Let's talk Projectors...

ZLTFUL
ZLTFUL Posts: 5,650
edited December 2013 in Electronics
So, say I have $400-$500 to spend on a projector...

I want a quality piece with good bulb life.
It has to have a reasonably inexpensive bulb.
It has to stand up to 2 teens/pre-teens and their friends playing xBox regularly.
It has to be good for HD movie content, 50-50 vs streamed via NetFlix and Blu-Rays.

And the most challenging (at least to my eyes) part is the room is in a basement but has a couple of large egress windows and is sided on one side with stairs that lead up into a sun room.

What do you recommend?

GO!
"Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

"Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
Post edited by ZLTFUL on
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Comments

  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    edited December 2013
    Are you ok with buying used?

    Optoma HD20 is what I have and IMO is a very good all around performer. It is a little bit of an older model, but goes for about $500 on the used market.

    I have enjoyed anything I have watched on it...movies, sports (but I have not tried gaming)

    The one issue I have run into is some of them have issues with the color wheels, where you have to take them down and clean them. I have had to do this once in 800 hours.

    So in my case, I paid $500 for used unit with a fairly new bulb, and have been very pleased with the price/performance.

    BTW, I have three windows in my basement and the lumen is enough to still make it good/watchable with them open, but I have dark drapes that I pull by the two windows closest to the screen whenever I use it. I think you'll run into that with most projectors.
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,650
    edited December 2013
    This is for one of my co-workers and he wants to avoid used (Warranty, support after purchase, etc)

    I have already informed him that he needs to bump his budget up to $700 or less as most of the Sub $500 new projectors are...uh...not awesome. Hehe.

    Right now, I have the Acer H6500, BenQ MW519 and W710ST...
    All $650 or less...
    *I* would favor the W710ST so far...
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,650
    edited December 2013
    He started talking HD Projector World...I walked away.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited December 2013
    You have to tell him to spend $850 to get a projector that rivals $25000 dlp projectors that were on the shelf 4 years ago. I just bought a benq w1080 short throw so I could use the connect feature with xbox 1 as the projector is not infront of me instead of behind
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,650
    edited December 2013
    Yeah. He ended up going with some cheapy from HDProjectorWorld.com.

    I don't think he was taking my suggestion of a Wolf Cinema projector seriously...
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • j1mmy
    j1mmy Posts: 95
    edited December 2013
    I like Epson projectors because of the long bulb life and longer than most warranty.
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