1500 to spend - would you go for a 36" WS or a Projector? [Archive]

View Full Version : 1500 to spend - would you go for a 36" WS or a Projector?

Just

06-01-2002, 08:52

I can't see that a projector for that budget is going to be up to it, but I am wondering whether I might regret lashing out 1500 on a 36" WS in a year or two. Should I wait another 6 months and go for a projector instead? Is a projector always going to be better than a 36" taking in to consideration the bulb life etc.

rogeralpine

06-01-2002, 09:55

I just read in the latest What TV/Video that Panasonic are bringing out a new LCD projector for £1800 with a long bulb life with a replacement cost of £140. (I think!!)

The story was in the news pages and Panasoic showed it off to What TV and they reported that they were mightily impressed - it gave an 80inch throw from 2.5 metres:eek: .

I'd certainly check this out - didn't say when they were to review it, but chances are it'll be next month. If the rrp is £1800, you'd probably get it for a bit less online etc.

My brother nearly bought a Panasonic 28 inch widescreen last year for about £900 - they can now be had for £500 (new - less than 12 months later!):eek: I'd be careful with CRT as models - they seem to be replaced frequently and prices drop very quickly - I know that's the same for any electronic gadgets but my RPTV has not dropped by anywhere near the same amount.

The 36" set will provide a fabulous image, but the chances are you'll be hankering for a larger image within a few months. If you've thought about the projector option I presume you've already considered the down side of owning one - set up issues, lamp life - overall generally more awkward to use than a normal TV.

9 months on I'm more than happy with my set, but I know the next upgrade for me will be to a projector. The projector market has changed quite alot and decent budget models are being released as manufacturers realise that there is a market out there for sub £2000 systems.

Philc

06-01-2002, 10:00

I am in a similar situation (at least I will be when I get back in April). I went looking last week at some rear projection TV's and the picture quality just isn't impressive.I then by accident stumbled upon the Loewe Aconda 9381 32" WS 100Hz Beast and the picture quality just blew me away. If it was down to the Tosh 43" VP and the Loewe I would have forked out a bit more for the Loewe.Each to their own really. Have you been to look at any yet?

The Boogerman

06-01-2002, 12:34

Originally posted by rogeralpine
I just read in the latest What TV/Video that Panasonic are bringing out a new LCD projector for £1800 with a long bulb life with a replacement cost of £140. (I think!!)

Don't suppose you know the model number?

Napoleon

06-01-2002, 13:56

My thinking on this,is to have a 36" widescreen for all your general viewing.The picture quality ,ease of use,etc,cannot be matched by a projector.However,for watching dvds i would invest in a 50" plasma,or something like the new LCD rear pro tv Philip are bringing out.I haven't got past the 36",but the theory is good :)

Just

06-01-2002, 15:00

Thanks for the comments guys - good stuff.

I wouldn't consider a plasma - they are just too expensive and the dead pixel thing puts me off too. I also couldn't consider a RPTV as they are just too damn big at the rear. Therefore it comes down to either of these options;

1. Wait a bit and get a projector to compliment a cheap 4:3 TV
2. Wait a bit and get a 36" once the price has dropped a bit and the geo' issues are sorted out a bit (forgetting the projector thought)

I have seen Loewes in action and they do have an incredibly good picture, but I wonder if they are a bit overpriced.

wide_inside

06-01-2002, 15:38

The rear projection sets that I've seen have comparable depth to crt sets. Are they normally much deeper?

wide

AlanCaires

06-01-2002, 17:24

.....yum, and I fancy the Sony HS1 projector....£1800.....see my earlier posts. It seems quite clear from most opinions that a projector is not really the best bet for normal day to day viewing, but certainly worth it for watching DVDs or other movies at home.

See my other thread for the views there.

http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=42265&goto=newpost[/URL]

martyn54

06-01-2002, 18:08

I was thinking about getting a rear projection set, but have just seen the link for the Sony HS1 :cool: Now I know what to do with that wall above the fire.

A couple of questions though;

Do you ' wheel ' it out and connect it to the DVD player.

Does it just sit on a tall stand and is it easy to set up.

I can see the benefit of only watching DVD's but how easy is it to watch TV/sat on it.

I shall probably do a lot of research before making my mind up, but it does look good.

Anybody got a set up, if so can you post your thoughts, thanks

nigel_williams

06-01-2002, 23:18

Depends how far it is from the DVD player... you might need a long S-Viseo cable which you disconnect when not in use.

I saw the HS1 and it's OK, but it is a budget projector. You really need a decent 16x9 projector to get the most from a system and conside bulb life i.e. are you going to be using it all the time for TV etc or just for watching movies? Typical bulb life is 1,000 to 1,500 hours and they can cost over £300 to replace (not sure how much bulbs for the HS1 are).

You'll also need a screen, manual wall/ceiling mounted start at about £300.

I compared the HS1 recently to the Sony VW10 which is a true 16x9 projector and the VW10 is much better, blacks are better and the resolution is noticably higher. If you're lucky, you might pick one up for £3,400 but stocks are low since it's been superceeded.

Try the projector forum: www.avforums.com also.

MikeToone

07-01-2002, 06:48

With that amount of money you could get a 40" RPT.

Jan edition of Home Cinema Choice, Hi-Spek have a sale (Page 52):

Tosh 43VJ13P £1399
Tosh 40PW13B £1449
Tosh 40WH08B £1549

All come with 5 year warranty, Home Delivery, Cabinet and 9 months interest free credit.

minty

07-01-2002, 07:23

RPTVs seem to actually be thinner than CRTs of similar or even smaller size.

My 43 incher is much lighter and quite a bit thinner than my old 28 inch CRT.

Oh and you should be able to get a 43 inch RPTV for ~£1100 (see the RPTV threads) albeit not likely to have the 5 year warranty.

martyn54

07-01-2002, 18:05

Originally posted by nigel_williams
Depends how far it is from the DVD player... you might need a long S-Viseo cable which you disconnect when not in use.

I saw the HS1 and it's OK, but it is a budget projector. You really need a decent 16x9 projector to get the most from a system and conside bulb life i.e. are you going to be using it all the time for TV etc or just for watching movies? Typical bulb life is 1,000 to 1,500 hours and they can cost over £300 to replace (not sure how much bulbs for the HS1 are).

You'll also need a screen, manual wall/ceiling mounted start at about £300.

I compared the HS1 recently to the Sony VW10 which is a true 16x9 projector and the VW10 is much better, blacks are better and the resolution is noticably higher. If you're lucky, you might pick one up for £3,400 but stocks are low since it's been superceeded.

Try the projector forum: www.avforums.com also.

Thanks for you reply Nigel.

I don't really want to pay £4000 for a 1st. system. All though it would be nice. I was only looking at paying £1300 for a rear projection TV and selling my Sony 32" to help pay for it. Now it looks like I will be keeping it and getting a projector set up for watching DVD's

I have had a look at the avforums and got a lot of info, cheers.

I noticed your posts on there, looks like you will be going for the newer Sony:)

What were you thought's on the HS1 in general. Were you impressed with it.

The Boogerman

07-01-2002, 19:00

Martyn,

Might be worthwhile hanging on to see what happens with the model rogeralpine mentioned earlier in the thread. The Panasonic TH-AE100 is soon to be realeased for £1800, but if the price drops as quickly as the HS1, it should soon be closer to your budget. Compares well to the Sony. Sony 60" from 2.5m, 2000hours from £150 bulb. Panasonic 80" from 2.5m, 5000 from £140 bulb. With the on going running costs the Panasonic has to be a contender for permanently replacing your TV (providing the image quality is good). Start reading up now, and don't rush into things.

martyn54

07-01-2002, 22:41

Originally posted by The Boogerman
Martyn,

Might be worthwhile hanging on to see what happens with the model rogeralpine mentioned earlier in the thread. The Panasonic TH-AE100 is soon to be realeased for £1800, but if the price drops as quickly as the HS1, it should soon be closer to your budget. Compares well to the Sony. Sony 60" from 2.5m, 2000hours from £150 bulb. Panasonic 80" from 2.5m, 5000 from £140 bulb. With the on going running costs the Panasonic has to be a contender for permanently replacing your TV (providing the image quality is good). Start reading up now, and don't rush into things.

Panasonic one could be an interesting alternative, dosen't look as nice though:)

If you only need to replace the bulb every 5000 hrs, it could be used for watching TV. That would be strange, no TV in the house :nuts:

Start reading up now, and don't rush into things.

I have found out so much info in the last 24hrs,it is making me dizzy :)

Thanks for your advice.

nigel_williams

08-01-2002, 09:33

I noticed your posts on there, looks like you will be going for the newer Sony:)

What were you thought's on the HS1 in general. Were you impressed with it.

I've pretty much decided that the Sony VW11 is the way to go. I've found a supplier that will do one for £3,900 but there are a lot of new projectors coming onto the market. I'm tempted to wait and see what's available at the upcoming Hi-Fi show in Bristol at the end of February.

As for the HS1, I had a quick demo in the local Sony Centre on a small screen and I thought it was pretty good. Not the kind of setup which will show up it's flaws though.

As a budget projector, it's very good, certainly good for TV, sports or PS/2 games etc. As a home cinema projector with widescreen 1:2.35, you start to notice jagged edges on sharp diagonals - I was using Starship Troopers (for the dark space scenes to check black levels) and Toy Story 2.

The VW11 is almost 3 times the price so it will be a much better projector. The only way to be sure is to get a demo of the HS1. Make sure the room is lit in a similar way to your own and take your own DVD to test. Try some dark scenes as that tests LCD projectors.

Good luck!

AlanCaires

08-01-2002, 10:41

I think this post was to address the needs of those people who have about £1500 to spend, but could possibly fork out a little more if they could get a reasonable picture with a setup that would give them a HUGE screen......

Those people who have £3000+ wouldn't be interested in this kind of gear, so I don't see the advantage of mentioning it here.....

Thanks to all the people who advise about the HS1, and other budget setups....

I think it's wonderful that those of us in the "budget" end of the market have the opportunity to discuss which 5 foot picture we'd like on our living room walls........

martyn54

08-01-2002, 13:22

The only way to be sure is to get a demo of the HS1. Make sure the room is lit in a similar way to your own and take your own DVD to test. Try some dark scenes as that tests LCD projectors.

I live in the sticks and there are no demo rooms for 60 miles :( So I have to rely on other people's comments.

How would you wire it up to watch TV, would it be through a VCR or/and a digi box? I suppose that's the only way.

Problem then wiring it in, as mine would have to sit in the middle of the room, which is ok to watch a DVD because then you can put it away after.

Why is nothing simple?

nigel_williams

08-01-2002, 16:14

Originally posted by martyn54

I live in the sticks and there are no demo rooms for 60 miles :( So I have to rely on other people's comments.

How would you wire it up to watch TV, would it be through a VCR or/and a digi box? I suppose that's the only way.

Problem then wiring it in, as mine would have to sit in the middle of the room, which is ok to watch a DVD because then you can put it away after.

Why is nothing simple?

Projectors are traditionally more complex as you need to run cables to them and they work best with a dedicated screen. Ceiling or wall mounting is probably the best solution but again you do have to consider how the signal is going to get there from the source (DVD/Video etc). I'm still not sure how I'm going to set mine up!

The HS1 has been designed specifically for home setups as it can be placed to the side of the screen as it has horizontal and vertical keystone adjustments. Temporary setups on a coffee table for watching movies or playing games are OK, check the brochure on the Sony website.

As for watching TV, a simple composite output would probably suffice. Digital digibox needs to go via S-Video, DVD via component for best results. I don't know how many inputs the HS1 has, I only tried it with DVD via S-Video.

Just

08-01-2002, 16:37

One solution would be to video switch through the amp and then run a single S-Video cable to the projector. This would mean compromising on the DVD signal though and depends on your amp having full S-Video switching.

Napoleon

08-01-2002, 21:41

martyn54

09-01-2002, 19:03

Well I have gone for the Sony HS1 after checking all the reviews and info of various forums it seamed to be the best one for the money. I was going to wait for the new Panasonic but I'm an impatient person and I was slowly convincing myself to go for the £4000+ Sony :eek:

I will let you know how it goes as I am sure I will be asking for some advice on how to set it up.

Thanks everyone for your help and good luck in your venture Just.