Projector as a TV

The result in analog hertzian is good with just a composite RCA connection. If you are in the studio, maintain a sufficient distance (three times the screen diagonal) so you don't see the pixels. Aside from the lamp (and the screen), a projector costs less than a TV, and once you've experienced it...

Interesting, but I still have a doubt: projectors generally make a lot of noise (fan due to the heat of the lamp); is that the case with your equipment?

Hi Ludo, thanks for your opinion. Have you also noticed that the colors weren't great?

I think I’m still going to be tempted by this projector, but I'm still a bit hesitant! 300€ is still a lot!

See you!

Here we go,
ordered Wednesday on darty.fr, received Friday at home, so happy (Darty really delivers).
so installation and then a very nice surprise, 3 meters diagonal, that's great. Need for Speed at the cinema, wow.

but had to connect via S-video because I want to keep my PC screen, so average quality and I had the bad idea of connecting an old laptop via VGA and I saw the difference in quality, now all I want is to get the same image quality.

I have an HP Pavilion s7640 with DVI and S-video outputs, there’s also a VGA but apparently it's blocked because of 2 graphics cards.

so frustrating.

and then at Darty, they told me that VGA cables are 5 meters max, I need 10 meters, too bad;
if anyone has an idea other than buying a laptop, that would be cool.

have a good

evening.

Hello
a user review if you want. I've been using projectors for a long time and I had the same questions as you. I initially used a Philips VL that I borrowed from work on the weekends to create home cinemas at home.
I had to pull the curtains a bit and "mom" was a bit horrified because of the sound dynamics on the 5.1 audio system. Time passed a little and projector technology evolved, and I had the opportunity to try thanks to my work two major brands in DLP. The brightness of the projected images has evolved a lot, plus the "black" is black which is important with the unavoidable black bars of certain cinema formats. Three years ago, I had to choose because I had the possibility to buy. My daughter who lives in Paris invited me and we went to see the different devices on display at the big shows in the capital. I was dazzled. Then a savvy salesman, cleverly questioning me about my favorite hobbies, wisely guided me in the plasma section and I fell for a Panasonic Viera that better suits a mixed TV and home cinema use. It's definitely more practical on a daily basis. Of course, I accepted to slightly reduce the size of my cinema image, but it’s pure joy.
P.S. the price of projection lamps is indeed not very cheap and watching TV on a projector is not ideal.
Cheers and good choice!

For the first answer, yes it has a trapeze adjustment (normal) and a possible screen offset (to the left or right).

For the second question, I would say 1 meter 50, but it doesn't depend on the video projector. However, you can easily buy an extension for this cable which should cost around 5 euros, that's what I did.

Anyway, when you buy a projector, you should plan at least 20-30 euros for all kinds of cables to connect everything you want.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Thank you very much for your quick and clear response!

I'm much less hesitant now, thanks again and have a nice evening!

Hello everyone

I am also interested in this projector at €300 (Optoma ES520), but I'm a bit hesitant because the resolution is only 800*600!
I know that for TV and DVDs, it's more than enough (lower resolution), but I would also like to occasionally play video games, and I'm a bit worried about the outcome :s Moreover, a sales representative told me that I might experience motion blur in games :( But another one told me the opposite, so I'm a bit confused! Have you experienced video games with it?

Actually, I think I would place the projector about 3 meters away, which would give me an image of 1.5 meters at the base, and normally I would be seated about 2.5 meters away. Do you think I will see big pixels? Or is it still reasonable?

Thanks

Hello
A final word about projectors: Physical law states that when you project, you enlarge, but what do you enlarge? A computer game image (which is generally already enlarged, like Counter for example) the more you enlarge, the more flaws you see (Laplace could have said that). When you go to a showroom to see demos, there are rarely games (or it's not a WII but an X360, they show you projected images from Blu-Rays (carefully selected). I have in my archives a DVD burned in a standard called Superbit (Sony's invention), there is only the movie on the DVD, no extras. You have to see the image on a computer screen, it's a real photo with sharp images down to the last background. The film is The Fifth Element, you see when the girl dives down into the "street". It's designed specifically for the demo, so when you project that, you're amazed. However, if you project a low-quality divx, hello the damage. Moreover, I think we tend to look too closely (in the days of CRT screens, it was said to sit 5X the screen diagonal!) This figure can be brought down to 3X for LCDs and plasmas. Finally, the quality of the projector, I used for my work the first so-called consumer video projectors like slide projectors. You had to be in the dark! When we projected a computer image on the screen, it wasn't bad, everyone followed the presentation well. Then I used it for entertainment with DVDs, you had to see from one disc to another the flaws that we didn't even think existed on a TV screen. There were amazing DVDs and others that were just okay, yet at the same price. Then came a new technology called DLP (micro-mirrors), a little more expensive although prices had dropped significantly, you could find a DLP for less than 1000 Francs. I was once again blown away. The black was black, the image bright even in a dim light, just draw the curtain in the room, no more darkness finally at home! The contrasts were brilliant, etc. I projected The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I couldn't believe it. Now you tell me there are projectors at €250, they are not DLP, you shouldn't be too picky and maybe you don't need a 6X4 meter screen in a studio?
Have a nice day!

Thanks a lot for this summary, I know what to expect now ;)

As for the remote control, it seemed too good to be true that it could become like a Wii controller!! I could really see myself playing shooting games with it!

It's true that given the price of the bulbs, it's better to buy a new projector every time! Unless you've bought the best of the best!

I’m still quite surprised that the colors are less beautiful on PC than on TV; normally, a VGA cable is of better quality than an S-video cable! Maybe by fine-tuning the settings, we could achieve something decent ;)

Thank you for your opinion, Oxmos, it reassures me a bit!

Today I saw at Planète Saturn an Optoma projector (DS306i) at the same price and almost the same specs as this one. It was being demonstrated with a Blu-ray projected, and despite its low resolution, I found the rendering quite good (I couldn't see the pixels, even up close!) However, I couldn't really assess the colors since the room wasn't dark, but it seemed quite bright (maybe even too much!)

I can't wait for your results! It's mainly the "trails" (the fact that the images persist) that the seller mentioned that worries me!

To answer your question, I bought a video projector for 400 euros and the bulb costs 300 euros, plus it gets blocked at 3000 hours, so that makes one bulb per year. Let's do the math.

I am delighted with my Optoma (DLP model) projector. For three years, I have been watching my movies and evening shows (the projector needs to be in the dark to get the most contrast) and sometimes afternoon matches, pulling down the blinds and always in "eco" mode because in standard, the brightness is too strong at 4m (2m screen). This way, the lamp lasts as long as possible, and it's still the original one. And above all, I connect the sound to an old hi-fi system. I keep my TV for news and weather during the day because the lamp and sound system together consume about 300 watts. The Optoma HD70 is great to be top-notch for HD; it’s very well positioned.
Best regards.

Hop hop hop, I’m in love :)

In love with my projector! I didn't end up playing Counter (didn't feel like it) but I opted for a little Battlefield instead... and the result... PERFECT!

Well, when I say perfect, I should moderate a bit; when you compare your PC screen to your projector, you can definitely see the difference, but only in terms of color. No blurring even during helicopter movements (which are pretty fast in 2142 ;p).

Just to remind you, I have the Optoma ES520.

Otherwise, there's this one that looks pretty good:

http://www.shoxx.com/catalog/product_info.php/language/5?products_id=9050&cref=234

DLP technology, a little less contrast and lumens than mine, but they certainly brag about the longevity of the lamp (between 3500 and 4000 hours, compared to 2000 for mine). When you know a lamp costs around 200 euros...

In terms of lighting, it’s true that I live in a studio, so I can easily close the blinds (especially in winter) but even with the living room light on, I can still see the image well.

I think I've rekindled your love for video games on a projector :D Anyway, thank you very much for your opinion, I now have less fear about pixelation and so-called trails! But now I'm worried about the colors! I think I'm still going to buy the Optoma I saw, quite similar to yours, Oxmos.

It's true that the price of the lamps is incredibly expensive :( Unfortunately, that's why projectors can't replace a TV!

Oh by the way, a quick question, what does remote control with mouse management mean? If you connect your projector to the PC via USB, does it turn your remote control into a Wii controller lol?

Bernorenard, I didn't quite understand your rant lol! But the models we're talking about at 300€ are indeed DLP!
And DLP for less than 1000 francs, I'm quite surprised, that makes "only" 150€!

One more quick question, how is black produced in DLP, is it the absence of color or true black?

Hello
I'm explaining about the DLPs at >1000 F, that was a few years ago (the francs too) shortly after their arrival (the DLPs). Now that I'm older and a bit angry with the € I've written the price I paid for a DLP that replaced a Philips whose lamp cost 3000F at that time. This was at my workplace (training center). During the day, the projectors were used to assist the courses with PCs and in the evening they were used to entertain the residents of the home with DVDs and home cinema. So in video projection (until 2006) I gained experience. As everything is moving too fast, I don't know how much a VP costs today. When I retired, I had the choice between a plasma and a VP and I didn't hesitate, I took the plasma as it was more comfortable for all uses. We didn't talk about price then, the Pana cost over €3000, now its little brother with TNTHD costs a little less than €800.
I'm glad to know that DLP prices have really dropped, it's by far the best system. Of course, as I wrote, your projected image won't always be perfect, but at least the experience you gain will eliminate doubts about the projector. HD is coming; I hope they are compatible? It will be even better, like DVD which is better than DIVX but not as good as Blu-ray.
Just a word about the remote mouse; I believe I understand it’s a “mouse-like” function for using your VP with the PC to navigate through computer images… to be verified? No confusion with the WII controllers (which have motion sensors inside and well-secured codes to not interfere elsewhere than on the WII's infrared sensor)
I think we understand each other well and I wish you many hours of “great spectacle”
Bye

guigui:

I admit that I never really looked into mouse management... I don't have any interest in it, so whatever...

And to be frank, you’re right to worry about the colors though... As much as when I watch TV (on a video projector) I don’t see any problems (to say the image seems almost perfect!), as much as when I watch from the PC it’s a bit lacking...

Well, lacking... if I can’t see my PC screen, I feel like it’s fine, but if I see my screen, I can make the comparison, and it’s true that the colors are definitely less beautiful...

But personally, I am still extremely happy with it! (and between a 120 cm TV and a projector for the same price, my choice is quickly made...)

Regarding the bulbs, it’s true they are expensive... But anyway, when mine breaks (fingers crossed), I’m not sure I will buy another one. It’ll be in about two years, so by then the projectors will have evolved further, and I think I would choose to buy another one!

As for the black (we're back to the color issue), I can't really answer too much. In fact, it’s not pitch black, but rather dark. But it all looks black (in comparison to the other colors), so in the end we’re pretty satisfied with it.

Finally, in conclusion:
*Strengths:
- Large (huge!) screen.
- No (or very little) trail.
- Very satisfactory value for money (very satisfactory).
- If you have a console, immersion sensation at 200%
- BONUS: when friends (and girlfriend...) come over, it looks stunning!

*Weaknesses:
- Bulb (between 1500 and 3000 hours roughly)
- You are less free than with a TV, you can’t just turn it on, switch channels, and turn it off (well, you can, but it’s bad for the bulb).
- The colors: it all depends on the source from which the TV comes, in VGA it’s not very pretty sometimes.
- BONUS: you always have a little fear when someone touches it, and when you move it a bit. You have to handle a hot bulb like it’s nitroglycerin!

There you go, I think I’ve summarized all the strengths and weaknesses I’ve felt in 2-3 months of use (by the way, I’ve been using it unrestricted for (only) 180 hours of operation!)

My personal opinion: it’s a buy! Honestly, when you compare what you can get with a TV for the same price, the gap is impressive! You really feel like you’re at the cinema, except you can talk! eat! drink! laugh!
Finally, for everyone who hesitates, I recommend it, and you won’t be disappointed!!

Hello dear internet users
I bought a Toshiba video projector for 990€. I’m connected to my PC with a 10-meter S-video cable and it works very well (as long as you have an S-video output; otherwise there is an RCA adapter)
But be careful when purchasing your video projector because the lamp only lasts up to 3,500 hours; after that, you will have to shell out at least 600€ to change your lamp
If you do it yourself, be careful not to damage the small motor of the three colors (400€)
My video projector cost me 2,000€, so I only use it rarely
To conclude
If you want to buy a video projector, check the price of replacement lamps beforehand
You will be shocked by the exorbitant price of these lamps
I would rather advise you to opt for a 136 mini plasma for your gaming consoles; you’ll find it worth it
Sooner or later

Yours internetly

Hi everyone

I ended up buying the Infocus X6. And I'm not disappointed at all, for €300 it's great, beautiful colors, good image quality. Just a small flaw, I see a lot of rainbow effect in the videos, it was on videos with lots of effects going in all directions too, I feel like in black and white you see it more! I haven't tried movies yet but I think there should be a lot fewer!

Anyway, I'm super happy! Oxmos, I really think you can improve your colors with the projector settings.