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Projectors

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Xa3phod

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
170
Hey guys, I was considering getting a projector mainly for Lumo Interactive. I figure while I have a projector, might as well try it for general computing and gaming. I find that a lot of the manufacturers are misleading people. Seems most projectors support HD (1920x1080), but their native resolution is much lower and they just take a HD signal and convert it to 800x400 or whatever lame resolutions they use.

So, do those resolutions look bad? Especially when you project on an 80" screen? I figured I would need a Native resolution of 1920x1080. So, without spending thousands, is there a couple of HD projectors that are acceptable to the power-users such as us? Would like to spend as little as possible and save my money for the Acer X34P when it comes out.

Thanks!
 
True 1080p projectors start around $500-600 and can run a lot higher. BenQ is generally the way to go for DLP (best in dark rooms) with Optoma a distant second. For LCD (best in rooms with ambient light), Epson makes some good ones. Cost of replacement bulbs is something to consider, too; Optoma has the cheapest of the three. Not knowing your budget, here are some good starter options:

BenQ MH530 Full HD 1920x1080 3D Home Entertainment 3200 Colorific Lumens Projector HDMI 1.4a Built In Speaker-Newegg.com
Amazon.com: Optoma HD142X 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector: Electronics
Amazon.com: Epson Home Cinema 2040 1080p 3D 3LCD Home Theater Projector: Electronics

*This is all quick and subjective and an actual projector enthusiast is welcome to correct me.
 
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Careful of Optoma and Epson, I have some words for the wise.

Some Optoma PJs are designed to last as long as the bulb before they need work.
For example my HD131x comes without any air filters and uses a cheap laptop fan as part of the cooling.
Not long after fitting the second bulb, this fan starting making an almighty noise.
I spoke to Optoma and they said it was £170 to diagnose and fix.
Considering you can get a new one for a bit more than double that, its an absolute scam.
Even worse, in Europe/UK it is warranted for up to 6 years despite any mfr warranty.
I put this to them, they said it has 1 year warranty only and refused to budge.
So I repaired it myself for £15.
The amount of dust inside was insane, it would have died from some other cause without a stripdown and clean!
They deliberately make their projectors last not much longer than the mfr warranty!

At minimum make sure any PJ has air filters, no matter which manufacturer.


My Previous PJ was an Epson TW3500 (UK) 8100 (US).
The bulbs on this blew around 1,000hrs despite being rated for 4,000. They would flicker for the last 1/3rd of that as well.
All the replacement bulbs did the same, Epson didnt fix it.
They refused to accept the fault but offered replacement bulbs while the PJ was still under mfr warranty.
Because there was no fault report issued the shop refused to take it back.
I had to threaten small claims court, they then took it back.
There are some big threads on the topic with many dissatisfied customers.
Due to this I am loath to buy Epson again.
 
I've read some good things about BenQ DLP projectors so you may want to check those out. If I was on the market for a budget projector, BenQ DLP is what I'd be looking at.

I also find it interesting to see some of the rated hours on these projector bulbs. I'm actually waiting on a PA board repair on my old Sony G70 (which is an old CRT projector). I have two sets of tubes - one with very little (not really visible unless looking at a blacklight) wear and one with 8200 hours on each of the tubes. Even with 8200 hours on the tubes, they still produce a bright enough picture to reach the ideal target of about 12 ft lamberts on a white window pattern at D65. I estimate they still have about 2000 hours left on them until they're actually done.

EDIT: And I can reach that target at 70 out of 100 contrast - I'm not going full nelson on them.
 
Benq is good on the low end for DLP projectors. The BenQ w1070 is constantly reccomended.

https://www.amazon.com/BenQ-DLP-108...TF8&qid=1471005099&sr=8-1&keywords=Benq+w1070

I have an Epson 5030ub personally and the statement above regarding lamp life has been addressed years ago... I know some friends with older Epson units that had the issues discussed above but I'm over 2000 hours on my 5030ub and the lamp is fine.
 
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Canon said:
Benq is good on the low end for DLP projectors. The BenQ w1070 is constantly reccomended.

https://www.amazon.com/BenQ-DLP-108...TF8&qid=1471005099&sr=8-1&keywords=Benq+w1070

I have an Epson 5030ub personally and the statement above regarding lamp life has been addressed years ago... I know some friends with older Epson units that had the issues discussed above but I'm over 2000 hours on my 5030ub and the lamp is fine.
Click to expand...

How has your experience been with bulb dimming in general? Eventually I'll go digital for protection and I've always been curious as to how drastic dimming can be. Then again, periodic calibration will help alleviate the issue.
 
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jbltecnicspro said:
How has your experience been with bulb dimming in general? Eventually I'll go digital for protection and I've always been curious as to how drastic dimming can be. Then again, periodic calibration will help alleviate the issue.
Click to expand...

I can't tell if my W1070 bulb has dimmed. I run it in SmartEco mode and it lists the effective bulb hours as right around 500 after using it for over a year pretty regularly.
 
Honestly my projector seems very bright still with no noticeable dimming but obviously I don't have a new lamp to compare or any measurement equipment. Let's just say that with over 2000 hours on the lamp, it is more than serviceable.
 
LFaWolf said:
I recently bought both an Epson 1080 LCD Projector and a BenQ, and the Epson was so much better. Better clarity, color contrast, and brightness. We ended up returning the BenQ. Epson also has longer warranty too, 2 years vs 1.
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1040 1080p 3LCD Projector
BenQ 2000 Lumens 1080p 3D Projector
Click to expand...

I had an Epson 2050 and returned it for a BenQ DLP 1070 because the Epson projection angle was horrible for my ceiling mount and I though the black were really weak. I think the BenQ has better contrast for darker content but the Epson had more pop for colorful content. It's good consumers have options :D
 
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