The idea of of shooting it against a blank wall is a good idea, does it matter if the wall is black?
Yes, but put a sheet up or something else that is white. Some poster board or something that is brighter.
As for the projector, the two Epson model you quote are the two I was looking at, I just can't decide/understand which is best...
The 8700UB is better.
Contrast ratio is the difference between the deepest blacks and the brightest whites. Typically this is listed as a dynamic number so it isn't truly achievable, but it is still important. Product reviews do a far better job at seeing the real world results so not only read reviews here at Audioholics, but check out Projector Central and Projector Reviews (.com) for the skinny on these models.
So, when you get a projector with deeper blacks, it helps the rest of the colors appear more saturated and accurate. Deep shadow contrast and black levels are important.
It's a number of things really, but when you get a more expensive projector you often get:
Better contrast, better image processing, a better lens, better color management, more accurate colors, better shadow details, a brighter post calibrated image, and better overall build quality.
Sometimes you get some of those things, sometimes you get NONE of those things, which is why reviews are important.
The JVC HD250 is probably the best projector under $3000 right now. Extremely reliable, very good optics, and a bright post calibration image with top shelf real world contrast.
I have never owned nor bought a projector, I always had plasma's, so this venture is totally new to me.
It's a completely different experience, that's for sure.
I know the lumens is the amount of light the projector is capable to throw out and the contrast ration is the " clarity ", I think the amount of pixels used to recreat the image...I think.
Lumens is the max total light output POTENTIAL - with a new lamp and horrible image quality. You have to read reviews to get a better understanding of real world light output, but generally it is about 400-700 lumens on home theater projectors. THX (movie) standards call for about 13-17 lumens per square foot of screen space for good results.
Contrast I described above and has nothing to do with pixels.
Pixel count is the resolution of the projector. It's an absolute. 1920x1080 is the same as 1080p. That's basically the class that most projector buyers should be looking at. Get a 1080p projector. It is sometimes called 'native resolution'. It is the ONLY thing that matters with resolution.
So I am confused as to which is better, higher lumens or higher contrast ratio?
Higher contrast. Contrast ratio, shadow detail, color accuracy, motion handling... they are all the most important things with front projection. Light just needs to be enough to fill your screen adequately, and a 92"-120" is EXACTLY the typical home setup and every single home theater projector on the market can do that size without significant issue.
I will have my projector set up at approximately 14' away form the screen and the lighting in the room will be 100% controlled.
I say this because I always say this...
Don't confuse turning off lights with controlling light.
A projector is a giant flashlight. It's VERY bright, and when that light hits the screen, it reflects throughout your whole room. To properly control light you can't just put up blinds and turn the lights off. You have to do it like theaters do it. Paint the room dark, use dark carpet, and make sure you paint the ceiling as well. Otherwise, you do NOT have 100% control of your lighting. In fact, you have almost no control.
Still, multiple zones of properly placed recessed lighting go a long way to making the room usable for home theater and other usage of the room. I recommend a light about every 4'-5' in the ceiling broken into at least two zones, typically more.
http://www.avintegrated.com/lighting.html
I was very wary about buying any projectors because of the " sacrifice " of colour and clarity versus the plasma TV's but I have seen several projector set ups in show rooms that have showed me and my wife that you can still acheive excellent picture quality with a projector under the right conditions...
Yes, this worries people, yet you go to a movie theater and you are perfectly happy with what you see on screen. The HOME cinema experience is quite often better than most local theaters if you spend some time and money to do it right.
Looking for some more advice and opinions please.
I'm full of them!
The things people most often get wrong:
Not ENOUGH lighting in a theater.
Missing the $50 in paint to actually control lighting. (single biggest improvement in quality for the least amount of money!)
Not going with a dark room - floors and ceiling included.
Insistence on a grey screen when then don't need it.
Poor audio setup - sound is at least 50% of the experience.
Putting equipment at the front of the room... DO NOT DO THIS!!!
Thinking that it has to be a dedicated space to achieve all (or almost all) of this.
Listening to your wife nag that she doesn't want to live in a cave. They get the other 99% of the house, grow a set and insist upon a room that is different... A dark room is far more relaxing than a bright room!
Lousy projector mount - a good universal mount will make setup a snap and will never move, but allows for easy install/deinstall as necessary.
To small/large of a screen. Use THX standards and personal experience (not opinion!) to determine the right screen size for you.
CONDUIT IS YOUR FRIEND!
