projector vs. tv on a $2500 budget.

[Amit426]

Any recommendations for a media/movie room we have in our new house? It's about 15' x 20' room and I have a budget of about $2500. I was going to settle on a 4K 75" TV purely because I don't know much about the quality and results of 4k projectors and if I can even get one for $2-3k. Also, is there specific screen type I should get?

My media room is currently wired for both projector and media closet or TV for the wall.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[budwich]

well IF you are hoping for a 4k projector anytime soon for $3K, it ain't happening as there hasn't even been any released at all... which means first releases of any product are going to be ^^^^^^.... more likely between $5-10K at best.

Just to correct this, there are some 4k projectors released currently but all are over $5k.

 

[Amit426]

well IF you are hoping for a 4k projector anytime soon for $3K, it ain't happening as there hasn't even been any released at all... which means first releases of any product are going to be ^^^^^^.... more likely between $5-10K at best.

Thanks! Yeah, clearly I haven't done any research. I guess I'd trade off size for resolution but with a much larger screen is getting to that high of a resolution really necessary?

Thanks!

 

[budwich]

It actually really dependent on your seating position from the screen. IF you are the "appropriate" distance from the screen (projection), then a good 1080 projector will be a good "deal" because it gives you "effect" (size) that most people would look at for the "movie experience". A 75in panel is "big" but would be like only give you the "theater experience" IF you are sitting close and hence the need for some improved resolution.

You probably need to look at your expectations along with viewing "enjoyment" to determine the direction. I have a 720p projector on a 92in wide screen sitting at about 12-14 feet. It is fine for "movie experience". I have a 60 dlp rear projection screen for "other times" / general viewing. Both have their purpose and both were within your 3k limit total. There are aspects of projection systems that some people need to get use to, like controlling / restricting light, room aspects (paint), etc. Further a 75 in flat screen will also present itself with "issues" (mostly reflection). So both need to be considered carefully for you to get the most enjoyment out of your investment. I would suggest you go with the 4k panel potentially first and possibly a "lightly used" projector to experience the experience... then if you like it, by that time perhaps a 4k projector will be more economically available in the market place.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

Go with a projector and screen. I would personally wait for 4k until it's more mainstream. You can get 4k blu rays for the same price as a 1080 blu ray, but that 4k blu ray also includes the 1080 blu ray discs, so you can easily start building a 4k collection now, without having to worry about purchasing the same movie again in the future.

A 75" TV may seem big, but it really isn't judging by your room size. And, the DLP projectors don't have a problem known as "screen door effect". They also have the fastest response time in any display type right now, down to about 15 microseconds. This means that there will be absolutely no ghosting, ever. This makes for a perfect 3D watching experience, TV's aren't even close in terms of "sharpness" if you will, in that area.

I'm a movie enthusiast, and I just went out and bought the Optoma HD141X. It's a $549.99 projector, 1080p 3D. The important part is the screen. Buying a $2000 projector is bad if the screen is not very good. If you have full control of the light, or nearly full control, as in no light sources are directly going to bounce on the image, then go with a projector.

I'm 8 feet away from a 78" projector screen, and when watching movies it's too small, it was too big for approx. 2 days. That's because blu rays crop 30% of the image due to the black bars.

With all of that said, I highly recommend buying a TV which has got HDR, if you're going for 4k, as that's the main reason to upgrade, no because of the resolution. At the end of the day, you should try both at a store or something if possible, because you won't know what you want until you try it.

However, nothing can simulate being at the movie theater better than watching on a projector and screen, not just because of the size.

For the record, a very popular projector called W1070, is going to give you about 150" screen at 15~ feet, ~12 feet if you use the optical zoom. That's 4x more screen area than a 75", that's a 10,8 feet wide image.



All the best!