Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Projector recommendations

On the projector - I think the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB or the Panny PT-AE2000U are excellent choices (from all the reviews on line). In terms of screen - all depends on if you want motorized vs. free-standing. The free-standing is less money, motorized maybe a bit more elegant and out of the way. I think for free-standing Carada looks great. For motorized - check out Elite Screens - great value. If you got the space, etc. for an anamorphic - heck go the distance.

In terms of where to buy - I highly recommend ProjectorPeople.com. They come recommended by Axiom, and I've been working w/ Todd there about potentially pulling the trigger on my own setup. Excellent service. Prices are good too. Talk to them over the phone - the prices are lower than just going through the website.

Also, on a side note - ProjectorPeople sells Axiom products now - which is pretty cool.

I've been thinking about a projector for my place but I'm curious as to how a projector compares to my Sharp LCD TV. Are colours from a projector just as vibrant or is the main reason to get a projector just for the size?

As well I can't figure out how I would actually connect my HD Cable and HTPC to the projector which would be sitting about 9 ft away. Do they make HDMI cables that long (well actually longer since it would have to trace up on the ceiling more than likely)?

There should be no problem getting an anamorphic lens then.

- Nick

from what i've seen, the colors are just as good. One of the issues of using a projector over LCD is ambient light. If your tv is used in a fairly well lit room, a projector is not a good choice. Projectors are a good choice for Dedicated theaters where lighting is VERY dim to non-existant.

Hmm my condo is pretty bright with the blinds open. But at night it should be fine...ah well I'll just stick to rebuilding my HTPC.

I believe mdrew was very energized when he upgraded his screen - was it a Stewart brand?

Putting together a good combo of a projector, a dim room and the correct screen type and color to match your lighting conditions is key. If you get it all right, it can be quiet spectacular. Hi Def movies look as good as on a HD TV, just bigger.

So far, I have just had things up and running in a test environment as my rooms not done. The screen wasn't flattened to the wall and the walls are still all bright white drywall but I'm already amazed at the HD picture. I'll have a hard time watching TV again on a set, even on my 46" TV.

Projector Central
and
Their forums
Have a lot of great screenshots. A lot of users post some really well captured pictures of their screens so you can get a look at the quality of the colors and picture.

It's VERY important to match the right gear to the job. A poor projector will give you artifacts, be too dull, to dim or produce an annoying 'screen door' effect. The wrong color screen for your room type can really limit the quality you will see. The wrong choice of beer, and the evening is ruined. Oops, wrong thread.

Thank you so much everyone.. special thanks to Andrew.. I might throw a few questions your way while it's fresh

It seems a bit tricky to get all the proper piece of the puzzle ie: projector, screen, room lighting, beer.. But if all the planets do align, I get the impression that it is as good as any hd tv (lcd, plasma) but in much bigger size.

thanks again guys !

Steph

To reinforce some of the recommendations here:
I recently upgraded from a Sanyo Z5 to an Epson Home Cinema 1080UB. Significant step up in PQ and I really appreciate the flexibility that the increased brightness provides. Although I have a totally light controlled HT there are times (sports, etc.) when being able to watch with the lights on is nice. I bought both projectors from Quebec Acoustics (Canadian warranty and very competitive). I am using a 110” Carada BW 16:9 screen.

Wait until you see Blu-ray on a 100" plus screen. The wife and I rarely go out to the movies anymore because the cinemas here in Calgary suck. My home system (118" Carada BW screen, Panasonic PT-AE2000, Denon AVR-3808CI, and a slew of Axiom's) out performs them all. Xbox 360 also looks amazing.

I second Quebec Acoustics and recommend either the Epson Home Cinema 1080UB or the Panasonic PT-AE2000. The Panasonic has powered zoom and focus plus an amazing colour management system. The Epson has less bells and whistles but better blacks--depending on who you talk to. Canada screens are nice. They're made in the US so not duty on getting into the country. I had a much more expensive Da-Lite and sold it off because it wasn't half the screen the Carada was.

The only draw back of a projector is hours of operation. A good bulb on average lasts only 2000 hours. If you use the projector to watch lost of TV, then you'll spend lots of money on extra bulbs and perhaps a new projector after on a couple years. But if you use it just to watch movies, play a game or two and enjoy a play-off game or two, then a projector is a real treat.

Bottom line: If you have a good room for it, bigger is deffinately better.