FHD or UHD - 1 lac INR

[coolcatric]

I had zeroed in on a Sony W950B but the price was very high in comparison to the competition and that put me off it.

IMO, when it comes to FHD sets in India, Samsung and LG offer far better VFM...

Yes, I have seen. Sony lovers pay extra and they don't compromise. However Samsung and LG are more VFM. I would not buy Samsung because of my bad experience with the plasma. Also, any reason why you did not buy a projector ?

 

[Rickyk]

Yep, I mentioned in my earlier posts that watching projectors for extended periods of time gives me eye strain for some reason. In comparison, I can watch a test match all day long on a standard TV without any problem whatsoever. Its funny because its actually the reverse that's supposed to be true.

For the record, I have no distance related vision problems.

Plus projectors also tend to require more space to operate properly - I don't have a wall to accommodate a projector nor the space for a screen.

For some projector vs TV reviews, see the following links -
http://www.cnet.com/news/projectors-vs-tvs-giant-screen-pros-and-cons/
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/televisions/article/tv-vs-projector-which-is-best
http://worldcinemaparadise.com/2014...-that-lcd-television-and-buy-an-hd-projector/

 

[rdst_1]

I was also looking to get a TV for my bedroom. Would have gone for a 64" plasma considering I love my Samsung 51" Plasma.
But after going through all these posts, I might just go the projector way. We are currently building the second floor of our house and there is a plan for an attic above that. I am thinking of converting that into a projector room instead of a child/guest bedroom. Cost will be in the same range as that of a 64" TV and having played games and watched football matches on basic projectors during college, I know that I would prefer that experience over a TV.
Time to do some research on projector setups.

 

[Rickyk]

Last night I realized WHY watching a projector for extended periods of time gives me eye strain. Its not the projector at fault at all actually.

I happen to suffer from diminished night vision - always have.

Couple of months ago I decided to play the entire Penumbra series. This is a horror game and so I decided to play it in darkness, something I never do.

After about 30 minutes into the game, I started developing eye strain. I then turned on the lights and was able to play for hours on end without any eye strain whatsoever. That's what made me realize the connection between a projector and why it affects my eyes the way it does.

Its not the projector that gives me eye strain - its the fact that projectors need to operate in dark/low light conditions and that's what triggers my eye strain.

In comparison, I watch TV in a fully lit room, which is why it doesn't affect me even if I watch a test match from start to finish all day long.

To find out if a projector could affect you, turn out all the lights and watch TV or use your PC for a couple of hours. If your eyes start to strain, this could indicate a similar problem.

Just thought I would mention this for anyone else...

 

[Rickyk]

But after going through all these posts, I might just go the projector way. We are currently building the second floor of our house and there is a plan for an attic above that. I am thinking of converting that into a projector room instead of a child/guest bedroom.

You're actually in a great position considering you're currently still in the "planning stages" for a new floor and can incorporate a projector to suit your needs.

For a lot of people, this simply isn't an option as projectors (well the projection area - ie. screen) requires a lot of space - far more than a conventional panel.

Would be nice if you would keep everyone updated with your projector project and make sure to post a pic of your "Theatre Room" once its ready!

 

[drkrack]

I was also looking to get a TV for my bedroom. Would have gone for a 64" plasma considering I love my Samsung 51" Plasma.
But after going through all these posts, I might just go the projector way. We are currently building the second floor of our house and there is a plan for an attic above that. I am thinking of converting that into a projector room instead of a child/guest bedroom. Cost will be in the same range as that of a 64" TV and having played games and watched football matches on basic projectors during college, I know that I would prefer that experience over a TV.
Time to do some research on projector setups.

I already did the same, I own a optoma HD 20 which has aged gracefully in 4 yrs, needs a lamp replacement now. I plan to upgrade to BenQ w1070 with 3d capabilities. My new home will be ready in 4 months, dedicated a bedroom for home theater, play area, mini bar etc...

BenQ has a Short throw model w1080, which can project for less than 6 ft! Many other manufacturers have competing models.
Size of the room doesn't matter anymore.

Clear wall requirements can be adjusted with a foldable projector screen instead of Wall. High gain projector screens cost around 6 - 12k
The motorized projector screens cost above 25k! The slow folding and unfolding of a motorized projector screen itself is charismatic. The high gain component enhances contrast ratio & overall PQ.

The eye strain part is actually more with TV if you watch for extended periods with dark room. It's unfair criteria for comparison sake.


@OP if your watching is less than 20hrs a week (mine is less than 10), mostly movies and live matches with friends, you want a best possible visual experience and you have another TV for cartoon network & Ekta Kapoor fans,
You're better off buying a projector.

With 1 lakh budget consider the projector HD 141x Optoma @53k and invest in high end surround system (actually basic setup from audiophile perspective) like Definitive Technology 600series or 900 series home cinema at 45k & decent AV receiver 20k.
Or buy BenQ w1070 & defer audio upgrade till next opportunity.

If you want to go TV way get the Vu 55" @ 45k & invest rest amount in high quality home theater as mentioned above. You don't need 4k at the moment HD is enough.

Having a good audio and surround sound enhances your movie experience by many fold. So invest in a good audio system and speakers, it's one time investment and lasts for years.

For audition take your routine content (audio, video files) in a pen drive and play them instead of what the showroom people show you.

 

[coolcatric]

Yep, I mentioned in my earlier posts that watching projectors for extended periods of time gives me eye strain for some reason. In comparison, I can watch a test match all day long on a standard TV without any problem whatsoever. Its funny because its actually the reverse that's supposed to be true.

For the record, I have no distance related vision problems.

Plus projectors also tend to require more space to operate properly - I don't have a wall to accommodate a projector nor the space for a screen.

For some projector vs TV reviews, see the following links -
http://www.cnet.com/news/projectors-vs-tvs-giant-screen-pros-and-cons/
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/televisions/article/tv-vs-projector-which-is-best
http://worldcinemaparadise.com/2014...-that-lcd-television-and-buy-an-hd-projector/

Many thanks for the links shared. In fact the trend is moving towards projectors very strongly. Coming back to the point of eye strain, we'll that's a very important point given the fact that this setup is for my parents who are 60+ and my dad has in general weak eyes given the age factor. I will speak to him on this as he was comfortable with 51 Samsung plasma, but need to check on complete dark room with 110".

If it is an LED, then for sure will go for VU 55", it's just that I am unable to find its demo in Udaipur. Same is the case with service centre. That's the only thing scaring me. Yesterday I went to a shop in search on VU and he started selling me videocon with 3 years warranty !!

P.s. FK is delivering to Udaipur in 10 days, but again need to check how they will service it and how to get extended warranty.

 

[coolcatric]

I already did the same, I own a optoma HD 20 which has aged gracefully in 4 yrs, needs a lamp replacement now. I plan to upgrade to BenQ w1070 with 3d capabilities. My new home will be ready in 4 months, dedicated a bedroom for home theater, play area, mini bar etc...

BenQ has a Short throw model w1080, which can project for less than 6 ft! Many other manufacturers have competing models.
Size of the room doesn't matter anymore.

Clear wall requirements can be adjusted with a foldable projector screen instead of Wall. High gain projector screens cost around 6 - 12k
The motorized projector screens cost above 25k! The slow folding and unfolding of a motorized projector screen itself is charismatic. The high gain component enhances contrast ratio & overall PQ.

The eye strain part is actually more with TV if you watch for extended periods with dark room. It's unfair criteria for comparison sake.


@OP if your watching is less than 20hrs a week (mine is less than 10), mostly movies and live matches with friends, you want a best possible visual experience and you have another TV for cartoon network & Ekta Kapoor fans,
You're better off buying a projector.

With 1 lakh budget consider the projector HD 141x Optoma @53k and invest in high end surround system (actually basic setup from audiophile perspective) like Definitive Technology 600series or 900 series home cinema at 45k & decent AV receiver 20k.
Or buy BenQ w1070 & defer audio upgrade till next opportunity.

If you want to go TV way get the Vu 55" @ 45k & invest rest amount in high quality home theater as mentioned above. You don't need 4k at the moment HD is enough.

Having a good audio and surround sound enhances your movie experience by many fold. So invest in a good audio system and speakers, it's one time investment and lasts for years.

For audition take your routine content (audio, video files) in a pen drive and play them instead of what the showroom people show you.

Hi Again and thank you for the inputs again. From a viewing perspective, It will be 3-4 hours a days maximum. As my dad generally watches movies and at times DTH along with mom.

From sound perspective, have Onkyo HTS 3400 which still does a decent job as room is not that big. ( My other setup which I have in Middle East, the place where I live, is having Samsung 55" F6400 with Onkyo TX 750 AVR (this can upscale to 4k) with Jamo 628 with sub 280). Most likely once I return to India after 2-3 years, that time will buy a 4k screen to complete the setup. Currently, as you said either VU or Benq/optoma.

Though I checked reviews of Optoma from ebay, unfortunately lot of negative reviews. Initial reviews were great, but same people have posted negative reviews after some usage.

Can you share some links of projectors which I should consider ? I believe you will recommend Benq 1070+ and Optoma.

Thanks again.

 

[drkrack]

Hi Again and thank you for the inputs again. From a viewing perspective, It will be 3-4 hours a days maximum. As my dad generally watches movies and at times DTH along with mom.

From sound perspective, have Onkyo HTS 3400 which still does a decent job as room is not that big. ( My other setup which I have in Middle East, the place where I live, is having Samsung 55" F6400 with Onkyo TX 750 AVR (this can upscale to 4k) with Jamo 628 with sub 280). Most likely once I return to India after 2-3 years, that time will buy a 4k screen to complete the setup. Currently, as you said either VU or Benq/optoma.

Though I checked reviews of Optoma from ebay, unfortunately lot of negative reviews. Initial reviews were great, but same people have posted negative reviews after some usage.

Can you share some links of projectors which I should consider ? I believe you will recommend Benq 1070+ and Optoma.

Thanks again.

You have more than enough audio set up for a home theater, why aren't you buying a projector? Still if your parents opt for TV buy the Vu 55" model after verifying serviceability in your area.

You can opt for buying from Amazon USA & from sellers who'll ship it to India, almost anywhere in India !!
My recommendations would be in the order of preference :

BenQ W1075 or 1070+(for Indian market)
BenQ w1070
Optoma HD 26
Optoma HD 141x

If you are susceptible to rainbows with DLP projectors buy Lcd projector :

Epson 3020
Epson 2030 (Twh-5200 for Indian market)

Buying from Amazon USA is cheaper even after paying customs and shipping.
For example W1070 comes at 55k shipped from Amazon USA, costs 78k as lowest in India !

You want to buy in India online; Flipkart, amazon & Snapdeal have them. You can check out.

Warranty isn't a big issue as most of them don't cause any troubles once mounted properly , pretty much anybody can repair them here.

PS: don't take every customer review very seriously, they're mostly nitpicking or Bhakts of some other brands... Read the negative reviews and see if it's worth the compromise.

When it comes to audio visual experience I trust my & my friends eyes and ears more than anything else. So try to get a live demonstration if possible.

 

[coolcatric]

You have more than enough audio set up for a home theater, why aren't you buying a projector? Still if your parents opt for TV buy the Vu 55" model after verifying serviceability in your area.

You can opt for buying from Amazon USA & from sellers who'll ship it to India, almost anywhere in India !!
My recommendations would be in the order of preference :

BenQ W1075 or 1070+(for Indian market)
BenQ w1070
Optoma HD 26
Optoma HD 141x

If you are susceptible to rainbows with DLP projectors buy Lcd projector :

Epson 3020
Epson 2030 (Twh-5200 for Indian market)

Buying from Amazon USA is cheaper even after paying customs and shipping.
For example W1070 comes at 55k shipped from Amazon USA, costs 78k as lowest in India !

You want to buy in India online; Flipkart, amazon & Snapdeal have them. You can check out.

Warranty isn't a big issue as most of them don't cause any troubles once mounted properly , pretty much anybody can repair them here.

PS: don't take every customer review very seriously, they're mostly nitpicking or Bhakts of some other brands... Read the negative reviews and see if it's worth the compromise.

When it comes to audio visual experience I trust my & my friends eyes and ears more than anything else. So try to get a live demonstration if possible.

You are right. Seeing is believing. But here in Udaipur there are not many options where we can demo this high end stuff. Till now not have been able to find VU demo as well.

I have my uncle coming from USA next month, can request him to bring the projector along if it is not bulky and can easily fit in the main luggage. If he brings it as open box, then does he require to declare it ? Any chances of getting damaged if packed with clothes in main suitcase ?

Coming to the rainbow effect, have read about this problem in DLP projectors. But how exactly to identify if my parents will face this problem.

Also one more point, you preferred Benq 1070 over Optoma 26, however isn't the lumens in Optoma more than 1070. Will that matter ? As I read that it is recommended to have minimum 3000 lumens.

The only fear which I will have is of warranty. But again, I believe here the main part is bulb (which is cheap to replace) unlike the LED'S where we have multiple components to fail.

Thanks again.

 

[drkrack]

You are right. Seeing is believing. But here in Udaipur there are not many options where we can demo this high end stuff. Till now not have been able to find VU demo as well.

I have my uncle coming from USA next month, can request him to bring the projector along if it is not bulky and can easily fit in the main luggage. If he brings it as open box, then does he require to declare it ? Any chances of getting damaged if packed with clothes in main suitcase ?

Coming to the rainbow effect, have read about this problem in DLP projectors. But how exactly to identify if my parents will face this problem.

Also one more point, you preferred Benq 1070 over Optoma 26, however isn't the lumens in Optoma more than 1070. Will that matter ? As I read that it is recommended to have minimum 3000 lumens.

The only fear which I will have is of warranty. But again, I believe here the main part is bulb (which is cheap to replace) unlike the LED'S where we have multiple components to fail.

Thanks again.

bring it well covered all around, shouldn't be a problem. I got my AV receiver separately in its box , nothing happened.

If you haven't seen a rainbow effect; most likely you wont see it ever..
FYKI all Cinema theaters run on DLP projectors, but definitely they're High End systems.

though Optoma Lumens is quite high over Benq technically, but the average effective Lumen output is nearly same, (it is like PSU with bronze, gold , silver efficiency.. )
It is the rated lumen power doesn't always translate into the effective brightness ,
PQ, Color Accuracy of Benq is far superior. Finally it is where the Subjective judgement comes to play & see for yourself and decide.
if it is not available in Udaipur, check other nearby cities. else Close your Eyes & buy Benq W1070, you can hardly go wrong !

Other than bulb; which depends upon usage, DLP chip is a costly thing to replace, the manufacturer warranty doesn't quite cover it. it depends on your luck, Usually good stabilizer should take care of it.
usually Projectors are less prone to malfunction.

Invest in a high gain screen if a the room is very bright.

 

[coolcatric]

bring it well covered all around, shouldn't be a problem. I got my AV receiver separately in its box , nothing happened.

If you haven't seen a rainbow effect; most likely you wont see it ever..
FYKI all Cinema theaters run on DLP projectors, but definitely they're High End systems.

though Optoma Lumens is quite high over Benq technically, but the average effective Lumen output is nearly same, (it is like PSU with bronze, gold , silver efficiency.. )
It is the rated lumen power doesn't always translate into the effective brightness ,
PQ, Color Accuracy of Benq is far superior. Finally it is where the Subjective judgement comes to play & see for yourself and decide.
if it is not available in Udaipur, check other nearby cities. else Close your Eyes & buy Benq W1070, you can hardly go wrong !

Other than bulb; which depends upon usage, DLP chip is a costly thing to replace, the manufacturer warranty doesn't quite cover it. it depends on your luck, Usually good stabilizer should take care of it.
usually Projectors are less prone to malfunction.

Invest in a high gain screen if a the room is very bright.

Thanks again. So I should stick to Benq only. I have already told my uncle that he has to bring a projector with hom. He's okay.

Few other questions -

1. Any particular distance from where I have to project, need to calculate the distance and feasibility in lobby.
2. Do I have to use a long HDMI cable from AVR to Projector ? Or any other alternate ? Should I buy this also from USA or do we get decent ones in India as well.
3. Which screen to buy ? I am okay with manual one to reduce cost.
4. If I have to buy one higher model of Benq, then does it makes sense ?
5. Any other item or accessory which I should buy from USA or these accessories easily available in India ?

Thanks again.

 

[drkrack]

Thanks again. So I should stick to Benq only. I have already told my uncle that he has to bring a projector with hom. He's okay.

Few other questions -

1. Any particular distance from where I have to project, need to calculate the distance and feasibility in lobby.
2. Do I have to use a long HDMI cable from AVR to Projector ? Or any other alternate ? Should I buy this also from USA or do we get decent ones in India as well.
3. Which screen to buy ? I am okay with manual one to reduce cost.
4. If I have to buy one higher model of Benq, then does it makes sense ?
5. Any other item or accessory which I should buy from USA or these accessories easily available in India ?

Thanks again.

1. Projection distance less than 6ft buy short throw projector W1080 ST.. Otherwise buy regular throw

2. All hdmi cables are nearly same , no change in PQ, MX is a brand I recommend for its longevity. It's not at all as much a difference as audio cables make. It's contrary to the popular notion.

Storite brand cables on Amazon india are VFM & good. We have wireless option instead of hdmi cable, but reviews aren't good, I don't have any first hand experience on them.

3. Liberty high gain 6 - 9k

4. This is (Benq) the best Below 1000 $, I don't have much experience with expensive ones above 1.5 L. Mitsubishi, Sony, Epson are usually preferred in that range. The increments in PQ wouldn't be VFM as you go higher.

5. Buy a extra lamp if feasible, it's cheaper in USA, rest all accessories are available in India

Buy a Logitech universal remote from USA, it's pretty cheap there.

 

[coolcatric]

1. Projection distance less than 6ft buy short throw projector W1080 ST.. Otherwise buy regular throw

2. All hdmi cables are nearly same , no change in PQ, MX is a brand I recommend for its longevity. It's not at all as much a difference as audio cables make. It's contrary to the popular notion.

Storite brand cables on Amazon india are VFM & good. We have wireless option instead of hdmi cable, but reviews aren't good, I don't have any first hand experience on them.

3. Liberty high gain 6 - 9k

4. This is (Benq) the best Below 1000 $, I don't have much experience with expensive ones above 1.5 L. Mitsubishi, Sony, Epson are usually preferred in that range. The increments in PQ wouldn't be VFM as you go higher.

5. Buy a extra lamp if feasible, it's cheaper in USA, rest all accessories are available in India

Buy a Logitech universal remote from USA, it's pretty cheap there.

How about the Benq HT 1075 ? And is there any benefit of using ST, principally which one is better ?

P.s. - I can spend up to 1000$ as buying from amazon or ebay and shipping also will happen in US.

Thanks again.

 

[drkrack]

How about the Benq HT 1075 ? And is there any benefit of using ST, principally which one is better ?

P.s. - I can spend up to 1000$ as buying from amazon or ebay and shipping also will happen in US.

Thanks again.

Buy 1075 HT as it is in your budget, it is better than W1070 , 200 Lumens more & Flexible connectivity options...
newer model will have recent DLP chip with PQ enhancements. I have seen it in action , it is pretty good, that is why I'm going to change from Optoma to Benq this time.

ST (Short Throw) doesn't have any benefit over Long throw in terms of PQ IMHO, it is only a matter of convenience.
I rather think that it may feel bit distorted image on ST, based on the basic optics knowledge I have . I haven't seen any of them in action though.
Buy a ST only if you need to Project below 6 Ft distance (to get Max picture size at low throwing distances).

http://www.projectorcentral.com/BenQ-W1080ST-projection-calculator.htm

 

[coolcatric]

Buy 1075 HT as it is in your budget, it is better than W1070 , 200 Lumens more & Flexible connectivity options...
newer model will have recent DLP chip with PQ enhancements. I have seen it in action , it is pretty good, that is why I'm going to change from Optoma to Benq this time.

ST (Short Throw) doesn't have any benefit over Long throw in terms of PQ IMHO, it is only a matter of convenience.
I rather think that it may feel bit distorted image on ST, based on the basic optics knowledge I have . I haven't seen any of them in action though.
Buy a ST only if you need to Project below 6 Ft distance (to get Max picture size at low throwing distances).

http://www.projectorcentral.com/BenQ-W1080ST-projection-calculator.htm

Hi Again. I will try to find a decent deal on 1075. However, I am still confused with these calculators to find distance.

My priority is not to compromise on PQ, contrast and brightness. So keeping these parameters in mind what's the maximum screen size I can reach ? And accordingly the Projector will be placed, correct ?

Also I believe post this only I would be able to buy the gain screen, correct ?

Please guide.

Thanks again.

 

[foruamit2004]

IMO, Nothing beats projector if you have separate space for it. But projector can't really replace Primary TV in family environment as such. TV is something you can start and forget to switch it off for hours without worrying about electricity bills/life. With LED projectors, you have that luxury, but need to setup right and have to keep the lighting etc in check.

If I were to spend 1 lakh and had Space .. I would get one of those good and cheap 55" LED TV(which already have) + their is an 3D LG LED 720p projector for around 600$, not sure of the model.

We all enjoy Movies in theater, even when their PQ is much less then any cheaper LED TVs, because screen size can't be beat, if the picture quality is good enough. With projector one will compromise on 10-20% picture quality, but will get 300 to 400% more size. Same way, one will prefer 55" plasma tv, over 24" hifi LED TV.

 

[coolcatric]

Alright fellas, got my Benq HT 1075 from states. Detailed review will be shared here. However I need to complete the setup.

Please share links for a long HDMI cable which will go from AVRto Projector. Also need links for the gain screen for this. Looking for anywhere between 100" -150".

Thanks again for help.