[Berndt]

My wife wants an xbox 360 for her bday next month.
Yes, she drinks beer, watches baseball/football, loves stereo equipment and plays video games.
Anyway, I want to up grade my video to a hd format projector and screen that will roll up when no in use.
I have a spot to ceiling mount the projector.
I am probably looking at 3k max for screen and projector.
I have no problem w/ craigslist used but ebay still kinda unnerves me. (does anyone else feel this way?)
I am looking for brand model suggestions and features I should look for.
This will be primarily a game viewer and room darkening is not an issue.
Thanks in advance for your insight.
Bill

[John Casler]

My wife wants an xbox 360 for her bday next month.
Yes, she drinks beer, watches baseball/football, loves stereo equipment and plays video games.
Anyway, I want to up grade my video to a hd format projector and screen that will roll up when no in use.
I have a spot to ceiling mount the projector.
I am probably looking at 3k max for screen and projector.
I have no problem w/ craigslist used but ebay still kinda unnerves me. (does anyone else feel this way?)
I am looking for brand model suggestions and features I should look for.
This will be primarily a game viewer and room darkening is not an issue.
Thanks in advance for your insight.
Bill

How big of a screen do you need/want?

Fixed? roll up? electric?

[Berndt]

I think a manual roll up would give us the best bang for the buck.
There is a costco rig for 2800 that looks to fit the bill but I know I could improve things by buying used, no?
There is so much stuff used on craigslist in the bay area.
I really don't know what the solid brands are.


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11134606&search=projector&Sp=S&Mo=31&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=0&whse=&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=projector&Ntt=projector&No=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

[hometheaterdoc]

do you have light control?  going to game in total darkness or want to leave some lights on?  How big of a screen do you want to have?  How close will you sit to the screen?

Dalite makes decent roll up screens for not a lot of cash.... The Model C comes with various fabrics and is solidly built and very affordable.  If you want to game with some lights on (or you don't have total light control), if you are keeping the screen size down, and you find the right retailer that will cut you a good price, you could do a Panasonic AE900 and throw it onto a Stewart Communicator pull down with Firehawk material and get close to your budget number.  That would be killer.  Once you spend time with a Firehawk, you'll never use anything else for ambient light conditions..

If you do have light control and aren't bothered by rainbows, a single chip DLP and a more budget screen would definitely work for you.... The Infocus IN76 is surprisingly good for the money.  Partner it with a hipower screen material from Dalite and you could go pretty big on the screen size.

[Berndt]

I would say low light conditions, not totally dark, my wife has problems seeing in the dark
I would trade brightness for contrast and detail, if that is possible.
The screen size I was thinking would be 92".
We would be sitting 10' back from the screen in a 14ft room.

Light control seems like a side issue that I could tune later, am I missing the boat?

[zybar]

Panny AE900 (street price around $1400 after rebates) + Vutec Silverscreen (if you need the gain) or Stewart Firehawk will blow away that Costco combo and cost the same or maybe even less.

I have a couple of the AE900's and they look awesome on a 110" Firehawk.   

George

[Berndt]

which firehawk material would be suggested?
Bill

[hometheaterdoc]

which firehawk material would be suggested?
Bill

Firehawk *is* the screen material   It's made by Stewart Filmscreen (www.stewartfilm.com).  Read about it there.  It is a very dark grey base material with a high gain coating on top of it to end up at ~1.25 gain.  Since you want to have a bit of light in the room, that's without question my #1 recommendation.  Try to find a local dealer in your area that carries Stewart and see one in action. 

Since you need and want a retractable, the model of screen itself you are looking for is the Communicator.  It is a manual pull down screen that is tensioned.  It's a REALLY nice pull down screen.  I have one here.

I'm a high lumen guy (I have an Infocus 777 3 chip DLP projector on a Firehawk as my reference).  I like it somewhere between plasma brightness and ISF recommended light levels for cinema.  So I tend to like it in the 25-30 ft/L range.  Since you will be gaming, you'll likely want that level of brightness as well.  Despite George's use of a Panny AE900 on a 110" screen, I respectfully wouldn't recommend it.  It may seem bright enough on a new bulb... but UHP lamps lose 50% of their brightness over their life (and 25-35% of that brightness after the first 200+ hours) and what seemed bright and punchy at the start quickly becomes dull and faded, especially since you want a bit of light in the room.  If you calibrate the Panny 900 for good greyscale tracking, it is just not bright enough for a 110" screen unless you are using a very high gain screen material.  I would stick with the 92" number on a Firehawk with the Panny.  You'll thank me later when the bulb ages and you've still got a bright, punchy picture

[Berndt]

Thanks for your advice, there is a local demo return of the ae900 for 900$.
90 store warranty, any problem with that?
I saw the stewart websight and they had a range of gain available for the communicator series.
Your suggestion sounds right.
I emailed them looking for my local dealer.

Now I just have to go 5.1, but, that is a whole new kettle of fish...

[zybar]

which firehawk material would be suggested?
Bill

Firehawk *is* the screen material   It's made by Stewart Filmscreen (www.stewartfilm.com).  Read about it there.  It is a very dark grey base material with a high gain coating on top of it to end up at ~1.25 gain.  Since you want to have a bit of light in the room, that's without question my #1 recommendation.  Try to find a local dealer in your area that carries Stewart and see one in action. 

Since you need and want a retractable, the model of screen itself you are looking for is the Communicator.  It is a manual pull down screen that is tensioned.  It's a REALLY nice pull down screen.  I have one here.

I'm a high lumen guy (I have an Infocus 777 3 chip DLP projector on a Firehawk as my reference).  I like it somewhere between plasma brightness and ISF recommended light levels for cinema.  So I tend to like it in the 25-30 ft/L range.  Since you will be gaming, you'll likely want that level of brightness as well.  Despite George's use of a Panny AE900 on a 110" screen, I respectfully wouldn't recommend it.  It may seem bright enough on a new bulb... but UHP lamps lose 50% of their brightness over their life (and 25-35% of that brightness after the first 200+ hours) and what seemed bright and punchy at the start quickly becomes dull and faded, especially since you want a bit of light in the room.  If you calibrate the Panny 900 for good greyscale tracking, it is just not bright enough for a 110" screen unless you are using a very high gain screen material.  I would stick with the 92" number on a Firehawk with the Panny.  You'll thank me later when the bulb ages and you've still got a bright, punchy picture

I agree with you if you can't totally control your light. 

In my bedroom I am actually projecting directly on a painted wall (Behr Silver Screen) and the image is over 12' wide!  But I watch that in the dark before I go to bed.  When my wife watches it is a little washed out or dull with some lights on, but she doesn't care.   

If you want a killer deal on what is supposed to be an excllent screen, go over to AV123's forum and check out the classified section.  A member is selling a 92" Vutec Silverscreen.  I would buy it myself but it is too small for my HT or bedroom and too big for my family room.

George

 

[hometheaterdoc]

That is a truly smokin' deal on the Silverstar...  I would have to go look at the latest price list... but that used to be a $1900.00 MSRP screen.  $500.00 is a steal...

I've actually got that exact screen here.... or at least I've got the Vision-X version of it (nicer frame)  I use it with a Panny 900 as my own little personal setup.  They work very well together and it's retina burning on a new bulb    you've almost gotta wear shades    the only problem is that the Silverstar really washes out with ambient light in the room... not as bad as a white screen, but you'll never confuse it with a Firehawk

The Panny 900 isn't the best projector out there... but it is flexible installation wise (and it's micro lens array, while creating a softer picture, does allow you to sit a lot closer to the screen without being bothered by screen door issues that plague other LCD and low rez DLP projectors) and its an all around good performer for it's asking price.  To answer the original poster's question, $900 might be a good deal... but I think you can find them for really cheap right now brand new with full warranty and I believe they have a big cash mail in rebate, plus free Blockbuster DVD cards.  It's still an LCD.  The competing DLPs will better it in black level and contrast.  The dynamic iris on the Panny may drive you nuts (I can see it working and messing up) and you do have color uniformity and vertical banding issues to be concerned about.  But for it's sale price, its darn hard to find something to beat it unless you spend a good chunk more money.

[Berndt]

Did you want it?
I saw you posted on the thread so I suspect you are passing on it by telling me.
OTW,  are we going to armwrestle for it?

[Berndt]

BTW, what about just scoring his whole rig?
How's the benQ stuff?

[zybar]

I passed on the screen because it is either too small or too big for my different setups.

I am not familiar with the BenQ pj's.

George

[Se7en]

Berndt,

How important is the HI-Def coming from the 360? I ask because this is a major selling point for the 360.

I have also been looking at projectors (also to hook up to a 360), and have found really mixed reviews on HD projectors, specifically that they only look good while playing back in HD, but look equally "not so good" while playing non-hd material.

I myself will probably go the non-hd route and have read really good reviews on both the Panny 900 and the similarly priced Optoma units.

A question for the Panny owners: I've read in repeated consumer reviews that Panasonic has been really difficult regards to actually distributing the offered rebates or discounts. Have any of the Panny owners purchased during this rebate period? Did you have any difficulties getting your rebates?

Thx!

-Gabe

[zybar]

Berndt,

How important is the HI-Def coming from the 360? I ask because this is a major selling point for the 360.

I have also been looking at projectors (also to hook up to a 360), and have found really mixed reviews on HD projectors, specifically that they only look good while playing back in HD, but look equally "not so good" while playing non-hd material.

I myself will probably go the non-hd route and have read really good reviews on both the Panny 900 and the similarly priced Optoma units.

A question for the Panny owners: I've read in repeated consumer reviews that Panasonic has been really difficult regards to actually distributing the offered rebates or discounts. Have any of the Panny owners purchased during this rebate period? Did you have any difficulties getting your rebates?

Thx!

-Gabe

I received my rebates without any issues within the period of time they said it would take.

George

[John Casler]

Another PJ consideration is the Mitsubishi HC3000U.

It has the TI DarkChip2 and while a bit more than the Panny, it is being priced agressively.

Just sent one to a client, who really likes it on his 110" screen.

And unless you need a "pulldown" screen, my preference is a "fixed".

[Se7en]

I received my rebates without any issues within the period of time they said it would take.

George
[/quote]

Thanks for the info Zybar! With that said, I am leaning more heavily towards the Panasonic for myself.

-Gabe