projector
noise747
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i am thinking in the not too distant futrue about getting a projector, maybe using my bonus towards it.
This one seems to offer the best quality for the price and the bulbs are pretty cheap. What do people think?
The one problem I do have is that since the projector will be placed at the back of the room, it means I will need a long HDMI cable from the PS3, as that will be my main use for it, with netflix and dvd/blu-ray. what is the longest HDMI cable available, I presume after a certain length they start losing signal.
Audio is no problem I will use my midi system for that, I will need a screen, thinking of one that hangs on the wall and can be pulled down.
thanks people
This one seems to offer the best quality for the price and the bulbs are pretty cheap. What do people think?
The one problem I do have is that since the projector will be placed at the back of the room, it means I will need a long HDMI cable from the PS3, as that will be my main use for it, with netflix and dvd/blu-ray. what is the longest HDMI cable available, I presume after a certain length they start losing signal.
Audio is no problem I will use my midi system for that, I will need a screen, thinking of one that hangs on the wall and can be pulled down.
thanks people
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As it's digital that's not a problem, and longer leads tend to have amplifiers built-in to prevent any loss (so have to be used the correct way round).
10m leads are commonplace, we've often used two 10m joined together to feed projectors, works flawlessly.
Personally I went for a LED projector. Then you don't have to worry about buying new bulbs.
They aren't as bright. But unless you want to watch it in the day, then its fine.
Try to get one with DLP link for 3d glasses. I know not everybody is into 3d, but its pretty impressive nontheless!
i still got to think it if is worth while getting a projector, would it be much advantage over my 42inch plasma and how I am going to set up the room if I get one.
the LEd ones looks a lot smaller, i wonder if they are quieter as well.
if you have sky, you need a powered hdmi splitter
I had a long HDMI cable for my 720p projector, when I upgraded to a full 1080p projector, the cable wasn't up to the job, I now use a HDMI extender, transmitter sends signal over CAT6 Ethernet cale wch is converted back to HDMI at the projector end.
No sky, in fact the only two things that will be connected is my ps3 and maybe the Wii.
Cheers, i will think about that, not that I got the money to get a full HD projector.
i still got to think about if it is worth getting one, ok the screen size would be over twice that of my TV, but it is thinking about where to put it.
A mate of mine got a projector and it looks impressive, but then he have got a room which he built for it, so it is like a mini cinema.
if I go for one then at some point I will go for surround sound as well.
there is a lot of confusion around projectors and It is easy to buy one that is not what I want,
You don't need a purpose built room...
I just use a temporary freestanding / tripod screen ( about £50) and a £20 laptop stand to put the projector on.
I only et it up for special occasions, movie nights, sports matches etc. It would be impractical to use permanently.
For sound I have an expensive surround sound system now...... But to ho honest I started off with some £30 PC speakers and it was just as impressive!
Its not just a case of plonking the PJ in front of a screen, its more complex than that.
You have to consider where it is going to be positioned, somewhere permanent is best, either on a shelf or ceiling mounted.
Screens can be manual/electric, most can be ceiling/wall mounted.
The size of screen is determined how far the PJ is away from the screen/lens throw/offset/zoom/viewing distance.
You will also need audio as the majority of PJ's have no audio, if they do they are pretty much useless for home cinema.
The PJ you have shown interest in will give a 92" image from about 11ft away. This should give you an idea of what could be possible.
If you are still interested and you want help with all the above just give us a shout....
When I was planning my installation, I did the calculations to make sure the projector I chose would give me the image size I wanted at the distance from it I was going to ceiling mount the screen. I got all that exactly right. But when it came to choosing the screen, I figured a manual pull-down would be fine, because I'm not so lazy I need a remote control for everything, and it would also be cheaper (and a bit easier to install).
What I overlooked is that it's quite hard to get the screen to deploy to exactly the same position each time I use it. So I either have to fiddle around until it's right (which is quite hard, given the hysteresis of the ratchet mechanism), or manually adjust the projector lens (which is also quite fiddly for fine adjustments, because it jerks a bit) or just accept that the image isn't precisely aligned with the borders. I usually settle for the latter these days. I presume that an electric screen will deploy to the exact same position each time you use it. Perhaps some manual screens are better behaved than mine. Remote control of the projector lens would also help. But this isn't something I even thought about before purchase, so read and learn!
As for HDMI cables, I use a fairly inexpensive 15 metre one, with no issues. But my install is getting on a bit now, and is only 720p. I haven't tested it with 1080P 3D, for example.
My first electric screen did not have memory feature, but it was so simple to raise lower the screen to get the image to fit the screen perfectly, it was all done via a remote...
I now have a CIH fixed screen which has automatic masking, now I just select the aspect ratio required and the screen does the rest....:D
I now have a severe case of screen envy. I even have ex-screen envy.
thinking now maybe I just be better of buying a 50 inch Tv instead, less hassle. i just thought a projector would be better than a Tv and less hassle if I get a visit from the TVL.
Projectors weigh very little, and as long as you fasten to the joists it wouldn't be the slightest concern at all - I've never even heard of anyone even consider such a thing.
TV's are generally a better picture, particularly in bright conditions, and don't have the ongoing service expenses of projectors - at my local school they had to introduce an extra budget just to keep the projectors running.
Optoma HD180 - You will need a minimum of 10.08 ft to project a 92", that's from the lens to the screen.
The PJ only weighs a few kg, fixing straight into the plasterboard with metal self drill raw plugs will be more than adequate, providing the ceiling is in good repair. Fixing like this will give you better flexibility in positioning the PJ. If you want to fix to the joists then bare in mind you will have restrictions on where the pj can be positioned, this could affect the projection distance and screen size.
A PJ is no substitute for a TV, they are perfect for special occasions or using in a dedicated room. They work best in pitch black conditions, if your room is not blacked out and you want to view during the daytime you will find the image to be washed out. They also have limited bulb life, around 2000-4000 hrs, replacement costs between £99-£300+.
Yes, you need to do your homework when considering a projector, granted, its not like hanging a TV on the wall, but then its not a hassle/pain in the neck, do it right and you will be rewarded in the end, if not, it will look like a pigs ear and be a waste of time/money.
The PJ only weighs a few kg, fixing straight into the plasterboard with metal self drill raw plugs will be more than adequate, providing the ceiling is in good repair. Fixing like this will give you better flexibility in positioning the PJ. If you want to fix to the joists then bare in mind you will have restrictions on where the pj can be positioned, this could affect the projection distance and screen size.
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Easily overcome, screw a piece of half inch plywood to the joists, and then screw the PJ to the plywood where you want it.
Although they are light enough to 'dangle' from the plaster board it's not a very strong support for it.
OK if you live in a bungalow or have easy access to the joists in the room above, otherwise you'll have a chunk of plywood on the front room ceiling, nice....:)
So long as the ceiling is in good repair and heavy duty raw plugs are used you'd be surprised how much weight plasterboard will support. I had a pj fixed like this for years - I've seen heavier light fittings hung this way...
I haven't looked recently, but are LED-based projectors getting anywhere near the light output of a conventional projector? I always saw them as a bit of a novelty item, but I'm well aware of how rapidly these things can change.
Regarding fixings - my projector is on a custom-built shelf at one end of the room, but the screen is fixed to the ceiling. The joists weren't where I needed them to be, so I lifted the floorboards in the room above and put a hefty chunk of wood between them and screwed into that. I wouldn't have wanted to secure that to the crappy old Artexed ceiling - and in any case I subsequently constructed a false ceiling, which hides the screen mount (and incorporates remote-controlled lighting).
Better than a big mess on your living room floor
And painting a small square of plywood the same colour as the ceiling is somewhat less intrusive than a bleeding great ugly projector dangling there!
Even light fixings should be fastened to the joists, often to a piece of wood actually fastened between them.
Personally I prefer DLP over LCD, LCD is better for data presentations IMO, to me DLP delivers an image better suited towards movie content, colour is more natural, it has much better contrast and can produce really deep blacks.
I don't think I would have been comfortable fixing a 10kg+ screen straight onto plasterboard, you would definitely need extra support for this.
A big mess from a 3.5kg PJ hanging from plasterboard, you are kidding. A pj weighing substantially more would require better support, but not the models being discussed. If the plasterboard on a ceiling can't support what adds up to less than two bags of sugar I would recommend it being over boarded....
Plywood on the ceiling, what a bodge job.
If you clip the wire of the light to the joist this should hold it if the fixings give way. ;-)
Sure it takes a bit of trial and error To get the angle right.... But you soon get the hang of it.
And I agree about not using it all the time.... It takes the magic away. Just use it for special occasions.
That also preserves the bulb life.
Maybe I will leave if for a bit, save some more money to buy something better and then have another think. TBH, it was just a thought, seeing how good it looks in my mates place. But then as i said, he had a room built for it and he had the system put in by a someone, so all my mate have to do is switch it on and watch. Se he knows very little about it. it is ok for people with money
As i said, I will get my bonus soo, so I will stick it in the bank and leave it there and do some more research, thanks peoples.
I think we are talking at cross-purposes. I was talking about LEDs as a light source, replacing the conventional bulb. The projection technology can still be either DLP or LCD, AFAIK. In the case of DLP, you get rid of the colour wheel at the same time. Maybe it's time I took another look at the technology!
Yep, cross purposes....
Interesting, especially the removal of the colour wheel, that should remove the rainbow side affect.
I have heard of laser technology but I haven't followed that up any further.