Ask Engadget HD: Can a projector really serve as my main HDTV?
By Darren Murph 
posted Feb 4th 2009 12:00PM
posted Feb 4th 2009 12:00PM
"So, I'm considering something pretty crazy. I'm thinking of getting rid of my big 65-inch HDTV and just using an HD projector with a 70-inch screen instead. Would this work? I can control the lighting in my den just fine, but I'm not sure if I'd go crazy with my room mostly dark the majority of the time. Are there any HD projectors out there that can also operate nicely in dimly lit rooms without costing me a fortune? Help!"
Yeah Tyler, "crazy" is a good description here. We can't say we'd wholeheartedly recommend it, but maybe we haven't seen the perfect projector to make your scenario feasible. Any tips, readers?
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All I can say is good luck shelling out $200-$300 to replace the projector bulb every year. Maybe even less than that if you watch alot of tv.
I have a Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080ub.
It does a great job with the lights turned (dimmed), you just need to select one of the brighter color modes on the projector.
Remember, the higher you set the brightness, the sooner your bulb will burn out.
Also, the bulb lasts just as long as most DLP TV's. 3 hours a night of usage will give you about 3 years of service per bulb.
3*365 = 1095 hours a year. Most bulbs are rated anywhere between 3,000-4,000 hours, depending on how bright you have your projector set.
I have both the mits hc3000 and a sanyo z2000 projector, i havent owned a tv since 2006. It works for me being the bachlor that I am, will little of a 'life' to speak of, but if you tend to entertain and have people over plan on reducing the lighting in the room just to see the pic. Its great in a family environment as a family will sit down in a darkened room to all enjoy a movie, but not as practical for a room full of people socializing. For me, its a small price to pay to have a 100"+ display and no tv.
ok
I had the epson cinema home 400 720p projector for 2.5 years. The bulb was still running @ 2600 hours. This is one of the highest ratedmodels with lumens @ 1500. Heres the deal. The unit was used as the only TV set in my house. It was roughly 10 feet from the wall and displayed a min image of 70" and a max image of around 115". The HD quality of the image was Beautiful. Very lifelike and vivid.
Now heres the dirt. The projector has 3 different levels. The lowest cinema setting is perfect for NO light - very low light siutaitons. A movie in this move will have lifelike colors and look great. Middle setting shows a brighter image. Colors are enhanced and brighter, but that does nto mean they are better. This setting is nice for what your setup is probably like, a moderately lit area with a few lights on. The top setting is for a room that is birght and still shows the image fairly well. The problem with these top lumen output settings (which probably utilize the 1500lumen potential of the projector) is that the image is not as great. ITO achieve this max brightness you can now see the noise (fuzz) with broadcasts and I pay close attention to detail but I could see the colors bleed slightly also.
This unit was made to work with light and I would figure would be most compatable with a "normal" setting without being a theather.
Long story short, this projector was BREATHTAKING in the dark. The problem is that in a room with the blinds closed and the projector near max putput the picture is somewhat faded. It is still watchable and if you watch it long enough you forget about the amazing picutre it has in the dark. When reminiscing about the picture in a perfectly dark room, I was upset because that situation is simply not achieveable or practical during the day.
I recently sold my projector for $600, bulbs are around $315 and lasted me over 2 years with a lot of use everyday. I bought a plasma that has a beautiful picture as well. It does not have the capibilities to become a wall size screen. It is just simply more practical for normal life. I have not forgotten about the perfect projector experience and will return once a have a dedicated room for a unit.
Hope this helps,
Dennis (crazy4beatz@gmail.com)
I have a JVC HD-1 and it is probably one of the brightest projectors on the market (don't read the manuf specs, they are useless). People on the AVS forums will tell you that the JVC is a light cannon. I have it paired with a 120" Dlite Hi Power screen and even with the lights completely on in the room the picture is watchable. If you are looking to get just a 70" screen, you should check out the Black Diamond screen from screen innovations. There is a demo on their website. I've see it in person on a 90 or 92 inch screen and you literally can't tell the difference on the picture when the lights are completely on or off in the room. It is absolutely amazing. The only reason I didn't go with it was because I wanted a larger screen.
+1 on sean's suggestion for the Black Diamond from Screen Innovations. Even with a fair amount of ambient light, it looks like a flat panel.
+1 on jamaal's suggestion that, for 5" extra, why bother? Go to 90" or 100" or more, and you have a workable and useful upgrade. For 70", it's like trading in a perfectly good 25 cubic foot refrigerator for a 26 cubic foot one.
The only reason I could see going for a projector when the image is that little is because the picture looks more, well, real.
The black diamond is a good screen especially if you want excellent contrast ratio in environments that are not light controlled. Note that the off-axis-viewing is poor and may not be a good solution for a family room (light cannon is a must). Stewarts SST Firehawk (92" or less) is a good solution in moderately lit environments as long as the projo is bright enough. Maybe it would be a good idea to run a projector and screen during the night and the flat panel TV during the day. Just use an electric screen to drop in front of the TV when the sun goes down.
I have several plasmas, LCD's and a projection system. I often times choose the projection system over the other sets during the day time. Mine is located in a room with many windows. I think the key here is that you need to purchase a good screen like the Stewart G3. You also need to eliminate direct light hitting the screen from the windows and lastly engineer your lighting so that no lighting comes between the projector and the screen. For example space can lights to the perimeter of the room and use spot bulbs and black inserts to get a very focused beam of light. If you do these things along with purchasing a moderately bright projector you should be in good shape. If you watch a lot of TV, plan to get around two comfortable years out of the bulb between replacements.
The Panasonic PT-AX200U in my media room averages about 15hours/week of usage during football season and maybe 4-5 hours/week the rest of the year. It's a great alternative for me when the rest of my family is watching something I'm not interested in on the family room TV. But it's also versatile and bright enough for us to gather around and watch if we feel like watching something on a 92" screen with a couple of lights on in the back of the room. I know it's *only* 720p, but the cost/benefit wasn't worth it to get a 1080p model. It's mostly used for Directv, video games, and the occasional blu-ray. I hope this helps.
One thing to think about is how many times you will be turning it off and off. Projecters don't like to be turned on and off quickly. You aren't going to want to turn on the projector to catch the weather or news quickly and turn it off 5 minutes later. So you will probably need a regular tv for that type of thing.
The newest line of Epson projectors (6500/7500UB) work great with the lights on. I can watch it easily with all of the lights on in the room. Granted, the picture doesn't "pop" with all lights on, but it works well. Dimming the lights makes the picture look amazing.
For people who say you can't use it as your main set because of bulb life -- keep in mind that if you watched 5 hours a day, the bulb would last over 2 years (365 * 5 = 1,825 * 2 years = 3,650 hours). The Epson 7500UB comes with an extra bulb, so you'd be good for 5 years at the at point, so bulb life (to me) isn't an issue.
For several years I ran a 720p projector as my main 'HDTV' - with a 10' *wide* screen. Was pretty awesome. But back then the main source was an HTPC that was a PITA to maintain. The HTPC situation is better these days and there are more ways to use a projector with exiting STBs (think HDMI) than there were back in 2001. However, you still probably need a dedicated or specialized room.
Not to be overly negative, but I think this is a terrible use of a front projector. I've had both a large RPTV and projectors, so I can speak from some personal experience. RPTVs do an excellent job at giving a 50-70" image. They're bright enough for rooms with no light control, they're (relatively) cheap, and they're (relatively) easy to set up. Plus, unlike FP, an LCD or plasma tv probably doesn't spend a couple minutes warming up, doesn't need a cool-down cycle once you turn it off, runs more quietly, and (this is important) doesn't have its life shortened by short viewing intervals. You wear out your FP lamp every time you turn it on and off. The conventional wisdom is that you should not turn it on and off much, or turn it on for only a few minutes. Do you really want to cycle your FP setup just to check traffic or the weather or a headline? It's supposed to shorten the lamp life, which ends up costing you more money. Plus, if you turn it off, then change your mind, you have to wait for the cool down cycle to complete, so you might be standing there for 2 minutes with no picture. Not very family-friendly.
A front projector, even a light cannon, benefits greatly from careful positioning and setup and prefers (or needs, if it is a less bright model) a darkened room. However, they can give you an amazing 100-150" image. Why "waste" a FP setup on a relatively small screen? Unless you're going with a 100"+ screen, my opinion is don't bother. Also, 1080P is completely wasted on a screen that small - your eyes probably can not resolve the difference between 720 and 1080 on a 70" screen at a reasonable seating distance, so at least you could save on the PJ by buying a cheap 720P model. In sum, IMHO FP has too many limitations for too little benefit over a RPTV. Now, if we're talking a 120" screen in a dedicated theater, my advice would be COMPETELY the opposite!!!
"Are there any HD projectors out there that can also operate nicely in dimly lit rooms without costing me a fortune?"
As a main tv? No. Simply put, depending on the bulb type and on usage, you might find yourself going through bulbs once a year if not more. Most bulbs are rated around 2000-4000 hours. Fine for a movie once a week or a few hours a week but, not so fine for tv watching. Unfortunately LED based front projectors aren't very common, which would be the one thing that could keep a front projector as your main tv as a viable option. (Also would be still quite expensive) You'd get more out of a 52"+ lcd screen, that will last much longer and never need a bulb replacement. If you search Craig's List from time to time you'll see people selling front projectors dirt cheap. It's because they've discovered the hidden (or not so hidden as the case may be) of the bulb upkeep.
My 2 cents worth.
If you only want to gain 5" diagonaly, I would not recommend it. I am sure you can buy a 70" RPTV that will work as well if you are intent on upgrading. Projectors are for special occasions like movies, sports, etc. Watching the news on a projector is kind of pointless.
You most likely already have some sound system (home theater) hooked up to your tv, do you use that for the news or a talk show? Probably not, and it is the same for a projector. You don't turn it on when you are flipping channels, but when Lost is on you fire it up.
My 2 cents
"You most likely already have some sound system (home theater) hooked up to your tv, do you use that for the news or a talk show? Probably not, and it is the same for a projector."
I have everything in my living room (42" plasma - used to be a 32" crappy CRT) running through a receiver - it simplifies everything. Why wouldn't you use it for everything? I thought everyone did - why use TV speakers if you have other speakers (even if it's just HTiB speakers)?
Ok, so is that receiver/speaker set up as impressive when blasting the 7 day forecast as it is when Iron Man streaks across your screen being chased by combat jets? No, and that is when simplicity comes in to play and no matter what you say, how you have everything hooked up / automated, a projector will never be as easy for everyone that might be involved (kids, wife, visitors, etc) as a television is.
That being said, I suggest everyone get a projector, I have been using one for years and when watching movies and sports, a projector can't be outdone. My suggestion is to get a retractable screen and keep the tv for normal viewing and turn on that projector when the need arises.
Ooo cranky time! Full cranky.
I have 2 PJs and use the old one to delegate to your so called 'news' related items. And the new one for the more important blu-ray items.
No one really needs a regular TV set though PJs are not for everyone. They can't take as much abuse.
And if you really want to go all out get a daytime screen.
Oh and if your watching the news in HD there's every reason to see it on a pj and what's hard about turning on a receiver along with the tv and pushing 1 button to display input from the cable box?
Its for everyone and for all the time. You switch inputs on the receiver or you switch inputs on the tv. It has to be done anyway.
Really? I am getting arguments that using a projector is just as easy as a tv? I have never had to close the blinds and turn off the lights for my tv when I just wanted to channel surf. One button press turns on the tv and the inbuilt speakers. Simple as that. Turn the channel, adjust the volume, that is as complicated as it gets.
I am not saying that it is hard to use a projector, I am saying that having one as your only video source is not practical for most people. If it were, we would be reading stories about people buying projectors and not getting HD programming to go along with it, not about HDTV's.
If it were that easy for everyone to use, there would be a wall full of projectors at Best Buy and HDTV's would be relegated to an endcap of an isle.
People that read Engadget are probably all able to figure it out, but we all have parents, siblings, spouses, small children, etc that would not be able to.
Projectors are great, but they are not for everyone all the time. Steak is great, but when you have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it loses the appeal that it had when you only got it once a week.
Once you go projector you will never go back!
I have been using my Panasonic PT-AE2000U 1080p projector on a 106" screen for regular TV viewing for more than a year now..... The results are fantastic but I only watch HD channels.... so no idea about how SD would look on it!
After around 13 months I ended up changing the bulb on this puppy (after 2900Hrs. of usage)... cost me $350, but most of that was due to heavy gaming on my PS3....
Still for
I too have a Panasonic and 106" screen. I've been using it for over 3 years and have over 2500 hrs on it. I love it! If I have to change a bulb every 3 years ($100/yr) then I'm WAY ahead, since I don't go to the movie theater anymore (thank you Netflix) or Sports Bars. People come to MY house.
It is a GREAT value for the $.
I wouldn't do it unless you have a room specifically designed to be a home theater room. Basically if the room has windows then you're going to have to compensate for the light that comes in during the daytime.
I have a Mitzu HC4900 on a 120" (10') screen and have used it for 1 year now. I haven't put too many hours on the bulb, but I also don't watch all of my TV on it. I am going to try and watch more shows using that instead of the 37" LCD. It is great for movies, video games and sports. And is worth it for most of the TV shows I watch.
The problem comes in the normal TV watching times. If you have a HD DVR, you will be better off knowing that you have a good show to watch. You don't need to watch the local news in 120" HD. And, while projectors are getting better with lights on, the blackest blacks will still only be what color your screen is with the projector off (but lights on or sunlight entering the room). If you are willing to put up black out curtains and have dim lighting, it would work.
But for 5", it's not worth it. Just move the couch and chairs a foot closer.
I used to only have a projector. I loved it, but my wife found it overwhelming. She just wanted to watch something in the background and it was totally overwhelming. I returned the projector and bought a plasma.
Not woth it for 5"
I have used a projector for the last 3 years as my only HDTV. The only issue I have is that because of lighting I have to have a dedicated room or lighting control which may take a little time to setup before watching. If you use your HDTV mostly for checking the news it may not be the best option for you. That said I think you can use a projector as your main set if you are a person that uses their HDTV mainly for movies, sports, and watching TV dramas such as 24, Terminator, etc. Movies, sports and these type of shows you usually commit yourself to sitting down and watching so the going to a dedicated room or spending the time getting the lights correct isn't a big deal.
Well I would have to agree with some here that for normal viewing I wouldn't recommend it. A front projector should have it's own room or purpose and what I mean by that is I picked up a PT-AX200U this past summer and a 12' inflatable screen and we show movies on the lawn and deck. The picture is amazing in my opinion and it's just a 720p! For around a thousand bucks you can't beat the performance. I don't have a dedicated room in the basement yet but the projector's home when not outside is on my nightstand! Yes I use the projector in the bedroom for casual watching. We have about a 120 inch diagonal image on the opposite wall - works pretty sweet even with a less than ideal "screen" surface.
What is my point? Buy a projector anyway and an outdoor screen and a more permanent indoor screen for the basement or available room and have fun. They are a blast especially with how cheap they have become.
Hope this helps!
Not worth it for 5 inches of screen difference.Unfortunately, you don't give any dimensions of your room, but going from a 65 inch tv to a projector is not a good idea for such a small gain in viewing size. Projectors and screens are much better than they were even 5 years ago, but you what's stopping you from an 80, 90 or 100 inch screen? Then you can really show off your projector, there will be some sacrifices in image depth and sharpness unless you really want to spend a lot on the projector. You'll definitely want a 1080P resolution model for screen sizes that large, you will notice a difference from 720P models.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned going with a dual set-up. It's the way to go if you only have one room to watch stuff in. "Simply" mount a flat panel TV on a wall for everyday viewing, and use a drop-down screen that drops in front of the flat panel for movies, sports, whatever you feel is "projector worthy".
Describes my setup. 52" LCD for everyday use and 92" pull down GrayWolf for "special events". I keep hoping 1080 PJs come down in price (I know, they have a lot) to the point where it can be an everyday system.
I even had a similar system four years ago at my old place. Both LCD and screen were smaller, but it fit the space.
As for "too many buttons"...get a Harmony remote. I have the 880 and it works great. The PC software has improved a lot too. The programming software was very buggy when I first got it.
If you live in a black hole, maybe. Any light in a room will ruin the experience. I would use it as a back up at night to watch movies on a really big screen. it would be a retractable screen for the projector that is hidden during the day and I would use LCD or PLasma on the wall for daytime watching.
I've had my Epson 1080 for a year now and I would never go back to any other kind of tv. I use a 150" Elite (brand) screen, and the image is great. The problem is I also use it for my PS3 games, and that doubles the hours on the bulb, which is around 250.00 (at its lowest price) for about 3,000 hours. So I am considering a nice 46" 1080p set for my games, and leaving the projector to the movies. Of course, I have the home theater in the basement room, where ALL light is completely covered and watch in the complete dark. Those with light coming in might not get such a result.
I've been using one for past 4 years, Sharp Zv2000 and 100 in screen.
Set up new family room for both projector and direct view TV, unfortunatly direct view TV was not in stock. 3 months later family was used to 100 inch screen and refused to go a smaller screen.
We do have blinds on the windows, down when we watch, room lights all have dark shades which direct light down, and keep it off the screen. Veiw is bleashed during day, but kids and wife don't mind, and I'm rarely home during the day.
I have a dual setup, and I use a Hitachi PJ-TX100 as my main HDTV. I have had it for two years, put 1,000 hours on the bulb and still going strong. There is a "whisper" setting that very slightly dims the bulb, so I'm hoping to buy myself a little time.
I cannot see myself ever wanting to buy a big LCD, since the only time I really want to watch things on a large screen is when I'm settling down for the night. I'll put on a movie, watch a basketball or football game, or maybe a show on the networks. Typically 2-4 hours of use, and not every night. For this, the picture quality and size are amazing, and there is no 120 lb. piece of junk to hang on the wall. However, I have an LCD TV on my desk that is on virtually all day for news (CNBC, etc.)
I really like this mix, since I get the best of both worlds - something to keep on all day and not worry about burn out, and something really cool to watch entertainment and sports when the focus is the big screen.
Also, the projector is only 720p widescreen, but really...I run Blu-Ray or 1080 digital cable through it, the projector downconverts the signal, and it is BEAUTIFUL. I have friends who spent 3x what I paid for the projector on their 52" LCD, and they always want to come over to watch the big games.
I use an Optoma EP716 as my daily-driver HDTV with a 130" screen. I've had it for about a year and a half, use it everyday and haven't had to change the bulb yet. I'm sitting at about 1700 lamp hours, so I'm sure I'll have to change it soon (rated at 2000 hours), but the projector was $500. Bulbs are ~$200, so I think it's definitely worth it, especially if I only change the bulb every year and a half or so. I have to pull the blinds at least halfway during the day, but after 5p, outdoor light isn't an issue and I'm never home before 5 during the week anyway. I have the screen next to a balcony door, but unless there is direct sunlight hitting the screen, the picture is fine.
I use a digital cable box, a PS3 and a Wii with it.
I have a small (22") LCD in my office which I use as an HDTV when I'm at home and actually have work to do...like now :)
I've had a projector as the primary display in the house for about 5 years now. We (wife, 2 kids) all love it. Use it for all viewing. There's only one (old CRT) TV in the house, in my son's room.
I must admit having a panel as well would be good, as there are times I'd prefer not to use the bulb. But in a room that you can reasonably control lighting in, a projector works fine. We can even keep a small light on if we are eating or something like that, and the image is still great.
Size matters.
I've been running a PJ as my main TV for the last 4 years. The current PJ is a Panasonic AX100U and its been in use almost every day for the last 2 years. Screen is 142" diagonal. Yeah, you need curtains to keep out the sunlight and yes, it is more complicated to setup than an LCD but the payoff is astounding. TV, movies, xBox are all just amazing. My kids have their friends over for video games and movies all the time. The parents come to pick up their kids and don't want to leave.
You need to be happy with whatever you are watching (LCD, plazma, PJ, etc) but once you go PJ, you'll never look back.
I have been using a pj for the last five years, I'm now on my third Panasonic, currently a PT-AX100U, 720P. I bought this last one online from a place in Florida and also purchased a bulb warranty that covers the bulb up to 3 years. I have replaced the bulb once and had no difficulties dealing with the warranty company. I will admit that once the bulb gets into the second half of it's life it does start to lose some of it's brightness and color. The other problem I have had with a previous pj was a problem with the optical block, which is the colored plastic lenses inside the unit. Apparently all LCD projectors will have some problem with them as the unit ages, typically in the second or third bulb life. The cost to repair was prohibitive, fortunately I had purchased that pj with a credit card that extended the warranty, I basically got to use it for free for 2 years.
The picture of my pj is really outstanding. The Panny's have a sensor that will increase the brightness of the picture according to the ambient light but at the expense of bulb life. If you can control the light in your viewing room it is not really a problem. My screen is a homebrew--I bought a 4x8' sheet of styrofoam insulation that has a sheet of blue plastic laminated on one side (cost $20.00 at Lowes), and painted it with a Behr paint (tint= Silverscreen, about $20.00 at Home Depot). I cut it to the right size for my room (use a screen size calculator available online) and used some wood moulding painted black to frame it. My homebrew outperforms my neighbors 100" pulldown $500.00 screen. I feed my pj HD from Cox cable, HD from my PS3, and also output from my Macbook. Everything looks stunning and there is really no other way to game.
I must admit that I did purchase a Phillips 47" LCD this past summer because I was worried about burning up this pj too quickly. It is a little easier to watch with the lights on and should last years. Gaming=not so much fun on a tiny screen.
I think if you do your homework you can find a nice HD pj for under a grand now, so I would think it is almost a no-brainer. Hey, try it out with a cheapo screen, you can always return it if you are not happy, and definitely check out AVS forum.
Good luck, Happy viewing!!!!
I've been doing it for about a month and am very happy. I bought a Panasonic PT-AX200U. I decided to sacrifice the 1080p for low price and 2500 lumens. We have a 70" manual pull down matte white screen for now. As far as lighting it works just fine in just about every situation. The only time it's been a problem was when we had the drapes opposite of the screen wide open in the middle of the day, but I don't like keeping them open when watching anyway.
It's PLENTY bright, however my one complaint would be that the black not so black in ambient light. I think I could fix this with a different screen.
If you're worried about bulb replacement, check out Mack's projector warranty and bulb replacement plan. For < $200 you can get two bulb replacements over 3 years, and a 4 year warranty extension.
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=MKPROJB1000KT&tab=descript
Note that it's cheaper if you buy them separately for some reason.
For the projector, screen, warranty, 50' of HDMI and Component Cable, ceiling mount and some odds and ends I spent around $1500. That's pretty good for a 70" screen and the potential for more if we move into a better suited space.
I used a projector to watch movies & it worked reasonably well. Since I wasn't using it frequently, I didn't have it mounted so it was really disruptive (and blinding for them) if anyone walked in front of it. I've got a "real" TV these days, but I miss the ambiance a bit!
I have a projector coupled with a screen that descends from the ceiling in front of a wall of cabinets as the lights dim. The cabinets provide plenty of storage for DVD's as well as housing for the electronics that the projector hooks up to. I like how nobody would even know that there is a TV in the room unless they looked up and saw the projector. It is also pretty dramatic when I press a button and the lights begin to dim and the screen starts lowering. I recommend that you have 3 different lighting zones for the room. Have fixtures along the path of the projector for when the room is not used for TV, have fixtures along the side walls, and have fixtures along the back wall opposite of the projector screen. Have a sophisticated lighting panel with different settings, one having all lights at full blast and screen up, one with the centers off, side walls mostly dimmed, back wall slightly dimmed and screen down, one with all lights off and the screen down and of course one setting with the lights all off. JVC makes a really good projector, but for the price, the Epson 1080UB (ultra black) is unbeatable. People like to say that 720p is good enough, but when it comes to projectors, every flaw in the picture is amplified, so make sure if you get a 1920x1080 that you get a decent receiver and blueray player with upconvert. When you have a projector the screen quality can greatly improve the viewability of the picture when coupled with ambient light. I recommend going to your local sound advice and seeing how they set up some of the demo rooms and asking a few questions about the equipment they are using, the people working there are a lot like car salesmen but they usually are a fountain of knowledge when it comes to these things.
Good luck!