Projector quality vs tv quality for films

[rocketrazor]

Seen a few films at the cinema recently (iron man 3 3d and fast and furious 6) and couldn't help but being a little disappointed with the picture quality. I know the cinema experience is all about the big screen and all but in terms of detail and quality my 50gt50 is much better. I wondered if the same thing goes for home projectors? Is that all about size rather than quality, will a plasma tv give better detail than a home projector screen?

 

[kinda]

I don't think that's a blanket statement that can be applied. I'm sure some projectors produce an image worse than some plasmas, but I don't think this is always the case.

I sometimes think the image on my home projector is better than at the cinema, and is better than my smaller LCD as well. But getting a quality large image is always harder than for a small image and the big pictures can be unkind to lower quality signals such as ITV 4 and stuff on freeview.

I have had a 2m wide image at about 11 feet distance and it looked great using a £1500 projector, especially for upscaled DVD or BluRay. To me you can get a more filmic and natural image from a projector and for cinema it;s the way to go.

 

[abacus]

The larger the screen the more you will see the pixels, (Most cinemas use native 4K projectors and content to reduce this effect) however in the home the screens are much smaller so you don’t see the pixels so much. (Even though they are lower resolution)

For me personally a TV of less than 65” (Sitting at close quarters) is only good for watching the news or bargain hunt, and is a waste of space for watching films. (Hence I have a projection system to watch them on)

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Seen a few films at the cinema recently (iron man 3 3d and fast and furious 6) and couldn't help but being a little disappointed with the picture quality. I know the cinema experience is all about the big screen and all but in terms of detail and quality my 50gt50 is much better.

You are certainly not the only one to be disappointed with the commercial cinema and to think that his own TV gives a better picture!

I wondered if the same thing goes for home projectors? Is that all about size rather than quality, will a plasma tv give better detail than a home projector screen?

I don't know much about home projectors, but I suspect that anyone with a home projector might take more care to run it at its optimum setting than seems to be the case commercially. I gather that a very good home projector should be better for showing films than any television. Some commercial cinemas give pictures that are are just not right, and as for the sound .....!

 

[DandyCobalt]

We gave up on going to the cinema, as the sound and image weren't good. Plus the local teenagers tend to appear on the soundtrack

Home projection, with a good surround system, is so much better. I think my project was about £2k when new and the image is so much better than at the local odeon.

Better than plasma tv? I've got a 43" pioneer - if we watch a feature film, or blu-ray box set of Mad Men, Walking Dead etc, we will always watch on the big screen.

And Mrs C was against getting a "big" plasma in the first instance. Now she's the one to suggest firing up the projector. Happy Days!

 

[ellisdj]

I think its down to the lack of revenue taken in the cinemas or lack of management or caring to keep their systems running at tip top performance.

You imagine one of their projectors is hammered evey day - that will definately need calibratiing ocne a month maybe more - I bet it never happens until they have a refurb. So the experience suffers.

6/7 time I have been to the cinema in the last few years I have been disgusted with the picture and dissapointed with the sound - the only time I remeber being impressed was Avatar the first time in the biggest Vue cinema room locally - and they had probably just had new projectors installed and calibrated. Went back again to see the extended - in a smaller one of the cinemas in the same Vue - pants is the word I would use to decribe it.

I think a projector at home would be awesome - you can have darkness set perfect, you sit in the hot seat for the display and you cna have a huge personal screen

seeing a Projector going at the Sound and Vision Show this year - It was a top end model but the picture was stunningly good

 

[DandyCobalt]

There are some very good "budget" projectors around to cut your teeth on.

And no turning back ;-)

I don't think any cinemas employ technicians any more?

 

[rocketrazor]

Cheers for the input guys

out of interest how much of the projector experience is down to the screen you project onto. I see lots of reviews for projectors but not screens. Does the screen have any impact or can you buy any screen?

ta

 

[bigboss]

A projector screen has a massive impact on quality of the picture. Wht Hi-Fi hasn't reviewed many projector screens. I brought this up few months ago. Hopefully more screen reviews will appear.

 

[ibl0010]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

 

[rocketrazor]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

if your projecting onto a wall I'd go for the tv. To get the best from a projector you need to see it on a screen. The tv will probably give you slightly better definition and detail, but the projector will give you a better experience, providing you use a screen. That's what my demo of two projectors against a tv told me anyway.

 

[ibl0010]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

if your projecting onto a wall I'd go for the tv. To get the best from a projector you need to see it on a screen. The tv will probably give you slightly better definition and detail, but the projector will give you a better experience, providing you use a screen. That's what my demo of two projectors against a tv told me anyway.

Can I ask what two projectors and what tv did you demo. How about for example i was to paint my screen on a wall with a projector screen paint with black velvet around it as border.

 

[rocketrazor]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

if your projecting onto a wall I'd go for the tv. To get the best from a projector you need to see it on a screen. The tv will probably give you slightly better definition and detail, but the projector will give you a better experience, providing you use a screen. That's what my demo of two projectors against a tv told me anyway.

Can I ask what two projectors and what tv did you demo. How about for example i was to paint my screen on a wall with a projector screen paint with black velvet around it as border.

i looked at an epson and jvc, both a few years old as the shop didn't have new stock in yet, they only change projectors every other year or two, no idea of the model numbers, sorry. I compared them to my gt50 at home. The jvc blew me away, I wasn't expecting anything as good as that from a projector, but it did cost about £3000. The detail was fantastic, but not as crystal clear as a tv, I guess this is partly due to the surface and actual projection, plus it being so much bigger

i wouldn't even contemplate painting the screen on the wall, you can buy screens from £250 fixed for a good size and pull down ones for less. For £250 I'd do it properly and have a screen, knock the cost of the point off and it's less than £250.

i was so impressed with the jvc it made my mind up that given the space, for sheer enjoyment and wow factor a projector is better that a tv, but it has to be done properly.

 

[Keirik]

I love my projector - in fact so much that when the first one blew up I bought a second.

With HD TV (SKY) the quality is excellent - I used to have a 3m picture on a screen and it was better than the cinema (and you could stop the movie for a pee or a beer!)

The screen has now been in storage for a few months so I'm currently using the projector in a smaller room just projected onto the wall.

Its not as good as the screen, but still better and more immersive than my TVs

 

[ibl0010]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

if your projecting onto a wall I'd go for the tv. To get the best from a projector you need to see it on a screen. The tv will probably give you slightly better definition and detail, but the projector will give you a better experience, providing you use a screen. That's what my demo of two projectors against a tv told me anyway.

Can I ask what two projectors and what tv did you demo. How about for example i was to paint my screen on a wall with a projector screen paint with black velvet around it as border.

i looked at an epson and jvc, both a few years old as the shop didn't have new stock in yet, they only change projectors every other year or two, no idea of the model numbers, sorry. I compared them to my gt50 at home. The jvc blew me away, I wasn't expecting anything as good as that from a projector, but it did cost about £3000. The detail was fantastic, but not as crystal clear as a tv, I guess this is partly due to the surface and actual projection, plus it being so much bigger

i wouldn't even contemplate painting the screen on the wall, you can buy screens from £250 fixed for a good size and pull down ones for less. For £250 I'd do it properly and have a screen, knock the cost of the point off and it's less than £250.

i was so impressed with the jvc it made my mind up that given the space, for sheer enjoyment and wow factor a projector is better that a tv, but it has to be done properly.

So, so hard to decide between going for a tv or a projector for my bedroom set. thinking tv as my room is bright coloured wall which maybe not be suittable for a projector without treating the room to make it suitable for a projector but again am thinking benq w1070 and maybe a 80 to 90in fixed screen is temping. Do you think benq w1070 with 80 to 90in fixed screen would be far superior than 55 to 60 in tv in terms of PQ.

 

[ibl0010]

Is a sub £1000 led (lcd) TV far suprior than sub £1000 projector in terms of picture quality in a non batcave bedroom and projecting on a wall.

if your projecting onto a wall I'd go for the tv. To get the best from a projector you need to see it on a screen. The tv will probably give you slightly better definition and detail, but the projector will give you a better experience, providing you use a screen. That's what my demo of two projectors against a tv told me anyway.

Can I ask what two projectors and what tv did you demo. How about for example i was to paint my screen on a wall with a projector screen paint with black velvet around it as border.

i looked at an epson and jvc, both a few years old as the shop didn't have new stock in yet, they only change projectors every other year or two, no idea of the model numbers, sorry. I compared them to my gt50 at home. The jvc blew me away, I wasn't expecting anything as good as that from a projector, but it did cost about £3000. The detail was fantastic, but not as crystal clear as a tv, I guess this is partly due to the surface and actual projection, plus it being so much bigger

i wouldn't even contemplate painting the screen on the wall, you can buy screens from £250 fixed for a good size and pull down ones for less. For £250 I'd do it properly and have a screen, knock the cost of the point off and it's less than £250.

i was so impressed with the jvc it made my mind up that given the space, for sheer enjoyment and wow factor a projector is better that a tv, but it has to be done properly.

So, so hard to decide between going for a tv or a projector for my bedroom set. thinking tv as my room is bright coloured wall which maybe not be suittable for a projector without treating the room to make it suitable for a projector but again am thinking benq w1070 and maybe a 80 to 90in fixed screen is temping. Do you think benq w1070 with 80 to 90in fixed screen would be far superior than 55 to 60 in tv in terms of PQ.

 

[rocketrazor]

No, I think the tv, from my testing, gives a better picture quality (it was against a plasma tv) however the projector gives a better wow factor because of the sheer size of it, although I'm not sure I'd have it in my bedroom, but then again I wouldn't have a 55" in my bedroom.

having said all that if I had the choice between a tv and projector I would pick the projector because of the sheer size, scale and wow factor. I would sacrifice the picture quality, which to me wasn't that much of a difference but a difference none the less, for the size. Remember though I haven't seen a budget projector, the two I saw were both plus £1500. Also for £1000 I don't think you'll get a great 55" or 60" tv. Your asking a lot for very little cash.

youll need to make your own mind up based on the pros and cons of each and the quality you can get from a 55" or 60" tv for £1000 vs a £1000 projector. At 55" and above I'd so you are looking at £1200 minimum for a decent tv. Then the projectors start costing £1500 and then your out of budget.

hope that helps in some way or another

 

[kikiso]

I have a modest Optoma HD25 and a pull-up 80 inch Optoma screen, my TV is a 50 inch Panasonic. I have them connected via the same Pioneer LX56 in the same room. I used some reommendaitons from an AV Forum to callibrate the Optoma, the results are very good. In terms of comparing picture quality, as long as the source is HD The projector is as good or better than the TV. It's better when you can darken the rrojm, obviously. For 95% or more of our viewing we watch the TV however. The projector is used for blu-rays or SKYHD, mainly, but I'm sure if I was into sport I would never even think of using the TV.

I've never looked at a more expensive projector, but for viewing at this sort of size, I really can't see that the extra couple of thousand needed to get to a JVC or Panasonic is justified. You get the wow factor every time and I really think the quality is excellent.

 

[rocketrazor]

I have a modest Optoma HD25 and a pull-up 80 inch Optoma screen, my TV is a 50 inch Panasonic. I have them connected via the same Pioneer LX56 in the same room. I used some reommendaitons from an AV Forum to callibrate the Optoma, the results are very good. In terms of comparing picture quality, as long as the source is HD The projector is as good or better than the TV. It's better when you can darken the rrojm, obviously. For 95% or more of our viewing we watch the TV however. The projector is used for blu-rays or SKYHD, mainly, but I'm sure if I was into sport I would never even think of using the TV.

I've never looked at a more expensive projector, but for viewing at this sort of size, I really can't see that the extra couple of thousand needed to get to a JVC or Panasonic is justified. You get the wow factor every time and I really think the quality is excellent.

sounds like your in a much better position to comment on the picture quality between the tv and projector than me. Mine was done from memory, shop projector and home tv, you have both at home

interesting about your point on the extra expense for a small screen. I'll look into this at some point

 

[ibl0010]

I have a modest Optoma HD25 and a pull-up 80 inch Optoma screen, my TV is a 50 inch Panasonic. I have them connected via the same Pioneer LX56 in the same room. I used some reommendaitons from an AV Forum to callibrate the Optoma, the results are very good. In terms of comparing picture quality, as long as the source is HD The projector is as good or better than the TV. It's better when you can darken the rrojm, obviously. For 95% or more of our viewing we watch the TV however. The projector is used for blu-rays or SKYHD, mainly, but I'm sure if I was into sport I would never even think of using the TV.

I've never looked at a more expensive projector, but for viewing at this sort of size, I really can't see that the extra couple of thousand needed to get to a JVC or Panasonic is justified. You get the wow factor every time and I really think the quality is excellent.

Based on your comprision i will give the benq w1070 progector a go instead of going the tv route.

 

[kikiso]

I was on the verge of getting the BenQ but changed my mind, I don't fully recall why, but it's just as good I think. If you are purchasing to get the big screen experiance then this is a far better way to do it than a TV providing you can remove the light from the room. There are brighter versions of the Optoma HD25 now, but as I'm only using the projector for films, so this is not an issue, I watch them at night or just draw the curtains. For "everyday" viewing, the TV is still what I use and still enjoy, it's not exactly tiny anyway.

Will be intersted to see what you finally end up with.

BTW, if you have the extra money and don't mind a larger projector, the Epsom's are supposed to be very good as well. My Optoma is ceiling mounted now and the size and weight of the Optoma (or BenQ) makes ceiliging mounting slightly easier than the LCD projectors that tend to be larger and heavier.

 

[strapped for cash]

Seen a few films at the cinema recently (iron man 3 3d and fast and furious 6) and couldn't help but being a little disappointed with the picture quality. I know the cinema experience is all about the big screen and all but in terms of detail and quality my 50gt50 is much better.

You are certainly not the only one to be disappointed with the commercial cinema and to think that his own TV gives a better picture!

This often comes down to economics. It's expensive for cinemas to screen 3D films brightly enough to compensate for 3D glasses' dimming effects.

There were squabbles between distributors and exhibitors over this particular matter. Distributors wanted 3D to take off because it was making them more money, but exhibitors wanted to cut down on costs by not running projectors at full brightness.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Hello Strapped for Cash - I was referring mainly to 2D films, as the only 3D film that I have seen at the commercial cinema was Prometheus, at the local IMAX. I'm not sure whether I was more dissatified with the sound or with the 3D picture, or with the plot, but I was a bit disappointed with Prometheus. But I've been disappointed with the technical quality of many, indeed most, 2D films at the commercial cinema lately, even ones with good storylines.

 

[ibl0010]

I was on the verge of getting the BenQ but changed my mind, I don't fully recall why, but it's just as good I think. If you are purchasing to get the big screen experiance then this is a far better way to do it than a TV providing you can remove the light from the room. There are brighter versions of the Optoma HD25 now, but as I'm only using the projector for films, so this is not an issue, I watch them at night or just draw the curtains. For "everyday" viewing, the TV is still what I use and still enjoy, it's not exactly tiny anyway.

Will be intersted to see what you finally end up with.

BTW, if you have the extra money and don't mind a larger projector, the Epsom's are supposed to be very good as well. My Optoma is ceiling mounted now and the size and weight of the Optoma (or BenQ) makes ceiliging mounting slightly easier than the LCD projectors that tend to be larger and heavier.

I did consider the hd25 as well but as my room is small (330 by 250 cm) , I favoured the benq w1070 because it has a shorter throw than the hd25. However, in terms of picture quality dont know which is better between w1070 and optoma hd25.

I was actually looking into LCD projector as well (Epson tw5200) to be precise. The epson tw5200 is espon's answer to compete with the high popularity of benq w1070 and spec wise the epson tw5200 seems to have better spec than the benq w1070 but if my research is correct it seem it better to go for DLP projector than LCD projector. However, it should be said that i have never compare LCD and DLP projector side by side, therefore other people may be better qualified to know which is better between DLP and LCD projector. Below is part of my research interms of the advantages and disadvantages of DLP and LCD projector.

Advantages of LCDLCD is generally more 'light efficient' than DLP (ie. the same wattage lamp in both an LCD and DLP would produce a brighter image through the LCD).
With 3LCD projectors, you get beautiful colour in clear, defined images - even in a bright room, and you get more than double the brightness on colour luminance, compared to non-3LCD projectors. What’s more, 3LCD projectors can project bright, vivid images with a low output lamp.Hence, with a data signal, if you put a 1000 lumen LCD next to a 1200 lumen DLP and showed a colour image people would probably prefer the LCD.
LCD tends to produce a sharper image (ie. more precisely focused). This can actually be a bit of a disadvantage for video, where it makes the pixellation more obvious.
[/list] Disadvantages of LCDGenerally more bulky, as there are more internal components.
'Dead Pixels' - Pixels can become permanently on or permanently off, while this is barely noticeable with one dead pixel, if the projector develops multiple dead pixels it can be an irritation.
LCD panels can fail, and are very expensive to replace. DLP chips can also fail but as there are fewer parts in a DLP projector this is relatively rare.[/list] Ghosting effect.
Advantages of DLPLess 'chicken wire' (or 'screen door') effect because pixels are much closer together. This doesn't make so much difference with data, but it produces smoother images for video.

A comparrison of an LCD and DLP projection to illustrate the 'screen door' or 'chicken wire effect on LCD projections.Higher contrast achievable.DLP has sealed optics which makes them better for use in a dusty environment.DLP projectors are generally more poratable as fewer components are required.[/list] Disadvantages of DLPThe 'rainbow' effect, appearing as a momentary flash of rainbow-like striping typically trailing the bright objects when looking from one side of the screen to the other, or when looking away from the projected image to an offscreen object. Only some people see this effect, or you can create it for yourself by moving your eyes very quickly across the screen. There are two types of DLP projector - the old ones had four segments on the colour wheel, the new ones have six or even seven and spin faster, which means less rainbow effect and more saturated colour.The 'halo' effect (or 'light leakage'). It may bother some people using their projector for home cinema. Basically it's a grey band around the outside of the image, caused by stray light being bounced off the edges of the tiny mirrors on the DLP chip. It can be a distraction, but can be overcome by having a black border a few inches wide around the screen, so the halo falls on to the border. However the halo effect is less evident in the newer DLP chips such as the DDR chip[/list]