Configuration for 3 years

[bhalchandra]

Help me give a configuration for a "Home theater" system which will take me very well for next 3 years.

I intend to watch HD television , Bluray movies, some time computer in a dimly lit room. Daily viewing time can be around 6 to 8 hours since this will replace my family television. I am not really keen on 3D.

Please suggest for
1] Native resolution.
2] Native aspect ratio
3] Lens capability.
4] DLP / 3LCD / LCOS
5] Lamp / LED
6] Cost of ownership ( recurring expense for lamp if lamp based)
I believe the lamp costs are very large.

Please suggest and help me any brand , model and cost.

Many thanks

 

[Saket]

Help me give a configuration for a "Home theater" system which will take me very well for next 3 years.

I intend to watch HD television , Bluray movies, some time computer in a dimly lit room. Daily viewing time can be around 6 to 8 hours since this will replace my family television. I am not really keen on 3D.

Please suggest for
1] Native resolution.
2] Native aspect ratio
3] Lens capability.
4] DLP / 3LCD / LCOS
5] Lamp / LED
6] Cost of ownership ( recurring expense for lamp if lamp based)
I believe the lamp costs are very large.

Please suggest and help me any brand , model and cost.

Many thanks

I am myself in the process of setting up a similar system, but not for TV viewing much, mostly for movies. Not my area of expertise as yet, but will suggest you an LED projector if you want it for TV viewing; but only if you are really hell bent on it. I will not personally suggest (& you should not also expect) to totally replace your TV with projector. I suggest LED pj as they have longer life but as they are not that bright (max 500 lumens), you will need a pretty dark room for good experience. WXGA 1280 X 800 as native resolutions looks like the trend.
Cos tof ownership of bulb based PJ will definitely be very high...cant comment of exact pricing though, but as per my knowledge, more than half the price of the pj.
I am particularly keen on 3D viewing, so I am encountering problems of DLP glasses...yet to find one.
I am sure, more experienced guys will jump in soon to help you better...In comparison of my answer, it is just my 2 cents!

Saket

 

[inshadesofgrey]

Help me give a configuration for a "Home theater" system which will take me very well for next 3 years.

I intend to watch HD television , Bluray movies, some time computer in a dimly lit room. Daily viewing time can be around 6 to 8 hours since this will replace my family television. I am not really keen on 3D.

Please suggest for
1] Native resolution.
2] Native aspect ratio
3] Lens capability.
4] DLP / 3LCD / LCOS
5] Lamp / LED
6] Cost of ownership ( recurring expense for lamp if lamp based)
I believe the lamp costs are very large.

Please suggest and help me any brand , model and cost.

Many thanks

budget? space?

 

[bhalchandra]

budget? space?

Roughly around Rs. 40000 to 50000 or lesser than that.
The room is about 15 x 15 feet and the "dimly lit" means I can see the objects but can not read newspaper.

Any views on ACER K330 , OPTOMA ML 500, LG HW-300G ? Has any one seen these projectors in working in a shop or anywhere in Mumbai?

many thanks.

 

[vinay]

I have been using the earlier version of LG, which is HW-100.

The usage is for watching live data of stocks and other markets and is connected to CPU.

V.

Any views on ACER K330 , OPTOMA ML 500, LG HW-300G ? Has any one seen these projectors in working in a shop or anywhere in Mumbai?

 

[inshadesofgrey]

Roughly around Rs. 40000 to 50000 or lesser than that.
The room is about 15 x 15 feet and the "dimly lit" means I can see the objects but can not read newspaper.

Any views on ACER K330 , OPTOMA ML 500, LG HW-300G ? Has any one seen these projectors in working in a shop or anywhere in Mumbai?

many thanks.

Are you specifically looking for an LED based DLP-projector? (because all the above models are LED projectors) - is it because you are gonna be using it a lot for Tv, as you mentioned?

See, right now - the LED projectors that are under $1000 aren't really that competitive in terms of picture quality and color definition. Here's a para from projectorreviews.com:
"In the home theater space, LED light sources are emerging, typically in higher-end 3-chip DLP projectors. As of the 2010-2011 season, all home theater projectors using LED light sources are over $10,000. LEDs are somwhat limited in brightness, however, which might explain why we haven't seen more in the lower price ranges."


I suggest you go with a 720p lamp-based-DLP projector which 'claims' a long lamp life because if you're spending that much, and using it as a TV - there'll some ambient lighting, if not a lot. The only and the major downside of LED-based DLP projectors is the brightness factor - at that budget, the max you'll get is about 500 lumens - where now, we talk of 2000 lumens and above.
and Trust me - that makes a huge difference, unless you're ALWAYS watching tv in the dark.

Given the size of your room - a 720p projector will be just fine and a 1080p will be unnecessary as you wont be able to make out the difference that much anyway

Benq MW619 claims 5000-6000hrs i think (cross-check), which at 6 hours a day is around 2.5 yrs - which is not bad at all - has built-in 3d too.
Epson 710HD consistently gets great reviews too and clocks about 5000hrs
Plus there are others too.....
Optoma DW339 claims 6500 in eco mode.

Remember, replacement lamps are about 40% cheaper now than they were 2 yrs ago - and 2 yrs from now, it'll follow the same pattern.........

here's a very specific search for long lamp-life projectors:
720p Long Life Projector | Buy.com

 

[asliarun]

Help me give a configuration for a "Home theater" system which will take me very well for next 3 years.

I intend to watch HD television , Bluray movies, some time computer in a dimly lit room. Daily viewing time can be around 6 to 8 hours since this will replace my family television. I am not really keen on 3D.

Please suggest for
1] Native resolution.
2] Native aspect ratio
3] Lens capability.
4] DLP / 3LCD / LCOS
5] Lamp / LED
6] Cost of ownership ( recurring expense for lamp if lamp based)
I believe the lamp costs are very large.

Please suggest and help me any brand , model and cost.

Many thanks

6-8 hours a day is a lot, and I'm guessing it will be used by the entire family. Are you sure a projector is the right choice?

I've always thought projectors are great for movies and especially for a dedicated movie room, but not for everyday TV watching. Plus, you want to use this for watching TV, movies, and as your computer screen.

There are some pretty decent plasma panels available in fairly large sizes nowadays. They will also put less strain on the eyes for extended periods of time.

I don't know much about your requirements so please don't mind if I'm a bit offtrack.

 

[tma]

Help me give a configuration for a "Home theater" system which will take me very well for next 3 years.

I intend to watch HD television , Bluray movies, some time computer in a dimly lit room. Daily viewing time can be around 6 to 8 hours since this will replace my family television. I am not really keen on 3D.
....

The biggest advantage of a TV over PJ is that it can be
- Used in ambient lighting setup without special lighting arrangements
- Self contained unit (audio+video) and literally works out of the box
- Will work for 5-10 yrs atleast under normal conditions
- Practically can use 8-10 hrs or more daily with no fear of any damages
- Cost effective for smaller (<55 in) screen sizes

The biggest advantage of PJ over TVs is that
- Amazing display for larger (>60in, typically 100+ inches) screen sizes
- works best for short duration (4-6hrs) daily
- Nothing else actually!

To get the best experience out of the PJ, one needs to have a additional audio setup, a video source, good(ie: less) lighting arrangements, dedicated room (preferably)

In summary, PJs benefits outshine the best of TVs only if
- they have a customized room setup as mentioned
- if the screen size is 100+ in
- if used typically for 4-6 hrs daily.

There is nothing to beat TVs when the purpose is for 24x7 usage under normal room setup but are limited by the max screen size of around 50 inches.

Thus the drawbacks for using a PJ over TV for 8-10hrs daily far outweigh the benefits even if one is inclined to ignore the high costs of using the PJ.

So do rethink on your idea based on the details above. I think we still need 5-10 yrs more for the PJ to replace the TV.

However, If you still decide to go the PJ route with a setup of 15' x 15' dimly lit room then you can plan for 100 incher screen with LED PJ of 500 or more lumens but the display will not match that of TV due to to lack of lumens. With a conventional bulb based PJ you can get a better display and expect about 1-2 yrs usage max for PJs in your budget and usage but the investments and running costs will be much higher - out of your 40-50k range.

 

[bhalchandra]

The biggest advantage of a TV over PJ is that it can be
- Used in ambient lighting setup without special lighting arrangements
- Self contained unit (audio+video) and literally works out of the box
- Will work for 5-10 yrs atleast under normal conditions
- Practically can use 8-10 hrs or more daily with no fear of any damages
- Cost effective for smaller (<55 in) screen sizes

The biggest advantage of PJ over TVs is that
- Amazing display for larger (>60in, typically 100+ inches) screen sizes
- works best for short duration (4-6hrs) daily
- Nothing else actually!

To get the best experience out of the PJ, one needs to have a additional audio setup, a video source, good(ie: less) lighting arrangements, dedicated room (preferably)

In summary, PJs benefits outshine the best of TVs only if
- they have a customized room setup as mentioned
- if the screen size is 100+ in
- if used typically for 4-6 hrs daily.

There is nothing to beat TVs when the purpose is for 24x7 usage under normal room setup but are limited by the max screen size of around 50 inches.

Thus the drawbacks for using a PJ over TV for 8-10hrs daily far outweigh the benefits even if one is inclined to ignore the high costs of using the PJ.

So do rethink on your idea based on the details above. I think we still need 5-10 yrs more for the PJ to replace the TV.

However, If you still decide to go the PJ route with a setup of 15' x 15' dimly lit room then you can plan for 100 incher screen with LED PJ of 500 or more lumens but the display will not match that of TV due to to lack of lumens. With a conventional bulb based PJ you can get a better display and expect about 1-2 yrs usage max for PJs in your budget and usage but the investments and running costs will be much higher - out of your 40-50k range.

Many thanks for the detailed reply.
Let me explain the reason behind shifting the "TV" to PJ.
I have observed that for eyes the PJ is much better than a TV. The reason probably is
1] Bigger Size
2] With TV you are " looking at the lamp (light source that is the LCD backlit screen ) " while with the PJ you are " looking at the screen which itself is not a light source but is reflecting the one" .

I discovered this at office. in conference room I am able to work on laptop connnected to PJ and TV also through laptop
and look at the share market broadcast on television without any strain on eyes.

Then I experimented with a chinese LED PJ at home for television and i am happy my parents in 70s are happy with details visible on this PJ and believe me there is absolutely no eye strain.
Movies off course I watch on Epson.

Even in the living room now the guests do not stare at TV but do the chatting.
those who all wants to watch TV go to the PJ room.

 

[bhalchandra]

I have been using the earlier version of LG, which is HW-100.

The usage is for watching live data of stocks and other markets and is connected to CPU.

V.

Hi can you give some more details about your experince. screen size , ambient light, and like.

many thanks

 

[vinay]

For whatever reasons one may think that to watch regular TV via projector is a good idea, this view will collapse soonest then later. Among the collapse reasons are already mentioned by fellow members.

By the way actual content on TV is around 51%, rest is all advertisements, so in such a scenario all the more it is a failure to use projector.

I and many others had been of the view to use projector for TV, but probably have been fortunate enough that we killed the idea in it's inception stage.

V.

 

[vinay]

Bhalchandra,

The experience to use projector for data purpose is mind blowing, many a times i am beaming for more then 9 hours a day, there were times when i used to beam for 14 hours a day, with not more then 3 breaks of not over 30 minutes, while often i keep on blank mode for several minutes.

I have been projecting mostly on a 72 inches screen, and at times on over 100 inches screen.

I use a lot of ambient light, often around 6 tube lights (Yellow) or several Halogen lights.

It is very good that you are on discussion stage at the forum because this way you will have an opportunity to take a a better call.

V.

Hi can you give some more details about your experince. screen size , ambient light, and like.

many thanks

 

[inshadesofgrey]

Bhalchandra,

The experience to use projector for data purpose is mind blowing, many a times i am beaming for more then 9 hours a day, there were times when i used to beam for 14 hours a day, with not more then 3 breaks of not over 30 minutes, while often i keep on blank mode for several minutes.

I have been projecting mostly on a 72 inches screen, and at times on over 100 inches screen.

I use a lot of ambient light, often around 6 tube lights (Yellow) or several Halogen lights.

It is very good that you are on discussion stage at the forum because this way you will have an opportunity to take a a better call.

V.

I am all for the idea of using the projector for TV/game on a regular basis. If you choose wisely and get a projector with a 5000 hr shelf life, then even if you use it for 6 hours a day - that over 800 days or way over 2 years!!

Lets do some numbers
The lamp for my GT750 apparently costs $150 = INR 8000 or so from Amazon - and around $120 on some sites even.

If you have a projector which gives 5000 hr life - (and there are many), you're looking at a cost of INR 8000 for 2 years (5000 hrs at 6 hrs/day will give 833 days, but lets just take 2yrs for simplicity)

Thats Rs. 4000/yr or Rs. 333 per month, which is hardly bad given the massive difference in quality and proportion.

That's why its important to go with a rock-solid brand like Epson or Optoma that you know will last a long time - my buddy has had his optoma for 5 years now (on his second lamp). Sure you can go with an Acer, or eGate (same company) or something but they are supposed to be value-brands, meaning giving you a lower cost, by whatever means possible. I tend to overlook the 'whatever means possible' argument whenever i am spending over INR 10,000.

So - go ONCE, but go BIG

i have NEVER had a TV for more than 2 yrs anyway.......so for me, this is the way to go.

 

[tma]

Another point to consider in using a PJ for regular TV is that most TV content are in SD and hence one can see the low-res artifacts very clearly, specially on a large screen.

I guess this issue would be a little more aggravated if one is using a 720p or higher resolution display of 100 or more inches.

@Could FMs who currently use the PJs 'as a' TV please comment on this aspect and if it is noticeable especially after having a taste of awesome Full HD on the PJ?

 

[inshadesofgrey]

Another point to consider in using a PJ for regular TV is that most TV content are in SD and hence one can see the low-res artifacts very clearly, specially on a large screen.

I guess this issue would be a little more aggravated if one is using a 720p or higher resolution display of 100 or more inches.

@Could FMs who currently use the PJs 'as a' TV please comment on this aspect and if it is noticeable especially after having a taste of awesome Full HD on the PJ?

+1

thats a good point. i have been using my Optoma GT750 for all kinds of media for the past 2 days and the Standard definition definitely sucks once you have seen HD.