Foolish q's?

Dak

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Hi

On the fence between 42" Plasma and a projector. Had a Plasma until the divorce...........couple of q's if anyone can help:

How much difference does a good (£) screen make?
Can a screen be hung with nothing behind it? I have a large doorway between the lounge and the dining room and would like to fix an electric screen over the doorway to drop down into the gap. Will this be a problem? Centre speaker will have to go above the door as well I guess.

What is this I hear about a bluetooth (ie no cable) enabled projector? Who does it/is it any good.

Finally, to repeat a q I have posted elsewhere: Can anyone recc a dealer in the london area to compare different projectors (pref against a plasma as well). Doesn't matter if they aren't the cheapest - I can always find somwhere else to get it after deciding!!

Thanks
D
 
I can always find somwhere else to get it after deciding!!
Not a very enlightened attitude towards dealers - how would you feel if you'd spent 3 hours doing a demo and then the customer said "Great, thanks - I'll be off now, to buy product xxx online - toodle pip!"

Re bluetooth PJs - not seen much about them, but I'd say they will be (initially) aimed at the data projector side rather than home cinema.

I'd be tempted to go phantom centre rather than having a centre above the screen - I'd think that would give a better soundstage.

Can't see a reason why you can't drop a screen down over a doorway - you might like to fix up something to secure it once down to avoid swaying, though if the sides of the screen reach either side of the doorway that should be minimal.

One thing with a PJ - IMO it's not a replacement for a TV - daytime viewing isn't ideal, and certain TV programs would be rather scary at that size!!

HTH
 
Maybe not enlightened towards dealers but enlightened towards my wallet. Afraid this is my first duty. Probably be demo'ing in dept store anyway so not wasting time of specialists. Of course if I come across a specialist that is better than I have already been to then they can have my money. I am loyal to my Hi-Fi dealer but unfortunately he doesn't do AV at the mo.

I shall of course give them the opportunity to price match.

What / how is a phantom centre? Fronts will be Linn Keilidhs either side of the doorway, rears M&K K4's and Uncle Eric will be getting me a sub. I have a Kef Q100 centre at the mo but not a huge fan - just sounds unnatural somehow. (Arnie didn't sound like that when we had dinner the other day...........!!!!!).

Cheers
Dak
 
Can a screen be hung with nothing behind it? I have a large doorway between the lounge and the dining room and would like to fix an electric screen over the doorway to drop down into the gap. Will this be a problem? Centre speaker will have to go above the door as well I guess.

This is exactly what I do. Front LCR are M&K S85s with centre above screen. L&R are mounted high on wall on vertical centreline of screen and all three angled down to point at listening position with distances taken care of by timings in amp. Not ideal but it works well enough.

Screen covers half of doorway when down.

As Uncle Eric said to me a few months ago "Nearly all installations are a compromise".
 
BlueTooth is still in its infancy. It isn't quick enough for wireless video transfer yet. This may improve with the new higher bandwidth version but all the focus of R&D is concentrated on data presentations, not video.

Hanging a screen in front of a doorway (or window) won't be a problem other than it swaying in the breeze. Just make sure there's no light from behind, or the screen has a backing material that blocks light.

As for demos, I think you'll find the projectors in department stores poorly set-up by comparison to a specialist dealer. As such, I wouldn't trust a dept store demo to give me the best impression of a projector in the same way that you wouldn't audition speakers whilst standing on a busy shop floor. Each needs the right conditions to give its best. Set-up is just as important with projectors as with good Hi-Fi.

A good dealer can add 10 or 20% extra performance to a product by understanding how to set it up. What value you place on that knowledge is up to you. :)

Regards
 
"phantom centre" - the processor splits the audio for the centre channel between the two front speakers (there will be a setting for "no center" in the processor's setup menu). I do this with my setup (Shaninian Arc fronts) and it works well - I've also heard Shockabuku's Sonus Fabers running like this.

I'm doing it for several reasons:
Not sure what centre would match the Arcs
Following on from that... cost
Aesthetics - one less speaker in yer face!

Certainly worth a try....
 
The Bluetooth enabled PJ is a Sharp product, designed for the home. I heard of it through a friend in Tokyo who has got one. Evidently it works very well.

KX-Z90 I think he said, but I may have that all wrong. Another wire gone anyway. He is also using a wireless speaker technology based on DECT (the digital home 'phone system) that sounds very good. That and the fact that the whole block is Wi-Fi enabled broadband makes me feel like we are still in the dark ages !!

Anyway, thatnks for the help guys.....
 
My screen drops down over folding doors between L and dining room, no probs as long as the kids don't get too excited, and cause a lot of draughts. My centre sits on a home made stand when watching on screen, I move it from the TV stand, shove the TV through the door, and position the stand in the bolt holes for the doors. Like they say, every installation is a compromise, unless you finances are beyond compromise of course.

BTW does bluetooth have the bandwidth for XGA video? Sounds iffy to me.
 
don't forget you can play the loyalty game the other way round too.

Get a demo at a specialist, find your cheapest price online and print the page. Buy at the specialist with a barclaycard, then claim the difference back with their price promise. Fairly painless operation, the dealer gets the reward for their service, you get the online price - jobs a goodun.
 
Re Barclaycard.....not heard of this, must have a look at their website.

Do they honour the promise?
 

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