Tv or projector for £1000 ish budget

sparkie1984

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Morning guys,

For the above budget could I get a half decent projector set up or would I be best going for a new tv?

I'm in a rented house so cannot make major changes to the house

Can you stand a projector or must it be ceiling mounted?

Any advice greatly appreciated :)
 
You can put a projector on a stand

Will you still have a tv if you get a projector as you need both
As most of your viewing will be on the tv , you also have to consider what you will do for sound ,
 
It depends what you intend to do with the tv/projector.If you want to use a projector like a tv to watch 4-8hrs a day for watching regular tv programmes and switch on and off frequently get a tv.

If you want to use for films/sports/gaming with a bit of regular tv thrown in and use for 3-4 hrs a day without switching on and of a pj is fine.

You can mount a pj on a low table or stand and you can use the wall as a screen or get a pull up stand that is free standing so no holes need drilling.

Don't forget you will need a sound system as most projectors have no sound built in and those that do have 1 speaker with 10 watt max output so at least a basic sound system needs allowing for unless you already have one.

So for a £1000 can you do it, just about

Projector: £650 will get you a Optoma HD200x 1080p projector
Screen: the wall is free or a pull up screen for around £100-£150
Sound: Basic 5.1 sound system £250

You will need a video source so what do you have now, PS3 for gaming/bluray,SKYHD or freeview HD for tv?
 
Hi guys, are they not suitable for full time use then?

I was going to get one and move the 50" plasma upstairs to my man room for my Xbox.

So the projector would be used for blurays, films from apple tv and sky hd

Oh and sorry forgot to say I currently have a Sony strda2400 receiver sorting out the sound aspect
 
As others have alluded to, they aren't really ideal for long term everyday TV watching. The picture will not be great on SD cable/satellite channels....especially the lower quality ones.

The bulb will likely die much quicker than if you just use it for film watching too.....if you watch a lot of TV then you could be notching up 60+ hours a week.....this will still last a reasonable amount of time, but you will be foking out for an expensive bulb quicker than you think.

If you have the surround system already, you might do well to go for the HD600 as KB recommended and project on the wall - I have done this with a magnolia wall and it does work.....save up for a screen at a later date, or when you are in property you can do more too, and then spend the rest of the budget on a cheap 32" TV for everyday viewing.

I used to use my old projector on a coffee table against the wall and was very happy with it.

Check out Projector Point website for their screen size calculator to see if you can manage in your room with a low shelf/coffee table to the wall.
 
thanks everyone, maybe I am better off investing the money into a new tv for now and look at a projector once more if I can ever save enough for a mortgage.

Thanks for all your advice
 
I have recently moved away from the best plasma - pioneer 5090.

I got a half decent price for it so didn't have to lay out to much extra for the new epson 6000

It will be used for all viewing and it could be I think Will average 30 to 40 hours - maybe less if you take holidays into consideration by my calculations will be way over 2 years before I need to worry about a bulb

I have it table mounted onto a painted just now until my fixed screen arrives at it all looks fantastic

Some sd channels do look a bit dodgy but 90% of my viewing is hd which im stunned with, I'd I'd of known how good a pj could be I'd have had one much sooner!
 
If that is 30-40hrs a week the magic of watching on a large screen will fade IMO.

Best kept for movies sport and games,Corrie the news and general tv is a waste and takes away the magic from watching your favourite stuff.

Get a smallish tv to watch general stuff on and watch your eyes light up when you watch the better stuff on the pj.You are running the danger of ruining the good stuff, you need variation of quality in all things to appreciate the exceptional.
 
Absolutely Keith. :thumbsup:

If you mostly watch films that are 2.35:1 format, then you can further distance your projector viewing from your everyday TV viewing by getting a 2.35:1 screen. When I watch a film on my projector it's quite a different experience with the big 'scope screen that it feels like a special occasion. But even before I got a scope screen keeping the projector for films (or maybe special sporting events) made it more of an occasion that watching everything on it would have diminished.
 
I have a small tv built into one of the units in the kitchen i will use now and then when cooking and sometimes i use my ipad to view contant in the bedroom.

The living room is the viewing room and i cant justify having 2 tv's and wanted a fixed screen as i think pull down ones look naff and cheap.

So, whilst i see your point i think it will be a long time before the effect wears of for me if ever.

30-40 ours is probably an over estimate to. Really hard to tell as it depends whats happening in a week.

I might not get near it some but other when im on leave might be some all day viewing.
 
The living room is the viewing room and i cant justify having 2 tv's and wanted a fixed screen as i think pull down ones look naff and cheap.

Trick here is to hide an electric screen in a pelmet...then it doesn't look cheap or naff.;) Having a fixed screen in a living room isn't going to win approval from many SWIMBOs I reckon, so not everyone can get away with doing that, dedicated room maybe, but not living room.
 
Having a fixed screen in a living room isn't going to win approval from many SWIMBOs I reckon, so not everyone can get away with doing that, dedicated room maybe, but not living room.

Yes, for some strange reason, Mrs TG wasn't at all keen when I suggested painting lounge ceiling & walls a nice shade of matt black! :nono:
 
thanks everyone, maybe I am better off investing the money into a new tv for now and look at a projector once more if I can ever save enough for a mortgage.

Thanks for all your advice

Sparkie1984

I have alaways used mine about 60/40 % in favour of the projector. I can say I never tire of the novelty!

I thought you would be after the Epson TW3200...:)
 
Yes, for some strange reason, Mrs TG wasn't at all keen when I suggested painting lounge ceiling & walls a nice shade of matt black! :nono:

You mean you dared to ask...I'm proud of you and a little in awe. ;) :D Though some might wonder how I get away with putting up a tent in the living room. :D
 
Sparkie1984

I have alaways used mine about 60/40 % in favour of the projector. I can say I never tire of the novelty!

I thought you would be after the Epson TW3200...:)

Hi Phil, hope you and family are doing ok mate :)

Is that what you have had?

Argh I am in turmoil now then.

The walls in my place are magnolia and it has semi decent blackout curtains so is not pitch black but dark on a sunny day.

What I am worrying about is the mrs into going to accept a screen permanently set up and I can't install one nicely as its not my house to do so.

Such a shame as this house has superb potential for something like that....
 

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