What projector should i get? (1 Viewer)

[OscarAlvermalm]

Hello! I'm looking for a new projector, I currently have a Liesegang dv 245 so it's around 15 years old and it works great but the fan is very loud and the picture quality is not the greatest so I think it is time to upgrade to something greater. I have a small dark room that i use it in with a throwing distance of around 2-2,3m. What would you guys recommend? Looking to spend around 1000-1500$, is 4K possible? anything special that i need to think about?

 

[John Dirk]

Hello! I'm looking for a new projector, I currently have a Liesegang dv 245 so it's around 15 years old and it works great but the fan is very loud and the picture quality is not the greatest so I think it is time to upgrade to something greater. I have a small dark room that i use it in with a throwing distance of around 2-2,3m. What would you guys recommend? Looking to spend around 1000-1500$, is 4K possible? anything special that i need to think about?

Welcome. You won't find a native 4K projector anywhere near that price range but the good news is you probably don't need one. There are varying opinions , of course, but most agree the true value of 4K is more in the HDR [High Dynamic Range] features than in the actual pixels. There are some great deals in what we colloquially call the faux K market. If you're OK with a DLP model [limited placement options, rainbow effect] then I would take a look at the Optima UHD60. It's slightly above your stated maximum but probably still worth a look. In the 3-LCD world you'll likely have to spend a bit more but Epson has some affordable models worth a look such as the Home Cinema 3800.

I wouldn't rule out 1080P in your situation either. A nice 1080P model would be a significant upgrade over your Liesegang dv 245 and those can be had for VERY affordable prices on the used market.

 

[DaveF]

For these sorts of shopping decisions, I think The Wirecutter is a great resource.
There are a few sub-$1000 HD projectors recommended.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cheap-projector/

If you're going for 4K, you can find some models under $3000, and even an older 4K (faux-K) model near $1500 on sale. But be sure to read the reviews to understand the compromises.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/an-awesome-projector/

 

[John Sparks]

Epson 5040 and its newer model 5050.

 

[OscarAlvermalm]

Welcome. You won't find a native 4K projector anywhere near that price range but the good news is you probably don't need one. There are varying opinions , of course, but most agree the true value of 4K is more in the HDR [High Dynamic Range] features than in the actual pixels. There are some great deals in what we colloquially call the faux K market. If you're OK with a DLP model [limited placement options, rainbow effect] then I would take a look at the Optima UHD60. It's slightly above your stated maximum but probably still worth a look. In the 3-LCD world you'll likely have to spend a bit more but Epson has some affordable models worth a look such as the Home Cinema 3800.

I wouldn't rule out 1080P in your situation either. A nice 1080P model would be a significant upgrade over your Liesegang dv 245 and those can be had for VERY affordable prices on the used market.

how can you tell if it's real 4k or not? because on different websites i can find projectors that have a standard resolution of 2160p which is 4k right? for example: https://www.elgiganten.se/product/t...ktorduk/131640/benq-cineprime-w2700-projektor and is it a huge difference between the real 4k or the " faux K "?

 

[OscarAlvermalm]

For these sorts of shopping decisions, I think The Wirecutter is a great resource.
There are a few sub-$1000 HD projectors recommended.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cheap-projector/

If you're going for 4K, you can find some models under $3000, and even an older 4K (faux-K) model near $1500 on sale. But be sure to read the reviews to understand the compromises.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/an-awesome-projector/

How do i i know if its true 4k or not? because several projectors have 2160p in their description which is 4k if im not completely wrong? example: https://www.elgiganten.se/product/t...ktorduk/131640/benq-cineprime-w2700-projektor

 

[DaveF]

On manufacturer websites, you can look at the whether it notes having 1080p chips, or using eShift or interpolation or some other indication of an up-sampled 4K reproduction. Or does it list a native 4K or UHD resolution Major brands like JVC and Epson tend to be pretty up front about this.

That Benq is native 4k.
https://www.benq.eu/en-eu/projector/cineprime-home-cinema/w2700.html
https://homecinemachoice.com/content/benq-cineprime-w2700-4k-hdr-projector-review

Its trade-off is it's DLP. Some people don't care for that, but some people think it's a great technology for projectors.

 

[OscarAlvermalm]

On manufacturer websites, you can look at the whether it notes having 1080p chips, or using eShift or interpolation or some other indication of an up-sampled 4K reproduction. Or does it list a native 4K or UHD resolution Major brands like JVC and Epson tend to be pretty up front about this.

That Benq is native 4k.
https://www.benq.eu/en-eu/projector/cineprime-home-cinema/w2700.html
https://homecinemachoice.com/content/benq-cineprime-w2700-4k-hdr-projector-review

Its trade-off is it's DLP. Some people don't care for that, but some people think it's a great technology for projectors.

i don't really know what DLP is.. is it something that one would want? I just want a good projector with good resolution and not too much fan noise

 

[DaveF]

i don't really know what DLP is.. is it something that one would want? I just want a good projector with good resolution and not too much fan noise

It has a spinning color wheel. Some people are sensitive to that, and percent the rainbow effect (RBE) -- similar to how some people are sensitive to 60Hz flicker from fluorescent lights.
That review says,

Crafting colour is a six-segment RGBRGB colour wheel, which I found does a good job suppressing that old DLP bugbear rainbow fringing. At no point did I feel I was seeing the characteristic DLP trait.

If you can demo one, that's best. I've not looked at modern DLP projectors in several years so I can't comment on whether this is still an issue.

 

[OscarAlvermalm]

It has a spinning color wheel. Some people are sensitive to that, and percent the rainbow effect (RBE) -- similar to how some people are sensitive to 60Hz flicker from fluorescent lights.
That review says,


If you can demo one, that's best. I've not looked at modern DLP projectors in several years so I can't comment on whether this is still an issue.

I do have a home theater store in my town so i can go there and look at stuff. But any recommendations on what to look for and what to avoid? unecessary things etc? just so the salesmen doesn't scam me

 

[DaveF]

Read reviews to learn what people care about and watch for.

Look for a projector that looks good to you. Demo movies and TV show clips that you know well. Don't have the sound on, to avoid being biased by and good/bad receiver unrelated to the projectors.

Understand that every demo you get at a big box store is limited. The lighting is wrong. They're uncalibrated. Projectors have unknown settings, zoom and focus, HDR settings, etc. that skew the appearance and make real A/B comparisons unreliable. The lighting and screens are completely different from what you have in your home.

Unless you personally know the salesman is an expert I home theater, ignore everything a salesman says about how projector X is the best or the most popular or has the best features. Big-box store sales people are, in my experience, just running from brochure training by hardware sales reps. They're consistently wrong or misleading in what they say (and not maliciously so, they're just earning a paycheck, but aren't enthusiasts and really understand the tech).

 

[John Dirk]

Epson 5040 and its newer model 5050.

Both of these are above his stated budget but I agree, a used 5040 might also be worth a look.

It has a spinning color wheel. Some people are sensitive to that, and percent the rainbow effect (RBE) -- similar to how some people are sensitive to 60Hz flicker from fluorescent lights.
That review says,

Aside from the rainbow effect you also have to be very careful with DLP projectors due to limited placement options. 3-LCD projectors tend to have either manual or motorized lens shift which allows for off axis installations where necessary. DLP projectors generally don't. This may or may not be an issue in your ( @OscarAlvermalm ) room but you'll need to understand it and do the math before purchasing one.

do have a home theater store in my town so i can go there and look at stuff. But any recommendations on what to look for and what to avoid? unecessary things etc? just so the salesmen doesn't scam me

I think the consensus of what you're hearing here is "purchasing a projector is a serious decision." It requires research and proper planning. Before you ever visit a showroom you should already know more than the average salesperson. In my opinion this is true with any major purchase but especially for projectors.