Suggestion for budget HD projector

[anubisX]

Hello everyone, didn't want to hijack any thread so making my own thread. I'm looking to buy a projector for my 13' x 13' room. My speakers on stands are 39" from ground and height of the ceiling is 10' so screen height will be 5' max. with some clearance from the ceiling and length according to 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. I'll hang the projector from the ceiling.

I'm novice in this area so help me experts. Just dropped the thought of buying cheap chinese projectors as quality matters to me and I'm very fastidious. I don't have a fixed budget set right now but I'm open to used / imported / demo units. 720p is alright with me and 3D is a bonus, no need of 1080p native resolution. Saw some good models on Amazon US in $300-500 with good reviews.

Will mostly watch 1080p movies and videos.

 

[anubisX]

Have anyone used Ricoh projectors ? They seems nice from the specs. WX2240 seems nice for 33K.

 

[anubisX]

Got some model recommendations from local showrooms but no one's giving any demo.

Optoma X341 : 36K
Sony DX220 : 33K
ViewSonic 5525 : 34K
ViewSonic 5555 : 43K (not available right now)
Epson X31 : 35K

 

[jsanand]

Got some model recommendations from local showrooms but no one's giving any demo.

Optoma X341 : 36K
Sony DX220 : 33K
ViewSonic 5525 : 34K
ViewSonic 5555 : 43K (not available right now)
Epson X31 : 35K

All these are XGA projectors. The least you should look for is a 720p projector. Check for youtube videos for the models you zero down on.

 

[anubisX]

I know but are they really that bad ? I also saw great offers on Amazon US, Optoma HD142X is like 51K if I import but it's above 75K locally. Is it worth importing ?

 

[jsanand]

I know but are they really that bad ? I also saw great offers on Amazon US, Optoma HD142X is like 51K if I import but it's above 75K locally. Is it worth importing ?

Resolution and sharpness does make a difference. If you go in for a XGA projector the experience of watching content on big screen will be reduced.

Your high visual quality content (as most of the video sources - movies, video games, TV feeds) is 720p and above in resolution will be smoothened out while downscaling the resolution, leaving you with a visual experience that appears slightly blurred out.

 

[anubisX]

Yep, I know that. I know the feeling when I watch a 1080p blu-ray and the 1080p or 720p blu-ray rip on my TV.

Just talked to a local dealer, Optoma HD142X is 1.25L with warranty. It's ~2.5x the price of imported HD142X. So is it worth importing ?

This this price break-up from Amazon :

Shipping & Fee Details

Price		$549.00
AmazonGlobal Shipping	+	$20.98
Estimated Import Fees Deposit	+	$237.09
Total		$807.07

 

[danielnaveen2003]

Just talked to a local dealer, Optoma HD142X is 1.25L with warranty. It's ~2.5x the price of imported HD142X. So is it worth importing ?

You should be able to get a EPSON 5300 for much lower than that in India. And its 1080p with 3D.

 

[anubisX]

Epson is like 75K and HD142x is 51K. That's why I'm asking if it's worth it importing...

 

[Dhruv.Arora]

I used Mitsubishi ex320u for about 3 years with 2 lamps and more than 7000 hours of usage. It's a great projector, 720p 3d ready.

 

[ayushwas]

I know but are they really that bad ? I also saw great offers on Amazon US, Optoma HD142X is like 51K if I import but it's above 75K locally. Is it worth importing ?

I think it would be great VFM if you import HD142X. I had got my HD141x when i visited california but lot of people imported through amazon.com. There's a long thread in this forum on hd 141x and its performance is also great in that range.

 

[anubisX]

Alright. I am actually worried about warranty, not worried about DOA though as Amazon's gonna handle that. Did you ever face any problem that needed some work done on the projector ?

 

[danielnaveen2003]

Epson is like 75K and HD142x is 51K. That's why I'm asking if it's worth it importing...

Are you comparing the Indian price of the Epson with the "import" price of the HD142x?

 

[anubisX]

That's what I'm doing.

 

[ayushwas]

no issues yet, 3 years in.

 

[digistar]

Epson is like 75K and HD142x is 51K. That's why I'm asking if it's worth it importing...

I am using optoma ..its more than 1 year I am using it...I have imported it from amazon.com

 

[donjasjit]

I think it would be great VFM if you import HD142X. I had got my HD141x when i visited california but lot of people imported through amazon.com. There's a long thread in this forum on hd 141x and its performance is also great in that range.

I give advice as an Optoma 141x projector user-
- Do not buy 142x for the following reasons
1 My DMD chip is not working after only 1300 hrs. Cost of replacement from Optoma- 30000 rs. Poor quality heat sink for DMD chip is a real problem for Optoma projectors as you will learn from Amazon.com.
2 Optoma service is abysmal in India.

In fact, I have learned that owning a projector is a big risk, so many things can go wrong, the bulb, power supply, dmd chip etc and because service is poor, getting things rectified will be an adventure in itself.

Having said all that, I still enjoyed the projector for the 1300 hrs that it worked.