Projectors...

[Username]

I want to use a projector for use of my computer AND television. I know I'm gonna need extra speakers for the television audio (or maybe I can just use my PC speakers...). I think projectors have fabulous picture quality and I love the concept of custom screen size.

Anyway what kind of hardware am I going to need for this type of thing? And I know it's possible because every college does it.

I don't need anything spectacular just the minimum to put this into fruition.

[LaValva]

You'll need a projector.

If by hardware you mean connectors, it should come with cheapo RCA connectors and a VGA cable. I'd recommend upgrading to a half-decent set of RCA's from your TV, preferably S-Video or Component.

Get the cables from eBay or some other online store, because you'll get killed in retail stores, way over-priced.

[irwincur]

There are many ways you could set this up.

You could use the PC as an all in one device. A TV Tuner, DVD player, Jukebox, etc... However with this solution TV quality may suffer. Here is what I suggest...


Get a decent XGA projector, at least you can get the vertical resolution of HDTV out of it. The SVGA projectors are decent, but they really don't fit any common format all that well. SDTV is 480 lines (at best), HDTV is 720 lines (or 1080i), and DVD is also 480 lines. However your budget is really the main factor here.

Use your PC as your DVD player. Video Cards are excellent at scaling 2D images, and in most cases are as good or better than expensive DVD/Scaler combos that can run thousands. There is a bit of setup, but well scaled DVD is worth it. There is also the quick and easy potential upgrade to HD-DVD or Blue-Ray when it appears as PC versions of the DVD players will come out earlier, and drop in price much faster than consumer versions.

Get an external tuner for the TV. I suggest external because internal tuners (the type you put in the PC) suck. They are subject to too much interference. By external, I mean anything from a VCR (yes you can use a VCR for the tuner) or prefferably a set top box from you cable/sat. provider. HDTV would be even better, but not required. However, do not expect SDTV to look good at all on a 100" screen.

[Username]

Thanks!

[CookIEZ]

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/video/20050126/index.html

Review of projectors.

[JabberJaw]

Just fyi, check out the price of replacement lamps for any pj you consider buying. These lamps/bulbs typically cost hundreds of dollars each! You might need a new one every 6 months or sooner, especially if you intend to use a pj for both tv and comp use. Also, the lamp life given in the specs are often exaggerated, since they reach half briteness well before the hours given.

[irwincur]

They typically last for 3000 or so hours, as an average - every brand does vary. The bulds can also be pretty expensive.

However, 3000 hours at eight hours a day is 375 days - more than a year. Depending on use this could get expensive.

[Hypo_Luxa]

Bulb life is the main drawback to using a projector for lots of TV viewing. Still most bulbs will give you 3000+ hours. If you watch say 3 hours a day, that'll give you about 3 years of usage before you need a bulb. I agree about using an external tuner for your TV (ie cable box) It'll look ALOT better than most PC cards. As far as projectors go it's all about budget. XGA projectors are coming down in price, but SVGA projectors can be had easily for less than $1000. I use a Benq PB6100 SVGA (800x600) projector in my home theater and it looks absolutely fantastic. People who come over and have never seen it before, are blown away by how good it looks with HDTV and DVD source material. SDTV is not as good as my rear projection TV but it is good. If you are wanting to do alot of PC gaming on your big screen, then I would say XGA is the way to go for sure. As far as connections go, if you are driving it with an HTPC then you'll hook up via VGA cable (d-sub) which gives the best picture by far. With other sources you'll want to use (in order or preference) Component , S-Video, or composite (avoid this if possible).
There's nothing quite like watching your favorite movie on a 9ft+ screen in your own home. :D

[linoleum]

Originally posted by Hypo_Luxa
There's nothing quite like watching your favorite movie on a 9ft+ screen in your own home. :D
There's nothing quite like motion sickness from playing UT on a 9ft+ screen either. :P

[ua549]

Bulb life varies considerably. Just like an incandescent bulb at home, they can easily burn out during the first few hours of life. I've had projector lamps last as little as 10 hours and as long as a year. They get dim over time, so I replace them at least once a year.

[boss6021]

If you are on a tight budget, you could try this (http://www20.tomshardware.com/howto/20041113/index.html). I have thought about doing it just for the fun of it.

Mike

[JabberJaw]

Originally posted by boss6021
I have thought about doing it just for the fun of it.

Mike [/B]

I remember that article, and thinking that'd be the only reason to do it;)

RE bulb$, one of you wonky types should invent a permanent replacement for incandescent PJ lamps, maybe ultrabrite LED or solid state laser emitters or something...