Projector for Current gen console - but which one?


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Hi All,

 

Since I have just moved into my first flat on my own I am looking to set the living room up as an epic gaming/movie area for myself and when friends come over so I was thinking instead of buying a TV I would buy a projector!

 

I don't watch TV at all so wouldn't need anything like sky/virgin etc as I watch all the shows I want on my computer so the projector would literally only be used for either an Xbox one or PS4(haven't decided yet).

 

My question is, which one? :S I was looking the other day and there are so many options, and unfortunately I have no friends who have a projector so I cant look at theres etc.

 

What I think I have learnt so far is the following:

 

  • More lumens is better - as this allows for watching in rooms that are still reasonably well lit
  • Short throw/adjustable throw - the projector will be sitting about 3m away from my wall.
  • 1080p equals a big price jump

 

Does anyone have a projector they use for gaming, if so, which one and how is it? I'm not even sure what budget to set so maybe ?400 max? If that isn't doable then I am open to suggestions

 

Thanks!

 

 

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It's expensive, but this is where 2k/4k (next gen HD) actually is useful vs on a tv with the distance away / size of screen, you may not actually notice the difference from current HD (720/1080).

3d being the one exception on next gen HD tv's. 

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For 400 max budget:

 

You will get the pocket size projector.

 

Otherwise if you want standard projector that you want it to be mounted in the ceiling, it would be more than 400. Maybe 800 or so depends on the features you want such as 720, 1080, 3D, etc.

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yea.. I have to agree that 400 is a bit low on the budget side.  Best thing to do is head over to Projector Central and match up your throw distance to your budget and start from there.  The optoma hd66 came up at a great 720p projector with a $549 price tag.  So you might be able to come close to 400 budget

 

 

 

http://www.projectorcentral.com/projectors.cfm?g=1&hide=0&st=1&mfg=&p=0-700&w_m=&r=8&br=&ll=&ltg=&t=&db=&dt=&c=&ar=16%3A9&dvi=&wr=&pjl_m=&pjw_m=&pjh_m=&td_m=5&i=d&is_m=353.6&sort=%24&sz=15

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Thanks all, ?400 was a rough amount as I saw some 720p ones for around that mark.

 

If needs be I can push it higher anyway, but I will have a look and see. Maybe throw up some suggestions here and see what people think. So confusing.

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> More lumens is better - as this allows for watching in rooms that are still reasonably well lit

 

Forget "reasonably well lit".  In my experience, if you have as much as a table lamp turned on, you'll get a washed out picture.  To compensate, you'll have to have the projector lamp always running at full intensity, which will only decrease its lifespan (which is already shorter than a TV).  It'll start getting progressively dimmer long before what it's rated for.

 

> Short throw/adjustable throw - the projector will be sitting about 3m away from my wall.

 

I don't see the "epic gaming/movie area" you're envisioning if the projector's going to be this close to the screen.  I get the impression it'll give you a picture so small (relatively speaking) you won't get the benefit of having a projector in the first place.  There are calculators out there that'll give you the min/max possible sizes for a given distance--I suggest you look into those to see what's even possible.

 

> 1080p equals a big price jump

 

Maybe so, but you won't get the "epic" setup you're after with a projector that can't do that.  Are you ok with non-HD content blown up over a large area?  A lot of people, now used to HD, complain how poor SD is, especially over a large area.  It doesn't bother me personally (my projector can only do 1280x1024, with the picture roughly 7 feet across), but it might bother you.  Keep in mind also that a lot of older lower-resolution projectors have a 4:3 aspect ratio, so if you want to watch 16:9 content on that, you'll be left with a pretty small picture, vertically.

 

Keep in mind also that projector lamps are only good for 2-3000 hours, and you get what you pay for.  Some are as expensive as what you're planning on spending on the projector itself.

 

Bottom line--I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I don't want you to set yourself up for disappointment.  I'm a big proponent of using a projector instead of a TV, and I've been using nothing but projectors for a dozen years or so.  I'm currently on my second one, and both are pretty low-spec--so I know what to expect at the lower end.  It's great to have a big picture on the cheap, but I don't go thinking it's any better than a TV of the same screen size.  I'm definitely making the jump to 1080p for my next one, if 4K isn't already mainstream (and prices have dropped) by then.

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Wait till you have more money and can get a 1080 projector.

 

you're going to have a big screen. those 720 vertical lines means BIG pixels. 

 

So I'd save up until you can get something like the the epson 3000 lumen 1080 projector I get half a year ago. it's pretty awesome, support 3D as well, but it's not something you'll use. 

 

at 3 meters, short throw or regular depends on how big a picture you want, but as long as you're at 100" or less you should be fine. 

 

look up the  Acer 3D DLP Projektor H6510BD, it also has 4000 hours of lamp life which is pretty good, 5000 in power save, which is more than good enough in a darkened room, and it actually will display a good picture even with some light or a lamp on. heck I can even use it with two wall lamps on just fine. suggest you get a D65 grey screen and no a white screen though. as such a powerful projector will give a better picture on that with richer dark areas. 

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If you want to be able to see the projected screen with the lights on, you need to be closer as the closer you are the brighter it is going to be but the smaller the screen.  If you are trying to project on a 14' screen and have the lights on, even a movie theater projector would have problems with that. closer=brighter/smaller, further=dimmer/bigger. 

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Wait till you have more money and can get a 1080 projector.

 

you're going to have a big screen. those 720 vertical lines means BIG pixels. 

 

So I'd save up until you can get something like the the epson 3000 lumen 1080 projector I get half a year ago. it's pretty awesome, support 3D as well, but it's not something you'll use. 

 

at 3 meters, short throw or regular depends on how big a picture you want, but as long as you're at 100" or less you should be fine. 

 

look up the  Acer 3D DLP Projektor H6510BD, it also has 4000 hours of lamp life which is pretty good, 5000 in power save, which is more than good enough in a darkened room, and it actually will display a good picture even with some light or a lamp on. heck I can even use it with two wall lamps on just fine. suggest you get a D65 grey screen and no a white screen though. as such a powerful projector will give a better picture on that with richer dark areas. 

 

 

I just looked that one up and did a projector calculator to see what sort of size I would get. Apparently at 3m it could get a 100" image with minimal to no reduction to quality which is good.

 

Thanks all, I will need to rethink what I want to do and save a bit longer I think to get one of the better ones. :)

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I have this one

 

ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p Home Theater Projector

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00465W7EC/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

I don't have a screen for it yet, nor do I have it mounted on the celiing yet.

 

But I still enjoy games more on my 70 inch TV. Quality over all looks better.

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well it's "only" 2000 lumens, and you don't have a screen.

sure my 55 inch tv gives a better picture, but the giant 130-140 screen of my projector at 3000 lumen is just a LOT more fun to play on. now whenever I get around to replacing this crappy white 150 inch pulldown screen, with a ~130 inch 3 meter wide D65 grey framed screen with pull up/down black overlays for cinema mode instead of 16:9 mode, it'll be even greater. 

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I am looking to get this for this

 

The projector was a broken one from a previous job, turned out it was a bad cable causing issues and I was able to keep it.  Looking to use it for some summer outdoor movies or netflix.

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Viewsonic makes the best cheap projectors.. I use a projector to game on, it's only 720P, but a few years old, but still so much fun!

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Viewsonic makes the best cheap projectors.. I use a projector to game on, it's only 720P, but a few years old, but still so much fun!

 

what one do you have?

I am looking to get this for this

 

The projector was a broken one from a previous job, turned out it was a bad cable causing issues and I was able to keep it.  Looking to use it for some summer outdoor movies or netflix.

 

my god...How much did you pay for the broken version of that one?

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http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/projectors/

 

 

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