I need some help with a projector.

[gigidy5]

So, I now have my receiver and some speaks, all I need is a projector.

My budget is ridiculously low. We're talkin' 350 and down.
I want 720p.
Screen size is to be determined.

What do I get?


Sorry for being so vague, but I don't know very much about projectors. :no:

[Duane]

Why do you need a projector? For the amount you want to spend, you might be limited. Since you're a novice, you'd probably want to start off simple,basically plug and play. This almost rules out a CRT projector. You could robably find a decent one for the amount you're willing to spend, but they are big and require a lot of time to set up.

Where do you plan to use one? Do you have control over ambient light. If not, a projector is not what you need.

The small plug and play digital projectors come in several forms.LCD,DLP,etc.
Each of these types use a lamp (bulb) to project the light through fixed panels. The bulbs do go out over time and the average replacement is around $300.Keep that in mind.But they do not require the maintenence that a CRT projector requires. Having owned several CRT front projectors over 15 years and have seen several digital types,the CRT wins IMO for overall picture quality.The digitals I've seen cannot match the quality of a CRT. But,the they are beginning to catch up to the CRT,just not in black levels or at the price point you speak.

If you're serious about having a big image and don't care about picture quality, you just might find a used one.

There's another web site that have a lot of people posting information about all things display,including projectors.It's the AVS forum.Before spending money on something you're a novice at, take the time and do some research.
It is best to be able to see a projector performing before you buy.Maybe someone local to you has one for sale.

[chadnliz]

If you are serious about going Projector then you should be serious about saving some money, you may get lucky but you are only wanting to spend the amount a bulb cost's. Go to Projectorcentral.com and research there aswell, you really need to use the calculator to verify any model will set-up where you need ot to (keystone issue's) that it will throw the image far enough with enough power (Lumens) and also see just how much ambient light can be had in any given room.......all of this info is provided on the calculator.
This really isnt something you can just throw a little bit of money at and expect to be happy, it takes research to really do it right, its not like buying an average TV. I know if you can double your budget you can get some pretty good 720P models from Panasonic, Sony, JVC and others. While you cant expect miracles at this price you should certainly expect to be happy with what you have spent, there is a nice Panasonic PT-ae700u for $500 on Videogon.com right now, and that model isnt too bad...................good luck

[gigidy5]

I have been looking at this.

http://www.projectorpeople.com/projectors/projdtls.asp?itemid=23587&itmname=InFocus+IN2104

[Dynacoman]

If you don't mind investing time in setup, CRT is the only way to get a great picture at that price point.

[gigidy5]

Whats so tedious about setting up a CRT?

[Kassanova]

The size and the weight and at 350 I venture to guess you could buy the biggest out there on the consumer level especially if you buy a used one.

Whats so tedious about setting up a CRT?

[chard306]

I picked up a Infocus Sp4805 a couple of years ago off ebay. I has been a very good projector, and when hooked to HD the picuture (a 120" screen) is perfect.
You have to make sure it has a good color wheel.
I have owned 6 differnet projector and if I was to buy another it would be another Infocus.

[chadnliz]

Dont get a CRT paper weight, a good performing more room friendly model can be had for a bit more than you already have.

[Dynacoman]

Dont get a CRT paper weight, a good performing more room friendly model can be had for a bit more than you already have.

As long as rainbows don't bother you.

[bholio]

$450 puts you into the used market. Possibly limiting you to 480 also. If you are watching DVDs, all you need is 480 anyway. Anything else is overkill as the DVD disc itself only has 480i worth of image data.

A great place to ask this type of question is avsforum. Lots of projector-heads hang out there.

Warning: projectors are addictive.

[chadnliz]

Since when do all projectors show rainbows? Dont mis-inform a new guy.

[gigidy5]

$450

That's what I'd like to pay.

[chadnliz]

I got a Panasonic AE 100 model 720p HDMI unit with brand new bulb for $600 in December 2007, it isnt as cheap as you wish to spend but its pretty darn cheap if you ask me, and it looks great with no pixel structure AT ALL, no rainbows and no frowns.........is it the best at black level, NOPE but it looks stupid good for $600! I cant recal entire model code and I am out of town but it was replaced by the 200 which had a gaming tweak and now 1080P is all the rage.

[Duane]

Whats so tedious about setting up a CRT?

For starters,they are quite heavy and big.Getting one mounted to the ceiling is not for the novice.Some people will mount them on the floor,but any minor movement to the projector throws the picture aout of "whack"

The most tedious is the actual alignment of the 3 "guns" or CRTs.They all have to be sized and converged which can easily take over 8 hrs.

[bholio]

That's what I'd like to pay.
You missed (by about a year) a great situation in the 720p market. The new 1080i projectors starting coming out and there was a fire-sale of sorts on the 720 gear. A bunch of projectors with MSRP $7500+ 2 years earlier was closed out in the $1000-$1500 price range. Demand fell because people wanted the 'bigger' 1080 resolution. Infocus, Sharp, Mistubishi and others had projectors in his range a year ago.

The nice thing about these projectors was that they had the optics/lenses and processors of $7500 projectors. Of course, someone with a $7500 projector budget has an easier time replacing a $500 bulb :(

720p is now entry level, with entry level optics and cost cutting. See if you can find a used 720 from the heyday (2005).

[jayk]

I got a Panasonic AE 100 model 720p HDMI unit with brand new bulb for $600 in December 2007, it isnt as cheap as you wish to spend but its pretty darn cheap if you ask me, and it looks great with no pixel structure AT ALL, no rainbows and no frowns.........is it the best at black level, NOPE but it looks stupid good for $600! I cant recal entire model code and I am out of town but it was replaced by the 200 which had a gaming tweak and now 1080P is all the rage.
you write "...panasonic ae100...". is that a typo?

iirc, the pan ae500u was the first pan lcd hd pj with 720p and has a dvi digital input.
the ae700 was the first pan. lcd hd pj with hdmi.

the ae100, iirc, was 480p (actually 484p), with no digital input, just vga, component, etc analog inputs.

[Skligmund]

Seriously, just save up for a Mitsubishi HC-1000U, HD-1500 or HD-1600. I picked up an HD-1500 and I love the thing. All 3 projectors are very similar, the 1600 is the most current run. Look it up and you will see.

Oh, and rainbows aren't all that bad, they only show up in specific situations, and tend not to interfere with the experience. Most people don't even notice them (I do, but I notice a lot of things...)

[outbackdave]

Thanks All, I'm learning a lot.

Since I fix electronic stuff, I was asked to look at a Toshiba LCD projector for a group, then they decided to just buy a new one. So, I hooked it up and watched it on the wall until I got an HD-DVD player(that's when I could tell it wasn't HD). It puts out 2k lumens(which is bright for our living room) and has some mention of "upconverting" in the manual but nothing specific so my guess is it's a 720 projector. Bought a 100" diagonal screen, which helps. The picture is not HD but, it makes us happy!

Then I got a Sony DLP XGA projector with a bad bulb. It puts out much less lumens, like 1k approx. I "borrowed" a bulb from someone but it just couldn't match the Toshiba as far as we could tell. The Sony was made for "presentatons". So, from my experience, which is limited, I would choose LCD and 2k lumens if looking for an HD - 1080 type projector but they are pretty expensive plus it's a good idea to buy the "replacement bulb" BEFORE the first one wears out,(your wife&kids/girlfriend/friends will be glad you did).