Projector and Screen recommendations


How can I get into a 1080P video projector with HDMI input and a pull down screen (not a supersize screen) for cheap. Viewing distance is anywhere from 12' to 18' depending on placement. The room is not real dark during the daylight hours.

I don't know what brand or price of each item to look for. I want rock bottom prices for a starter system.
128x128mjcmt
I also have the Mitsu 4900HC projector. I moved from a Panasonic 720p projector which had a very nice and bright picture. Up until recently, I thought it was a tossup between the two; the Panasonic having a more three dimensional and brighter picture and the Mitsu having more detail but less contrast. I have to agree with the posters above about the scalar in the Mitsu; it sucks. The scalar in my TivoHD is better than the scalar in the Mitsu. The scalar in the Panny is better than the Mitsu. About 3 weeks ago, I started running the video through the scalar in my Anthem Statement D2 and have to say the picture improved about 30%. The picture is every bit as good as the Sony VPL-VW60. And at night time, when the room is pitch dark, the picture is vibrant, detail and three dimensional. I actually prefer the Mitsu over the 42 1080P Panny Plasma in the bedroom know. (I'm sure if I hooked the Panny Plasma up to the Statement D2 the picture would be a lot better, but I don't have the funds, or the need to get another D2 for the bedroom.)

So, I have to agree that the Mitsu is a lot of bang for the buck, but make sure you pair it with a good scalar. BTW, the scalar in the Comcast HD DVR sucks too.
Thanx everyone.
There is some good info to get started.
Now I will have to research further and get prices.
A retro-reflective screen throws light back directly towards the projector, just like the reflective coating on highway signs. The traditional material for these kinds of screens is tiny beads of glass (just like road signs). They work best for situations where the height of the projector lens is about the same as the height of the viewer . . . so they're the usual choice for general-purpose classroom and conference-room applications, where one usually just plops the projector on a table.

An angular-reflective screen is designed to be used where the vertical angle to the projection lens is the complement of the vertical viewing angle. They're generally used with ceiling-mounted projectors, because the projector is much higher than the viewers, and the height of the (center of the) screen is somewhere in between. Most modern high-performance screen materials are angular-reflective.

Both of these attributes have to do with the "gain" of the screen, which is a measurement of how directional it's reflection characteristics are . . . kinda similar to how directional a speaker is. A perfectly matte-white surface is considered to have neutral gain (gain of 1.0), that is, it's both retro-reflective and angular-reflective to exactly the same degree, and reflects absolutely all of the light that hits it. Screens with a gain higher than 1.0 increase brightness (and contrast) by sending more light in a particular direction . . . provided, of course, that it's in the direction of the people watching it. If it's the opposite direction (wrong screen choice) then it DECREASES brightness and contrast. Gains of 1.3 to 2.0 are typical for front-projection home theaters.

There's also the matter of the grey coatings used on some screens - what they do is improve black levels by absorbing some of the ambient room light. Of course, the screen doesn't differentiate between room light and projector light, and a coating like Stewart's "Greyhawk" actually has a gain of less than 1.0 . . . I think it's about 0.8. This is a good screen for applications where you're making up for the loss in light by spending more money for a brighter projector. On the other hand, Stewart's "Firehawk" coating is grey and has a gain of 1.3, so it "gooses up" both the black levels and the brightness . . . making it a great choice for a more budget-oriented home theater. The tradeoff with Firehawk is viewing angle (nothing is free) . . . so you definately need to get the projection geometery set up optimally to get your money's worth out of the screen.

The other benefit of a gain screen is (when set up correctly) if the ambient room light comes from a different direction than the projected image, you get double the benefit, because the ambient room light isn't reflected towards the viewers. So in a typical home theater, the WORST place to have an ambient light source is directly behind the seating area. And for an angular-reflective screen and ceiling-mounted projector, recessed lighting (with BLACK trims) is definately the way to go, as this reduces glare from a critical direction, if the lights are to be used at all with a picture on the screen.

And finally for your application, you have to be concerned with the opacity of the screen, because you're also using it as a shade to block out room light. This is an area where many of the cheaper screens have problems . . . and it's also not usually possible to mount the screen so close to the windows that this really works very well. Usually these windows will require shades as well.

Oh and your screen-size choices are refreshingly sensible for a budget theater . . . I can't tell you how many times I've seen people try to use a $1200 Powerpoint-grade projector on a 120" screen with ambient room light, and then come to the conclusion that "projection looks bad". Go figure.
Kirkus,

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You addressed issues I've been concerned about in planning for front projection. I had been planning for the horizontal center of a 45" X 80" (92" diagonal) 16 X 9 fixed screen to be at eye level. Now I wonder if the center might better be a bit above eye level. My plan is for a ceiling mounted projector, most likely a Sony VPL 50/60 but maybe one of the new JVCs. The viewing angle is very narrow, and a Firehawk screen seems attractive. We do not wish to sit in complete darkness, but need very little ambient light.

db