I promised myself a new TV if I quit smoking and next month I begin shopping; I anticipate having about $2,300 to spend. I have a really great sound system (Denon 3805 with Mirage) but my display is an ancient 30' RCA which, admittedly, stills works fine but if I want a really good picture, I find myself sitting at my computer's LCD flatscreen with my headphones. Time for a new display, but what? I was pleased to see that I can find decent plasma or LCD TVs for about 2,300. if I stay away from the really huge screens and I would appreciate input about plasma or LCD TVs (advice, brand recommendations, best buy for the buck etc). I've heard so much talk about projectors but know absolutely nothing about them. My living room is about 18X18. Is it practical to use a projector instead of a TV as some have suggested in other posts? What about factors like the room's lighting? I've seen home theater projectors ranging in price from $1,500 to literally tens of thousands; can I get a good picture from a $2,300 projector or am I better off getting a TV? I would appreciate any suggestions and advice I can get on the subject. Thanks a lot folks! ... Gerry
You prbably know that you cant get good text on a CRT, and a plasma or LCD risks burnout in a few years. However an LCD projector can display exactly like a computer monitor, AND you can shine it on anything (almost). And with 2300 dollars (either can or us) you can get a decent Projector for your nice system. (GO FOR THE PROJECTOR!)
Hello Centrix! Thanks so much for the response. Do you really think that an LCD projector can get me a picture as good as my monitor? If the picture is important to me, I will literally sit for hour at my computer rather than watch it on my TV. I'm a real movie buff so I want to set up something really nice. I wish I could find places that display projectors like they do TVs. I will do some homework but let me ask you a couple of questions: do you really think one can use a projector in place of a TV as some have suggested in other posts? Perhaps I should put my TV on a lower stand and a screen above it and just use the projector for movies and the TV for just regular cable viewing. Also, what about room lighting: one needn't turn off the lights or close the blinds to watch a TV; I don't want to have to live in the dark every time I watch a movie! I would also have to put the projector on a stand at the back of the room; can I have the projector about 12 feet away without projecting an image too large to watch comfortably? I've read some of the ad descriptions but they only seem to answer technical questions, not the ones regarding practicality. Thanks for your response and your patience with my dumb questions!! ... Gerry
i just bought a sony XBR LCD HD tv for my family room, and a sharp projector (the one at costco) for my game room. the tv was about 3000 dollars more and i am kicking myself in the ass for buying after watching the projector. If u have a wall at least85 inches i would DEFINATLEY go for the projector. Once u got it zoomed and focused right, the quality between the TV and the projector isnt too noticeable unless u look for it as i do. Most people dont even see the difference. the projector is about 900 dollars at costco, and if i download movies from the web i can hook the projector to my PC whereas if i had a Tv i would be stuck watching downloaded movies on my dinky PC screen. GO WITH PROJECTOR. You have about a 3000 hour life on the lamp in the projector and the TV lamps will last u about 5 years with average use. yet new TV lamps cost the same as a whole new projector. PROJECTOR PROJECTOR PROJECTOR
Sorry about the wait, but the LCD projector can be adjusted for size in a matter of seconds, and you can go from 21" to 125" usually. Now the lighting shouldnt be a problem, you can set the projector to work in brighter places, and the projector could be mounted anywhere, new ones can even be mounted on side wall. with a projector, you can have as big a tv, or as small a tv as you want with the clarity of standard 1280x1024. So all in all, the projector would be better than ANY big screen tv.
Thanks so much for the advice and suggestions Centrix and Dagaguru! I will certainly do some homework. Some of the other posts suggest looking at the cost of replacement lamps; they suggest that the cost can vary substantially from make to make. If you have any suggestions regarding manufacturer and model, I'd appreciate hearing them; I'll have in the ballpark of $2,300 to spend but I'll have to get some sort of screen as my walls are stucco and deeply textured. I'm an artist and sometimes I use a opaque projector to make rough outlines so it will come in very handy for that too as opaque projectors really suck. Perhaps I'll put my regular TV on a lower stand for regular mindless TV watching with a projected image above it for the good stuff. I have to give it all some thought. I guess I'm nervous about such a purchase; I've seen scores of Plasma and LCD TVs with truly impressive pictures but the only projected images I've seen is at work with our really crappy projector so it makes me nervous. Thanks again for all the input and if you have suggestions about manufacturers and models, I'd appreciate hearing them. Thanks again! Gerry
whats up man, back with another reply. I recently returned my old projector and got a new from Costco. It is called the InFocus Screenplay 4805 DLP 16:9 Hme Theater Projector. It has 4 inputs (Pc, S-video, Standard Line in, and Hi-Def Line in). It can be mounted anywhere, and comes wiht a 76' screen. The maufacturer list price is $1,995.00 without screen. Costco sells it for $1,299.00 with screen. Very clean picture quality, but as with about 99% percent of the projector out there, you must have a sound sytem to go along with it. I don't know where you live, but I bet there is a Costco store near you, or check it out at www.Costco.com Hope this helps, good luck Dagaguru
Cant say a specific model, but look into the Philips Garbo. It costs a bit, but its got quality and features, and had some good reviews, other than that ill do some extensive research for you, see what i can tell.
Thanks Centrix! I'm still looking at projectors but think I may have to get a TV after all; a lot of resistance on the home front insisting that a projector and screen are "unsightly". I'm not giving up though! Gerry
You could always put some curtains arount the screen and build a nice box and paint it the same color as your walls/ceiling for the projector. Hiding the wires is the fun part. That was my major obstacle on the home front.
my family was really against projector too, i bet ur wife is bitching about it. Here is what u do, buy the projector from costco (costco will take ANY returns), and put ur wifes favorite sappy movie on and surprise here, once u see it u will love. Plus u get the opportunity of a sort of "test run" to see how a projector works out in ur home Good luck, dagaguru21
