Front Projection vs TV

Ron-P

I've been running Epson FP's for 20 years, my current one is dying. I have a 98" screen in the theater room. With TVs as big as they are now, I'm thinking a 98" TV vs going back to a FP. The cost is much less. Has anyone gone down this road?

billbillw

I thought about it, but to me, a 100” LCD or OLED was a heck of a lot more than the cost of a projector. I haven't spent more than. $1500 on any of the 3 projectors I've owned to date. I shop Epson's refurbished store, or in the most recent purchase, I bought a used JVC. Now, a projector at that price might not be native 4K and it won't do HDR as well either, but I still prefer the look of a projector for movies.
https://epson.com/Certified-ReNew/Home-Entertainment/c/cc301
The 4000, 4010, and 5040UB are all well reviewed projectors that can accept 4K signal. I do see some Hisense models that are priced around $1600 for a 100” size, but I don't know how the Black levels compare to Epson's UB series. Maybe it's a closer comparison these days. I was last looking over a year ago.

VR3

After having a projector, paid 600, screen 200... 120"

Strongly prefer to watch movies on projector as the light is directed away from your eyes, just feels so much more natural.

Watching a TV after the projector is almost like a flash light in comparison

nooshinjohn

I would get a short throw laser projector in a space like that…

Irrenhaus

I have been using an Optoma P2 Short Throw for some time and I dont think I will go back to a TV. You will need a fixed screen for the projector a drop down screen will not work great. I had an Epson 4010 in the past but I do like the Optoma more.

Cheers

Ron-P

VR3 wrote: »

After having a projector, paid 600, screen 200... 120"

Strongly prefer to watch movies on projector as the light is directed away from your eyes, just feels so much more natural.

Watching a TV after the projector is almost like a flash light in comparison

This is my biggest worry going with a TV, too big and too bright. FPs are so much easier on the eyes...

Ron-P

billbillw wrote: »

I thought about it, but to me, a 100” LCD or OLED was a heck of a lot more than the cost of a projector. I haven't spent more than. $1500 on any of the 3 projectors I've owned to date. I shop Epson's refurbished store, or in the most recent purchase, I bought a used JVC. Now, a projector at that price might not be native 4K and it won't do HDR as well either, but I still prefer the look of a projector for movies.
https://epson.com/Certified-ReNew/Home-Entertainment/c/cc301
The 4000, 4010, and 5040UB are all well reviewed projectors that can accept 4K signal. I do see some Hisense models that are priced around $1600 for a 100” size, but I don't know how the Black levels compare to Epson's UB series. Maybe it's a closer comparison these days. I was last looking over a year ago.

Thanks for that link, I will check it out!

Emlyn

For a light controlled home theater room with a screen already in place a projector makes sense to me. If it were a room where light wasn't controlled very well a TV would be better all around.

I wasn't aware that 98" TVs are a common size now but I wasn't paying attention. Looks like a few models in that size are on deep discount for some reason.

Like this 2023 model for half price:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_30598Q80C/Samsung-QN98Q80C-98.html?tp=161