Monster Television or Projector? Which will server me best???

[HT4ME]

Greetings one and all,

I am building a home theater as part of a full basement finish in the coming year. I have been dancing back and forth between purchasing an 80" LED or a projector. The room is 20' x 21' and opens up to a space spanning 18' x 19' (see attachments). Which way should I go? Consider my budget to be approximately $4,500. ***I want quality for the entire system including video. My system, which I am incredibly excited about (first home theater) is as follows:

FR & FL: Martin Logan Ethos
Center: Martin Logan Stage X
SL & SR: Martin Logan Vanquish
RL & RR: Martin Logan Vanquish
Power Conditioner: Panamax MR5100
UDP: Oppo BDP - 103D
Preamp: Marantz AV8801
Amplifier: NAD M25

Oh, also, when you post your response, please submit a brand/model recommendation.

Thanks to everyone in advance!

With much appreciation,

Matthew

 

[ImcLoud]

Amazon.com: Sharp LC-80LE757 80-inch Aquos Quattron 1080p 240Hz Smart LED 3D HDTV: Electronics would be my pick for an 80" or for a little more you can go 84" 84" (diag) XBR 4K Ultra HD LED TV - XBR84X900 Review | Sony Store U.S. - Sony US , lol

 

[BMXTRIX]

I will say that a big TV is never home theater - it simply isn't.

At a 12' viewing distance, the difference between a 120" diagonal and a 80" diagonal amounts to a pretty big difference in immersion, but whether it makes sense to your rec room setup is another question altogether.

Front projection requires dark to perform best. A window to the side will require blackout shades, full darkness. The rest of the windows further removed should be shaded during the daytime for best results, but won't require blackouts for good results and a fair bit of light can still be in the basement if using a front projector.

I'm a big fan of front projection and I use a 161" screen with the BenQ W1070 and I am personally very happy with the results. This can be had for about $2,000 or less for a good large screen and the projector.

Projection Screens - Home Theater Projector Screens by Carada - 126 Inch Diagonal Criterion Series Projection Screen - 1.78 to 1 - Home Theater Screen Theater Projection Screens Front
BenQ W1070 Projector : Top Rated 1080p BenQ Projectors

Add a mount and call it a day.

Certainly the large screen Sharp or Sony models are worth consideration and won't have issues with ambient light like the front projectors, but it is simply astounding how quickly you will get used to a 80" display and wonder if you should have gone for the far more immersive home theater setup.

I'm about 14' from my 161" screen and I almost wish I could go larger. Perhaps when I actually finish my basement I will.

 

[agarwalro]

Assuming you are approximately 10-13' from the wall, you need a 92-120" screen to achieve recommended THX viewing angle. I'd say that requirement seals the deal for a PJ, unless, a) light control will be an issue, b) you will use the device for casual viewing too. I believe the former is a non-issue given the basement setup and the latter can be addressed by having a dual setup. Wall mounted TV for casual stuff and PJ with motorized screen when you want to get serious .