TV or projector?

[louisiana]

Thinking of getting rid of the old CRT TV. Wondering whether to get projector rather than a flat screen TV. I don't watch much actual TV. (I use a Tivo for the odd time-shifted programme, also iPlayer/4OD.) It's mainly movies and similar.

Any projector experiences? I'd be projecting onto a wall.

[Huguenot]

The lack of contrast really undermines projected TV for me. The blacks are only as black as the wall they're projected onto - and that'll only be black if it's night and all the lights are off.

[ruffers]

Huguenot speaks the truth - telly.

NEXT!

[louisiana]

So in a dark/black room Huguenot?

[HAL9000]

Cinemas project onto a reflective screen with low or no ambient lighting - the effect is better than a TV screen, in my opinion. Also, the eye is very adaptive. It depends on whether you mind having the lights turn down or off while watching?

[pablogrande]

Hi Louisiana

I have a company that installs home cinemas and Huguenot is correct about the black levels, though in my mind nothing beats a big projected image for watching films.

The main thing about ambient light is the light reflecting onto the wall you are projecting onto this will also be affected by the brightness of the projector and the colour of the walls in the room. A pure white room will reflect a lot of light back onto your projecting surface. It also helps if the wall you are projecting onto is darker than white (light to mid grey is best) I personally think turning the lights low all adds to the immersive experience.

Another thing to think about is noise from the projector as they have fans to cool the lamp some people find it distracting though the newer projectors are a lot quieter.

Also I suggest you avoid LCD projectors these are ideally suited for office use and tend to look less natural for video.

I have an old projector at home that we use for watching films, it's not HD but works pretty well for family use, you are welcolme to try it at home for an evening if you want?

[Captain Scarlet]

Buy yourself i nice 47inch Lcd Full HD 1080 telly.......upgrade to Hd broadcast or get yourself A blurayplayer

you will be blown away!!! dont bother with projestion screens or Plasma screen!

[pablogrande]

dont want to piss in your bonfire scarlet. Full HD means nothing other than the resolution its capable of no guarantee of quality. Why settle for 47inch when you can have 100+ and I am yet to see an LCD that matches the best plasmas.

[Captain Scarlet]

pablogrande Wrote:

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> dont want to piss in your bonfire scarlet. Full HD

> means nothing other than the resolution its

> capable of no guarantee of quality. Why settle for

> 47inch when you can have 100+ and I am yet to see

> an LCD that matches the best plasmas.

No problem..but I dont rate plasma screens.I know lots of friends which have had problems with them![they did buy when they first came out mind] Lcd screens have moved on big time.Samsung make some of the best.

[louisiana]

pablogrande Wrote:

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> dont want to piss in your bonfire scarlet. Full HD

> means nothing other than the resolution its

> capable of no guarantee of quality. Why settle for

> 47inch when you can have 100+ and I am yet to see

> an LCD that matches the best plasmas.

LCD image quality is worse than CRT. IS this an example of progress? :-S

[SeanMacGabhann]

Louisiana

That depends on what source you are feeding it ? old school vcr and (say) freeview digital stations will look worse

Partly because of LCD but also because the new screen is now bigger and the flaws with the source are more apparent

If you feed it a bluray, or HD, or console picture and you have settings set correctly you will quickly see it is indeed progress

But if you just want to watch what you do now on a flatscreen you might be dissapointed

[Jeremy]

louisiana Wrote:

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> LCD image quality is worse than CRT. IS this an example of progress? :-S

Maybe true with standard definition broadcasts, as the CRT will naturally smooth the picture. Shouldn't be the case for HD (or even DVD) quality though.

[Jeremy]

Cross-posted...