Projector recommendations

zing

Just finishing off a home extension and am looking for a projector for what's going to double up as the kids playroom and my cinema room. Don't know a huge amount about projectors so all advice appreciated. Willing to spend about 2k on it - maybe even stretching to 3k. Ideally I'd like something that is network aware - i.e. can connect it to my home network and stream to it but I suspect I'd be better off putting in a pc for that and connecting the projector to it. Also want the ability to connect an electric screen to the projector (i.e. so single remote can control screen and proj)

Was looking at the Dell 5100 MP which has 20% off atm - anyone any experience with it ? I suspect the 20% off could mean that particular model is close to eos which I'd like to try avoid. Not in any particular rush to buy atm so am prepared to wait a few weeks/months for newer models if necessary.

pH

Panasonic AE900
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=311224

Currently €1259, you'd be hard pressed to find a better projector at this price. I have one that you could see running if you like.

There are two types of projectors, those designed for boardroom powerpoint presentations and those designed for home cinema. The Boardroom ones will show video but in general do a much poorer job of it than a HC one. Whatever you buy make sure it's a PJ designed for home cinema.

Ciaran500

The AE900 and Z4 seem to be the value for money now.

The Dell 5100MP is a presentation projector so stay away from that.

What ever PJ you buy make sure it has a resolution of at least 720p (1280x720) or 1080p (1920×1080) if you are spending more on one.

SouperComputer

Have a look on projectorcentral.com for lots of reviews and advice on projectors. It also has a cualulator that helps you work out your screen size vs throw distance (distance from screen to projector) so you can have in idea of what size screen you can have in your room.

I Second pH, the AE900 is prettymuch the best value for money.

What ever PJ you buy make sure it has a resolution of at least 720p (1280x720) or 1080p (1920×1080) if you are spending more on one.

Be careful with this. Many projectors will take the signal and resize the image. Cheaper projectors may only have a "native resolution" of 800x600. The Panasonic AE900 has a native res of 1280x720, ensuring total picture quality and the correct aspect ratio. Long story short, be sure to find the native resolution of your projector.

mossym

the ae900 is about to be replaced. The new model is causing quite a stir, it is a huge leap forward on the ae900, and would be a much better buy. The infocus in76 is another that is probably ahead of the ae900. but don't get me wrong, the ae900 is a terrific projector...i'd just go for the in76..or very top of my list would be the new panny...once i've seen it to prove it's as good as the initial reports

pH

I agree, but at 1259 from a reputable and easy to get from place like komplett the ae900 is great value for money. Any news on a price of the replacement yet, it could be closer to 2k. If he's a first time PJ buyer it makes a lot of sense to get a cheaper one and see if it suits the way he watches TV/films.

Where is a good place to buy an infocus for ROI delivery without messing about with bank drafts etc?

It's worth pointing out that another huge advantage of the panny is the RGB SCART socket, which makes watching Sky digital (non HD) a doddle. I'm not sure many other PJs have one ... does the in76 have one?

mossym

pH wrote:

I agree, but at 1259 from a reputable and easy to get from place like komplett the ae900 is great value for money. Any news on a price of the replacement yet, it could be closer to 2k. If he's a first time PJ buyer it makes a lot of sense to get a cheaper one and see if it suits the way he watches TV/films.


Where is a good place to buy an infocus for ROI delivery without messing about with bank drafts etc?

It's worth pointing out that another huge advantage of the panny is the RGB SCART socket, which makes watching Sky digital (non HD) a doddle. I'm not sure many other PJs have one ... does the in76 have one?

perhaps, but he said his budget was 2K, so that would make the new one right in his ballpark

harvery normans carry the in76, at least in Limerick they do, i think it's about the 2k range as well..dlp vs lcd there..it won't have screen door effect, but may have rainbows..nice alternative though.

spec sheet for the in76 says it has scart rgb inputs.i can't confirm that though

what it does have is two digital inputs, i.e. two dvi inputs...which the ae900 doesn't have, so if you plan on hooking up sky hd and a dvd player you're not stuck like you are with the ae900

to be honest i was going to buy an in76 for my new home theater rom when my house is built..now i'm going to wait and see how the 900's replacement stacks up.

SouperComputer

The IN76 is good, but I dont think it is worth the extra money over the AE900 TBH. If nothing else, the zoom on the Panny (2x) give you greater flexibility on your throw distance and is quieter too.

Also, with it being a DLP, be sure you dont suffer from the rainbow effect.

mossym

i could say the same about screen door effect..and screen door is visible on just about every lcd monitor there is...rainbow effect only hits certain people

don't get me wrong..like i said teh 900 is a great projector..i think the 76 is just better, and for me is worth the money. I've seen both, and was very impressed with the in76

and so far, until i see something to convince me otherwise, the 900's replacement is even better again. it'd be my choice of the three..

Ghost Train

dlp seems to have the edge over lcd when it comes to picture quality, better blacks, more contrast and less sde, although the new lcds are much better than they used to be. I would stay away from any sort of business projector too. The cheapest hd dlp at the moment is the new hd70
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/389361/art/optoma/themescene-hd70-videoproj.html
I would still prefer the infocus, but the price of the optoma is a big plus. Seem to be some questions over how accurate the colours of the the hd70 are and how well it can be calibrated. Doesn't seem to be an issue for the majority of owners though

When i was chosing a projector a year ago i found homecinemachoice.com great for articles and reviews

btw infocus seem to have some serious financial troubles at the moment, so there might be some questions about how much you can count of their warrenties if they disappear.