TV or Projector?

[jyl]

Feels like time to get a new TV. Or a projector?

My current TV is a 40" SVGA that is 6+ years old.

I'm not a home theatre buff and don't watch TV or movies all that much. I don't even have cable TV, we watch everything via the internet - Netflix, Amazon, EuroSport, etc. Most of our watching is on the computer screen. But maybe once a week I or someone in my family will go up into the family room and watch a movie on the TV, or I'll connect my laptop to the TV to watch a race. I'll watch a couple football games a year. And my son does like to X Box on the TV, but I'm not concerned about that

So, 60" HD TVs at Costco are anywhere from $700 to $2000. Not really fancy ones, but the kind I would be likely to buy.

And HD video projectors are roughly the same price range. Again, not the fancy ones.

Would you choose the TV route or the projector route?

My family room is the attic floor. It can be darkened easily. There is a place to hang a screen.

I realize the third alternative is "none of the above", in other words keeping my current TV. If it really won't make much difference for the kind and quantity of watching I do, then I would do that.

[908/930]

How much room do you have, projectors can easily look great on a 106" screen but you need to be a reasonable distance back about 15 feet. Is there a existing sound system? do you watch any over the air hd tv with a antenna, you will require a tuner with a projector.

If you do not have the room for at least a 90 inch screen (or can paint the wall) a hd tv is probably the better choice (easier) if you have the room to go larger go projector.

[jyl]

The attic is about 30 feet long, half is seating (futon couches - the room also serves as overflow accommodations for house guests) and TV, half is game tables, I'd hang a retracting screen from the ceiling, above the game tables, it could easily be 15 feet from the seating. I'd probably keep the 40" TV for watching CNN or whatever.

Good point about the sound and tuner requirements. That would add to the cost and complexity.

[greglepore]

Good HD projectors are 1/3 that price on ebay... most have hdmi inputs.

I use a cheap one in my man cave for cycling simulations (Veloreality, check it out). Its awesome for occasionally watching a movie or a bike race. Your plan sounds viable by keeping the 40. For audio, I used some stereo gear that was surplus to me, but I'm an audio guy. Still, for a couple hundred bucks you could get a decent receiver and some speakers.

[LWJ]

I did a home theater maybe 5 years ago? Projector for me as we have zero windows. Total project was not crazy expensive and we still love it every time we sit down for a movie. No cable here either. I really like the 90-100" screen. It makes a big difference.

I do think the tech has changed since I did it. My system can't do 3d and is maxed at 1080p.

Also, a,modest receiver with a big sub will really add the impact.
Good luck!
Larry

[rbp]

I love the projection system. I've had these for years. I installed the last one when we moved to a new house in 2012. Have an Epson Powerlite Pro Cinema 6010 and a Draper screen 100" - 110". Provides spectacular HD picture. The only draw back to these is the bulbs. You will need to be ok with spending a few hundred dollars periodically to replace the bulb. I keep a spare in the house at all times.

The great thing my wife likes is that there is no giant TV in the room or anything that resembles a TV. The projector is kind of hidden in the ceiling and the screen is up under a bulkhead, they can be the wall with a frame or just painted. The painted wall option is ok but the picture quality is nowhere near as fine. Takes up no floor or wall space.

[Neilk]

So to add to the discussion, what would be a decent surround sound system to buy? Say under $3k including speakers?

[stomachmonkey]

Shop smart and you can do a killer room relatively cheap.

For surround systems buy last years close out model at deep discount.

You can build a 108" screen for $50 in under an hour.

Projectors have come way down in price while features have gone up.

For my media room I came in under $4k for screen, surround, projector, paint and theatre seating.

[Shifter]

Originally Posted by jyl

Most of our watching is on the computer screen.

Just out of curiosity, any reason why you don't use a chromecast to project from the computer to the TV?

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Shop smart and you can do a killer room relatively cheap.

For surround systems buy last years close out model at deep discount.

You can build a 108" screen for $50 in under an hour.

Projectors have come way down in price while features have gone up.

For my media room I came in under $4k for screen, surround, projector, paint and theatre seating.

What surround sound system did you get?

Where did you get the anti-gravity machine? I would have spent a little more on getting the TV to display right side up.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Shifter

Just out of curiosity, any reason why you don't use a chromecast to project from the computer to the TV?

I use an HDMI cable, sometimes. Don't have a Chromecast.

[bpu699]

I just went through this, and ended up with a 70inch LED from Samsclub...

The Ultra High Def was $1600, the regular high def $1200.

Picture is awesome, and Ultra High Def is probably the future.

Prices have come way down for sure...

Picture is plenty huge enough. Not sure projection would have added much.

Bo

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Neilk

What surround sound system did you get?

Where did you get the anti-gravity machine? I would have spent a little more on getting the TV to display right side up.

Sony 7.1, don't recall model.

That's funny, looked right side up on my phone.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by bpu699

I just went through this, and ended up with a 70inch LED from Samsclub...

The Ultra High Def was $1600, the regular high def $1200.

Picture is awesome, and Ultra High Def is probably the future.

Prices have come way down for sure...

Picture is plenty huge enough. Not sure projection would have added much.

Bo

I personally don't like the new HD and Ultra HD screens.

It's all too sharp. Depth of field is missing and everything looks like a soap opera. Feels "cold".

I much prefer a projected image as it actually looks more realistic. Feels "warm".

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by jyl

I use an HDMI cable, sometimes. Don't have a Chromecast.

They are like $30. Basically wireless HDMI.

[imcarthur]

As an 'industry' guy, a couple of points. I have owned and sold both projectors & big plasmas & I am seriously biased.

Everybody wants a screen that is too big for their room. From your seating position, you should not have to move your head to see what is happening at the extreme edges of the picture.

The sound system is as important as the video system so think about spending equal dollars (or even more) on the audio. Dual subwoofers are good.

A good screen will maximum brightness - which is a good thing. The blacker the blacks, the better the color dynamics.

Led displays (or projectors) always have a 'video' look rather than a 'cinema' look. That's why plasma displays are often preferred - they give you cinema. You choose which one you can live with.

4k displays are stunning but most of your watching will not be 4k . . .

Ian

[Rusty Heap]

Hard to go wrong with my Vizio 70" 4K for cheap. Had this for a couple months and 4K signal off the web is stunning, blu-rays and Xbox1 are incredible sharp and crisp. You won't get that with a projection, but that screen on the wall also gives you a softer look for movies.

Vizios Premium series. That's a big bright screen for under $2K. and in some ways better than Samsungs or Sonys which cost twice as much.


Vizio 70" Class (69.5" Diag.) 4K Ultra HD Smart LED LCD TV M70-C3

[jyl]

Hmm. None of the content I watch is 4K. Much isn't even HD!

[Rusty Heap]

re-reading your first post, you say you hook up the laptop to your system.

Now TV's have built in Wifi and Netflix or other streaming source.

So yes you have HD signal.........its just that your present TV sucks at delivering it to you.

Go to Best Buy, and go do your own viewing, I personally like more a satin finish screen than glossy glass that shows way too many reflections.

TV's are just a price point.

and a person choice

YMMV

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

re-reading your first post, you say you hook up the laptop to your system.

Now TV's have built in Wifi and Netflix or other streaming source.

So yes you have HD signal.........its just that your present TV sucks at delivering it to you.

Go to Best Buy, and go do your own viewing, I personally like more a satin finish screen than glossy glass that shows way too many reflections.

TV's are just a price point.

and a person choice

YMMV

You pay for those Smart TV built in features.

All they do is make the device more complex.

The more they have the more can break.

From a cost perspective one is no worse off buying the dumb version of a TV and adding a ROKU, Apple TV, or other streaming device of choice.

More options / flexibility that way, usually cheaper, and less hassle to rectify if the WIFI chip or other portion of the Smart functionality fails.