Home cinema systems (projectors and screens)

[Chris46]

Has anyone out there got a projector and screen set up?? Thinking about investing in both and setting it up in my bedroom but tbh I haven't really got a clue about it!! Been reading up and it seems I can get a screen and projector which will support 1080p hd and has ports for Xbox, bluray players etc for around £150. Seeing as the screen itself is 80" I'm thinking this surely can't be correct. Why wouldn't everyone buy one if you can get HD experience on an 80" screen for £150 when tvs are in excess of £400??

 

[Aaron..]

I'm not sure on getting a full set up for that price.
I'm currently looking for a projector for my camera club and will be spending about £500 to get a half decent one. Someone came in with an Epson one which they paid around £350 for and it wasn't great but that could be to do with her setting it up.

 

[C.J]

That seems far too cheap. I'd say £4-500 for a 1080p projector, plus a screen.

Unless you're looking at an OHP.

 

[James]

Link to this 150 quid projector?

You'd be doing well to get a decent one second hand at that price, and even then it'd probably be pap.

 

[Chris46]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Full-Color-Ready-Projector-854-540-resolution-2000-lumens/dp/B00CZ52SRG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422037568&sr=8-1&keywords=home cinema projector

http://www.amazon.co.uk/2xHDMI-RD-803-Projector-Lumens-Contrast-1024-600-resolution-2000-Black/dp/B00H3ZBSCO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1422037568&sr=8-13&keywords=home cinema projector

1st link (if they work) cheaper than £150, 2nd link slightely more expensive at £170. I've done a bit more research and read reviews and that and it's looking like £400 minimum to get a half decent one that isn't crap quality and as noisy as a v12. Maybe looking at about a grand for a good half decent set up with surround sound and that. Can't really justify spending that much looks like I'm mounting my tv on the wall and buying some speakers then!!

 

[C.J]

You get what you pay for.

You wouldn't spend £200 on a 50" LED from ASDA called 'Polkjipoop' when £600 gets you a Sony/Samsung.

Optoma is what you want.

 

[Keydogg]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Full-Color-Ready-Projector-854-540-resolution-2000-lumens/dp/B00CZ52SRG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422037568&sr=8-1&keywords=home cinema projector

http://www.amazon.co.uk/2xHDMI-RD-803-Projector-Lumens-Contrast-1024-600-resolution-2000-Black/dp/B00H3ZBSCO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1422037568&sr=8-13&keywords=home cinema projector

1st link (if they work) cheaper than £150, 2nd link slightely more expensive at £170. I've done a bit more research and read reviews and that and it's looking like £400 minimum to get a half decent one that isn't crap quality and as noisy as a v12. Maybe looking at about a grand for a good half decent set up with surround sound and that. Can't really justify spending that much looks like I'm mounting my tv on the wall and buying some speakers then!!

Chris you need to pay attention to the native resolution when looking at these. Both of those projects can take a 1080p input but they downscale the resolution, the first one only puts out 854x540 and the second 1024x600, which are both very low resolutions and will look quite honestly crap.

You're going to need to pay £400+ for 1080p I'm afraid!

 

[ilovewilly]

I've a projector and a pull down screen but I never use them.

I did once project on to my neighbours white rendered wall though. This would be ideal for sport in the summer.

 

[DannyR]

Optoma HD25 is the bare minimum I would ever recommend.

 

[welsh182]

I got an optoma hd141x for £425 on amazon Black Friday deals, set it up in a bedroom, soon to be cinema room and it's really good at 80" from less than 3m from the wall. I also bought a 79" pull down projector screen but it was annoying as the edges slightly curled and it just didn't seem flat. So I tried painting a screen with white matt emulsion, about 8 coats and a bit of sanding, edged it with black velvet tape and it's amazing. Also budget for a surround system or sound bar as the built in speakers will never be good enough.

 

[welsh182]

 

[welsh182]

That's the old screen above, and below is the much better flatter white paint on a wall

 

[C.J]

^ Looks really smart!

 

[withoutabix]

Defiantly forget the cheaper projectors will only lead to disappointment

I'm running a Optoma 750xl gaming projector only 720p so not part of the latest generation on projectors running full 1080p but you can still tell the quality of it in the image. Think I paid £250 second hand off a friend with hardly any bulb usage..

screens defiantly worth the investment unless your going to go to lengths of welsh182 above on a wall, as a crap surface really ruins the picture. lucky for me my screen can be down all the time so to get round the issue of the curling edges I've double side taped it to the wall!

My screen size is around 83" from corner to corner with the projector being just a metre away!

anyway heres my room which tbh any excuse to get pictures up as its just a great man cave! lol

Some pics don't show that its now running Onkoyo 5.1 which has completely changed the whole room and experience its epic!! so if you do want the big screen etc then defiantly budget for a 5.1 system to go along side it.

and footie but the pic is terrible

 

[Chris46]

Cheers for all the replies guys!! Think I'm going to be waiting till I need a new tv and then replace with a projector, thought I was going to get a decent on for cheap but not the case I'm afraid!! Although those pictures you have uploaded have made me think about just splashing out anyway!! Some proper good wee set ups there very jealous!!

 

[Steve]

Watch the rated lumens outputs as most fall off a cliff after a few hundred hours.
Some good looking images.
Cracking prices as well we pay that for replacement lamps!!!

 

[Jack!]

I just bought the BenQ W1070 from Richer Sounds for £469.99. Down from £699.99. http://www.richersounds.com/product/projectors/benq/w1070/benq-w1070

I looked at reviews, people suggested it's got a better picture than the Optoma HD141X, and crucially for me, it needs a much shorter throw.

Lots of reviews suggesting it's the best 1080p projector under $1000. (Nearly all reviews seem to be American).

 

[Steve]

We use lots of Panasonic ptdz680s some rooms have twin projection.
http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/catalog/pdf/PT-DZ680G1.pdf
Also have the 10k versions all running 1920 x1200.
All running high end audio through digital dsp some rooms have these
bad boys http://www.polaraudio.co.uk/Renkus-...te/product/IC16/8R/W/RHIC162F82DR2DII2DWHITE/

 

[Chris46]

Was payday on Friday I could totally afford that BenQ!! Unfortunately for me the Renkus one is slightly out of my price range and by slightly I mean absolutely miles away

 

[Steve]

Technology just keeps galloping along wonder where we will be in the next five years.
Quiet lucky my day job involves lots of the latest tech gear.
That Renkus price is for one speaker!!!
The sound levels are stunning but step outside the beam, levels drop off drastically.

 

[DannyR]

I'd rather these at £55,000 a pair

 

[Steve]

They would not fill a 400 seater lecture theatre with no flat spots
Bit ugly don't you think?

 

[DannyR]

They would not fill a 400 seater lecture theatre with no flat spots
Bit ugly don't you think?

Function > Form.

But no these are for a music room to be listened too!