Are those LED projectors any good?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Are those LED projectors any good?

geekbhaji

222 posts

Master Geek

#191487 5-Feb-2016 16:37

I am talking about the ones which use LED bulb and could last over 20,000 hours. there isn't any particular branding but they usually sell around $350-400 on trademe.

Purpose of use- Watching movies/tv-series at home.

Thanks in advance.

Humor makes us humans !

1 | 2

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1486084 5-Feb-2016 16:53

I actually have one on its way at moment to play around with,
Should be here early next week

Will let you know how it looks

geekbhaji

222 posts

Master Geek

#1486362 6-Feb-2016 08:54

skewt: I actually have one on its way at moment to play around with,
Should be here early next week

Will let you know how it looks

Thanks skewt. Cheers

Humor makes us humans !

billgates

4705 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1486372 6-Feb-2016 10:05

LG PF1500 is the only good LED projector around atm for a affordable price. The cheap trademe/aliexpress projectors are not made for permanent fixtures. The viewing quality is not that great. The BenQ HT2050 is the best projector under $1000 price bracket. If you want to source once locally then you could try and hunt down BenQ HT1075 or HT1070 which are second best if anyone still has any stock left.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1127970-REG/lg_pf1500_dlp_projector.html

http://www.amazon.com/BenQ-HT2050-1080p-Theater-Projector/dp/B016JYOQ3W?SubscriptionId=AKIAJM4NKIQGABP2PIRA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B016JYOQ3W&tag=thewire06-20&ascsubtag=WC20319

Do whatever you want to do man.

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#1487516 8-Feb-2016 14:48

Mostly you get what you pay for, however someone I know imported one from aliB and I was quite surprised by the picture quality.

The real appealing aspect for a LED projector is TV like operation, ie you don't have to worry about short on/off cycles limiting the bulb life. This is great for cost effecting viewing of large movie images in family and flat spaces, or most dual purpose environments.

If for a dedicated theatre/media room or an enthusiast of images, the UHP lamps are still the cost effective solution. You have to pay a lot for LED/laser with performance.

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: .....

richms

28191 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1487551 8-Feb-2016 15:52

Friend had a cheap LED based DLP projector out of China, and it had the worst rainbow effect I have ever seen on a DLP. Even looking at it without moving my head the whole edges of the screen were a mess of colours on a supposedly white background.

Richard rich.ms

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#1487727 8-Feb-2016 20:58

The 10-11k Epson looks pretty sweet... the basic LG's I played with lacked zoom (that's right, no zoom... brilliantly foolish concept).

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1490036 10-Feb-2016 23:33

So received a $100USD Projector from Ali today to play with, its an Everycom X7

The quality isnt great, but is what you would expect for the price, its blurry around the edges

This was projected on a 100" Screen, no good for someone who cant watch any lower than HD but would be fine for others or the kids

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98uI9YQ9xJXWVJEd05vT1RQQ2s/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98uI9YQ9xJXVFFqRU1Ja05iNTg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98uI9YQ9xJXbXdmbzhKWThvRzA/view?usp=sharing

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1490043 10-Feb-2016 23:49

And one more

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98uI9YQ9xJXMjR5OFdSZ2pyYkk/view?usp=sharing

geekbhaji

222 posts

Master Geek

#1491514 13-Feb-2016 10:04

@skewt: Thanks for the images mate. So this is a mini projector. I saw specs if your projector on aliexpress. There are some projectors on trademe for 350 dollars, with better specs. Do you think that difference in specs will make a huge difference?

Humor makes us humans !

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#1514718 16-Mar-2016 20:48

I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a Benq w2000 which is not LED but a pretty good mid range DLP, I rent though and don't really want to put a mount for either the screen or projector so I think I'm going to go with that cheap Epson 80" projection scree and sit the projector on a shelf... wish me luck

geekbhaji

222 posts

Master Geek

#1514914 17-Mar-2016 10:48

good luck and dont forget to post your results!! if you still have your old one, please try to take some pictures to compare later..cheers.

Humor makes us humans !

Swanny

107 posts

Master Geek

#1515002 17-Mar-2016 13:31

Good luck, hope you don't see rainbows...

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#1515006 17-Mar-2016 13:39

This will be my first projector, and I hope I don't see rainbows either!! But the colour wheel is 6x speed so I'm hoping that will reduce rainbow to only the most jerky motion.

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#1517342 22-Mar-2016 08:11

First thoughts since having the projector since yesterday.

I have the projector on a very high shelf upside down, to replicate roof mount but without drilling holes in roof. Its throwing an 80" image about 2.1m away (with projector zoomed in slightly as at full zoom out it would be closer to 90")

I'm using an old 3M 4:3 screen pulldown screen, only pulled down to 16:9 ratio. It seems to be quote high gain because their is a slight hotspot in the middle of the screen which isn't present when I project on the wall behind it.

Close White/light walls are problematic as bright scenes in the movie bounce off the wall and back onto the projection screen, significantly worsening black levels in the scenen.

Rainbowing is noticable when you dart your eyes away from the screen.

Projector has over headed a couple of times as my room is hot, and the projector pushes out a lot of hot air. High altitude mode and economic bulb solved this, the fan really cranks now though but that's a good reason to crank up the sound.

I'm having throuble getting the internal speakers to work via HDMI, not sure if its my Dell Windows 10 tablet or the projector I'll need to check with another HDMI device.

Finally.

Picture quality and experience.

I watched about an hour of The Hateful Eight last night, wow.

The picture quality is amazing and really outstrips my Sony 4K TV (which isn't particularly high quality), the projection size really feels like you're at the movies, and the grain introduced by the screen, and grain from the film work together as well as the great contrast and colour reproduction.

With non cinematic movies (for example 2015 movie Daddys Home) the feel is less like a movie theatre and more like watching a TV, I suppose this is due to the film ratio (16:9) and bright colours.

I like the projector and its going to come into its own in winter.

I'm going to try 3D, steam game streaming and a DLNA/Miracast stick in the next few weeks

Jaxson

8044 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1517373 22-Mar-2016 09:01

richms:

Friend had a cheap LED based DLP projector out of China, and it had the worst rainbow effect I have ever seen on a DLP. Even looking at it without moving my head the whole edges of the screen were a mess of colours on a supposedly white background.

urgh I'm nearly puking with a headache just reading that. Yuck.

1 | 2