumens [in low econ mode] projector.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Forget the Dell.

Buying a projector is at least as complicated as buying and HDTV, so before you buy do some reading. I've provided links to two good review sites. They tend to complement each other in terms of observations/focus so it's worth looking at both. The first link also includes a link to a "projector caclulator" that allows you to determine the range of mounting distances to get certain screen sizes (and acceptable brightness) from a particular projector... very useful.

You want to use a projector for all your A/V needs, so consider a couple few issues.

- projectors use expensive lamps ($300-$500/each) that need to be replaced every 2-4000 hr (depending on projector and how used)

- you need a dim/dark room to get the best picture (projectors, unless they are very bright, get washed out by bright lights/windows).

- you need a screen. While this can be as simple as a white wall, for best results you need a dedicated screen. This can be a DIY painted screen (~$100) or as complex as a multi-thousand dollar motorized sreen/masking system.

- Projectors fall into basically two classes (based on use) and three categories (based on resolution):

By Use:

1) Business  -- tend to be portable, bright, low contrast, may be 4:3 aspect ratio, poorer video processing, may have fan noise, and

2) home theatre projectors  -- tend to be less portable, lower brightness, high contrast, Usually 16:9 aspect, good video processing, quieter

By resolution:

1) 480p (~$500) - SDTV/DVD resolution, best used on screens up to 80-90" maximum,

2) 720p (~$900 and up) - HDTV level resolution, can look good on 100"+ screens

3) 1080p (~$2000 and up) - Analogous to 1080p HDTV. Best picture.

On the basis of your intended use and budget, I'd suggest focussing on 720p HT projectors.

See the listing for "highly rated" HT projectors at the third link ... they are organized by resolution, so you should come down to the 720p (1280x768 or 1280x720) models.

I hope this helps.