I'm setting up a home theater and looking for input on video projectors help?

immatt

What should I look for?
How far can they be from the screen?
Do they work with Dish or DirectTV like a normal TV?

Any suggested brands or good deals?

Thanks!

Answer
See the 1st and 2nd links for reviews and recommendations. I'm not going to point to any specific brand/model since everyone's needs/preferences are different. I will say I have been happy with both the Canon and Epson projectors I have owned.

What to look for ...?

Well first note that projectors should be selected with the room and screen in mind. They all interrelate. For example, you need a projector that will fill the screen size and shape positioned where it needs to be given the room size and viewing position. Light conditions influence brightness requirements and can impact on screen selection. Where you mount the projector can influence projector selection (e.g. if you want to mount on a rear shelf the lens has to be able to focus the image at that distance).

I suggest reading lot's of reviews and the instructional articles at the links before even considering selecting a projector. Only then will you be able to make an informed choice. The calculator at the 3rd link will help you consider screen size for your room ... bigger isn't necessarily better.

Are there any 4k home theater projectors?

Smyth

If so, what are their advantages since Blu-ray movies are limited to 1920x1080? What are some considerations to take into account when considering one?

Answer
JVC and Meridian Audio are the only two manufacturers of which Iâm aware that are currently producing high-end â4Kâ video projectors targeted specifically for the home theater market. Sony, Barco, Christie Digital, and others are targeted for professional or commercial applications, including Digital Cinema. Pricing for the current crop of 4K (home theater) projector systems is well beyond the mainstream consumer home theater market.

âWhat are their advantages since Blu-ray movies are limited to 1920x1080?â

4K projectors designed for home theater use will upscale all non-4K video source material to 4K resolution much as high-definition TVâs, monitors, projectors, and BD players do with SDTV and DVD-Video source material. I am not aware of any commercial native 4K video content currently available to consumers.

âWhat are some considerations to take into account when considering one?â

The obvious is cost - the cost to purchase the projection system as well as the total cost of ownership (TCO), which includes maintenance, servicing, power consumption, (e.g. the JVC and the Meridian 4K projectors consume up to 1500 watts each,) thermal management, (i.e. cooling,) operating noise, and installation. Both projectors also require the use of DVI-D connectors â there are no HDMI connectors.

######################## RESOURCES ########################

JVC DLA-RS4000 Reference Series 4K Home Cinema Projector & RSVP4 Video Processing Unit. (United States manufacturerâs suggested list price as of April 2011: $175,000.00)
http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101894

Meridian 810 Reference Video System
http://www.meridian-audio.com/product-model/video-systems/810-reference-video-system.aspx

Barco LX-5 LCoS Projector (for âpresentation or collaboration environments.â)
http://www.barco.com/en/product/1904

Christie Solaria Series Digital Cinema Projectors
http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/cinema/cinema-products/digital-cinema-projectors/

Sony 4K Cinema Projector
http://www.sony.com/digitalcinema

âThe Greatest Show on Earth!â
http://www.hometheaterdesignmag.com/content/greatest-show-earth

The Kipnis Studio Standard
http://www.kipnis-studios.com
 

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

projector for home theater?

WANNA FLY

I'm thinking of getting a projector for my laptop to project movies on the wall of a small apartment. Epson powerlite S5 seems reasonable. any inputs?
Also, am concerned about the electricity bill. is using a projector costly on the utility bills?

Answer
I wouldn't recommend the powerlite or any multimedia\presentation projector for home theater. You will be much better off buying a home theater projector. Multimedia projectors are very bright, but they typically have terrible blacks and sub par video processing. The end result is a washed out picture with tons of motion artifacts. Home theater projectors are designed for watching movies. You can spend a similar amount of money and get a nice home theater projector. I'd personally recommend the Panasonic PT-AX100U. It's very bright, and it has very good video processing and solid blacks. The Panasonic models also eliminate the screen door effect that is the achilles heel of most LCD projectors. Epson makes nice home-theater projectors as well if you are partial to Epson.

Before you buy anything take a look at the following sites:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/home-theater-multimedia-projectors.htm
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=68

Read up on some of the projectors in your price range and enjoy.

what are the best qualities to look for when buying a video projector for home theater?

bmystifyin

Answer
Here's a must have list for a home projector:

1. Native contrast level of at least 2000:1; not a dynamic rating;
2. Have a history of long bulb life, exceeding or meeting 3,000 hours;
3. Must be bright enough in a semi-lit room;
4. Should have a built-in speaker so you can play and hear it anywhere without relying on attachment speakers;
5. Must be light, no more than 7 pounds max so it can be taken and moved as a portable projector;
6. The manufacturer must have a track record of good customer service, especially in quickness in acquiring a replacement bulb.
7. Must have built-in deinterlacer and not rely on progressive processing of DVD players. A built-in deinterlacer means that any incoming signals can be processed by the project alone.

Recommendations: Check out the current and older Viewsonic and Infocus models. A used refurbished Infocus SP4805 for $600 from Amazon.com is the best deal in town.

Good luck!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Can anyone show me a video of the SONY VPLVW50 Home Theater Projector?Or can they suggest a link with a video?

vbf711

Please answer this I am really searching for a projector and I think this one is the best one out there and I might get it. I just want to see how good it projects, in a video of it. So please can someone tell me where I can a video of the SONY VPLVW50 Home Theater Projector?

Answer
I don't know of a source, but I'd recommend against trusting a video. It would be like trying to judge the fine details of an HDTV picture from an image on an inferior TV. In addition digital cameras have a limited dynamic range and do not accurately capture images from projectors, so why would a digicam?

Sorry, but you really need to see one live in a suitable showroom or home theatre. Surely if you are considering $5000+ it is worth actually looking at the image if possible.

That said, have you read reviews and compared to other 1080p projectors? The Sony sounds good, and I favour LCOS projectors, but personally I'd also consider the JVC DLA-HD1 / RS1 ... it's had rave reviews (see projectorcentral.com, projectorreview.com or Cine4home (link)) and actually cost less.

I'll admit I'm leary of Sony ... previous models have had reputations for a good picture, but low brightness and very high cost lamps (The 'Ruby' even had to be changed professionally ($1000-$1500 ... ouch!!)).

When is the best time of year to buy a video projector for a home theater? And where?

Q. I'm looking to purchase a video projector for my new home theater. When and where would be the best time to land a good price? Black Friday? Close to the Superbowl? Is it better to buy at a chain store or online?

Answer
You can buy a video projector for a home theater now. A good place is Amazon
" High Definition 1080p Home Theater Projector "
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D13%26ref_%3Dnb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%26y%3D29%26field-keywords%3D%2520High%2520Definition%25201080p%2520%2520Home%2520Theater%2520Projector%2520%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Delectronics&tag=digitsy-marina-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957
I like Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G0CWSU?ie=UTF8&tag=digitsy-marina-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002G0CWSU

Powered by Yahoo! Answers