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Need Recommendation for a Projector (1 Viewer)

Jonathan Halpy

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Hello All,

First time posting in a LONG time. Need some advice on a small projector for a small bedroom. Lol.

The situation is that I will place a projector on a shelf about 7 feet away from a white wall. The wall area to project upon is about 40 inches.

I want a smart projector with Netflix etc apps. Will also plug a cable box into the projector for tv/HBO etc. I’m living in Europe so my options are somewhat limited but can always buy something abroad.

Any thoughts? LMK if more info needed!! Thanks for reading!

JH

PS do I need a projector with Zoom? I am a little unclear on how to adjust image size. First projector!
 
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Jim517

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Hello All,

First time posting in a LONG time. Need some advice on a small projector for a small bedroom. Lol.

The situation is that I will place a projector on a shelf about 7 feet away from a white wall. The wall area to project upon is about 40 inches.

I want a smart projector with Netflix etc apps. Will also plug a cable box into the projector for tv/HBO etc. I’m living in Europe so my options are somewhat limited but can always buy something abroad.

Any thoughts? LMK if more info needed!! Thanks for reading!

JH

PS do I need a projector with Zoom? I am a little unclear on how to adjust image size. First projector!

You should post this in the TV/Projector section. A projector for an image less than 40"? Why would you not buy a TV?
 

Jonathan Halpy

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You should post this in the TV/Projector section. A projector for an image less than 40"? Why would you not buy a TV?

Oops sorry the forum menu was not the easiest. Hopefully it can be moved.

There isn’t enough room in front of the bed for a tv, cable box, etc. if we install a shelf there you will have to contort to get around it.

Jh
 

Jim517

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I would not waste my money on a projector if I was in your situation. That's assuming there is one that will even work with that tiny image size and throw distance.

Can you mount a TV on that wall, and a shelf above it or next to it, for the components?
 

Jonathan Halpy

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There really isn’t enough room to wall mount the tv.

Truth be told there is more than 40” for the viewing area. It will more likely be 50-55”

JH
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Even for 50-55", makes more sense to just wall mount a flat panel display... unless you actually need it to be portable and/or easily hidden away (and likely not used very regularly) like that LG one you looked up.

Using a projector involves all sorts of compromises and/or setup criteria you might not be prepared for in such a room, but people accept in order to get a very large, theater-like image (think more like 100"-plus diagonal).

_Man_
 

Josh Steinberg

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As a counter argument to this...

Back when flat panels were massively expensive, I had a tiny bedroom and no space for anything larger than a 20" CRT, and for me at that time, a small projector ended up being the perfect solution. I think I had a 72" screen.

It's an unconventional solution to a space issue, but I think the concept is sound.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that projectors make noise. You don't necessarily want to have a little noisemaking box right by your head when you're watching stuff. And PJs aren't the best in daytime environments, need replacement bulbs, etc. So if you go that route you are signing up for something more complicated than "plug in and play". But it's not the craziest concept I've ever heard.

Edit: but with how much flat panels have dropped in the 12 years since I tried my physics-defying workaround, I'm not sure I'd try it again.
 
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DaveF

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Why are you intent on a projector for a 40” display? Projectors are good compromises for getting a 100” or larger screen. For 40” to 60”, a direct display will always be cheaper and easier and better.
 

Jonathan Halpy

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I appreciate all the feedback. What I guess I have not been able to convey is the lack of available space where the tv would go. We’re not keen to install a shelf that we would have to contort around also. A projected image seems elegant while saving space.

The screen size would be more like 55” than 40” upon further review.

JH
 

Justin Adelson

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I think the important piece of information everyone is missing here is that his room is only 7' x 3.5 feet. To put this in perspective, a twin bed is about 3.1' x 6.25'; this guy only has 0.4' of available space (see crappy drawing below).
Me thinks he wants to put this projector over his bed on a shelf and throw the image on the other side of his tiny tiny closet...I mean bedroom.

I do not disagree with most of the guys on this thread - you ARE better off getting a cheap smart tv and mounting it on the wall. You can get a little creative as to where you mount the cable box and use an extra long hdmi cable. However if you are hell-bent on getting a projector, there are some options; here is an article from CNet; some of these are in the $400 to $600 range: https://www.cnet.com/topics/tvs/best-tvs/projectors/

Update/edit: even if he has 50" of viewing space, that is still only another foot of space he'll have on the side of his bed.
 
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Jonathan Halpy

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It’s true. We have 25” of space between the bed and wall.

It’s funny - my interior designer loves this idea but you guys are uniformly against it. It’s curious. BTW I never said that price was a consideration. The LG projector at $850 seems reasonable to keep the room uncluttered.

To me the tv, shelf, cable box, cables, etc bring a lot of clutter to a very small walking space. The projector enables a completely clutter free walking space with a truly invisible tv when you don’t want it on. A hidden tv so to speak.

I do appreciate all the feedback though! The room is long but not wide. Unfortunately the closet has to stay where it is on one side of the room so we can’t change the bed position.

JH
 

Josh Steinberg

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Hi Jonathan, I'm not necessarily as against it as everyone else here since I've basically done it before - but I did it at a time when TVs were a helluva lot bulkier than they are today. A modern TV in 2018 is about the same thickness as my projector screen was back in 2006, so the space savings doesn't seem as significant now as it did then.

I'm not sure if you've considered some of these factors that I'm about to mention (and they're by no means insurmountable, it's just a matter of preference), but I think these are worth thinking about before making a decision. Ultimately, you have to do what works best for you, and if you love the idea and none of the below strike you as obstacles, there's nothing wrong with getting a projector!

1. A projector is general a display device only. Most do not have speakers built in, and for the ones that do, you would probably still want external speakers because what's built in usually isn't of very good quality. When running a projector setup, generally you need the projector for the image, separate speakers for the audio, and then a receiver to plug the speakers and all of your input devices into. From there, you'd generally run a connection from the receiver to the projector to output the video signal. It's usually not as simple as plugging a cable box into an old fashioned television set and being good to go.

2. Projector bulbs last a finite amount of time, generally about 2000 hours, though the quality of the image can degrade before hitting that mark. Replacement bulbs for most projectors are generally $300-$500. So, unlike a TV where you buy it once and you're good for the TV's life, the projector will require new bulbs throughout the course of its life.

3. Projectors aren't meant to be turned on and off the way you'd use a TV. They require a warm-up and cool-down period. It's not a huge amount of time or anything, but turning the projector on and off repeatedly in a short period of time can shorten the length of the bulb significantly. A projector isn't really meant, for example, to be turned on for a half hour, turned off for a half hour, and then turned back on again, the way you might do with a television set.

4. The projector itself makes noise when on. The amount of noise varies from unit to unit, but if you have it hanging right over your head, you will most likely hear it when watching anything. How much of an issue this is for you is more a matter of preference and sensitivity rather than "right or wrong".

5. Projectors work best in a completely light controlled environment. If your room is completely dark, this won't be an issue for you, but any amount of light in the room will affect how the image looks. While daytime viewing is possible, it generally won't look as good as a television would in the same lighting conditions.

6. My experience with "smart apps" built into display devices is that they never work as advertised and never last as long as the device.


I think my primary concern has to do with the idea that you were looking at a projector as a way to reduce clutter. My wife would argue that my living room projector has done nothing but add clutter to the room because of the need for a receiver and external speakers and HDMI cables and speaker wire to connect it all. (I'd argue that I did a reasonably good job of hiding most of those things, but there's only so much you can do.)

What would your plan be for speakers? Would you be aiming for a 5.1 surround setup, or a 2.0 stereo setup? If space in the screen area is an issue, where would you place the speakers? It's generally preferred to have the speakers as close to the screen as possible so that it appears the sound is coming from the same place as the image - if you have to put speakers to the sides or to the rear instead, that might not give the desired result.

Ultimately, I think all home theater setups involve compromises, it's just a matter of what your priorities are and what things you can live with and what things you can't.

On the other hand, if you do go the flat panel TV route, you can get a TV that's about an inch thick and mount it directly to the wall - it won't require a shelf and for all intents and purposes will simply be a part of the wall. You could then run an HDMI cable either on the floor or against the wall to the shelf you have in the back of the room, where the cable box and other devices reside. The positives to this approach (in my view) would be that you'd end up with a television that worked in all lighting conditions, and you'd have your sound coming from the same space as the display.

Hope this makes sense... by all means, if there's anything else I can share from my previous experience trying this, please feel free to ask :)
 

DaveF

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It’s funny - my interior designer loves this idea but you guys are uniformly against it. It’s curious.
Interior decorators are the reason people have TVs over fireplaces. And TVs in corners with ceiling speakers square to the room.

Interior decorators are never to be trusted with AV hardware. :)
 

DaveF

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1) TV on flush wall mount. (You want to get fancy, cut into the wall and embed the TV for a flush style; bonus points for routing power and having in-wall shelves for cable box.)

2) Install a shelf on opposite wall for projector and cable box. (Bonus points for integrating shelf and cabling into decor to hide it) (Double bonus points if you get a screen or even paint the wall with good “projector” paint)


It’s up to your taste which looks better aesthetically in the room. The TV will have the better image. Audio is probably better too, if only because the sound will be roughly at ear level and from the image, rather than above and behind you. If cost isn’t an issue, then you can get a 55” 4K TV, and maybe have $300 leftover compared to the cost of the HD projector. (I have a projector. I’m not down on them. But I think they’re a poor compromise for small viewing.)

In either case, you need to figure out power outlet locations, power cord routing, cable TV outlet, cable TV cable routing, and cabling from cable box to display device.
 

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