Help me pick out a projector

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Comments

  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited March 2008
    appadv wrote: »
    Now I'm really screwed, I don't have a working projector AND there seems to be more than one problem with it!!

    With all that said, its time to go DIGITAL. Pick one..................:)
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    I'm one of the youngest here on the forum, and only work part-time, so some of the digitals are WAY over my budget!
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    Sherardp wrote: »
    With all that said, its time to go DIGITAL. Pick one..................:)

    Hmm, Epson 1080? Sony VW40? Sanyo Z2000? Panasonic AE2000U? Too many choices!
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited March 2008
    To be discussing spending over 2 large for a 6 MONTH TEMP SETUP is idiotic.........sorry........

    Either look at doing a full upgrade/replacement, or buy a $1000 basic plasma that will give you your blacks......

    Otherwise, so you've spent $300 in parts.......big deal......at least it's not $2500 for a new temp thing. Who's fixing that thing for you anyways? They should be able to tell you what is wrong after playing with it........not just throwing parts at it for the hell of it.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited March 2008
    appadv wrote: »
    Hmm, Epson 1080? Sony VW40? Sanyo Z2000? Panasonic AE2000U? Too many choices!

    Out of those, Z2000, unless you go with the 1080UB instead of the 1080.
  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    1080UB? Hmm, that's possible, but I might have to borrow a few $ from my dad. You guys on the board that have actually met him know that he doesn't care about HT :)
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited March 2008
    appadv wrote: »
    1080UB? Hmm, that's possible, but I might have to borrow a few $ from my dad. You guys on the board that have actually met him know that he doesn't care about HT :)

    In that case, the Z2000. VW40 is the only one that come close in performance to the 1080UB, and it is about the same price. AE2000U is close to the price as well, and it compares more to the Z2000 than can be had for much cheaper.
  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    I was just wondering...if I use an external scaler to process the video, would I be able to get away with using a lower-end business projector instead? Most of the reviews I see for these projectors (like the InFocus X1) say that the optics are good, but the internal scaling is subpar. In fact, our very own Lasareath uses a business projector with a HTPC.

    This is from a review I read on ProjectorCentral, regarding the feeding of video sources to a Dell projector:
    "Since the 5100MP is capable of displaying very fine detail when receiving a native signal, it would be wise to upscale any 480-line material to 1400x1050 before it reaches the projector if you have the means to do so."

    So would this work, using a low-end business PJ in conjunction with a good scaler? That way I'd bypass the scaler in the PJ which seems to be at fault for the poor quality of video.
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited March 2008
    That X1 is SVGA projector, I don't know how much benefit you'd get with a scaler. I forgot you're in for a 4:3 projector.
  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    Yeah, the main thing is that I'd hate to run a projector like the Epson off the edges of my screen in 4:3 mode. That would waste tons of resolution :(

    Plus my uncle has the Dell and it is great!
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited March 2008
    I don't understand the 'waste of resolution' phrase.........You might not be utilizing the full widescreen capabilities, but that won't degrade the quality of what you're displaying in 4:3........

    I understand what you want is something to display 4:3 well, but it's a format that doesn't make sense any more to invest in when there are units that can run both and do them well. I don't understand why you wouldn't want to spend the money on something that's not gonna be useless when you WANT to watch something in 16:9.....
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    I can understand. By using a 16:9 projector and displaying 4:3, you are only utilizing part of the projector's pixel count. Then by zooming the projector in so that the display fills a 4:3 screen, the projector is literally projecting black bars on the wall to the left and right of the screen.

    99% of my viewing is 4:3. All 16:9 viewing is done on my dad's system.

    Lasareath here knows exactly what I am talking about. We both have 4:3 screens and they are great for playing arcade games like Pac-Man :)
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited March 2008
    Then you're only distorting the resolution (by way of opting to zoom the image to fit the display), not wasting it. if you get a 16:9 projector and only utilize it in a 4:3 format, you're going to end up with regular resolution for a 4:3 image.....it's if you use the zoom feature causing the image to stretch up and out that you'd end up with a worse image.

    If you buy a new projector in a 4:3 format, you've already guaranteed that you WILL have to replace it down the line because as much as you love your old stuff, the newer and better movies aren't going to look as good squished into a 4:3 frame......'

    4:3 movies look a lot better on a 16:9 frame than 16:9 movies look on a 4:3..............
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited March 2008
    brettw22 wrote: »
    Then you're only distorting the resolution (by way of opting to zoom the image to fit the display), not wasting it. if you get a 16:9 projector and only utilize it in a 4:3 format, you're going to end up with regular resolution for a 4:3 image.....it's if you use the zoom feature causing the image to stretch up and out that you'd end up with a worse image.

    If you buy a new projector in a 4:3 format, you've already guaranteed that you WILL have to replace it down the line because as much as you love your old stuff, the newer and better movies aren't going to look as good squished into a 4:3 frame......'

    4:3 movies look a lot better on a 16:9 frame than 16:9 movies look on a 4:3..............


    Very well said. May as well go with a solid digital and call it a day. Save up the bucks, and buy one time.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    brettw22 wrote: »
    Then you're only distorting the resolution (by way of opting to zoom the image to fit the display), not wasting it. if you get a 16:9 projector and only utilize it in a 4:3 format, you're going to end up with regular resolution for a 4:3 image.....it's if you use the zoom feature causing the image to stretch up and out that you'd end up with a worse image...

    That's what I don't want to do...use the zoom to make the 4:3 picture fill my screen.

    It looks like a 73" Mitsubishi DLP will be in my future, so I won't have to worry about 16:9 :)

    4:3 on the projector, 16:9 on the Mitsubishi TV.
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited March 2008
    You're gonna be able to get a 73" Mitsu for mid 2000's? Diamond or regular series?
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
    Nope, I'm still going with a 4:3 DLP projector.

    I'm trying to convince Dad to upgrade his TV to the 73" Mits Diamond, he can do whatever he wants with his money :)

    As for me, I'm frugal and don't want to spend so much money...so cheap 4:3 projector it is!
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