Projector as TV

andybird123 · 13 May 2022 at 15:36

Tempted by the option of 100-150inch you get with a projector, we are seriously considering getting a projector instead as the newer ones seem to be over 2000 lumens, so basically watchable with the curtains open but the option of the full on 150inch home cinema experience when you want it.

I've done a bit of searching about and watching youtube reviews but struggling a little on making a final decision, but keep gravitating back to the XGIMI Aura, which is an ultra short throw laser, but it doesn't necessarily have to be short throw if there's a comparable model (or better) for a similar price. The Aura is around £2200, but then they also do the Horizon Pro at £1499. I guess budget wise I could stretch to £3k if there's something that's hands down better than the Aura, I realise I'm going to be getting pixel shifting 4K rather than true 4K, android TV built-in is also not entirely required as we already have a bunch of media devices / sticks / set top boxes etc.

I guess what I'm basically asking is; whats the best sub-£3k projector?

Pottsey · 13 May 2022 at 17:51

This might be worth looking at https://www.richersounds.com/optoma-uhz50-white.html as its a laser projector so nice and bright without needing to replace the lamp. Also lamp projectors lose 50% of there brightness as they age while a laser should last 20k to 30k hours, stick to lasers like theAura or UHZ50, lamps are just not worth it anymore. The UHZ50 is also 4k and HDR. Still be aware even with 2000+ lumens you will have problems with dark scenes with the curtains open in the day.

I have a grey screen and while bright colour scenes are good to watch, dark scenes don't work and I have to close the blinds (curtains open, blinds shut is sometimes enough). A lot of it comes down to what you are watching. Something like sports should be fine in the day, some sort of cave documentary is unliekly to be watchable.

Do you already have a decent screen as if not that can bump the price up a lot. I would recommend keeping away from white screens unless in a room with black paint and full light control. Go for a good black or grey screen. Plus they look better and more like a TV when not in use.

EDIT: Richer sounds is not the cheapest place but they do price match

andybird123 · 14 May 2022 at 09:03

I've just stumbled across the BenQ X3000i
It's £1500, seems to be a pretty decent bright projector that also does up to 240hz at 1080P

It's ticking a lot of my boxes at the mo, and as it's not UST, an ALR screen seems to be much cheaper

Someone tell me I'm wrong?

Pottsey · 14 May 2022 at 09:22

Never used that one myself. As long as you’re not sensitive to rainbows which are visible to people sensitive to them with that projector.

Also if your using that with DCI-P3 color space for HDR then your going to lose a large amount of brightness and will only be able to watch it in a light controlled room.

andybird123 · 14 May 2022 at 11:43

Pottsey said:
Never used that one myself. As long as you’re not sensitive to rainbows which are visible to people sensitive to them with that projector.

Also if your using that with DCI-P3 color space for HDR then your going to lose a large amount of brightness and will only be able to watch it in a light controlled room.

The only time we would worry about HDR is either for watching a movie or gaming, the room we would put this in is already at the back of the house (e.g. north facing) and only has one small window which already has a blackout blind

my gaming monitor does 90cd/m2 and this projector even on HDR does 87 so that seems acceptable to me

Pottsey · 14 May 2022 at 13:01

andybird123 said:
The only time we would worry about HDR is either for watching a movie or gaming, the room we would put this in is already at the back of the house (e.g. north facing) and only has one small window which already has a blackout blind

my gaming monitor does 90cd/m2 and this projector even on HDR does 87 so that seems acceptable to me

Sounds like you should be good with it then. If it helps I find https://www.projectorcentral.com/ is both good for projector reviews and the forums are good to search. It has a useful projector compare function which is what I use on upgrades. https://www.projectorcentral.com/projectors-compare.cfm?pid_1=9503&pid_2=11695

andybird123 · 14 May 2022 at 16:17

thanks, that does actually help a lot and its #4 on their Best under $3k and even looking at the under $5k ones, they all have something "wrong" in comparison for what I would be using it for

deuse · 15 May 2022 at 08:00

andybird123 said:
thanks, that does actually help a lot and its #4 on their Best under $3k and even looking at the under $5k ones, they all have something "wrong" in comparison for what I would be using it for

I have a Optoma P2 UST and a 120" floor raising screen.

I find it great. I does 120hz in 1080p gaming.

Where about are you?
I may have a screen you can have.

andybird123 · 15 May 2022 at 11:12

Thanks for the offer but moving country soon so probably wouldn't have space to take it with us!

deuse · 15 May 2022 at 11:20

andybird123 said:
Thanks for the offer but moving country soon so probably wouldn't have space to take it with us!

No problems then.

You best wait till you move to buy.

Rroff · 15 May 2022 at 11:42

Maybe partly because the ones I've owned have been a bit of a faff with turning on and off but even with projectors which are fully useable in daylight I've never really gelled with a projector as a replacement for a TV, though there is little like the experience of watching a movie on a wall sized display from a projector. In the longer run they've always been a bit less convenient than a large TV.

Pottsey · 15 May 2022 at 12:10

Rroff said:
Maybe partly because the ones I've owned have been a bit of a faff with turning on and off but even with projectors which are fully useable in daylight I've never really gelled with a projector as a replacement for a TV, though there is little like the experience of watching a movie on a wall sized display from a projector. In the longer run they've always been a bit less convenient than a large TV.

Fully agree though the new laser and LED projectors go a massive way into fixing that. Its almost instant turn on and off. No waiting 60seconds while fans spin up, no waiting another 60seconds after turn on before the screen gets bright enough to see. No waiting for them to cooldown before they switch off and no messing around with replacing lamps or losing brightness every 2 years. Not saying they are perfect but lasers and LED really are a leap forward over lamps. TV's are still more convenient but projectors are not as far behind as they used to be.
Then again I think projector life spans are limited in the longer term. Once TV get to 100"+ at a decent cost there wont be much reason to get a projector. I do wonder if my new UHZ50 might be my last projector.

Rroff · 15 May 2022 at 12:50

Pottsey said:
no messing around with replacing lamps or losing brightness every 2 years.

Albeit it doesn't get used as much as it used to as I've bought newer stuff now but my Optoma HD70 is still going strong on the 2006 bulb! it takes longer to get up to brightness and isn't quite as bright as it used to be and rolled over the bulb counter for hours - I have always ran it in eco mode + high altitude though.

I was always kind of sweating it that I'd be replacing it sooner rather than later :s

Pottsey said:
Once TV get to 100"+ at a decent cost there wont be much reason to get a projector. I do wonder if my new UHZ50 might be my last projector.

There is something about the way projectors display light/colours which TVs are a long way from doing which makes movies such an experience - the only display I've found that is close is the Philips 436M6 (and some of the Momentum series TVs that are based around that model).

Pottsey · 15 May 2022 at 13:05

Rroff said:
Albeit it doesn't get used as much as it used to as I've bought newer stuff now but my Optoma HD70 is still going strong on the 2006 bulb! it takes longer to get up to brightness and isn't quite as bright as it used to be and rolled over the bulb counter for hours - I have always ran it in eco mode + high altitude though.

I was always kind of sweating it that I'd be replacing it sooner rather than later :s

There is something about the way projectors display light/colours which TVs are a long way from doing which makes movies such an experience - the only display I've found that is close is the Philips 436M6 (and some of the Momentum series TVs that are based around that model).

We noticed that. Its almost like the light is softer but I don't mean blurred. Apparently its something to do with the way projectors utilize reflected light. Reflected light seems to be less invasive and reduces eyestrain but its a subtile things that is hard to explain. I do now when I get eye strain for being to long on the computer I can switch to a projector without a problem but not a TV.

andybird123 · 15 May 2022 at 20:26

Rroff said:
Maybe partly because the ones I've owned have been a bit of a faff with turning on and off but even with projectors which are fully useable in daylight I've never really gelled with a projector as a replacement for a TV, though there is little like the experience of watching a movie on a wall sized display from a projector. In the longer run they've always been a bit less convenient than a large TV.

We hardly watch "normal" telly, its almost all prime/Netflix/YouTube/movies etc. The projectors I'm looking at all have Android either built in or stick included and all from one remote - our current Sony TV is android and takes about a minute to boot up and connect to wifi

The input lag on the BenQ is pretty impressive too, our current TV is rubbish by comparison