Projector Advice

bill.barry

I would like to get a projector to watch movies through a laptop at home.

Could anyone give me some advice on what specifications i would need to have a fairly good quality picture? Don't want to be spending four or five hundred on one.

Thanks.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

bill.barry wrote: »

Don't want to be spending four or five hundred on one.

To be honest, you will not get a decent projector for less than 400 euro. (unless someone can come up with one!! )

To enjoy movies you will need 1080p, native wide screen aspect ratio, 1500 lumen minimum projector for night viewing.

Also you mention using a laptop, what about sound quality?

Do you have a sound system?

People forget too that they need to spend a
few quid on providing decent sound as you take away from the fun of having a decent projector if you dont.

bill.barry

Yeah i have a good sound system to hook up to the laptop, just need the projector. They're the main specifications to look for yeah?

Might be lucky and find second-hand one on gumtree...

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

bill.barry wrote: »

They're the main specifications to look for yeah?

Might be lucky and find second-hand one on gumtree...

Yeah you would use those specs as a minimum target.

Yes you may be lucky but watch out for bulb life on second hand projectors.
People may sell when their bulb lives are nearing a end.
around 2000 to 5000 hours of life depending on the manufacturer.

Bulbs can go from 100 euro up to ridiculous levels.

If I were you I would personally save a few quid more as projectors are getting cheaper as more people buy into them.

For instance when hd came out on projectors it cost thousands to buy one.
Now they are less than 800 euro.

Watch amazon as some times they reduce items for a day or two where you can pick a bargain.

nacimroc

Sorry to dig up an oldish thread but wanted to share my 2 cents in case you haven't bought or someone stumbles upon this thread.

I bought an acer X1111 for 299 brand new a few weeks ago. Does 1080p, 3D, 16:10, 2700 lumens and picture is fantastic for the price. Has colour matching for the wall its displayed on and is fine in bright daylight.

Got it off pixmania. I'm glad I tried it as everywhere I read said theres no good cheap ones, but I think things have changed massively in the last few months. I really couldn't see how a projector for double the price would be worth the extra. I'm sure they would be better but the price difference is massive.

No HDMI input but that won't matter to you anyway.

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/11496484/art/acer/x1111-3d-projector.html

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

nacimroc wrote: »

No HDMI input but that won't matter to you anyway.

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/11496484/art/acer/x1111-3d-projector.html

The native aspect ratio of that projector is svga ( 800x600 pixels).
Yes it will take hdmi input but the projector will downscale the image.
Also the native screen size is 4:3, definitely need a 16:9 ratio to get the best out of watching movies with 720 p minimum.

The reason it doesnt have all the connections is that it is more suited for an office environment.

nacimroc

Never knew that. Good to have some experts around. I still think the image is spot on though. Very clear when watching movies in 16:10.

Kerry_2008

I am looking for advice as well if anyone can help


Hi All,

Me and my wife have bought a house and are in the process of doing it up a small bit before we move in. We want to have a a projector to project onto the white chimney stack over the fire place. I have been doing some reading online and like the look of the ones below as they HD etc.

http://www.philips.co.uk/c/pocket-projector/picopix-80-lumens-with-mp4-player-ppx2480_eu/prd/

or this one

http://www.lg.com/ae/projectors/lg-HX300G-led-projector




It will be placed in a little shelf at the back of the room next to sky box etc. Will it be any good or can anyone recommend me a decent one for €400 or less? I plan on wiring it up to a a surround sound system. Is this OK or am i going about it totally wrong and be bettor off with a tv?

RonnieWhelan

Kerry_2008 wrote: »

I am looking for advice as well if anyone can help


Hi All,

Me and my wife have bought a house and are in the process of doing it up a small bit before we move in. We want to have a a projector to project onto the white chimney stack over the fire place. I have been doing some reading online and like the look of the ones below as they HD etc.

http://www.philips.co.uk/c/pocket-projector/picopix-80-lumens-with-mp4-player-ppx2480_eu/prd/

or this one

http://www.lg.com/ae/projectors/lg-HX300G-led-projector

It will be placed in a little shelf at the back of the room next to sky box etc. Will it be any good or can anyone recommend me a decent one for €400 or less? I plan on wiring it up to a a surround sound system. Is this OK or am i going about it totally wrong and be bettor off with a tv?

Unless your chimney Stack is at least going to give you a 70" Diagnol Screen 16:9 I wouldn't bother and just mount a LED/Plasma.

nacimroc

RonnieWhelan wrote: »

Kerry_2008 wrote: »

I am looking for advice as well if anyone can help


Hi All,

Me and my wife have bought a house and are in the process of doing it up a small bit before we move in. We want to have a a projector to project onto the white chimney stack over the fire place. I have been doing some reading online and like the look of the ones below as they HD etc.

http://www.philips.co.uk/c/pocket-projector/picopix-80-lumens-with-mp4-player-ppx2480_eu/prd/

or this one

http://www.lg.com/ae/projectors/lg-HX300G-led-projector

It will be placed in a little shelf at the back of the room next to sky box etc. Will it be any good or can anyone recommend me a decent one for €400 or less? I plan on wiring it up to a a surround sound system. Is this OK or am i going about it totally wrong and be bettor off with a tv?

Unless your chimney Stack is at least going to give you a 70" Diagnol Screen 16:9 I wouldn't bother and just mount a LED/Plasma.

That Philips one wouldn't be suitable as its resolution is terrible. More for displaying photos etc. LG one doesn't look bad but as I've said mine is only 800x600 and I wouldn't swap it for the world. Its fantastic. Its not as clear as a plasma but that doesn't matter to me as it looks fine.

You have to work out the "throw distance" to see what size screen you would get and how far back it has to go. If it has to go on your bookshelf your screen will be whatever it is. I had to fit mine to the width of a Chimney so projector was in middle of room. There isn't a massive amount of zoom.

Kerry_2008

My chimney stack is 5 1/2 foot wide. I have been using this site to calculate the throw etc.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/LG-HX300G-projection-calculator.htm

RonnieWhelan

Kerry_2008 wrote: »

My chimney stack is 5 1/2 foot wide. I have been using this site to calculate the throw etc.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/LG-HX300G-projection-calculator.htm

Going by that you'll get a 75" diagonal Image 16:9 Format at a throw distance of 7ft 5 inchs.

Kerry_2008

Cheer for the info. Do you think it is do able with the LG or am i better of just buying and mounting a tv?

RonnieWhelan

Kerry_2008 wrote: »

Cheer for the info. Do you think it is do able with the LG or am i better of just buying and mounting a tv?

Its do able all right but imo i'd only go projector if i could get a larger screen 100"-120" but thats just me.

nacimroc

Just noticed that LG only has 270 lumen. That's shockingly low.