Questions about buying a good 1080p projector

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Mad Scientist
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#1006609 16-Mar-2014 10:54

I have amazing sound. my sub goes down to single digits > 100dB+ with a flat frequency response.

I don't watch movies for the picture nowadays ... hmm ... which explains why dramas have become unwatchable for me (turn off two dramas last night for lack of action ie sound effects)

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Batman

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#1006610 16-Mar-2014 10:55

the only thing better would be four of the same subs ... one day :D

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#1006611 16-Mar-2014 10:56

well if it's going to cost more than 1-2k I'm going to wait till 4K UHD takes off ... :D my wife wants to do up the kitchen

but i'll definitely read up on these gems - ... didn't realise tvs and projectors are 2 different planets

driller2000

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#1006655 16-Mar-2014 12:04

i think the big challenge for you is the 8m throw distance

as others have said @ 8m you will need one heck of a light cannon to get a decent bright picture + good light control

can you not mount it closer?

i have a 720p panasonic projector - 5 years old - throwing from 3.6m onto a 106inch screen

daytime - with the curtains closed and dynamic mode on - it is entirely watchable during the day
at night - in cinema mode 2 - it is still (imho) fantastic

is the picture as good as my 2011 59" flagship samsung plasma? - nope
but at "nearly" 4 times the screen real estate the increased scale more than makes up for the lessor picture quality
as a result of the above (+ a reasonably grunty 5.1 set up) visits to the cinema just aren't required for us anymore

next upgrade for me will likely be the panasonic ptae8000 (1080p 3d) - cannot wait until the minister of finance says yes : )

have fun with your research and hopefully purchase

ps: i reckon you should audition a few projectors - i know av world in mt eden used to have the projector i noted above set up in one of their demo rooms

flynkiwi

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#1006663 16-Mar-2014 12:14

I got my 1080p 3D projector for 799usd and an elite screen for $300usd. I sent them sea freight with kiwi shipping for a couple hundred and then the gst to pay. So it's definitely doable.

But I can mount mine within the recommended projector throw.

I am looking forward to next week for customs clearance to pick it up :-)

Batman

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#1006677 16-Mar-2014 12:34

Which projector is that? And can you also link me the elite screen? You mean not all screens are the same?

overkill

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#1006685 16-Mar-2014 12:51

joker97: the only thing better would be four of the same subs ... one day :D

I know!!!!!!

Years ago in my early 20's we used a 12 volt power supply to a cheap fusion Sub-Amp and installed x2 12" Subs under the floor directly beneath our couch. We enclosed those beauties so solidly that in an earthquake, if our house came down, the subs would of been intact. To have one 10" room sub and x2 12" directly blowing up our dates was "AMAZING", best sound and feel I have ever had and on a budget that was less than $100 (thanks to Buy, Sell and Exchange in those days).

I love low frequencies :) The wife on the other hand.......

"Setting the Standard in Quality and Commitment"

flynkiwi

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#1006925 16-Mar-2014 21:35

The projector is a Mitsubishi 9700DW. It sold last year for about $2500USD but Mitsubishi is getting out of the projector business so its been on firesale for most of this year. The place I got it from is B&Hphotovideo.com but it looks like they have now sold out.

From what I have read its a great projector if you have a light controlled room sa its only 1500 luemins - i.e can you make the room really dark. The room I have has ranchsliders etc but I will only watch this at night mainly and we have thermal backed curtains anyway.

It wont be any good for you unless you could mount the projector closer as 8m is outside the throw range. The other two projectors I was looking at were the Benq 1070 and the Optoma 25-LV. Both of these are brighter than the Mitsubishi but I am lead to believe the Mitsubishi has better blacks and colours. You can get these both in the $800 to $1000 usd price mark. I looked at the Benq at Harvey Norman and it was 2500NZD. With the exchange rate I can see why so many people import.

For the screen I got this from http://www.elitescreenshop.com. Screens are a whole education in themselves. I got a motorized screen and a 110v to 240v converter for the screen. They were great to deal with and when they found out that I was sending it to Kiwishipping.co.nz which has their depot in California suggested I arrange to get it picked up from the Elite screen factory which was 30min up the road from kiwishipping to save freight cost. Cost me about $55us for a courier that Kiwishipping arrange to collect it compared to the shipping cost of about 120!!!. Screens themselves arent too bad its the shipping that is the killer.

Hence finding kiwishipping (part of mainfreight) was a huge find as I was quoted about $6000 to airfreight ;-) It was about $150 for the screen and $50 for the projector with sea freight.

Batman

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#1006928 16-Mar-2014 21:37

Hmm I wonder kiwi shipping could ship subs

flynkiwi

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#1006946 16-Mar-2014 22:06

They ship bbqs, car parts etc so I would say yes

Masterpiece

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#1007353 17-Mar-2014 14:56

Actually the best way to understand some basics of projectors and screen is to view a setup in action.
It really is matrix like, you need to see it for yourself to decide if you prefer a projector setup or large panel.

Although you have some challenges with your room, it is never impossible.
Some considerations,

You can mount side ways across the room width, you don't have to go length ways.
This has the advantage of large sofas side ways for bigger gatherings, which happens when people find out you have a projector.

How do you use your display or intend to use a projector?
Projectors work best as a display for movie content, if the requirement is multi purpose TV/news etc then a panel is better.

Can you control ambient light?
The Achilles heal of projection is ambient light, if there is lot's of windows a lot of work has to be put in to try and block out as much as possible.
In a number of cases ambient light makes the decision of panel v projector.
Saying that, part of the challenge of great imagery is to overcome limitations.

A well setup modest entry level projector screen can out perform a $40000 setup. I have seen this on a number of occasions.

My advice is to carry on asking questions, research simple setups as this is the way the vast majority of projector converts start out by dipping their toes in the water.

Once you go projector and screen it is hard to watch movies any other way.
My wife only worries about affording a new bulb when she gets old :) , she can't watch movies any other way.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

surfisup1000

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#1007412 17-Mar-2014 16:15

its all about contrast ratio/ brightness.

My jvc dla-hd1 has a great contrast ratio (ie, a space scene with stars).

Cheaper projectors generally darken a scene by dimming the whole picture -- but, that dims the bright things in a dark scene too.

Not much point me explaining it anyway, there are tons of sites on the internet that do reviews and the like.

I have been thinking about replacing my jvc projector with a 85" led though. Ambient light kills projectors.

Kopkiwi

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#1008772 19-Mar-2014 09:58

Projector over a TV all day any day.

As to whether it's comparable to your TV PQ wise, depends on how much you want to spend. If you're willing to buy from America, like myself and flynkiwi have done, then $2k will get you a pretty good projector. The size of the picture alone is a massive upgrade in viewing experience.

Once you watch Gravity on 100" screen you will never want to have a TV again. I have a 65" Panasonic ST50, still one of the best TVs and I find myself turning it on less and less in favor of watching the projector at 120"

Put it this way, 70" LG for what? $8k? absolute waste of money when you can have a 100" screen with a fantastic picture for more than half that.

Batman

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#1008784 19-Mar-2014 10:14

agreed! i wonder if UHD will ever take off - if so, then a 1080p projector could be obsolete ...

flynkiwi

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#1008820 19-Mar-2014 11:01

Hey Kopkiwi has your Epson turned up yet?
I went to collect mine on Monday after work to find out that there was some MAF hold on it that they didn't see when they thought it was ready for release. Just waiting on the MAF clearance...makes it hard when you can see it sitting there but have to go home empty handed :-(

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