Proper projector
Discussion
Thanks everyone for the advice on a little projector for the nursery.
Sitting in the cinema room tonight, watching a film on the 65” television, I was thinking that although the picture’s great, it really doesn’t feel cinematic. It feels (unsurprisingly) like a quite big television. Not a home cinema, so I’d maybe like a projector.
The lunatics who owned the house previously thought it made sense to spend £150,000 on some fitted wardrobes, but not to bother wiring in any speakers in the viewing room, so I’d probably like something that can talk to my Sony Bluetooth / wireless sound bar and rear speakers if possible, and would be happy if I could get something impressive for comfortably under £2,000.
It’ll need to go on a tripod behind the seating, as I can’t be arsed to build and plumb in a ceiling set-up, but other than that all that I really need is the ability to give a good picture at 100”+
What’s the current recommendation?
Sitting in the cinema room tonight, watching a film on the 65” television, I was thinking that although the picture’s great, it really doesn’t feel cinematic. It feels (unsurprisingly) like a quite big television. Not a home cinema, so I’d maybe like a projector.
The lunatics who owned the house previously thought it made sense to spend £150,000 on some fitted wardrobes, but not to bother wiring in any speakers in the viewing room, so I’d probably like something that can talk to my Sony Bluetooth / wireless sound bar and rear speakers if possible, and would be happy if I could get something impressive for comfortably under £2,000.
It’ll need to go on a tripod behind the seating, as I can’t be arsed to build and plumb in a ceiling set-up, but other than that all that I really need is the ability to give a good picture at 100”+
What’s the current recommendation?
I've got a Benq W2700 which has been great for the past year and remains one of the recommended models over on AVForums.
At £2k and below, you'll be looking at the 'faux-4K' projectors, which use a pixel-shifting technique to display a 4K image rather than having a full 4K chip. The ones with the 4K chip are a lot more expensive.
The Benq is about £1,300 and the only downside is the operating noise, which can be a bit distracting in quiet scenes. The Optoma models at around the same price are much quieter in use, but don't review quite as well for overall picture quality.
Watch out for throw distance as well. The Benq has a relatively short throw which means it projects a larger image at any given distance from the screen than some other models - check it works in your space!
Overall, you'll find it a great addition I think. I've got a 100" motorised screen and a 65" LG OLED behind it. I always choose the projector for films or sport, just because I find the level of immersion from the screen size outweighs the better picture quality of the TV.
Don't expect the projector to come that close in picture quality if you have got a decent TV though - blacks, colours etc. are all much better on the TV. I'm not sure how much that changes when you step up to the really expensive projectors.
At £2k and below, you'll be looking at the 'faux-4K' projectors, which use a pixel-shifting technique to display a 4K image rather than having a full 4K chip. The ones with the 4K chip are a lot more expensive.
The Benq is about £1,300 and the only downside is the operating noise, which can be a bit distracting in quiet scenes. The Optoma models at around the same price are much quieter in use, but don't review quite as well for overall picture quality.
Watch out for throw distance as well. The Benq has a relatively short throw which means it projects a larger image at any given distance from the screen than some other models - check it works in your space!
Overall, you'll find it a great addition I think. I've got a 100" motorised screen and a 65" LG OLED behind it. I always choose the projector for films or sport, just because I find the level of immersion from the screen size outweighs the better picture quality of the TV.
Don't expect the projector to come that close in picture quality if you have got a decent TV though - blacks, colours etc. are all much better on the TV. I'm not sure how much that changes when you step up to the really expensive projectors.
kingston12 said:
Don't expect the projector to come that close in picture quality if you have got a decent TV though - blacks, colours etc. are all much better on the TV. I'm not sure how much that changes when you step up to the really expensive projectors.
+1Projector for picture size and TV for picture quality. Unless you spend silly money on a projector.
It’s only when you have both on at the same time that you really notice it though. An HD and above feed will still look great on a £1-2k projector.
rossub said:
+1
Projector for picture size and TV for picture quality. Unless you spend silly money on a projector.
Indeed, and even more silly money on room treatment to make it work at it's best.Projector for picture size and TV for picture quality. Unless you spend silly money on a projector.
rossub said:
It’s only when you have both on at the same time that you really notice it though. An HD and above feed will still look great on a £1-2k projector.
Absolutely, mine looks great when playing 4K material until you switch to the TV. OP - it's worth noting that all of the cheaper projectors work best in a darkened room. I've got near zero ambient light and the W2700 works well, but not so much when I open the blind a bit!
Lots of great options available now and Faux-4K / Pseudo4K has got a lot better over the last couple of years.
At the lower end, Optoma and BenQ seem to have market of the known names brands - But you need to watch the lens shift / Keystone correction for super cheap versions, they tend to be quite limited in thier movement away from centre.
The Optoma Lasers are starting to come through now as well, bright, great blacks and contrast levels and stupidly cheap for the 1080p versions.
JVC have a new little Faux-4K which is great, has a good lens shift range too.
If you are replacing a TV then you should/could also consider one of the Ultra Short Throw options, which means you can have the projector sat on cabinet infront of the screen wall and still generate a 100" image. The 4K version was stunning when i fitted one just before LockDown.
Then you are up into the real 4K stuff and my professional and personal preference is Sony, I have one, love its colours and brightness. Latest models cope with HDR, HGL and DolbyVision all fine. Others love Epson and JVC, so it is really down to budget and personal preference.
One last thing. DO NOT SCRIMP ON SOUND.
With a big image you need a big sound, it doesnt have to be expecive (relatively) but it does need to match the image for presence.
Have helped out several PH'er resently with advice and kits, happy to do so again,
V.
At the lower end, Optoma and BenQ seem to have market of the known names brands - But you need to watch the lens shift / Keystone correction for super cheap versions, they tend to be quite limited in thier movement away from centre.
The Optoma Lasers are starting to come through now as well, bright, great blacks and contrast levels and stupidly cheap for the 1080p versions.
JVC have a new little Faux-4K which is great, has a good lens shift range too.
If you are replacing a TV then you should/could also consider one of the Ultra Short Throw options, which means you can have the projector sat on cabinet infront of the screen wall and still generate a 100" image. The 4K version was stunning when i fitted one just before LockDown.
Then you are up into the real 4K stuff and my professional and personal preference is Sony, I have one, love its colours and brightness. Latest models cope with HDR, HGL and DolbyVision all fine. Others love Epson and JVC, so it is really down to budget and personal preference.
One last thing. DO NOT SCRIMP ON SOUND.
With a big image you need a big sound, it doesnt have to be expecive (relatively) but it does need to match the image for presence.
Have helped out several PH'er resently with advice and kits, happy to do so again,
V.
kingston12 said:
I've got a Benq W2700 which has been great for the past year and remains one of the recommended models over on AVForums.
At £2k and below, you'll be looking at the 'faux-4K' projectors, which use a pixel-shifting technique to display a 4K image rather than having a full 4K chip. The ones with the 4K chip are a lot more expensive.
The Benq is about £1,300 and the only downside is the operating noise, which can be a bit distracting in quiet scenes. The Optoma models at around the same price are much quieter in use, but don't review quite as well for overall picture quality.
Watch out for throw distance as well. The Benq has a relatively short throw which means it projects a larger image at any given distance from the screen than some other models - check it works in your space!
Overall, you'll find it a great addition I think. I've got a 100" motorised screen and a 65" LG OLED behind it. I always choose the projector for films or sport, just because I find the level of immersion from the screen size outweighs the better picture quality of the TV.
Don't expect the projector to come that close in picture quality if you have got a decent TV though - blacks, colours etc. are all much better on the TV. I'm not sure how much that changes when you step up to the really expensive projectors.
I have been doing a lot of research on projectors over the last few weeks and the Benq W2700 (£1398) is on my short list.At £2k and below, you'll be looking at the 'faux-4K' projectors, which use a pixel-shifting technique to display a 4K image rather than having a full 4K chip. The ones with the 4K chip are a lot more expensive.
The Benq is about £1,300 and the only downside is the operating noise, which can be a bit distracting in quiet scenes. The Optoma models at around the same price are much quieter in use, but don't review quite as well for overall picture quality.
Watch out for throw distance as well. The Benq has a relatively short throw which means it projects a larger image at any given distance from the screen than some other models - check it works in your space!
Overall, you'll find it a great addition I think. I've got a 100" motorised screen and a 65" LG OLED behind it. I always choose the projector for films or sport, just because I find the level of immersion from the screen size outweighs the better picture quality of the TV.
Don't expect the projector to come that close in picture quality if you have got a decent TV though - blacks, colours etc. are all much better on the TV. I'm not sure how much that changes when you step up to the really expensive projectors.
Comes with a 6 year guarantee from Richer Sounds)
https://www.richersounds.com/tv-projectors/project...
Review for the OP:
https://www.avforums.com/reviews/benq-w2700-4k-dlp...
planning on pairing it with a 120" acoustically transparent screen from here:
"Spitfire Essentials MK2 Fixed Frame Acoustic Transparent Home Cinema Projection Screen 120 Inch"
https://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/category/679/p...
Good link for throw calculations for lots of different manufacturers and models: (some times uses US model ref no. rather than UK model no, e.g US BenQ HT3550 = UK W2700 model)
https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calcul...
Edited by markj113 on Friday 28th August 13:55
Edited by markj113 on Friday 28th August 14:13
This probably isn't as helpful as i was trying to be but here goes.
What you are looking at here is my very budget media room.
The TV is a bottom of the range 4k Panasonic, the projector is an old Viewsonic pro8200 at 1080p shining directly onto a white wall at 120". Picture taken just now during daylight hours but in a slightly darkened room (dark ceiling
dark walls to to each side)
Bearing in mind the difference in pixel density here is massive, I have no complaints whatsoever with that 1080p image, even at this size!
I guess this is actually meaningless though as the image quality of the photo is not 4k!
What you are looking at here is my very budget media room.
The TV is a bottom of the range 4k Panasonic, the projector is an old Viewsonic pro8200 at 1080p shining directly onto a white wall at 120". Picture taken just now during daylight hours but in a slightly darkened room (dark ceiling
dark walls to to each side)
Bearing in mind the difference in pixel density here is massive, I have no complaints whatsoever with that 1080p image, even at this size!
I guess this is actually meaningless though as the image quality of the photo is not 4k!
Another +1 for the BenQ W2070. Great machine for the money. Got one myself after doing a fair bit of research.
BenQ have done a cracking job with this, and seemed to have got a perfect balance between price and performance. Its got an all glass lens for a start, which is great at this price point (many won't) and it comes pre-calibrated out of the factory. While the bulb will drift a bit over time, it'll be drifting from a good starting point, rather than a poor starting point and then moving further away.
The HDR works very well. Light output isn't high on this PJ compared to some, and the HDR effect will always be less than a TV, however hooked up to a 4k HDR blu ray player and spinning a good disc, the HDR still looks fantastic for a projector.
The noise on mine doesn't bother me, although I do like a good action movie, so its very rare I actually hear the fan anyway. The good thing is, its not an intrusive fan noise. Some projectors might be rated quite low db for fan noise, but have a high pitched whine, which I find more intrusive than the kind of duller noise this PJ makes. Its maybe an individual thing when it comes to fan noise....
For me overall, the colour performance, the HDR performance and the detailed images are the strong points of this projector. Its a DLP projector and as expected, ANSI contrast (intra - scene contrast) is very nice indeed.
The lens still isn't perfect, and its not possible (for me anyway) to dial in uniform focus across the entire screen. Its fan noise is a bit louder than you would want and there are brighter projectors available with better contrast. However, to retain the positive points of this BenQ, plus to address its weaknesses, you would need to spend multiple thousands more to make a significant improvement.
I think for the money they sell this BenQ at, they've pretty much nailed the important bit - ie, great overall picture quality. Set up is fairly easy and fed with a good quality source (4k Blu ray discs for example) then you won't be disappointed.
I've got a Samsung 60inch QLED which is HDR and one of the highest light outputs available from any commercial TV but I still prefer HDR blu ray on the projector.
There is just something different about a reflective screen and an emissive screen. No matter how good and how big TVs get, there is just something about an image thats reflected back at you that makes it more 'cinematic' IMO.
BenQ have done a cracking job with this, and seemed to have got a perfect balance between price and performance. Its got an all glass lens for a start, which is great at this price point (many won't) and it comes pre-calibrated out of the factory. While the bulb will drift a bit over time, it'll be drifting from a good starting point, rather than a poor starting point and then moving further away.
The HDR works very well. Light output isn't high on this PJ compared to some, and the HDR effect will always be less than a TV, however hooked up to a 4k HDR blu ray player and spinning a good disc, the HDR still looks fantastic for a projector.
The noise on mine doesn't bother me, although I do like a good action movie, so its very rare I actually hear the fan anyway. The good thing is, its not an intrusive fan noise. Some projectors might be rated quite low db for fan noise, but have a high pitched whine, which I find more intrusive than the kind of duller noise this PJ makes. Its maybe an individual thing when it comes to fan noise....
For me overall, the colour performance, the HDR performance and the detailed images are the strong points of this projector. Its a DLP projector and as expected, ANSI contrast (intra - scene contrast) is very nice indeed.
The lens still isn't perfect, and its not possible (for me anyway) to dial in uniform focus across the entire screen. Its fan noise is a bit louder than you would want and there are brighter projectors available with better contrast. However, to retain the positive points of this BenQ, plus to address its weaknesses, you would need to spend multiple thousands more to make a significant improvement.
I think for the money they sell this BenQ at, they've pretty much nailed the important bit - ie, great overall picture quality. Set up is fairly easy and fed with a good quality source (4k Blu ray discs for example) then you won't be disappointed.
I've got a Samsung 60inch QLED which is HDR and one of the highest light outputs available from any commercial TV but I still prefer HDR blu ray on the projector.
There is just something different about a reflective screen and an emissive screen. No matter how good and how big TVs get, there is just something about an image thats reflected back at you that makes it more 'cinematic' IMO.
I've had an inFocus projector for the last 6 years and it's never missed a beat. The lamp hours are way over what they are supposed to be able to achieve, it's very quiet, nice and bright, and to my eyes it's still an event to watch it. When I scrapped a motorised drop down screen in favour of a fixed screen it made a massive difference.
Kent Border Kenny said:
That’s some great advice, thanks.
Given that there’s no aerial or satellite signal in the back wall, it’ll likely be Apple TV, Amazon Prime, RedTube etc, do most systems nowadays run these and connect to my WiFi?
I’ve got an AVR with a number of sources attached, but Apple TV gets the most use. It’s like a better version of a Smart TV interface and allows access to most of the streaming services as well as being able to buy/rent content from Apple directly.Given that there’s no aerial or satellite signal in the back wall, it’ll likely be Apple TV, Amazon Prime, RedTube etc, do most systems nowadays run these and connect to my WiFi?
Epson tw9400 is my recommendation. A bit more than £2k but better than the benq (I’ve had both). If you’re not going to treat your room (make it very dark) then get a grey screen to improve the black levels.
You will need a decent sound system. You can get a lot for your money if you’re prepared to buy used though.
You will need a decent sound system. You can get a lot for your money if you’re prepared to buy used though.
tomsugden said:
I've had an inFocus projector for the last 6 years and it's never missed a beat. The lamp hours are way over what they are supposed to be able to achieve, it's very quiet, nice and bright, and to my eyes it's still an event to watch it. When I scrapped a motorised drop down screen in favour of a fixed screen it made a massive difference.
I agree, a fixed screen is better if you’ve got a dedicated room. They are cheaper, flatter, and simpler with less to go wrong.ash73 said:
OP you need to go look at a DLP before you buy, some people don't like them.
Good point. Search for ‘Rainbow effect’ and you’ll get an idea of why some people can’t get on with DLP.A lot of people don’t see the effect at all. I see it very occasionally on fast moving black and white material.
The Epsoms are good but they are really large (TW7000,7100,9400) I believe when compared with Optomas DLR projectors. Im looking to ceiling mount and it's quite a sizable box stuck up there. My rooms not a dedicated cinema room hence I fear one (an Epsom) would be in my opinion a bit of an eye sore when not in use.
Edited by Last Visit on Thursday 3rd September 19:54
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