Gaming projector LCD or DLP?

[Kory]

I just got my new buget LCD TV. Its a veiw sonic n2010. It is not HD but supports HD signals and converts them to ED. I curently have my PS2 connected with component cables. The image is nice espesialy with the games that support progresive scan. But now im wondering if i should return the TV(i have only one week left to decide) and get a projector. I saw some nice HD projectors on ebay for about $700. Can any one tell me if it is worth it. Is the image not as good as a LCD TV because its bigger? Also what is better LCD or DLP? And does the image look as good, clear and sharp?
THanks.

 

[Rob Babcock]

A PJ can work very well for gaming, but there are a few things to consider. First, at NTSC resolutions, if you go very large with the screen you'll start to see scan lines and artifacts. This can get annoying, but if you sit back a ways and keep the screen size reasonable you'll be fine.

Of greater concern is the cost of bulbs. I'd strongly recommend you check on the price of bulbs before you buy. Even though your PJ may only cost $700, it's very possible the bulb could set you back several hundred bucks a pop. Depending upon the service life of the bulb, you could spend as much on bulbs each year as you spent on the PJ. If you're anything like me, you might game for six to ten hours at a time when you get on a big gaming kick. The hours really add up in terms of bulb life. Getting thru, say, Knights of the Old Republic might take 80-100 hours alone.

One last potential pitfall is physical side effects. I get really sick to my stomach playing FPS's on the 100" screen in my HT rig. HALO or Castle Wolfenstein have the whole screen moving which gives me terrible vertigo and motion sickness. I have to play in pretty short stretches to avoid getting very dizzy. My 32" is just on the edge, for me. You might not have such problems, but you might wanna try out a PJ for awhile if you can.

Lastly, I'm not sure what model you're looking at. I know the Epson LCD's are about that cheap, but I'm not hugely impressed by them. Still, it depends upon the PJ. I think solid state PJs represent a huge value and can be good for gaming, so long as you keep the above points in mind.

Good luck with your research!

 

[brian32672]

By my avatar, surely you can see which one I prefer.
But I will get into the main negatives of both. Other than what Rob said above.
With LCD, if by chance you sit to close to the projected image not only will you see scan lines. You will see what is called the "screen door effect" Basically take a piece of window screen in front of your face and watch your tv at home. What will happen is the obvious, you will see little 1" blocks. However this is only if you sit to close and also is more of a problem with the cheaper models. (700.00 would be in that range)
With DLP, here you will not really get the "SDE" but you may or may not get "the rainbow effect" It is much more pronounced in the cheaper models as well. The cheaper (super budget) models will have a slower color wheel with minimal segments. The higher priced ones avoid this. (However this is not always the case in higher priced models) Rainbow effect, some people are prone to see it, others are not. I beleive its something like 80% don't but you may be 1 of the 20% that do. Basically, if you shift your eyes quite a bit watching movies (and especially games) you will see a halo or rather a rainbow on the edges of people or objects on the screen. I am immune to this phenomina (spelled wrong) I myself and all of my family have never seen a rainbow effect. (Even with the cheaper models)

As Rob said, the main thing that will be a concern is the bulb life. Even typical cheap PJ's are in the area of 3000 hours between bulb changes. But for an average person who may watch 2 movies a night for 5 or 6 days a week. This will equate into about 2 1/2 to 3 years between bulb changes. And the bulb for even the 700.00 PJ wil be at least 300.00 a piece.

Another thing to consider is, the resolution. I have a 700.00 pj. (Not the one in signature below) And it out of the box is absolutely beautiful sharp picture with ever so minimal set-up needed. However this is for movies. The colors are right on!!!! But, when hooked up to a computer and used for gaming, the text is not very sharp. Basically the higher the resolution units will be better for gaming for this one reason. And a svga or wvga resolution can be played, but you would have sharper text with xga or wxga. And these units will cost more.

Regardless, of all above. You have never played a game until you have played it at 96"+ At least thats my .02