budget projector

[godless]

i need to get a projector, preferably dlp, that is HD (hd compatible or hd ready is fine i am gonna use a cable box anyway)

i dont need to project it onto anything bigger than 60 inches

i am putting it in my finished basement so light is not a problem i can just turn the lights off

one thing is i need it to be $1000 or less...

can anyone help? i would greatly appreciate it

 

[RLA]

If you are going to watch allot of SD cable the Infocus 4805 would be your best choice. It is 854x480 resolution but looks great with HD feed's It also has built in Faroudja processing. This feature you be of great importance to you for those SD cable feeds. The 4805 has high CR ratio and is very bright. Sitting at 2x the screen width you would be very happy.
Currently you can obtain these for well under $1000 with standard 2-year warranty.

Another option would be the Optoma H-31 reviewed here. Its one of best buys on the market very nice build quality
http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/OptomaH31DLPProjectorReview1.php
This projector has no Faroudja but does have a decent Pixel Works processor
It is a little quieter than the 4805 but if you plan to use a HTPC via the DVI port you will be out of luck use this link to receive a special Audioholics deal
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12999
This should get you very close to your budget
Hope this helps

 

[Doug917]

I second the 4805. I have had this unit for over a year now projecting onto a 16 X 9 92" screen and the results are beautiful. Light control is a must, but your basement, like mine from the sounds of it, is the perfect place for a great picture.

 

[BMXTRIX]

The only monkey wrench would be that Sanyo PLV-Z2 which can be had for $1050.00 right now and, while it is a LCD projector, includes lens shift, and about twice as many pixels as the H31 or SP4805.

This is very much personal preference, but you should be aware of all three similarly priced projectors right now so you can make a decision.

Z2 Specs:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Sanyo-PLV-Z2.htm
H31 Specs:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-H31.htm
SP4805 Specs:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/InFocus_Home-ScreenPlay_4805.htm

Which would I buy? Errmmm... glad that is a decision I don't have to make. DLP looks great, but doubling the resolution is a very good thing as well. Especially when you hear about how much people talk about 'true-HD' being so blasted important in a 42" plasma... in a projector it actually matters.

But, contrast... overall quality... it's a tough call for sure.

 

[RLA]

That’s a great price on the Sanyo but SD looks pretty bad on the Z-2. He would probably need an external video processor with that projector
The other consideration is dust blobs The Z-1 and Z-2 were dust collectors.
Things have improved with the Z-3 having blowholes to blow out the dust laying on the panel and optical path. One other thing to mention is there have been many complaints about Sanyo and their warranty. Mainly there CSR and warranty policy is well… I’ll let you pick the word Even with the increase in resolution I think I would choose the 4805 or the H-31 over the Z-2. JMOHO

With LCD D-5 coming soon the Z-3 and AE-700 are sure to drop in price That may be worth the wait But a little birdie told me that Infocus has a card of its own up its sleeve.

 

[godless]

i am not going to watch a lot of sd on it at all, we have another hdtv that was about $3400 and its great but everyone crowds around it so this projector is for me and it will mainly be used for hd