Projector for home viewing entertainment

[Nocturnal]

Ideally what this projector would be used for is to view slide shows as well as pay-per-views like the UFC, boxing, things like that to a bunch of my friends. I thought about buying a huge HDTV but I have to go up and down stairs to get to the garage and would rather not have to carry up something extremely heavy. The thought came to mind that using a projector would alleviate most if not all of my problems.

Can you guys recommend one that is decent at this?

How long can I expect a projector to last?

Also are there any special screens that projectors need?

And last question, if it's during the day, how viewable will the projector be in a covered garage?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Dumb question from me: Do you have a plan for sound? Projectors will generally not have any audio output or if they do, it will be extremely crappy.

You questions:

Can you guys recommend one that is decent at this?
- I guess that's going to depend on your budget and how important image quality is to you

How long can I expect a projector to last?
- Generally you're looking at maybe 2000-4000 hours on a bulb's expectancy. That's if you keep it well ventilated, keep the filters clean, etc.
Power cycling is like adding hours to the bulb too, so avoid turning it on and off unnecessarily for example. Most of the time the warranty on bulbs runs out really quickly though. You might want to buy from a dealer that offers a bulb replacement service / warranty
- Besides the bulbs, there are other things that can go wrong too, like you'd risk occurring with a more traditional set.

Also are there any special screens that projectors need?
- There are a wide variety of screens, but all you really NEED is a flat non-textured wall that's close in color to white.
- You can use a wall as-is, or buy some special paint recommended for projector use.
- I built my own screen and masking system for about $100 I think.
- You can also buy a screen for $100 or so depending on size.

And last question, if it's during the day, how viewable will the projector be in a covered garage?
- The darker you can get it, the better it's going to look.
- A projector can only add light. Whatever color your screen is, that's the deepest black you're going to get in the image.
- There are certainly projectors that are geared toward having greater brightness for daytime viewing, but that often comes at the expense of image quality... for example, business projectors often aim for higher brightness but would not look nearly as good as a HT projector in a darkened room.

This is a good place to look around
http://www.projectorcentral.com/

 

[mshan]

In addition to what YoYo said, if large picture size is more important than ultimate picture quality, and lighting conditions less than ideal, you could also look at some business class projectors that are designed to be used in lighted rooms.