Home cinema: is it worth it? And can you recommend a cheap projector (not HD)?

Question

Is home cinema worth it? I was gonna invest in a cheap projector (I saw a good one on Amazon for £234: http://www.amazon.co.uk/ACER-X1160-PROJECTOR-SVGA-2000/dp/B000YSFNVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1215982904&sr=8-1) and a home cinema sound system for £30 in Argos for my 18th birthday party, which is an outdoor film night. I want to work in films and me and my bf love film, so we could use them when we get a house.

But is home cinema worth it? And do you know a cheaper/better projector?

Answer 1

Yes, a projector based home theatre is worth it. It's the best way by far to get a BIG SCREEN movie experience at home.

Think of it as the equivalent of a TV, except that at any resolution/quality point for the same price you can expect a screen size 2x the size. I don't understand why people buy "little" 40"-50" HDTVs when for essentially the same money they can have a 90"-120" projector based system.

There are some caveats: projectors work best in dim/dark rooms, you also need an audio system (amp/receiver and speakers) since projectors don't have speakers (or at least not useful ones), and you must be prepared to replace the lamp every 2-4 years ($300-$500).

So, a projector is a GREAT way to watch movies, BUT you can't expect a low priced projector to give a great picture. The one you identify will work fine with DVDs (connected via component cables) but you may need to keep the screen size under 90" (to reduce graininess from the relatively low resolution). The 2000:1 contrast ratio is considered minimum for video (but my projector isn't much better and it looks great with upconverted DVDs and HDTV on my 110" screen)

See the links for more info.

Answer 2

Having your own mini theater at home simply gives you the benefit to enjoy more your favorite movies or videos. This equipments may require a good budget. But there is a solution for that. TR Vidcom offers a wide array of equipments such as audio-visual equipments, computers, sound system that will surely fit your budget.  

http://www.trvidcom.com.au/