Joeboo835

I have a big decision to make in the next month or so and was looking for some help/thoughts on it.

We have a theater in our basement, even an upper row in the back. The room is approx 16'x18' (might be 19) We currently have a project (BenQ W1070) and I have a very old (16 years I think) but very nice 100" Stewart Filmscreen Grayhawk mounted on the wall (fixed screen). My projector bulb shattered about 9-12 months ago and I replaced it and had to disassemble the thing to clean out the fan (where all the shards went) and so now it has a few "clouds" (not sure how else to explain it) when you use it. It's not terrible, but I feel like an upgrade is in order. The projector is 5 years old.

So I've been thinking a lot over the last few months about buying either a new projector (4k, tempted to buy the new Anker at such a low price) or buying a really big TV (75" or bigger, closer to 100 the better). I've always been a projector fan, but I think the main reasons are 1) Screen is so much bigger (plus I already have a screen), and 2) It's a lot cheaper to reach that size. But nowadays, even though 4k projectors have gone down in price, TVs, even at that size, are so cheap. And I think the quality of the picture on a TV is so much better than a projector nowadays.

Anyone have any thoughts? I could use all the help I can get. It's a big decision (for me anyway)

E Unit

Bigger can be better, but more costly if you're talking about TV's. Projector's are great because you can expand to sizes that would cost over $25k if you bought a comparable TV size. And if you're into 3D in any way, a projector is the only way to go these days. Since you like projectors, Id say go with that. If you're really into PQ, then maybe look at some OLED TV's. 65" OLED's look incredible and feel bigger IMO. However since you already have a setup for a projector, I'd say look into a good upgrade for your current one.

Noonan

IMO, go large OLED.

Joeboo835

Oh wow, once you get up there in size, those OLED's are spendy. I think for the room size, anything less than 70" would be too small, or is that dumb? I'll have to go look and compare QLED vs. OLED

Noonan

They're completely different tech. QLED is still a backlit LED panel. OLED is not. If you want the best contrast, OLED is the only way to go.

PerryD

I'm going through the same decision making. My Sony VW50 1080p projector is antique, and the native 4K models are still a bit pricey. You can get a Samsung Q70 82" for under $2500 on sale, so although not the 120" screen that I'm used to, it will be easier to set up and use on a day to day basis. I was hoping that Sony would update their projectors for the 2020 model year and lower their prices, but it doesn't appear that they've done either, so it's buying last years tech at full price.

kefrank

I recently faced the same quandary. I've had a 1080p projector with 84" Carada screen in a 17x12 room for the last 13 years. The lamp in my projector finally reached the end of its life and the OEM lamps aren't available anymore. I didn't really trust buying a third party lamp replacement after doing some research, so my decision became a new projector or a large flat panel.

Basically, it came down to this for me: if I'm going to buy a new display at this point, it should be 4K. When weighing all the value proposition options and logistical implications, I ended up getting a 75" 4K flat panel. Overall I'm happy with the choice, but here are a few of my takeaways...

The Bad:

• It does feel a little less "cinematic" not having front projection
• For my viewing distance and the screen size, the backlight brightness needs to be turned down significantly so that it's not harsh on the eyes, which isn't really an issue with front projection where the light source is indirect to the viewer - this is just a matter of calibration though
• I occasionally miss the slightly bigger screen size

The Good:

• Easier to set up and maintain
• Perfect convergence and no worries about "rainbow effect", dust blobs, or other issues that the various projector technologies at my price point can exhibit
• With where I had to have my projector mounted before, I now don't have to deal with having to tell guests (especially children), "Don't look directly at the projector because the light can damage your eyes"
• Based on the research I did, this was (at the moment) the best bang for my buck in overall image quality, all things considered

Joeboo835

I have been thinking about it for a while, but really got me thinking was the Anker projector deal:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...nup&ref=2y94a8

That's a really good price for a 4k projector, but kind of risky.

kefrank

This is just me, but I would never put my home theater at the mercy of a Kickstarter campaign - even one from an established company. Also, when it comes to spending the money for TV/Projector, I prefer to only consider products that have been out long enough to have trusted reviews, user experiences posted on forums, etc. That's just my personal mindset though. In order for me to be able to do that, there have to be early adopters, so I'm thankful for them!

cseyer

MeridithHartt

No doubt, the picture quality of LED projectors is excellent. Moreover, if you want to consume less power and don't want to mess around you then projectors are the best options. But DPL and LCD projectors could be brighter than LED ones. However, you can't underestimate TVs. Likewise, if you have a big space then the projector will enhance your movie watching experiences but for small rooms, I think TVs are better.

davidlynchfan

Just get both and get the best of both worlds. They’re certainly both affordable.

bsmith

I built my HT back in 2004 using a Sharp 10K projector. Unfortunately, it only lasted a little over 5 years. I currently have a Sony VPLHW10. My only complaint is that it was before Sony supported 3D, but still runs great. I finally decided to pull the trigger on a new projector this Summer instead of getting a third bulb. I'm looking at the Sony VPLHW45ES. While a native 4K projector would be nice, the cost is too high for me and I can't see Sony reducing the price to $2K anytime soon. Thus, I'd rather invest in another solid 2K projector that I am comfortable with. However, you may have a much higher interest in the 4K content currently available than I.

I have a 65" Samsung flat screen in the bedroom (not OLED). Even with the benefits of OLED I could never go back to not having a projector in my main viewing area (I can't see an over 100" OLED flat screen being available for $2K for quite some time). You already have the setup for a projector. Even the difference between 80" flat screen and 100" projected image is significant. Figure out the max size flat screen you can afford and have two people hold a tape measure showing the size difference between it and your projector screen while you check it out from your seating positions. That should give you a good idea how important screen size is to you.

bsmith

I'm guessing that isn't an option. Otherwise, why wouldn't he just put the funds together to get the 4K projector of interest.

davidlynchfan

I thought he was just contemplating? He even called out the 4K Anker Projector “tempted at such a low price”, “TVs even at that size are so cheap”. Don’t need to buy both of them simultaneously either. Buy one and then save up and get the other whenever he’s ready. One year, two years after.. whenever that may be. Oh well, i guess everyone’s got their own priorities and just my 2 cents.