Hook up Projectors?

[Guest PhilM]

Those projectors were you can hook up a computer or TVto display on a big screen.Just seen one advertised at my local Mart.Anyone know if these are any good?

[Guest JELB]

Hello,I have an Epson S1 projector that has native 800 by 600 resolution - but I mostly run it at, uh, I think they call it 1024 by 768 compressed. Looks fine to me!I bought this projector nearly two years ago and every time I use it I am blown away by HOW HUGE IT IS. I mean, I project onto my wall from about three or four meters (yards). At that distance the screen is about three meters diagonal. AWESOME! :)Why don't you buy from a place that allows no-hassle returns and try one out. Just be sure you get one you can afford to keep cause you will not want to return it. Oh and check the cost and predicted life of the bulbs. They can be expensive. The S1 is known to be very reasonable that way. About $250? for a bulb that should last 2000 hours.That's all!JELB

[Guest PhilM]

Thanks JELB,Do you use it with your computer or TV or both.?

[tf51d]

Make sure if light is an issue that you get a projecter with high lumens, and contrast ratio. The 800 and 1000 lumen projectors will need low if not none ambient light to give a good picture, (They are mainly meant for Home Theater) while projectors with say 2000 lumens, will look fine at normal room light. You should get a dimmer for the light in that room so you can adjust to your liking. High contrast ratio, will also give you better results. The projector I use is a Mittsubishi XD300U with 2200 Ansi Lumens, and a Contrast ratio of 2000:1. It plays on my wall (No screen) with a size of H 8'3" x V 6'2". I know I can probably get even a better picture with a screen, but it looks really good as it is on both my computer and movies and shows. Watching ball games in High Definition is the next best thing to being there!!!

[Guest PhilM]

Thanks tf51D,Well I'm starting to get excited now!!!! :)What about frame rates?.Is it, What U C is What U get...ie, the same FPS youget on your normal moitor is same through proector,or is there a FPS hit.Would anyone recommend a projector, over a wide screen moitor.Or are projectors not really an option for normal day to daygaming.It would have to be one or the other for me.

[tf51d]

>Thanks tf51D,>Well I'm starting to get excited now!!!! :)>>What about frame rates?.>Is it, What U C is What U get...ie, the same FPS you>get on your normal moitor is same through proector,>or is there a FPS hit.>>Would anyone recommend a projector, over a wide screen>moitor.>Or are projectors not really an option for normal day to day>gaming.>It would have to be one or the other for me.Frame rates are absolutely no issue! I use it in FS, Train Simulator, and other 3D Apps, smooth as silk!! There is nothing like the PMDG 744 VC or LDS 763 VC on an 8 foot screen (Or in my case wall) The other thing you have to decide on is the technology! There are 2 prevelent technologies on the market right now. LCD and DLP. Mine is a DLP projector. So I'm a little bias towards that. Each format has it's own pluses and minuses. DLP projects the image through a chip (More expensive models use a 3 chip design, like you see in theaters) using a colorwheel, this makes it suseptible to rainbow affects. Not everyone is affected by them (I'm not) so it's not a problem for most, but some are. Newer units has more segments and faster colorwheels so it's much less of a problem now then in the past. LCD on the otherhand, has had complaints from users about a screen door effect in some type of scenes, they also generally does not offer as high a contrast ratio as a DLP unit, although some do. A lot of places that sell projectors, offer a trial period, I would seek one of them out before you make your decision!! Edit: One other thing is the downside of projectors. The lamp life can be as little as 2000 hours, although a number of them, especially the new ones can be 4000 to 5000 hours. Mine is a 4000 Hour Lamp. This mean if you use it as your regular TV and computer usage, you will likely need to replace the lamp at least once maybe twice per year (I've had mine a year and I'm on my second, and I think it's getting close to my third.) The projector will give you plenty of warning when it's getting close to time to change it. Right now the prices for these lamps are rather steep. They can be upward between $400-$500. A good place to start your search would be here.www.projectorcentral.com

[Guest PhilM]

Good one tf,That looks a great site, I should find any questionanswers there :)

[Guest JELB]

>Thanks JELB,>Do you use it with your computer or TV or both.?Hi,I have a TV card in my PC so yeah, if there's something good on TV I sometimes project it. Truth be told, I don't use the projector all that much. Once a week I'd say. I really like the crispness of my Samsung 17" monitor. If I watch a movie, I use it. I don't watch many movies nowadays though.JELB

[Guest JELB]

>Oh and check the>cost and predicted life of the bulbs. They can be expensive.>The S1 is known to be very reasonable that way. About $250?>for a bulb that should last 2000 hours.>>That's all!>>JELBRe-reading my post gave me a chuckle. $250 for a freaking light bulb isn't expensive!? It's all relative of course. Seems like maybe projector marketing is patterning itself after printer marketing nowadays. Sell the projector (relatively) cheap and soak them for the bulbs.I'm only a little past 1000 hours (of the claimed 2000) and have had the projector nearly two years. You can tell I meant what I said above about not using it much. You might use yours everyday all day though and, if you do, it'll get expensive replacing bulbs.Looking at prices for rear projection televisions - the way they've been falling - it seems maybe they're competing with the now plentiful selection of affordable projectors. For my money, I prefer the latter, though the former do look great sitting in your living room - and they're harder to steal. That reminds me: I came home one day and caught a thief in my apartment. He dropped everything and flew back out the window he'd come through. From what had been gathered up... LCD Monitor, DVDs, MP3 player, digital camera, I'd say he didn't realize the value of the little beauty sitting atop my VHS player. The projector and small and light and would fetch more at a pawn shop than a rather ordinary LCD monitor. Don't count on such ignorance if you're broken into - especially as projectors become more common place.Lastly: do you have a place to project it to? My living room is perfectly suited for it. Many places aren't. Unless you can get the unit back far enough from the wall to create a screen that dwarfs that of TVs, what's the point? For that you'll need eight feet at a minimum I'd say.Happy shopping!:)JELB