Problems with projector technology...

[IntrinsicValue]

I recently began researching projectors for a home movie theatre. The screen I want will be about 100" diagonal and 1080p resolution (with the usual good contrast ratios).

It seems every single projector I research has some kind of possible problem for "some people", whether it be screen-door effects, rainbows, green blobs, or over-heating of lenses. I want people I have over the house to be able to watch the movies, as well as my wife and I.

1. My first question is, are there any projector technologies available today (under $3,000... or really $2,000 preferred) that do not have ANY adverse side-effects for anyone. If so, can you point me in the right direction?

2. If there isn't any technology currently available for projectors that cause no viewing problems, is there anything on the horizon -- say, within the next year or so?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

LCD is probably your best bet to avoiding issues with people and getting a good resolution on a budget. As color wheels get faster, RBE on DLPs is getting reduced, but I haven't seen one of the faster ones to really know how well that's getting reduced.

That said, I have not had anyone complain about (or mention) RBE when watching a movie on my old 4805.

The main drawback to LCD seems to be SDE, but newer LCD projectors (like my AE900U) have reduced that problem quite a bit.

All displays are going to have drawbacks of some kind though.

Getting 1080p on that low of a budget might be an issue. There probably aren't going to be too many options for you at that range.

720p LCD and DLP options are going to offer a lot of choices for that range though. 720p DLP is now even under $1000.

If you can wait a year though, I'm sure 1080p options are going to be in that range and they'll be better than ever.

 

[IntrinsicValue]

Thanks for the response YOyo,

Well, aside from the screen-door, the other problem I heard about with LCD's is that the lenses can overheat if used for extended periods of times. Worse, they can warp over time with normal use.

The reason I want 1080p is the front-row seats will be about 10 feet from the 100" (diagonal) screen. I'm thinking that is too close for 720p -- can you verify that?

 

[spidey07]

I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

I'm trading up. DLA-RS1.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue
Thanks for the response YOyo,

Well, aside from the screen-door, the other problem I heard about with LCD's is that the lenses can overheat if used for extended periods of times. Worse, they can warp over time with normal use.

The reason I want 1080p is the front-row seats will be about 10 feet from the 100" (diagonal) screen. I'm thinking that is too close for 720p -- can you verify that?

Ideally you'd want 1080p (or more like 1440p if you could get it ) and then source material to match.

I'm using my 720p AE900U at that distance and watch DVDs Not the most ideal setup, but it gets the job done. I've come to appreciate the immersion and general effect that a screen this size and distance provides. A good DVD will look pretty decent at that size/distance while a crappy DVD will look... crappy.

Since I do mostly DVD material at the time, I have not really played around with the idea of getting anything higher res yet (too expensive). If you're doing a mix of 720p/1080i/1080p material, then a 1080p projector would totally be the way to go. Arguments against the worth of 1080p go out the window with a viewing angle this size imo.

Pixle structure is not visible at my ~40 degree viewing angle with the AE900U. The "smoothscreen" technology has really helped reduce SDE in my case. When I has my 480p Infocus 4805, I was at roughly a 30 degree viewing angle and was almost at the point where I could see SDE on that (yeah, the DLP has more of a SDE than my current LCD)

How visible and bothersome these issues are going to be is totally a personal thing though. Everyone I've watched something with has pretty much just been concentrating on the size of the image. For imperfections in the viewing experience, I think I'm the harshest critic
You should try to get out to see some for yourself to see what your own preferences are for viewing angle and how much you are bothered by RBE and SDE.

As for the lense heating issue... I have not read about that. Unless you have them in an unventilated box or something, I don't know why that would be a problem. I know there are a lot of people that end up using their projector basically all day long (8+ hours) and it seems to be working for them. Is there a specific model that you were looking at where that was mentioned?

If it's just the heat of the bulb that does it, it would seem that it would really depend on specific models and how the bulb is located compared to the lense. It also seems like if it's just heat as the issue, then it would be a concern for DLP as well.

 

[EvilYoda]

10' from a 100" screen? Personally, that's too big for that viewing distance...but some people just want a really big screen. And if you're so concerned about the flaws of a particular technology, stretching that image will only magnify them. In the next year, you'll see a flurry of entry-level 1080p DLP FP's hit the market, but that'll take quite some time...for what you want, I would suggest you sign up for some financing and pick up a Sony Pearl or a last-generation JVC set.

So much to talk about...good luck

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

Are there good LCOS options in the <$3000 range?

I was thinking DLP and LCD were pretty much the best options at this pricepoint.

 

[IntrinsicValue]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

I thought LCoS were pretty expensive. Plus I heard that the LCoS technology isn't on par in the contrast/brightness category with the LCD and DLP technologies. Is this true?

 

[IntrinsicValue]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
10' from a 100" screen? Personally, that's too big for that viewing distance...but some people just want a really big screen. And if you're so concerned about the flaws of a particular technology, stretching that image will only magnify them. In the next year, you'll see a flurry of entry-level 1080p DLP FP's hit the market, but that'll take quite some time...for what you want, I would suggest you sign up for some financing and pick up a Sony Pearl or a last-generation JVC set.

So much to talk about...good luck

It doesn't have to be a 100" screen -- I'm throwing the imagine onto a wall, so it can be whatever size. What size screen do you recommend from 10' away?

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

Are there good LCOS options in the <$3000 range?

I was thinking DLP and LCD were pretty much the best options at this pricepoint.

No good LCOS options at that price, unfortunately.

Sitting that close to a 100" screen (I'm at 11', so I'm pretty close too), I'd say try to stretch for a $3500 PT-AE1000U.

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

I thought LCoS were pretty expensive. Plus I heard that the LCoS technology isn't on par in the contrast/brightness category with the LCD and DLP technologies. Is this true?

Contrast is better, brightness is not as good. Expensive though.

 

[IntrinsicValue]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Ideally you'd want 1080p (or more like 1440p if you could get it ) and then source material to match.

Since I do mostly DVD material at the time, I have not really played around with the idea of getting anything higher res yet (too expensive). If you're doing a mix of 720p/1080i/1080p material, then a 1080p projector would totally be the way to go. Arguments against the worth of 1080p go out the window with a viewing angle this size imo.

You mean a screen size of 100" ?

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Is there a specific model that you were looking at where that was mentioned?

No, no particular model. I thought that was one of the weaknesses of LCD, but I could be mistaken. I also read that LCD's are more prone to image degradation due to the LCD panels degrading over time. Any truth to this?

 

[JulesMaximus]

On a side note, why are prices dropping so much on current technology lately (anywhere from a few hundred to almost a thousand dollars per set)? It seems like everyone and their brother are buying HD sets right now. Craigslist in my area has been flooded with older RPTVs in the past 2 weeks.

 

[Quasmo]

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
10' from a 100" screen? Personally, that's too big for that viewing distance...but some people just want a really big screen. And if you're so concerned about the flaws of a particular technology, stretching that image will only magnify them. In the next year, you'll see a flurry of entry-level 1080p DLP FP's hit the market, but that'll take quite some time...for what you want, I would suggest you sign up for some financing and pick up a Sony Pearl or a last-generation JVC set.

So much to talk about...good luck

It doesn't have to be a 100" screen -- I'm throwing the imagine onto a wall, so it can be whatever size. What size screen do you recommend from 10' away?

Check out www.projectorcentral.com they have a TON of reviews and guides for almost anything projector related.
I have an AE-700 (the one before YoyoYo's) And I love it, I'm projecting at 13' and have a 120" screen. I have it hooked up to a Media Center PC, and Watch the Office, and Law & Order in High Def, in SD you can really tell how poor the quality is, but at 720P the picture is awesome especially with 1:1 pixel mapping.

I really don't have a problem with the SDE, I see it here and there, but I could clear that problem up if I simply reduced the image size. (I don't see it enough to constitute that). The only time is was really blatant, was when playing Viva Pinata, and there was some kind of transparancy, I was amazed at how bad it was (I've had the projector for 2 years, and this was the first time I could see the pixels clearly) That was last week.

I leave it on for hours at a time, without problems. I did have a bad balast so my bulb broke twice, but Panasonic fixed the Balast as well as give me a replacement bulb for the one that the balast broke.

If I were you, I'd wait until Panny's 1080P projector comes down in price. (It's $3599 from B&H ATM) That's still a damn good deal though.

 

[EvilYoda]

Oh...and from the sound of things, you've only been an internet researcher up til now? Get yourself into a store so you can figure things out with your own two eyes...no other way to know what you like and dislike.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue

No, no particular model. I thought that was one of the weaknesses of LCD, but I could be mistaken. I also read that LCD's are more prone to image degradation due to the LCD panels degrading over time. Any truth to this?

In theory, that is correct. In practice, it's not an important matter. It's kind of like the headliner in your car disintegrating because of the sunlight hitting it after reflecting off your dash. Sure, it'll happen, but you'll probably get rid of your car FAR before that happens.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: spidey07
I am still blown away by LCOS projectors. Good stuff.

Are there good LCOS options in the <$3000 range?

I was thinking DLP and LCD were pretty much the best options at this pricepoint.

I don't know. But if I were to get a projector that's what it would be. OMG, the color and contrast! It looks like a freakin' plasma, but it's projection!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Ideally you'd want 1080p (or more like 1440p if you could get it ) and then source material to match.

Since I do mostly DVD material at the time, I have not really played around with the idea of getting anything higher res yet (too expensive). If you're doing a mix of 720p/1080i/1080p material, then a 1080p projector would totally be the way to go. Arguments against the worth of 1080p go out the window with a viewing angle this size imo.

You mean a screen size of 100" ?

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Is there a specific model that you were looking at where that was mentioned?

No, no particular model. I thought that was one of the weaknesses of LCD, but I could be mistaken. I also read that LCD's are more prone to image degradation due to the LCD panels degrading over time. Any truth to this?

100" + 10 feet away gives you a ~40 degree horizontal viewing angle
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

It's the combination of screen size and seating distance that matters for the resolution you should be considering.

I have heard some stuff about some necessary parts replacing over time with some LCD projectors (including my own).