Front projection for HT??

[madmac]

I noticed that many members seem to be using a screen and projector for their HT.

Can you give me your thoughts on this method?. How is the picture quality from a good projector compared to a large flat panel?. What are the limitations if any?. Obviously, the bigger the screen blowup the less bright and clear the picture correct?.

I've often said that my next TV purchase might be a HDTV 1080P projector but I wonder about the performance. It would certainly be nice to have a 100-150inch screen for movies and sports :E !!.

[Kevin P]

With a good projector and good source material the picture can be quite stunning on a large screen (esp. if you have 1080p). The main drawback of a front projection setup is that you need a darkened room to get the best picture quality. Any ambient light hitting the screen will wash out the picture. But if you want the most movie-theater-like experience at home, front projection is the way to go, since that's what cinemas use.

That said, due to the lighting issues and the high cost of projector bulbs, it's better to reserve the front-projection setup for movies and special TV occasions (Super Bowl, etc.) and have a separate flat-panel display for casual and daytime use. In my theater I have a 50" plasma display on the wall, and for movies, a 6' wide drop down screen lowers in front of the plasma and I use my NEC front projector.

[George Bellefontaine]

if you want the most movie-theater-like experience at home, front projection is the way to go, since that's what cinemas use.

I second that.
I've been into front projection since 1991, starting with a Zenith crt. Today I use a BenQ 1080p projector as well as a 720p Yamaha, which, because I could never get what it is worth, I reserve as a backup. The room is in the basement and had one window which I did away with so there is total control. A cave, actually . Anyway, I love the cinema like experience of front projection and view tv stuff in my den on a 40" flat panel.

[madmac]

Do they have ASTC tuners built into them?. Why not use for TV viewing?. How much do the bulbs cost and more importantly, how long to they last?.

I have a rear proj Sony SXRD HDTV that uses a bulb and it's still going strong 2 yrs later!. Why would a projector tv bulb not last as long?.

[Ovation]

They don't have tuners but I use mine for HDTV watching--my cable box is one of the inputs I can select for HDMI out to the PJ. I keep a small display (actually a computer monitor with HDMI input) for use when A) I plan to watch less than 90 mins of anything (turning the bulb on and off too frequently shortens its lifespan considerably) or B) when I need to use the OSD to adjust something or C) when I'm accessing material on DVD-A/playing a concert DVD for the audio rather than "watching the show") or D) when I watch something in SD (still a few shows I like that are only available in SD where I live).

I do have a small screen (for a PJ--64 inches 16:9) and may well replace my PJ someday with a similarly sized flat panel display (my room is small, so my screen size is limited anyway). I got a PJ because, at the time, a 60+ inch display with the same picture quality was about six times more expensive than my PJ and my homemade screen. If I were shopping today, the price difference would be fairly minimal. So it is quite likely that my next display in that room will be a flat panel (plasma, most likely) BUT if/when the HT moves to the bigger room in the basement, a PJ will definitely be part of the HT as I will have room for a 100 or so inch screen. But that is probably another 10 years away (the kids will be around at least that long and the bigger room is their "playroom").

[Kevin P]

Do they have ASTC tuners built into them?. Why not use for TV viewing?. How much do the bulbs cost and more importantly, how long to they last?.

I have a rear proj Sony SXRD HDTV that uses a bulb and it's still going strong 2 yrs later!. Why would a projector tv bulb not last as long?.

Projectors don't have tuners; you have to feed a video source (HDMI, component or RGB) into it. For example, a cable or satellite box, dvd/bd player or game console.

Bulbs typically last 1000-2000 hours and run around $200-300 a pop, depending on what projector you have. The lifespan on RPTV bulbs is longer since RP sets use lower wattage bulbs.

Also, like Ovation says, turning the projector on and off too often shortens bulb life, so it's better to save it for movies or more extended TV watching, not for switching on the evening news and then shutting it off 20 minutes later.

[madmac]

Projectors don't have tuners; you have to feed a video source (HDMI, component or RGB) into it. For example, a cable or satellite box, dvd/bd player or game console.

Bulbs typically last 1000-2000 hours and run around $200-300 a pop, depending on what projector you have. The lifespan on RPTV bulbs is longer since RP sets use lower wattage bulbs.

Also, like Ovation says, turning the projector on and off too often shortens bulb life, so it's better to save it for movies or more extended TV watching, not for switching on the evening news and then shutting it off 20 minutes later.

Thanks.....the lack of a ASTC tuner is a deal breaker for me since I get my tv in hi-def over the air. The bulb cost is somewhat the same as replacing mine but the lifespan seems much less. I'm hoping that technology will become better over time. Thanks for the info folks!!. :cry:

[Kevin P]

Don't let the lack of an ATSC tuner turn you away; external ATSC tuners are certainly available. Even better, you could build a HTPC or get a Tivo HD (which has an ATSC tuner) and record your HD shows as well.

[madmac]

At the end of the day, you've gotta' laugh about the cost of these bulbs. There is absolutely no way they should cost 300+ bucks. Someone's making money somewhere, that's for sure !!.

Kevin, there's a way to record DTV over the air HD programming?. Hummm.....how would that be done?.

[Kevin P]

Kevin, there's a way to record DTV over the air HD programming?. Hummm.....how would that be done?.

HTPC + ATSC tuner card + Windows Media Center or MythTV (Linux). Or get a Tivo HD.

[Hdale85]

Many of the newer projectors are spec'd to last much longer then 1000-2000 hours. Generally if you can control light then running in ECO mode is plenty bright enough and many times offers the best picture, in this mode many of the new projectors last at least 4000 hours which is about what my old Sony RPTV was rated at and the bulbs were roughly the same cost, but that bulb lasted about 3 years.

[M.Roberts8]

FWIW I've gotten 2,700 hours out of a bulb and it was still working when I replaced it. That was roughly 18 months of use as our primary TV and I game on it as well as watch a tom of movies.

I first went front projection in 11-20-06 & haven't looked back. Absolutely the only way to go, for me that is.

I bought an old Directv HD receiver a year or two ago and have been too lazy to get an antenna mounted up on the roof to use it but it will function as a over the air tuner with out subscribing to directv. I'm sure there are many other ways to skin the over the air cat. I wouldn't let that stop you.

Here is a link to some screen shots I took of my projector in action. That is a Panasonic PT-AE4000U shooting on a 120" Carada Criterion series 2.35:1 screen in brilliant white. The Iron Man 2 shot was with a crappy point and shoot the rest I took with my SLR and only cropped them to meet the size restrictions for uploading. I think my tripod is bent as some of them are crooked but if you click on each one you should get the full sized image.
Linky

I've had people comment that it looks like a huge flat screen when I tell them how much it costs they are pretty surprised by how affordable it is considering the size.