HD Projector?

[inkmachine]

Hi folks,

I'm moving into a new home and I need to get a television.

I've been looking at HDTV's like the good ol plasma, lcd, led and dlp sets.

I have a very large wall that I would like to get a large tv set for, but the more I've been reading, the more it sounds like a projector would give me the best bang for my buck. This would be going in a room that is 20' x 17'. There are 3 large windows in this room so there is a ton of natural lighting during the day (I'm considering getting black out shades/blinds for this room)

I have never owned or even viewed a projector in action, but I'm reading rave reviews all over for this projector.

Optoma HD20 Home Theater Projector
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=OPHD20

Using this projector calculator, it appears that I would be able to get a 110" across or 126" diagonal viewing area with the projector at about 9' away from the wall.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Opto...pare_list=5039

So, my question to all of you is this....

Who has experience with this? Are there any hidden costs involved with these or maintenance costs that I am not aware of? Is installation something that I could do or should will I need to hire a professional? Is there much of a difference in floor or ceiling mounted?

Thanks for all of your help!
Jason

[rxfiend]

While I don't have either of those projectors, I do have one myself. I can't remember the brand off hand, but I got it from Dell about 5 years ago. It's HD (1080i) w/ component hookups. Biggest concern is the amount of heat these things give off! Gets very hot. Also, whenever the bulb goes out, that'll be your biggest maintenance. I hear it's a few hundred to replace it. However, they last a long time, but if you're watching it constantly, it'll go out sooner than later. I use my projector outside as a few years ago, my dad and I constructed a "drive-in" style outdoor screen. I live out in the country with no street lights, so it works quite well. Damn moths and bats like to fly around the screen though. LOL

[SaxCatz]

Projectors will undoubtedly provide the best bang for your buck in terms of both screen size and image quality. That being said,they are not for the faint of heart or budget. Though there is nothing wrong with the HD20, if you really want a reasonably good projector, you'll be spending $2.5k or more. A good screen can run from $500 to $2000. A clean setup will require running cabling throug the walls and ceiling- both video and power. And there is quite a bit to learn and some time and patience involved in getting projector aligned and focused correctly.
Also, don't forget that decent picture quality mandates a light-controlled room. This means "black-out" blinds or curtains on all windows and solid doors, or other opaque coverings, on all entrances. Otherwise, expect to watch only at night or expect a washed out image with very poor black levels.
As mentioned above, bulbs typically last 2K to 4K hours- which can mean replacement as often as once a year for the heavy user- and typically run $200 to $300.
That being said, if you are wiling to spend the time, money and effort, you won't ever regret it... the experience can be absolutely astounding. If you'd like to see what can be done with a moderately budgeted home theater, check the link in my sig below.

[inkmachine]

Thanks for all of the info guys!

I have a lot to think about before I delve into this full force. I appreciate you taking the time to give your thoughts =)

I'll let you know what I end up doing and will post pics =)

[TheShape]

Being an happy projector owner since 2006, I can definitely recommend it. But, as SaxCatz points out, there's a few things to keep in mind.

Here's some pointers, based on my experience:

Room:

This might be the biggest deal breaker for you IMHO. Home Theater projectors and ambient light don't get along very well. A 100 % (or very close) light controlled room is heavily recommended. Unless you can effectively block the light for those windows during the day, your viewing time will be restricted after the sun sets. The best thing is to use a room in your basement. The windows are smaller and easier to block.


Maintenance

The obvious maintenance cost is the lamp replacement, which cost, in most cases, between 100 and 500 $. Some lamps will live longer than expected and others will die early. In my case, I'm using my projector almost daily since the beginning of 2008 with the same lamp (close to 3000 hours). So one lamp can give you years of viewing enjoyment. But, this is something you still should plan for, or at least know.


Cabling

It depends on projector placement. In most fixed installations the projector is installed on the ceilling. In this case, the best thing is to run the necessary cables in the ceiling. Most installations only require two cables: HDMI and power. In my case, I have an HDMI cable going from my AV receiver to the projector. I added an electrical outlet inside the ceiling to plug the projector.


Screen
The cheapest option is a white wall with a matte finish. I started with this at first. Then, the biggest (and mostly free) upgrade you can make is adding a black framing to your wall. I started with simple electrical tape making sure I had a 16:9 ratio. The difference was amazing. This new border between the projected image and the wall contribute a great deal to enhance the "perceived" contrast of the image.

For a fixed screen, I recommended you check out Carada (www.carada.com). I bought a 100'' Criterion from them a couple years ago and didn't regret it one bit.


Projector

Obviously the most important piece of the home theater. The technology is moving so fast that a projector worth 2500 $ 2 years ago will be easily matched (in quality and features) by a model worth 1000-1500 $ today. I remember 10 years ago, you had to choose between buying a car and a good projector. It was a dream I just couldn't afford. Now you can get a very good (if not surprising) 1080p projector for less than 2000 $. This rapid pace of evolution makes me hesitate to recommend any model worth over 2500 $, especially if it's the first projector you buy.

Projector Central is an excellent site to get information and reviews. Almost any model in their top 10 is a good choice. I can personally recommend the Panasonic PT-AR100U which is the successor to the AX200U, the model I've been happily using for the last 4 years with no lamp replacement.

The Optoma HD20 was a very good and affordable model but is almost 3 years old (this is like a 100 in projector years). But if you can get one for cheap (under 800 $), it could be worth it. It's "modern" equivalent would be the HD33. You could also check out the Epson 3010, another one with good reviews.

In 2012, you can get a 1080p projector with a decent constrast ratio and even 3D capability for under 2000 $. The more expensive models (2000$+) are good but for a first time user, the quality vs price increase will be hard to justify. Again, the technology is moving so fast that it's a better choice to buy a 1500 $ model than a 2500$+ one. Take the 1000 $ you will save and invest it in a good AV receiver or speakers. And if you decide to upgrade in a few years, the 1500 $ model you'll buy will outperform the 2500$+ model you would've bought.

Hope it helps. If you have other questions, don't hesitate and I will be happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge and experience.

[SaxCatz]

One thing I forgot to mention...
If your a stickler for proper geometry, as I certainly am, you will want to make absolutlely sure to purchase a projector with horizontal and vertical lens shift. Unfortunately, that typically eliminates the "under $1,500" crowd.

[TheShape]

Good point. Lens shift is rare in the "under 1,500$" price range but some models are starting to offer it. The Panasonic PT-AR100U is a good example. Lens shift can be very useful and makes installation easier. My first projector didn't have any lens shift so it was a bit more work to install and align properly. Another thing to mention: the projectors that don't have lens shift do have digital image adjustment (keystone). Some might say that the image quality is degraded but for me the difference is neglible and not worth another extra 500 or 1000 $.