Projector questions

[krauts]

I'm in the middle of building a Home Theater/ Bar room area. Total room size is 12 X 28. I have two questions.

1) I don't have a specific projector picked out yet and I might up end just moving our 51'' projection TV down there to save money. What cables should I run up to where a projector should go and what is a quick way to figure out how far back to run the wires. The power outlet is a given and a set of component wires?

2) I am looking for a projector that can do HDTV. From what I have read most projectors are capable of doing that, but its a matter of how much they compress the image since true HD is 1920? by XXXX and only a handful of very expensive units can do that. So is the best bet to look for the highest resolution unit I can afford?

Anyone here have real world experience with a projector? The large room has two casement windows and a set of sliding patio doors. From what I understand being able to keep the light out will be important.

[Kenn2874]

A good site to find some of the answers you are looking for is //www.projectorcentral.com.
 1.  I would run a component and a cat5. If you get a reciver that has HDMI switching and will upconvert to HDMI I would run one of those too. Until you pick out a projector and a screen size there is no exact way of knowing where to run the cables    but from installing alot of projectors you would be somewhat safe haveing the wires stubbed out at about 15 feet for a 92-96 inch screen. (but that can change with different projectors)  

 2.  Most projectors will not display a full 1920x1080 pixel count unless you are willing to spend alot of money to get one. They will almost all accept a 1080 signal and convert it to the max resolution that it can display.

 3. The room will have to be dark so make sure you have room darking shades or blinds covering the windows or the picture will look washed out.

[Ralph Kramden]

I've had my projector for over 1 year and I love it. Shortly after I bought it, I sold our 55" HDTV because it didn't get enough use. There's nothing like watching DVD's and HD on my 106" diagonal screen. But I would not want to use it for all TV viewing. Standard definition programming does not look very good on ANY projector. I would not "stub out" any wiring until you decide on which projector you're getting. If you're using a suspended ceiling panel system, you can easily do the projector wiring after the fact if needed. I agree with Kenn, Projectorcentral.com is a great site for beginners to learn about projectors and read reviews. Have you seen any projectors in action yet?

[krauts]

I haven't seen any in action yet. I should start to look around. What kind of projector do you have? Do you have an HD source? I have TWC that I will be able to hook up to it for HD tv.

[tekdredger]

The best advice I've seen is to run pvc conduit to the projector mounting area.  Since the connection standards are changing so quickly this gives you a degree of future proofing by allowing you to "pull" new cables at some later date.  Use a fairly large diameter conduit (1 1/2" to 2") to be able to fish the bulkier connectors through the pipe.  Use compressed air to blow a heavy cord or twine through the pipe and leave it there for future use in pulling wires.

[Ralph Kramden]

Krauts, I have the Infocus X1, and it's since been discontinued. I just use it for DVD's and occasional HDTV. I have the 811 HD receiver from Dish Network with the HD package. Standard definition programming looks bad on any projector, by the way. The conduit is a great idea, but you still need to pick your projector first, so you know where it will be mounted.

[Mrtanner]

As stated above, select your projector so you know what the throw-ratio is.  (This tells you how far away from your screen/wall it needs to be to give you your desired picture size.)

Since I installed mine into a basement that was just being finished, I took advantage of the easy access and ran every type of cable that I thought I might need in the future, even if my current projector didn't support it.  I ran composite, s-video, component, DVI, Ethernet, RG-6, and telephone (RJ-45).  Then, I ran an empty flex-tube conduit (actually rain gutter drain tubing) with a guide wire through it for future expandability.  

This might be overkill, but I wanted to take full advantage of being able to set this up before the drywall went in.  I plan on staying in the house longer than I plan on my current projector lasting.

[Joseph S]

I just got my first DLP, Mitsubishi HC3000U, and the blacks are blowing me away in addition to it being a light cannon. The only issue are that it's tougher to install b/c of no lens shift and if you are sensitive to rainbows it may annoy you. I don't see rainbows, unless I'm falling asleep or intentionally trying to see them. Couldn't be happier, but now I've got to get rid of my older displays. Should do fine until the 1080ps come down from their lofty prices.

[Johnny Legion]

My father just went with the Mitsubishi HC3000U as well and it is impressive. His original install was using component cables, and I am upgrading them to HDMI. I may be able to post some pictures of his setup, and can recommend his installer as well. We spent a lot of time looking at front projectors and the supporting devices (DVD, Cable box, reciever, speakers) so I can tell you what to expect.

Good luck on finding what works for you and your budget. Its all about choices, and making a few is tough if you can't compare side by side.

[tywest]

Your room size sounds about the same size as my basement. I just did an overhaul on my basement this past summer. I have an Optima H31 and am running OTA HD thru it. I love it. Here is link to my page with some pics of it. Good luck.
http://web.mac.com/tywest/iWeb/Site/Basement.html

[krauts]

Well first I should say that I moved to Glenbeulah so I'm not in the area anymore.

What kind of screen do you have? I spent enough time looking at projectors and for my budget the sanyo Z3 looks like a good choice and is a 720p projector.

I didn't realize how much research a screen also takes. A quick glance shows DIY screens for cheap up to hundreds for a purchased screen. I'm reading on the AVS forums on what colors made good screens and how many coats of paint it takes. Its not even as easy as one coat of paint. Its two or three mixed together with a certain finish with wet sanding and on and on.

[Ralph Kramden]

Krauts, the Z3 is a very popular LCD projector. I also frequent Avsforum.com, and
a good DIY screen isn't as complicated as those guys make it out to be. Some of them like to pretend to be genuises. I painted a sheet of MDF for my screen, with Behr Ultra Pure White, eggshell finish. White is best if your room is dark and your projector's contrast ratio is high enough. If not, you can use a light gray such as Behr Silverscreen. If you don't want to paint, you can build a frame out of 1X4's and staple blackout cloth(drapery liner) to the rear of frame. I don't recommend a pulldown screen because they all seem to develop wrinkles. Have you been to Projectorcentral.com?

[krauts]

I'm glad to hear it isn't as hard as they make it sound.

I have checked out projectorcentral.com and that is where I came up with the Z3. The cheapest I found the Z3 was 1275, which is within my range. Under there used section I saw one for 999 but that isnt listed anymore. The z3 has a contrast of 2000:1.  Would the silverscreen color work better than?

[Ralph Kramden]

If you have a dark room when viewing, I think I would go with a white screen because 2000:1 is a pretty nice contrast ratio. But, to be sure, I would go to Avsforum.com and check out some threads from Z3 owners to see which color screens they are using. Will your room be dark when viewing, and will it have dark colored ceiling and walls? You want to keep your ceiling and walls as dark as possible, and use a flat finish paint.