Home projector

Ben6899

Now then,

We don't have a TV, get by with iplayer on a large laptop. It's sufficient, most TV is b0ll0cks and the laptop screen is HD so it's great for DVDs as well.

However, we want to buy a Nintendo Switch for Christmas (a gift from us to us) and already have a SNES Mini Classic in the post. So we're looking for a projector.

This isn't something I've ever looked into. What makes a good projector? What makes a bad one? Are there any common pitfalls?

All I know is that it needs HDMI connectivity which I imagine is a ubiquitous feature among new offerings.

Ta!
B

fenix

Might be a useful read - http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming-on ... een-gaming

Ben6899

Thank you!

trivial_poursuivant

Above article says it all ref noise and lifespan of bulb. What it doesn't mention is the extortionate cost of replacement lamps when you do need to replace.

capt_slog

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Above article says it all ref noise and lifespan of bulb. What it doesn't mention is the extortionate cost of replacement lamps when you do need to replace.

That's been my experience of them too.

I was lucky enough to be given one, and we used it for a couple of years for 'Saturday night films' for the kids year ago. We didn't have a second TV at the time, and so this was a cheap option. It's good because you can get a big screen, but yes, it's noisy. I never had to replace a lamp, it would have been in the bin had it ever come to that.

I've more recently used it on Halloween for back-projecting a ghost onto the curtains.

If it was me, I'd get a TV for the job you want it to do.

timothyw

Yeah, you can get huge tellies for hardly any money nowadays - unless you really need the portability, better to put a similar amount of money towards a big telly.

Projectors are noisy, need darkened rooms and replacement lamps are expensive (although you can get LED based projectors, these are more expensive in of themselves and don't have particularly long warranty life).

Ben6899

Thanks for all the input, chaps. We don't want a TV - the attraction of a projector is putting it away when it's not being used. TVs sit there gathering dust!

I'm open to alternatives, by the way. It needn't be a projector, but I can't think of anything else.

fenix

You have 5 bikes but are worried about a TV gathering dust ? ;-)

I'd probably go for the TV route too. I know you can watch tv on a laptop but a bigger screen is easier and nicer to watch.

timothyw

If you're thinking of putting it away between use then the added disadvantage of projectors is setup - you get out a telly, switch it on, the geometry is perfect.

Projectors you need to align them, focus them, keystone them - it's a faff if you want the picture to look at it's best.

Did I mention that to get a projector to look at it's best you need to use a proper screen with it too? Projecting on a white wall often looks dull, and lumpy....

I did use a projector as my main 'tv' for a couple of years last decade as I was able to borrow one from work, replaced it with a 32" telly, didn't regret it one bit.

Unless you are building a cinema room, or particularly want a darkened room cinema experience, it just isn't worth the faff.

Still, you're fully entitled to make your own mistakes. Once the novelty wears off you will end up with a telly....

Ben6899

TimothyW wrote:

Once the novelty wears off you will end up with a telly....

If we had somewhere to put one that wouldn't look unsightly, then I would agree!

Ben6899

Fenix wrote:

You have 5 bikes but are worried about a TV gathering dust ? ;-)

You leave my obsession out of this!

pblakeney

Ben6899 wrote:

TimothyW wrote:

Once the novelty wears off you will end up with a telly....

If we had somewhere to put one that wouldn't look unsightly, then I would agree!

That wall that you are going to project on to?
Family photos as a screensaver and you have a huge picture frame with alternating pictures. Maybe...

Ben6899

PBlakeney wrote:

Ben6899 wrote:

TimothyW wrote:

Once the novelty wears off you will end up with a telly....

If we had somewhere to put one that wouldn't look unsightly, then I would agree!

That wall that you are going to project on to?
Family photos as a screensaver and you have a huge picture frame with alternating pictures. Maybe...

TV on the wall isn't really our style.

(I really appreciate all the input, btw!)

twist83

I think you might quickly regret a projector and see it is a faff. As above if you intend to pack away completely, then setup of all kit and making the picture display right each time will kill off the Pick up and Play nature of it.

If you have room to store away a Projector and screen. Could you perhaps get a semi decent sized LED TV and stash it away when not in use? Less faff that packing away and setting up a projector.

Needing a very dark room to make any use of one is the biggest downside I would say.

trivial_poursuivant

This for me is what would put me off

http://www.projectorcentral.com/projector-input-lag.htm

surrey_commuter

just buy a cheap TV and use one of these to link it to laptop/phone etc

https://www.google.com/chromecast/tv/explore/

when not in use just put TV in cupboard or under the bed

team47b

Don’t buy a tv you might end up watching it!

Slippery slope...

( not owned a tv since 2004)

Laptop is fine, get a smaller house

Ben6899

Lads. We bought a telly that packs up sufficiently to slide under the sofa when we're not playing Mario Kart.

Thanks for all the pointers!

(I never thought I'd buy a fuggin telly)

fenix

have you SEEEN Blue Planet 2 ? Un-be-flipping-lievable.

Well worth the price of the telly alone.

Ben6899

Fenix wrote:

have you SEEEN Blue Planet 2 ? Un-be-flipping-lievable.

Well worth the price of the telly alone.

HD laptop screen innit