Anyone able to compare 85inch TV and 120inch projector?

[RoyMi6]

I'm torn between 85inch QLED or 120inch SXRD projector...

I've had a projector before and loved it, but trying to fit it in the new house is turning out to be less than straight forward.

Previously I was 3m away from a 120inch screen. I know I'm happy with that experiance, and I'm trying to replicate it in some way.

As such I worked out that my previous setup gave me around a 51degree FOV coverage (the 3rd seating position marked on the image with the 25.5 degree angle marked. The problem with that in this room is that it puts the sofa in an awkward sport compared to where my computer and computer chair is going to sit.

I can push the sofa backwards into the window, but unfortunately it won't really solve the problem. However, I can go forward, and this is where my suitably firstworld problem arrises. Will it be too big? If it's too big, what if I went with a smaller screen... and if it's a smaller screen, what if I went with OLED/QLED so can maximise picture quality...?

As such, if I push the sofabed all the way forward to about 2m I can get similar, if not bigger, FOV with only a 85inch TV.

My problem is that while technically FOV would be the same, has any one got any experiance that suggests the experiance is similar in how it feels? I know it's totally subjective so LOGICALLY it should be the same, but hoping someone can comment that might have experianced sitting close to an 85 inch TV and compare that to a further away experiance with a larger screen.

 

[Rroff]

Decent size TV is way more convenient but you never get the same "feel" for watching a blockbuster movie on even a big big TV as a decent projector IMO. That said I rarely use my projector due to the convenience factor for watching TV shows, etc.

 

[sja360]

What is the budget roughly ?

Have you considered the HDR element as well? From what i have read the projector wont be able to provide the same 'pop' in colours as the OLED.

What about an ultra short throw projector?

 

[RoyMi6]

Sorry, budget is £5k mark for whatever video solution. Ive been happy with "ebay tab-tensioned" electric screens that i can get for sub £500 and thinking of making a fixed one to keep convince factor high.

Yeah, we've got a 55inch TV in the lounge that we're 3.5m from, so this setup has got to fill the "cinema experience" that separates it from watching regular TV. Other thing im doing is going full 7.2.4 atmos to increase the filmic experience.

Short throw doesn't really solve many problems for me... It means i need a unit to put it on pushing my sofabed backwards. Unless... Can they be ceiling mounted? Do short throw projectors have better hdr performance?

 

[sja360]

If you already have a 55" TV in the lounge, i would assume you're going with a projector for this room then?

As if i had a 55" in one room and 77+" in the other I'd probably be sat mostly on the bigger screen leaving the 55" sitting unused most of the time.

 

[Gengar]

This is a tough one as it just comes down to physically trying it and seeing what it does for you. I can only give you my experience of my setup, 55" TV vs 130" projection.
I used to use exclusively my 130" projector (UHD300X, £1000 projector) and Dolby atmos setup for all viewing inc video games on a pretty decent manual screen. This was sitting between 2 and 3m away. I used to just move my sofa into position every time I wanted to use it. I have laminate flooring in this room (dual use room) so sliding the sofa was easy.

I recently converted a small study into a dedicated video game room say 2.4m X 2.4m with a LG C9 OLED and currently just 5.1 sound. I sit very close to the TV (1.7m ish) as you can imagine in such a small room.

Watching movies and my favourite streamed TV series = Projector, hands down.
Playing video games = OLED gaming room, hands down.

There is no comparison in my opinion of watching a movie on the projector setup vs my OLED set up. If it was an 85" TV like what you are weighing up, it might be a closer fought battle but I think I would still go for the bigger image. There is something exciting about setting up for a movie on the projector at home. It is a proper occasion rather than just mooching around in the living room and turning the telly on.

 

[whitecrook]

86" TV, although big is NO MATCH for a 120" projector. Not even close. PJ is about size. If you want quality, go for the 86" OLED. But, mostly, for most things ESPECIALLY movie viewing SIZEis KING. I used to have a bigger floor to ceiling PJ literally this size of this wall (epson Tw600 ST) but the 2.35:1 is even better.

I have a 75" TV in that I sit about 2 metres from, and in the other room, a 150" 2.35:1 projector that throws a 120" 16:9 picture. (seating distance about 4m) The experience is totally different, and by far watching movies and boxsets is 100% better on the PJ. The TV is used for youtube,gaming, 'trash tv' although less and less of that these days, and just daytime tv but not by myself.

It's a 4K samsung 75" and the PJ is the Sony SXRD VPL 60ES (1080P)

I couldn't ever do a pulldown/screen it has to be a fixed screen or go home tbh.


IMHO OP should got for a 4K SONY PJ (think they are about £5K) Fixed 2.35:1 screen (even paint on a smooth wall will do, with flocking tape).. Do it right or don't do it bud. final edit, based on his diagram, probably go for a 2.35:1 that gives 100" 16:9, this should meet all the criteria in terms of angle, size and seating position.


more pics here: https://imgur.com/a/GMn8c2L

Maybe not the best pics, but you wanna watch a movie tonight, which screen do you choose??

just duck tape stuck to the magnolia wall


painted and 1" flock tape :


75" TV


note this unit (ikea thing is t he same unit under the PJ above to give an idea of size comparison)

 

[Gengar]

I have had a painted wall before and pull down screen. If your room is multi use like many of us, pull down screens may be a necessity. Too many people are put off projector set ups (and indeed audio setups) because they are told they need all sorts of optional extras. 80/20 rule - you can get a darn good experience from any room with just some basics e.g. ability to shut curtains and a decent surface to project onto e.g. flat painted wall or a pull down screen.

 

[whitecrook]

I have had a painted wall before and pull down screen. If your room is multi use like many of us, pull down screens may be a necessity. Too many people are put off projector set ups (and indeed audio setups) because they are told they need all sorts of optional extras. 80/20 rule - you can get a darn good experience from any room with just some basics e.g. ability to shut curtains and a decent surface to project onto e.g. flat painted wall or a pull down screen.

It's my belief (after about 15 years of PJ and HT 'setups') that 'multi-use' projector rooms, specifically, rooms that are either 'home theatre' versus 'sitting room/lounge' are inherently mutually exclusive. If you accommodate for 1 you will be compromising the other. A pull down screen is a compromise. in either quality, or aesthetics, or most obviously convenience. Most times you end up with a sub par experience for both room uses. The only rooms I've ever seen this work in, are room that are effectively large enough (read: two+ room sized) to accommodate separate areas within the room. Which speaks to my point. Sure go ahead and install a drop down screen or pull up screen to save space or only for evening viewing etc. It can be done. but dont kid your self it's not a compromise. and ultimately detracts from the ultimate enjoyment IME

 

[RoyMi6]

Cheers guys, talking it through the with the Wife and it looks like it's going to be the projector route

Now just to decide on saving a little money (which could be spent on the audio) by going for the Epson EH-TW9400, or going balls to the walls and picking up a Sony VPL-VW290ES...

 

[whitecrook]

Cheers guys, talking it through the with the Wife and it looks like it's going to be the projector route

Now just to decide on saving a little money (which could be spent on the audio) by going for the Epson EH-TW9400, or going balls to the walls and picking up a Sony VPL-VW290ES...

well ones a 4K projector, and the other one isn't. I don't miss the 4K on the PJ vs the TV and in fact i rarely watch much 4k stuff at all. only getting about 818 px. A 4K PJ would give a lovely 1080p+ at 2.35:1 . Would defo be my choice.

 

[RoyMi6]

Called Richersounds and they do 14 day at home trials now. I mean... you still have to buy the thing outright (so not sure how it differs from the distance selling regulations ) but if you want to return in 14 days they'll arrange collection for you.

So looks like I'll be buying both seeing if the £2k difference in price is worth it

 

[whitecrook]

will be interested to hear your thoughts on that. It's a indisputable fact though that regardless of actual resolution, the 4K unit will be sharper since the pixels are about half as wide as the faux 4K units. The question is will you notice or care about that in actual use. In my experience having 720P PJ, 1080p pj at 16:9 then using the 1080p at 2.35:1 and getting only 818px so like a 720 unit again every so often I think oh man I wish that was a little higher res. For about a second, then I realise I'm watching a 150" screen and the action has moved on to the next scene. Motion clarity, colour, contrast are FAR more important then ultimate resolution though.

 

[RoyMi6]

Yeah, for sure. You're right that a 1080p projector is kind of "cheated" with films because of the 2.35:1 aspect ratio means your using only 2/3rds of the vertical resolution. Like you, I was more than happy with a 1080p projector for a long time. I could still see the difference with a film that was mastered in 4k but that came in other ways, usually in just a crisper picture and less compression artifacts.

Techspec wise the Sony obviously beats the Epson in many regards, but the Epson reviews well and has a larger throw ratio meaning I can get a slightly bigger picture (123" with the Sony, 127" with the Epson) with the space that i've got - that might come out to be the winner all else being comparatively equal when it comes to actually using it. Ultimately I think I might just let the wife decide as I'll admit to being biased even before I start because of what the Sony represents in terms of pure home cinema performance.

But, I also keep trying to tell myself that the Sony will last longer because I won't get the itch to upgrade so soon compared to the Epson (like needing to spend another £2-3k in 5 years on a 4K projector) - but knowing me I'll probably get the itch to upgrade in 3 years regardless of what I get!

 

[whitecrook]

is your throw distance about 4m ?

 

[RoyMi6]

is your throw distance about 4m ?

Yeah, worked it out at about 3.8m to where the lens will be from the wall.

EDIT: If you're asking because you're looking for alternatives, it needs to be 3LCD. Can't use DLP - I have massive issues with the rainbowing from colours wheels and with a big screen it just makes it even worse as it gets super bad when I look from side to side on the screen.

 

[whitecrook]

Yeah, worked it out at about 3.8m to where the lens will be from the wall.

EDIT: If you're asking because you're looking for alternatives, it needs to be 3LCD. Can't use DLP - I have massive issues with the rainbowing from colours wheels and with a big screen it just makes it even worse as it gets super bad when I look from side to side on the screen.

Hi no, i just wanted to plug it into projector calculator 3.8 is a little on the short side any way you can eek out another50cm or so, is that to the front of the lens to the front of the screen ?

also i haven't looked at the pj market for a coupel of years now but my understanding last i checked was there was no alternative to the Sony's you can pay about 8-10K for the next level up, or about 2.5K - 3K for the next level down. But theyre were or are the cheapest real 4K and sonys have the best motion engine etc so I dunno. The cheaper units sometimes have stuff like lens shift motors and scope/wide memeory positions i think you need to spend more to get the with the sony units the panasonics used to be well known for those accomodations, not sure on the epsons. The bigger units are usually far quieter as well, but I think you are in that area anyway so good luck. I can say that the richness of the colours on my sony sxrd far suprasses any DLP or LCD projector ive seen. dont take the pics above as representative it's really difficult to take a pic of a projector and they are mostly all over exposed. more just for idea of size and scale

 

[RoyMi6]

Screen is going to be a fixed one against the wall, projector is going with its back against the opposite wall (which is a window)

Obviously I'd love to maximise the use of the wall, but don't think I've got any other options to be honest.

 

[whitecrook]

What you've got there looks good. It looks like a 2.35:1 screen which I can't recommend strongly enough. 100% right choice for movies

here's some other pics i just dug out

some just dance:



black bars suck. dont go 16:9



oblig OCUK website circa 2010


more black bar fail:



Avatar, maybe? 100" screen on the floor. Floor mounted screen was awesome


3d Dino action on floor mounted screen


110" 16:9 screen. Looks small now.


42" plasma for TV viewing as well as 110"

 

[RoyMi6]

I'm actually going for a fixed 16:9 screen, but because I'm DIYing it I'm going to make sliding covers for the top and bottom that I can move into place to cover the "black bars" to solve that problem and allow me to trim to basically any aspect ratio (apart from 4:3 )