Downsizing projector

[EdT]

I've got a lovely BIG old Panasonic PTAE4000. Picture is great, but it LARGE & has no apps so some faff to download or connect to.
My lad bought a pretty XBJ from Amazon, only £30 ish, is not crap, but not awful. HDMI in, little speaker, some Apps etc. Got my thinking, what small current unit is a validreplacement for the Panny, and not too £££££££££££
?

[rodericb]

Is it that large that you bang your head on it when walking underneath it? If you want apps you can plug something like a Google Chromecast into a HDMI port.

[EdT]

rodericb said:

Is it that large that you bang your head on it when walking underneath it? If you want apps you can plug something like a Google Chromecast into a HDMI port.

It's not a monster, maybe around 50 cm wide. Just seems big & bit old now.
Nice idea with HDMI stick, though.

[Lucid_AV]

Good projectors are big. Take a look at the 4K JVCs, Sonys, and the higher-ends of the Epson and Benq ranges. They're not far off the size of your seat squab in your car. They'y're big because folding the light path and passing it through lenses requires space if the aim is to reduce optical distortions to a minimum. It also aid air flow, and in turn that helps to make quieter projectors.

Coming down the ranges, your smaller stuff would be the likes of Optoma, Benq, Epson zoom lens projectors, and then smaller than that the special application projectors like the little tabletop cubes and the ultra-short throw projectors. These either have acceptable compromises for image precision, or they lack the sort of positioning flexibility you have with the Panasonic.

Richer Sounds would be a reasonable starting point for you to get back up to speed.

Pesonally, I'd avoid buying any projector for its apps. Get a streaming dongle. It'll work better, and for longer. Apple TV, Amazon Fore TV, Roku, Chromecast are your friends.

[untakenname]

I'm in a similar position, I'm content with my current projector which is aproaching a decade old (Sony VPL SXRD 4K) but swhmbo doesn't like the amount of space it takes up and wants to get a smaller one.

I've done quite a bit of research but there's still not much under £3k in price which can beat the Sony image wise, when it comes time to replace the bulb I'll have another look.

This guy does unbiased reviews of projectors (doesn't get paid for them) and has recently covered lifestyle small 4k lasers projectors

[EdT]

Useful vid! As you say, smaller but just as good isnt cheap

[JEA1K]

Most projectors are pretty big, although some of the lower end of the BenQ range are a tad more compact ... you'll still be looking at over 300mm wide and 250mm odd deep. Projectors are pretty sophisticated and do require space and cooling to process an image.

Smaller units will just not provide the image quality if you're used to the Sony. If I was you, I'd want to see the image of a projector I was stepping down to.

[dhutch]

If it works well, why does the size matter?

[Frankychops]

I’ve a new benQ w58 series. It’s large but I don’t really use the space on the cealing, so does it really matter? I think the size is also just to keep noise down, as it’s a larger heatsink and airflow management. I’m also blown away with the picture quality. No onboard apps, again this keep processing away from the unit, all ran off a Apple TV unit with all the apps on and brilliant pic quality output

[EdT]

Mine's not a permanent setup. A few times a year I set it all up for a night or two. Takes a while, but the kids love it - as do I
I put up the screen (velcro dots), the speakers (via PS4 controller headphone port), reroute the hdmi out from the switcher under the TV, and plonk the Panny down on a coffee table. All in all takes 30-40 mins, so was just looking at options.

[dhutch]

Sounds fair enough, but unless your dead short on cupboard space or really abnormally weak, I still dont get why the size of the projector matters.

[EdT]

Just curious re what's current, and nice to day dream. My lad came down with some £30 projector he'd bought online. Was tiny, had apps, had a speaker, and HDMI input. Admit it was a bit st, but for the cost & the size good fun. Imagine that, but good!