The Projector Thread: which I promised to write in 2012 (sorry)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > The Projector Thread: which I promised to write in 2012 (sorry)

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

pretty cool: dlp inventor wins academy award

http://www.wfaa.com/story/entertain...gital/23652669/

# ¿ Feb 23, 2015 09:12

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# ¿ Apr 19, 2024 06:10

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

OldSenileGuy posted:

Does anyone have any experience with ultra cheap projectors like either of these:

http://amzn.com/B00KQK5LK8
http://amzn.com/B00PNGM8UQ
http://amzn.com/B00QWUPAWK

I know the response will be "they suck", but I'm not looking for anything fancy - just something for the bedroom to get a watchable image of Futurama or Peep Show or whatever to watch while I'm in bed. I'm planning on projecting on the wall. My only worry is that they'll suck so much that I'll be left with a ~75 dollar paperweight after a couple months. It would probably only ever be used with my Amazon Fire stick that is currently collecting dust.

I love projector stacking. Ive currently got a double stack going in my HT. easy way to get a brighter image, and if youre so inclined get a passive 3d image thats far superior to any active 3d solution. stacking does sacrifice a small amount of resolution, as you have to digitally keystone the second projector to get it to align to the first. the loss in negligible when watching a movie.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2015 23:33

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Uncle Ivan posted:

How long do people think it will be before we see affordable (~1k) 4k projectors?

I think itll be 3-5 years.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2015 22:41

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

A friend of mine who knows nothing about home theater is looking to me for advice. Ive got projector smarts, but the models hes looking at, Im unfamiliar with. Im looking to get some input from the thread. Hes putting in a 123" diagonal 16x9. his layout requires a 184" lens to screen throw. the projector will be on a shelf, about 12" off center of the screen. So basically, he needs a 1.72 throw ratio lens and a projector with vertical and horizontal digital keystone. This eliminates the popular LG LED, The W1070, Epson 5030, and many other popular PJs. He knows keystone compromises, but he has no options. Budget is $2000 for projector. Looking at projector central it looks like the only two machines that meet this criteria are the Epson 3500/3600/3600e and the BenQ HT4050. Both of these are well under his max budget.

So which of those two would be recommended? something else? seems like either one is good choice. maybe it just comes down to rainbow sensitivity on the DLP? any input is appreciated.

Cornjob fucked around with this message at 17:25 on Sep 6, 2016

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 17:22

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

ShotgunWillie posted:

Uh, the 1070 and the Epson 5030 both have psychical lens shifts (vertical and vertical/horizontal, respectively) which eliminate the need for keystone.

For instance, I have a 5030 which hangs on my ceiling in line with the TOP of my screen. I can shift the image down to fill the screen without using any keystone; the lens shift keeps it in square. A 12 inch VERTICAL difference should be fine for the lens shift of any of the BenQs, all of which have vertical lens shift.

If you are talking about a 12 inch horizontal offset, the Epson 5030 would have no problem shifting the image over that amount using the horizontal lens shift.

Good to know. He said 12" but ill verify. It might be more.

Edit: i measured for him. Looks like its actually 21" left of center .

Cornjob fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Sep 6, 2016

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 18:58

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

ShotgunWillie posted:

IIRC, the Epson 5030 can horizontal shift like %50 of the final image size to the left or right. 21 inches at that size screen is doable, without using keystone correction.

awesome. thanks. Im sure i could have figured that out if i read the manual, but if we all read manuals, we wouldnt need the internet. Whats your opinion on the 5030 vs other machines in this price range? W1070, 3600e, HT4050, etc?

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 20:27

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

ShotgunWillie posted:

I love my 5030, and I think it is the only one of those models with horizontal lens shift. Now that the 5040 is about to come out, you should be able to snag some deals.

yeah thats why the 5030 is a contender. good deals to be had. it looks like my buddy can make either the 3500 or the 5030 work in his application. either one looks to be a winner, with the 5030 winning out for critical viewing. if its just sports on a sunday afternoon, either gets the job done. hes a movie guy, so ill tell him the 5030 is better choice.

thanks for your help.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 23:22

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

I have been contemplating an larger screen for a while. Right now I have a 120� 16x9 Stewart FireHawk. It looks pretty great. I want to get a 140-150� 2.35:1 screen.

I have only seen Elite screens at trade shows, and its very difficult to judge their quality under the ambient light conditions that trade shows offer. This deal on Amazon seems like a bargain, but I�m worried that ill be very disappointed.

Elite Screens Sable Frame, 138-inch 2.35:1, Fixed Frame Home Theater Projection Projector Screen, ER138H1-Wide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2GX760/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_iQ9sAbDCR5VJB

I understand that it wont be a match for the uniformity of the Stewart, and that the texture of the material might be distracting. Can anyone convince me to go/no go on this elite �cinegrey�?

# ¿ Jan 2, 2018 20:25

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Ixian posted:

Impossible to answer until you also tell us the PJ you are using and the throw (lens to screen) distance.

Im mainly asking about the screen materials performance, uniformity, texture and quality on ANY projector. I may be getting a new projector in 2018, and want to make sure this screen will look good on a modern Home theater PJ. Assume an Epson 5030 or something along those lines.

# ¿ Jan 5, 2018 18:22

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

knox_harrington posted:

Are LED or laser projectors any good? It'll really just be for watching movies at night so I don't think ambient light will be much of a problem. How many lumens is the minimum?

Finding it a bit hard to work out what a good projector solution would be. There isn't really a great place to put a TV in the living room of a place I'm buying.

I was thinking maybe this one:
https://www.lg.com/us/home-video/lg-HF60LA-projector

Pretty good for the money. Youll never need to spend money on bulbs.

Limited placement options

https://www.projectorcentral.com/LG-PF1500.htm

If your room is darkened with dark walls, and your screen is <120� diagonal, 500-1000 lumens is enough.

If you like bright, go for something with 2000 lumens

Cornjob fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Sep 15, 2019

# ¿ Sep 15, 2019 15:48

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Look in the settings for color wheel delay. Sometimes you can tweak it

# ¿ Dec 30, 2019 18:14

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Im going to CES this year. Hope I get to see this

https://technuovo.com/epson-ef-100b-portable-projector-review/

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 23:36

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Stalizard posted:

Are any of the low end projectors worth half a poo poo? We're idly curious about something we can use to watch movies outside after the sun goes down. Main use would be projecting from our parking space onto the brick wall next door, maybe with a 50 or 60 inch screen, and we'd be using an external Bluetooth speaker for sound if at all possible.

I see a bunch of Ali Express poo poo on Amazon, anybody know if any of those brands are gonna be better than any others? Any reason to go with a "name brand" insignia projector from Best buy, even if it's probably just a rebadged Ali Express model?

Hoping to keep it under $200 with the full understanding that that price point is going to come with extreme limitations, and that's ok

Stretch your budget to this

ViewSonic 3600 Lumens SVGA High Brightness Projector for Home and Office with HDMI Vertical Keystone and 1080p Support (PA503S) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071G5H5Q1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jJJPEbEQNF9VM

# ¿ Apr 27, 2020 02:43

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Spermando posted:

Opinions?
https://a.aliexpress.com/_BP1jFM
My friend is thinking of buying this to watch movies. He'll be putting it in a spare bedroom, so he has maybe a 3-metre distance between the projector and the wall. He can't buy an OHP because it's not his house. How does the Android compatibility work?

dont do it. I doubt anyone here has taken a chance on one of those. For a couple hundred more, you can get a more reputable brand with a proven track record. (BenQ, Viewsonic, Epson). Look at my previous post, just before yours.

And no way that thing is 6500 lumens.

Cornjob fucked around with this message at 19:07 on Apr 1, 2021

# ¿ Apr 28, 2020 07:26

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Toebone posted:

What should I be expecting to spend if I want a cheap projector to play movies/games on a bedsheet attached to my backyard fence during parties? Any model recommendations?

Edit: just saw the ViewSonic recommendation in the post above mine

Yes, i was just about to say � read the post literally just before yours� :-)

# ¿ Jul 31, 2020 21:09

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

fischtick posted:

Just chiming in to thank you for this post. After a couple weeks of fruitless online comparison shopping, I wound up just biting the bullet on this one. Thirty bucks for a cloth screen and another thirty for some PVC and we've built the best outdoor corona theater in 3 counties.

Had a couple and their kid come over, chill in the backyard for an hour or so all socially distanced, then fired it up. The image was spectacular. Not washed out, not blurry, even during action scenes. Like, I never knew a projector could look this good. I'm sure there are far better ones out there, but this is like upgrading from a 13" RCA to a 5' plasma for us.

Watched Wreck It Ralph cast from my phone to a chromecast dongle in the back of the projector. Next week is the Goonies. I really want to do Close Encounters soon, I think it'll be a good outdoors movie.

👍🏻

# ¿ Jul 31, 2020 21:10

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Kingtheninja posted:

What's the consensus on short throw or ultra short throw projectors? Hadn't heard of them before and they look like a nice way to avoid mounting a standard one.

Theyre relatively expensive ( for UST)and require a uniform surface to project onto. Little to no control in image size.

A 86� tv is $1700 at costco. I suppose if thats not big enough, UST projectors have their place

# ¿ Oct 20, 2020 05:01

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

Fenris13 posted:

I am looking at getting my first projector in the next week or so and have narrowed my choices down to 3, all of which have been talked about on the past page which makes me think I would be well off with any of the 3 selected, but I would appreciate any opinions or corrections of any misunderstandings I might have.

The room I am setting up in is about 20x12, very dark, with a dark paint scheme, no white walls/ceiling. I am looking to go 120 inches. The three models I am looking at are the Epson Pro Cinema 4050, the VAVA 4k UST, and the BenQ HT3550.

The differences between the 3 models, other than price, seem to be that the Epson is fake 4k, while the other two are actual 4k, the VAVA being UST would be very convenient, but it has the lower quality color gamut, and the BenQ seems to have the lowest level brightness, but that should not be a concern for the room I am using.

Anyone with experience that can comment on true 4k vs 4k enhanced, and rec.709 vs DCI-p3?

Pixel shifting 4K is still putting 4K worth of pixels on the screen. Faux-K looks good.Wider color space has a more perceivable difference than 4K, assuming your room is pitch black.

In my experience every person is different. For some, sheer lumens output wins. For me, color and contrast wins.

Of your list, id choose the epson. Lens memory, DCIP3.

Cornjob fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Nov 26, 2020

# ¿ Nov 24, 2020 09:48

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

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."

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

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

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

wolrah posted:

How does pixel shifting handle text?

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.

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

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

The March Hare posted:

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.

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

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# ¿ Apr 19, 2024 06:10

Cornjob: Jun 12, 2007; NOT AN ACTOR

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

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > The Projector Thread: which I promised to write in 2012 (sorry)