I'm looking for a decent projector to use at home. Any suggestions?

Question

I want a very modest price....

Answer 1

Just look for sales or go on ebay. If you plan to watch movies or play video games be careful you do not get an office presenter. Although it looks the same as a regular projector, you will be disappointed. Newegg.com sometimes has great deals as well as tigerdirect.com Good luck!

Answer 2

I recently purchased the Mitsubishi HC1500 and I love it.  It's not longer being made, but the HC1600 replaced it.

I would check with ProjectorPeople dot com.  Good prices and a nice Top 10 list.  If you call them you can sometimes get a better deal than the price online.

I would recommend InFocus, Panasonic, Optoma, and Mitsubishi.  There are a lot of "fan boys" out there for every brand, but these always stood out to me. No matter where you buy, be sure to find out if they are an AUTHORIZED dealer, or the warrenty won't be valid.

Good luck with your purchase!

P.S. Don't hook up your projector until AFTER your theater is finished or you'll never get it done!!  :)

Answer 3

There's lots of research material and reviews at projectorcentral.com. Suggestions would be the Panasonic PT-AE2000U  for around $3,000. If your budget is tighter than that, Optoma HD65 is around $1,000 and a very good projector for the $. There's also the Panasonic PT-AX200U for around $1400.

You will want to figure in the cost of a screen as well. Many people use a painted wall which is ok but the screens are much better. You can get a decent pull down screen on Ebay for around $100-150 depending on size. Go with a good maker (Draper and Da-lite are the most popular). Matte white is most likely what you want. They have gray screens that boost contrast but you won't need that if you go with any of the projectors in the projection central home theater list.

Answer 4

Here's a list of things I do before buying a electronic device...

1. Check out Cnet Reviews "reviews.cnet.com" , and check out their section on projectors. Cnet usually has video reviews as well. I don't always agree with their decisions, but you get a general idea of the best ones. A lot of their reviews will be on the top of the line stuff, FYI...

2. I always tend to stick with the more experienced brands (NEC, Sony, Sharp, Samsung, LG, Viewsonic) as there usually are more reviews, and their customer service is relatively knowledgeable.

3. Sites to check out for purchasing...

      - Newegg.com - Awesome customer service, fast shipping, great prices, great reviews.

      - Abesofmaine.com - Great prices usually

      - Tigerdirect.com - Great prices, always great customer service

      - Projectordiscountstore.com  - I've always recommended this place to clients and friends, and they never seem to dissappoint.

Added: Yes, as posted below, do NOT get an office projector. You'd want something with say DLP or LCD technology that displays in HD (720P or higher). I'd recommend 720P because 1080i or 1080p projectors are expensive, and you'd need an expensive screen to receive the video, as you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on just a painted wall really...

Also, if you find a projector on some of the sites I mentioned, always check ebay first before purchasing. You might be able to find a great "Buy it now" price that will be lower than online stores...

Answer 5

Check out a refurbished Infocus SP4805 4X projector at amazon.com which sells for around $600. Here's the URL:

http://www.amazon.com/InFocus-Screenplay...

It comes with a built-in speaker. Read the 15 Customer Reviews.

And here's an actual 96" diagonal movie image [A Good woman] from a distance of 13.5 feet.

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/...

Good luck!