|
I have a repair-related question. Family member needs some assistance fixing a Panasonic AE2000U - does anyone have any recommendations as to where it should be sent? preferably west coast, PNW specifically. I haven't had any luck contacting Panasonic directly. I believe all that needs to be done is a polarizer swap.
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2021 03:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 21:38 |
|
|
HexagonalSun posted:I have a repair-related question. Searched through some emails with a former client who moved out west and saw that our Panasonic distributor had made a few inquiries on our behalf regarding a Panasonic projector belonging to a client who’d relocated to the west coast. The calls yielded a clear winner: [url=] https://digitronav.com/repair/projector-repair/panasonic-projector-repair/[/url] Client said it went very smoothly (to the point that the only “surprise” with the process was how free of surprises it was. Best of luck with it 
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2021 04:22
|
|
|
Anyone have a suggestion for wireless streaming/casting dongle/stick for your projector. I want to get rid of the HDMI cable that comes out of my projector to clean up my living room a bit. Was looking at a chrome cast, but am a bit weary about the whole IoT device and google product nature. I dont use netflix or other streaming services anyways since i have a plex server setup, so all i would need is a wireless screen mirroring adapter.
|
|
#
?
Apr 30, 2021 00:59
|
|
|
ughhhh posted:Anyone have a suggestion for wireless streaming/casting dongle/stick for your projector. I want to get rid of the HDMI cable that comes out of my projector to clean up my living room a bit. Was looking at a chrome cast, but am a bit weary about the whole IoT device and google product nature. I dont use netflix or other streaming services anyways since i have a plex server setup, so all i would need is a wireless screen mirroring adapter. Roku is your best bet for this use case. They makes solid, reliable product but they do not make content (so they aren’t in the same business as some of the companies that do both things.) Even the best Roku models with the best wireless antenna arrays (for the most reliable performance) are very inexpensive and not large. The screen mirroring is good and there aren’t any convoluted processes involved in making it work.
|
|
#
?
Apr 30, 2021 02:03
|
|
|
ughhhh posted:Anyone have a suggestion for wireless streaming/casting dongle/stick for your projector. I want to get rid of the HDMI cable that comes out of my projector to clean up my living room a bit. Was looking at a chrome cast, but am a bit weary about the whole IoT device and google product nature. I dont use netflix or other streaming services anyways since i have a plex server setup, so all i would need is a wireless screen mirroring adapter. This really depends on what content you're trying to run over the wireless connection. WirelessHD is the most flexible option, being more or less equal to a HDMI cable up to 1080p, but it's expensive and requires line-of-sight between the transmitter and the receiver due to using 60 GHz radio to do its thing. It's the only option if you want to use game consoles over the wireless link. If you only care about using a PC as the source, then solutions like Steam Link and Miracast come in to play. Steam Link is gaming focused but can be used to stream anything not DRM protected with low latency. Miracast is cheaper and more widely supported (many Android devices can source it rather than just PCs) but doesn't really put effort in to latency. In either of those cases you will need to do some fiddling to get the audio to sync up with the video if you don't want to send it to the projector's speaker. If you don't actually care about the PC connection at all then you could pick your favorite streaming stick platform, but you'll have the reverse problem of now needing to get audio down from the projector to your sound system. Bluetooth might be workable in some cases if you don't care about surround. High definition video is a lot of data, it's really hard to move it around wirelessly once it's been decompressed.
|
|
#
?
Apr 30, 2021 15:18
|
|
|
Holy poo poo projectors are cool, thanks for the advice Discernibly Turgid, we wound up getting the Epson 2250. Testing it out on a random wall here while we wait for a 106" pull down screen to arrive:
large hands fucked around with this message at 14:45 on May 1, 2021 |
|
#
?
May 1, 2021 11:07
|
|
|
wolrah posted:Steam Link and Miracast come in to play. Steam Link is gaming focused but can be used to stream anything not DRM protected with low latency. I had a steam link laying around but sadly it can't be powered through usb, which just adds to more wires. Balls.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2021 23:37
|
|
|
I'm assuming the projector Prime Day deals are not worth it? Mostly cheapo stuff that'll break in a year or two? I'm researching some cheaper projectors (sub $300) that could be nice in a playroom setting. I think this one has the highest recommendation here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071G5H5Q1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jJJPEbEQNF9VM Any others? Edit: Are the Vankyo projectors (currently on sale https://ivankyo.com/pages/clearance-activities) worth it at those prices? GashouseGorilla fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Jun 21, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jun 21, 2021 19:13
|
|
|
Soooo, I feel like I check on the projector situation every 12 months or so or something and I went from "lol 4k projectors exist but its a Sony for $50 thousand dollars" to "they finally dropped under 5k but lol I'm not paying $4,999 for a projector" to "wtf now there's ultra short throw 4k projectors everywhere for under or around 3k." Anyone have experience or opinions with them? I've got a Panasonic PT-AE8000U that has served me well for over 8 years but an UST on the floor rather than the ceiling would be an improvement in multiple ways plus I'm displaying 1080p on a 134" screen which means I could use a few more pixels
|
|
#
?
Jun 26, 2021 02:41
|
|
|
bird with big dick posted:Soooo, I feel like I check on the projector situation every 12 months or so or something and I went from "lol 4k projectors exist but its a Sony for $50 thousand dollars" to "they finally dropped under 5k but lol I'm not paying $4,999 for a projector" to "wtf now there's ultra short throw 4k projectors everywhere for under or around 3k." Anything under $5k is a pixel shifting projector, which some snobs will turn up their nose at. But to trained calibrators and engineers, they are indiscernibly close to actual 4K, and in some cases outperform the entry level native 4K projectors in some of the more important categories, such as contrast and brightness. Epson, BenQ and Optoma all have “faux K” Projectors that perform well in the $1500 range. If i was getting one today, it would be this https://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-UHD50X.htm Because it supports DCIP3 color gamut. This site is a great resource. https://www.projectorcentral.com/hottest-home-theater-projectors.htm Cornjob fucked around with this message at 17:05 on Jun 26, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jun 26, 2021 16:54
|
|
|
Ok, so my wife is desperately wanting a pool-side projector for poo poo like kid birthday parties and whatnot for night movies. She keeps sending me Amazon links to essentially junky $100-300 projectors. Due to how little this will most likely be getting used, I don't want to spend more than a few hundred bucks. I realize most projectors under $1k or whatever aren't that great, so I guess my question is, what's the best of the junk-tier? Looking for minimum viable product here. I don't need 4K HDR. 720p is completely fine, maybe even 480p. Our movie collection is stored on a local Plex server, so one with wifi and the OS-capability to install Plex would be preferred. Casting would be ok, but it would be much better if I could run Plex on the projector itself. The one my wife said got "good recommendations from friends" is the Anker Capsule for $280ish: https://smile.amazon.com/Projector-...25157612&sr=8-9 100 ANSI lumens, 480p. So many things about that are janky as hell and scream red flag, including the OS. But it seems to be able to install and run Plex. There's other streaming apps that require janky side-loading, or installing through their Anker app or something. Again, super janky. I see they have a Capsule II for $579: https://smile.amazon.com/Capsule-Pr...5157612&sr=8-10 200 ANSI lumens, 720p. The thing that pisses me off about this was it was like $200 off last week during Prime Day, so I really don't like this one at this price point despite it actually having an Android TV OS with a real Google Play store for apps. As for a screen, I have no idea. I'm sure it'll be some cheap POS. I'm really just looking for the minimum viable product here. It's quite literally just for our teenagers to watch movies outside on the weekends with their friends. Henrik Zetterberg fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Jul 1, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 17:45
|
|
|
Henrik Zetterberg posted:Ok, so my wife is desperately wanting a pool-side projector for poo poo like kid birthday parties and whatnot for night movies. She keeps sending me Amazon links to essentially junky $100-300 projectors. Due to how little this will most likely be getting used, I don't want to spend more than a few hundred bucks. I realize most projectors under $1k or whatever aren't that great, so I guess my question is, what's the best of the junk-tier? Looking for minimum viable product here. I don't need 4K HDR. 720p is completely fine, maybe even 480p. Actually you can get a "Best Buy" 1080p projector for like $600 nowadays if you're willing to spend more. The Ankers will be a bit easier to set up, battery powered, etc, but they get blown out of the water by whatever the current iteration of BenQ 1080p normcore home theater projector is. You can get a case for it for like $20 too. It wont have battery power, but it'll do keystone/focusing/etc way better, and it'll be brighter. It's pretty easy to set them up for movie nights. The TLDR is that $1500 1080p HT projectors from five years ago got "good enough" for most people and the industry's focus shifted to 4K. So for the last five years they've just been popping out these 1080p projectors with minimal updates and changes, if any, at increasingly cheaper prices: $1200, $1000, $800, etc. And meanwhile they've had this rebirth in the market as toys, as a higher end alternative to the Ankers, etc. Something that you keep in a padded bag and bring out for movie nights and whatnot. Anyway that's what I would buy. It sounds like you can afford the extra outlay over a $300 PoS.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 19:21
|
|
|
Cornjob posted:Anything under $5k is a pixel shifting projector, which some snobs will turn up their nose at. But to trained calibrators and engineers, they are indiscernibly close to actual 4K, and in some cases outperform the entry level native 4K projectors in some of the more important categories, such as contrast and brightness. I'm under the impression that it's sort of like 4:2:0 color in that you usually won't notice it with movies or video games, or big-screen UIs but that if you drop to a PC desktop any narrow lines in text or UI elements will be a dead giveaway.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 20:10
|
|
|
wolrah posted:How does pixel shifting handle text? 4:2:0 is more detrimental to sharpness than pixel shifting. All projectors will have factors that contribute to lack of fine detail. a native 4K LCD will have have convergence challenges and degradation of the the LCD uniformity over time. DLP chips dont lose uniformity over time. Inter-pixel contrast on LCD is generally worse than DLP, which appears as a lack of black/white adjacent pixel contrast. DLP is great at these things, but any cheap projector will be limited by the quality of the light path. All inexpensive projectors have chromatic aberration from the optical path to a degree. All projector technologies have their strong and weak points. Unless youre looking at tiny text up close, youre unlikely to see anything negative on either technology, unless youre up close looking for things. Cornjob fucked around with this message at 06:30 on Jul 11, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2021 21:13
|
|
|
People with ultra short throws, what kind of setups do you have for them? Finding the right piece of furniture has turned into a bit of an ordeal.
|
|
#
?
Aug 18, 2021 12:30
|
|
|
This thread not getting much action. Are projectors dead tech? I want a 200 inch image for cheap damnit!
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2021 18:21
|
|
|
Elephanthead posted:This thread not getting much action. Are projectors dead tech? I want a 200 inch image for cheap damnit! Projectors are very much alive, especially in the pandemic era. It’s just that the market kinda peaked for standard 1080p poo poo a few years back and so things are just sort of coasting/getting cheaper there. On the 4K front all the usual suspects are trying to mature their pixel shifting tech and be the first to truly get the “good for under $2k” crown but the consensus seems to still be that nobody’s really there yet so if your budget is less than like $2500 you’re better off getting a relatively inexpensive 1080p one and biding your time.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2021 18:35
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:Projectors are very much alive, especially in the pandemic era. It’s just that the market kinda peaked for standard 1080p poo poo a few years back and so things are just sort of coasting/getting cheaper there. Don't forget about lasers!! Lasers are also the newest approach for getting the best image quality, and they help remove one of the annoyance factors of being a projector-owner (bulb management, both in replacement as well as adjusting brightness in the projector as they fade). I know TV images are technically more-awesome at a cheaper pricepoint (and much easier to get - you don't have to figure out reflectance numbers for screen material, treat your room, etc) but I don't think a projector can be beat for the experience it gives you. Zero reflection + huge format + it doesn't burn your eyes. My wife didn't understand why i wanted a projector so badly... then we got one, and after the first movie she was like "ok... i get it. I don't ever want to go back to a TV". And that's just projecting onto whatever off-white color the real estate agent covered the house with before we bought it.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 20:14
|
|
|
Just set up a home theater and things are great, except I can't get my projector to look right. I got the Optoma UHD38 and none of the settings seem to be perfect. I've googled correct settings and I'm way too dumb to set this thing up perfectly.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 20:47
|
|
|
Can I get a recommendation on a home theater projector? 4K preferable (pixel shift) but 1080p would be fine. Light is moderately controlled, there’s still a bit of ambient light. Projecting on a 120”-ish image 13-15’ away. Bulb life/serviceability is desired. I’ve kept my last projector 7-8 years now. No interest in any smart features, I’ve got that side of things all setup already. Budget is flexible. $500-1750 is fine, the higher the price tag the longer I’ll stick pennies in my “fun” account is all. I’m coming from a LG PA70G, 720p, 700lumens and it’s fairly watchable projecting on my off white wall even during the day, but more lumens would be really nice. Planning on putting up a grey screen, though I need to get a sample pack of screen materials to try out.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 20:51
|
|
|
My Life In Gaming did a projector episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFJsEfWsTd4 That BenQ 4K projector looks quite good! I still want laser, but it's the first projector I've seen that's a realistic candidate for an upgrade from my current 1080p BenQ.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 12:02
|
|
|
blugu64 posted:Can I get a recommendation on a home theater projector? 13 - 15' is gonna be pushing it for 120", per https://www.projectorcentral.com/BenQ-HT2050-projection-calculator-pro.htm#calc, for my projector the sweet spot for 120" (which is what I have) is 11' (which is where I mounted), but does max out at 14', so it would work, with a slight hit to brightness. I am generally in the market for a true 4K projector, but I don't think there's anything out there good enough yet in my price range (say, sub $2k). I have been using a BenQ HT2050 since Jan 2017, I got it for $758 at the time. I note that the current model, the HT2050A, is in the same general price range and also shows up on some lists of best projectors (https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/best-home-theater-projector/). When I got it, I read a lot of AVSForum and at that time the consensus was, "if you're spending less than 2K get a HT2050, full stop". There may be other options now. I keep meaning to get a new lamp, but, honestly, I haven't even bothered to put blackout shades in our window filled living room. 90% of the time I watch it is after dark, but I have done stuff like watch movies with kiddo at noon, it's quite visible, and if I did a decent job with actual shades on my windows it would be as clear as a TV. I'd look at AVSForums to see if there's a consensus on other models; also, if you can afford to spend $1500 then there's probably better stuff out there, but for $750 (plus a couple hundred bucks for a pull down screen), this thing has been amazing and I only worry what it's doing to my kids to grow up with this as "normal". On the other hand they're growing up in climate hell so we may as well enjoy our giant screens.  I sent this image to my dad and he sent it back to me as a framed 17x22 print with text at the bottom, "They're here..."
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2021 16:40
|
|
|
JVC D-ILA NX7 at 18’ doing 120” was fantastic and calibrated nicely. I miss that room and that room alone in the house we just sold. Still can’t be bothered to fish wire and setup the new AV system in the new place because the TV (despite being giant) just isn’t going to be immersive in the same way. Happy hunting!
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2021 17:11
|
|
|
I’m looking for a high quality projector for a 100in screen for my basement. Looking for something 4K I think. Low latency for gaming would be nice for gaming but mostly this will be for movie watching with 4K Blu-ray or streaming. Spotted this one on slickdeals is it any good? https://www.adorama.com/bqtk700sti.html?sdtid=15404920&emailprice=t&sterm=XwT0lMwJwxyIWExTom1RhQC8UkGx9PXHPQ7s1s0&utm_source=rflaid62905
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2021 22:05
|
|
|
Can I get a recommendation for a pull down (or like motor down) retractable projector screen? Ideally something easily wall mounted. Like 100” would be great but honestly flexible on the size, the main thing is something which will end up looking good. I’ve been projecting onto an off white wall, so I figure just going to a good screen will help the image quality a lot. However, all the recs I’ve found which seems sort of trustworthy are for fixed screens. The goal is making it so the wall isn’t always taken up by the projector, so these are sort of a no go.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2021 08:03
|
|
|
tildes posted:Can I get a recommendation for a pull down (or like motor down) retractable projector screen? Ideally something easily wall mounted. Like 100” would be great but honestly flexible on the size, the main thing is something which will end up looking good. I’ve been projecting onto an off white wall, so I figure just going to a good screen will help the image quality a lot. However, all the recs I’ve found which seems sort of trustworthy are for fixed screens. The goal is making it so the wall isn’t always taken up by the projector, so these are sort of a no go. Dragonfly make some very good, motorized screens at a price point anyone would consider completely reasonable. To avoid regret over getting a “real” screen that develops geometry problems (or just twists and ripples anytime anyone moves in the room) it’s recommended to get a tensioned screen. You’ll get consistent results without the headaches of a conventional pull-down. Happy watching!
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2021 12:42
|
|
|
Ty! For context I should have mentioned initially — I have a BenQ HT1075 1080p projector - so it’s only like a $500 projector at this point. Is it still worth going for a screen that good, or would the lower quality of the projector make that not super worthwhile? (Also is my projector out of date enough it could be upgraded for not that much?). Also super good tip re the tensioning, that would’ve never occurred to me.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2021 08:58
|
|
|
tildes posted:Ty! Keeping the geometry in order and providing a consistent color surface (vs a wall) are all you’ll need to pay attention to, and that means your top priorities are making sure the selected screen can go through a lot of cycles without falling apart. If you play your cards right, get something that has more than one control method (IR, push button, 12V) in case part of the cheap electronics fail (so there’s a chance it remains operable.) With regard to picture quality, it’s entirely up to your own use case. If that projector is working out for you, you can use that money for something else and just enjoy the better picture from adding a screen. As it stands, you don’t even need to bother with a screen that has a 4K weave, so you can damned near steal one.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2021 12:57
|
|
|
tildes posted:Ty! if not now then certainly in a couple (<5) years it’ll be affordable enough to seriously upgrade your PJ. And at that point you’ll have the screen. For now there are 4K and “4K”, and still plenty of higher-end 1080p, PJs out there for you to look at if you’re interested, ranging anywhere from $800 to $6 grand and beyond. I don’t really know how screen aging/discoloration progresses and works but I imagine that a nice screen will easily outlast at least two or three projectors, right?
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2021 13:09
|
|
|
A non-4K screen will have a weave that is too coarse for the pixel pitch, resulting in a really unfortunate texture when a 4K picture is projected onto it. As regards color degradation of a screen, it’s worth considering the environment in which it’s being used. In this case, it’s an upgrade from a wall, so even a gradual drift in color will be outweighed by the uniformity of the surface (both in geometry and hue.) If the projector (almost regardless of make or quality) in question doesn’t undergo some level of calibration then deviations in screen hue are even less of a consideration.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2021 13:33
|
|
|
What’s the go to recommendation for a 4K projector and screen? My budget is around 3-5k but I would consider higher if the quality makes sense. The idea is to have a 100” screen in my movie room for viewing movies. Low latency for gaming would be a nice bonus but not the priority.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2021 15:55
|
|
|
This is all really helpful, thank you! That makes sense re: stuff to look for in a screen. I’ll probably look for one of these non 4K cheaper screens for now then if it’s a big enough price drop, and then revisit if (ok maybe in a while but probably when) I end up deciding to upgrade.
|
|
#
?
Nov 26, 2021 10:30
|
|
|
So the new Samsung Freestyle projector looks pretty amazing for a portable 1080P projector. Only downside is the $900 cost. Will be interesting to see picture quality and brightness when it's actually released.
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2022 21:43
|
|
|
Is there a reason practically every UST projector lists 120” as the max screen size? Like some weird geometry thing with the presumably identical DLP chip they all use? Or will a 130” or 135” be fine just a bit dimmer? I’m currently looking at the BenQ 7050i but mostly because it’s one of the ones I’ve seen that was released recently like I don’t particularly want to pay $3300 for an Optoma that was released in 2020.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2022 22:28
|
|
|
bird with big dick posted:Is there a reason practically every UST projector lists 120” as the max screen size? Like some weird geometry thing with the presumably identical DLP chip they all use? Or will a 130” or 135” be fine just a bit dimmer? Or they all use very similar short three lenses.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2022 01:14
|
|
|
My current screen is a Da-Lite 133" and I think it was 1.1 gain and I'm looking at what Da-Lite offers now for USTs and it's 0.45 gain which is kind of crazy to me and then I look at the prices and my 133" was under $1300 and a 120" Da-Lite 0.45 gain is $3911. So I'm not gettin that. ~135" basically fits perfectly in this alcove in my basement, anything 120+ will look good it's just that 135 is so perfect. Looks like Silver Ticket has a 120 for 1800 bucks. ustscreens.com (?) has a 120 for 1600. Elite has a 123" for $1656, I think that's probably the front runner.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2022 03:26
|
|
|
I'm looking for a mixed use projector (PS5 and a little HTPC for tv/movies). Screen: 135" mounted 10' off the ground. Throw: 175" and basically no wiggle room on that. Right now I have a BenQ W1070 in the room and I'm reasonably happy with it, so I don't think I need anything absolutely insane to be very happy. That said, there is a glaring issue with having the W1070 in this room which is that it does not have lens shift and it is mounted considerably off center in a window sill:  The sill is 9" deep of level surface to hold the projector's feet, and then a little bump up with another 2" of space that cables currently sit in. Does anyone have any suggestions around or under say ~1.5k that fit this fairly specific bill? I absolutely cannot ceiling mount (I tried, the ceiling is 100+ year old dropped plaster it's a no go) and I can't fit a shelf between the two windows in the center of the room, so I have to live with the offset for now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2022 00:04
|
|
|
The March Hare posted:I'm looking for a mixed use projector (PS5 and a little HTPC for tv/movies). Epson 3800. If you want a flexible powerhouse. Lots of lens shift. Speakers. Bright. Optoma UHD38. Not as flexible, but brighter. Or maybe look for a used model. Might be able to snag an Epson 5050 for that much, or a 3700
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2022 19:08
|
|
|
My work gave me a brand new Ricoh PJ x2440 projector and I'm not even sure what I would use it for. I know nothing about projectors, would it be useful for someone for personal use?
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2022 04:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 21:38 |
|
|
Peachfart posted:My work gave me a brand new Ricoh PJ x2440 projector and I'm not even sure what I would use it for. I know nothing about projectors, would it be useful for someone for personal use? Its a bright 1024x768 (4x3 aspect) business projector. Meant for basic business presentations, mostly for powerpoint. For home use, its fine for basic kids tv watching, or projecting halloween or christmas decorations on your window or exterior. Its lack of HD 16x9 resolution, and use of a business oriented color wheel means its not ideal for a home theater, but usable for projecting in a bright room for non-discerning viewers.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 18:01
|
|