1080p projectors and other stuff

[Gad-Westy]

I suspect I already know the answer to this question but I'd kick myself if I'm wrong so I'll ask anyway.

We're doing up our living room at the moment and as part of the plans I'm intending to give our AV gear a bit of an overhaul. There isn't anything much wrong with what we have right now but I am looking to wall mount the TV and the two LCD's in the house a the moment are a bit fat and the layout of the room means that they will be seen side on when you enter through one of the doors.

My initial work around was to price up an LED TV (prob 32-37", it's not a big room) as they're impressively slender. Then I started to wonder about a projector as that would be much neater again. The stumbling block appears to be the price of the buggers. Richer sounds have one for £800 but that is twice the price of the TV's I was looking at and that's before I consider what to project onto.

This leads me to a few questions. Just before I go on, I'm not too clued up or fussy about AV in general, more interested in the room's aesthetics in this example but I certainly don't want to spend a lot of money on something that is old hat. Would be for watching Virgin HD and Blue-ray discs as well as XBox 360 and Wii.

1) Would I be daft to go for anything other than 1080p if I was going for a projector?

2) If it's to be 1080p, where is the base line in terms of cost for something that is actually worth buying? I would be happy with decent used kit. Bit wary of the Ebay chinese specials.

3) If something less than 1080p will be acceptable, where should I start looking? I assume 1080i is the next rung down? I'd definitely need an HDMI input. Both our current LCD's are 1080i.

4) If I'm back to plan A, any reason why I won't be happy with something like a 37" LG 1080p LED?

Cheers, I hope I haven't opened too big a can of worms.

[OneDs]

Recess the TV into the wall.

[Gad-Westy]

OneDs said:

Recess the TV into the wall.

Should have mentioned this. It's a brick wall. Pretty much off the possibility list.

[OldSkoolRS]

I wouldn't recommend using a projector as a day to day replacement for a TV. To get a decent picture out of one you need to have the room dark, otherwise it's a bit washed out really. Also to get a really good picture it helps to have dark walls as well, which doesn't always fit well with a living room. Sure you could go for a brighter 720p model perhaps and maybe even combine it with a grey screen to help with the blacks and the room reflections, but I don't know if that's going to help if you want to watch TV with the curtains open. Also watching everything on a big screen would soon lose impact (notice how people often upgrade from a 42" to 50" as it doesn't seem too big any more?). I prefer to keep the projector more for movies or a selected favourite TV series, then use the TV for the rest of the time.

Whatever you deceide, generally DLP models are better from a durability point of view as some LCD models actually have written (hidden?) in the manual not to used them for more than a certain number of continuous hours. LCOS/DILA models are probably above budget, but I don't think they have any issues with prolonged use. You might still be able to get a TV and a PJ within your £800 budget if you look at a used 720p model over on AVForums classifieds (maybe around £300 or so) and that still leaves plenty for a 32" or even 40" TV for day to day use if you can live without buying a Panasonic plasma TV

[Gad-Westy]

OldSkoolRS said:

I wouldn't recommend using a projector as a day to day replacement for a TV. To get a decent picture out of one you need to have the room dark, otherwise it's a bit washed out really. Also to get a really good picture it helps to have dark walls as well, which doesn't always fit well with a living room. Sure you could go for a brighter 720p model perhaps and maybe even combine it with a grey screen to help with the blacks and the room reflections, but I don't know if that's going to help if you want to watch TV with the curtains open. Also watching everything on a big screen would soon lose impact (notice how people often upgrade from a 42" to 50" as it doesn't seem too big any more?). I prefer to keep the projector more for movies or a selected favourite TV series, then use the TV for the rest of the time.

Whatever you deceide, generally DLP models are better from a durability point of view as some LCD models actually have written (hidden?) in the manual not to used them for more than a certain number of continuous hours. LCOS/DILA models are probably above budget, but I don't think they have any issues with prolonged use. You might still be able to get a TV and a PJ within your £800 budget if you look at a used 720p model over on AVForums classifieds (maybe around £300 or so) and that still leaves plenty for a 32" or even 40" TV for day to day use if you can live without buying a Panasonic plasma TV

Thanks for this, really useful advice. Has really got me thinking. We do watch quite a bit of TV and I do now wonder if a projector would be a nuisance. Another issue that you raised was the sunlight thing. The wall that I want to point this thing at is directly opposite a window. It's starting to look a little like an non-starter. It would be a nice thing to have for special occasions but I think I should maybe be leaning back towards a TV. I've never been a huge fan of big TV's in small rooms but the layout I'm looking at will have us sitting further from the TV than we do now so maybe a larger screen wouldn't be a bad thing, just a little worried that it will dominate the room.

Any opinions on this:

http://www.lg.com/uk/tv-audio-video/televisions/LG...

It's more in my price range (well actually still a bit much but I could probably stretch). Seems very thin so would look ok on the wall. About £550 and Amazon customer reviews look good.

It's unlikely I'd go for both a projector and TV as they would both realistically need to point/sit on the same wall.

[Maxf]

If you want a lightly used 1080p PJ, I have mine boxed up waiting for me to get off my arse and sell it (after a house move, where it now doesn't fit). Panasonic AE-2000. About 450hrs on the bulb from memory and I think still some warranty left as well.

/shameless post

[OldSkoolRS]

I reckon you'll get shot by the Panasonic police , but for the money it's worth looking into. Try to find a shop that has it set up in a darker area (like some John Lewis shops I've been in do) otherwise it might look a bit dim compared to the inevitable LCDs TVs nearby. Just remember though that most people's living rooms are lit by hundreds of fluorescent lights like your average Comet type shop. Even better if you can find an independant TV shop that might have them properly setup to allow a fair comparison, you may even find they'll haggle a bit on price too rather than dealing with an online box shifter.

My sister has just bought one of these, but we live 300 miles apart so I've no idea how good it looks. By the time I get to see it they'll probably be discontinued...

[dumbfunk]

Gad-Westy said:

OneDs said:

Recess the TV into the wall.

Should have mentioned this. It's a brick wall. Pretty much off the possibility list.

One way around this is to just build the brick wall out a couple of inches with plasterboard. From what I gather it's not too expensive to do, gives a great finish and there's a ready made void for all your ugly cables. If you were going to have to put a channel in the wall for cables anyway then it may not be too much extra to do it this way?


HTH



df

[OldSkoolRS]

Search AVforums for the 'floating wall' threads to see how some have done this and what it looks like.

[freecar]

I use a 1080p projector as a TV replacement and I can echo what as been said so far.

I have been doing it for years now, I have used a bunch of bulbs and am now on my third projector (I've been using them since before HD came about) I still have a lot of work to do to get the best picture but the one I have would probably melt your eyes! However, to do this, I have a blackout blind permanently over the window (adjacent to the projection surface) the opposite walls are painted a deep chocolate brown, I have a single energy saver spotlight overhead that points directly down onto the bed where I sit and I have another energy saver in a lamp behind me but it casts a visible shadow! It is just to dark to move without it! I am looking into putting a small downlighter into the shelf above the table where the amp currently is.

You have to decorate the room properly to get the best from a projector, as such it is probably too much of a commitment for a living room.

[Tyrant]

Like others have said, not a suitable replacement for TV. But if you have the budget for both most definately worth doing. My projector screen lowers down in front of the plasma. It's nothing fancy and I haven't painted the room black but people are blown away by the HD picture. Great for an evenings viewing or session on the Xbox.

[manic47]

OldSkoolRS said:

Search AVforums for the 'floating wall' threads to see how some have done this and what it looks like.

One of the guys at work has done a floating wall for his - it looks great and didn't take too much effort.
I'm considering something similar but the TV can only be in a corner due to my odd living room.

[Gad-Westy]

manic47 said:

OldSkoolRS said:

Search AVforums for the 'floating wall' threads to see how some have done this and what it looks like.

One of the guys at work has done a floating wall for his - it looks great and didn't take too much effort.
I'm considering something similar but the TV can only be in a corner due to my odd living room.

I love the idea of a floating wall, it would make life much easier in terms of wiring etc. Unfortunately the shape of my room won't allow it. One of the door frames into the lounge is right against the wall on the right hand side. That's the same wall that I want the TV on. There is no spare depth to bring the wall forward without it encroaching on the door opening. The only way to do it would be to step it off the wall further down but I think that would look naff.

On this subject still. To minimise mounting depth of the TV, I wondered if I could get away without a mounting bracket. My plan for this would be to drill 4 holes (that match up to those on the back of the TV) right through the brick wall to the room behind the lounge. In that room, I can push long bolts through the wall against some oversized washers and they can bolt into the back of the TV. Maybe studding with a nut on the end would be easier. The bolt heads will be hidden behind a wardrobe. Good/bad idea?

[OneDs]

I suppose it depends on the mounts needed to fix to the TV on the wall, If they are of the lower on to, rather than the fix on to you should be fine to replicate it so long as you're accurate enough, I assume it won't block any air vents? Also you may want to put some sponge foam where it contacts the wall to avoid scratches and reduce vibration,

You say it's brick, I say, so what.. I've seen a plumber make mince meat out of my solid walls when chasing new central heating pipes in, using an angle grinder and a cold brick chisel. Even if you can't get full depth you should be able to get a reasonable finish for a few £100's including plaster if you want a flat finish.

Edited by OneDs on Thursday 7th October 10:52