Are you looking to enhance your home entertainment experience? Consider saying goodbye to your LCD television and embracing the immersive world of an HD projector system.
I have considered switching from my 45-inch plasma TV to a 90-inch projection system for the past two years.
Despite my affection for my plasma TV, it is almost a decade old, has a couple of pixel issues, and doesn’t quite do justice to epic widescreen movies like Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Cinerama Holiday.
Additionally, my initial lack of interest in 3-D TV has changed as classic 3-D movies from the 1950s-80s are now becoming available on 3-D Blu-ray, including obscure titles like Man in the Dark, The Bubble, and Dragonfly Squadron.
At the beginning of this year, I started researching online and in stores to find the best HD projectors, screens, and 3-D Blu-ray players within my budget.
However, electronic stores in Japan seemed uninterested in promoting projector-based home theatre systems, with many significant retailers not even selling projectors.
Those mainly focused on LCD models and the emerging 4K technology, which I found impressive but somewhat transitional compared to the previous TV formats.
High-def projectors were displayed in obscure corners of the stores, and the demonstration setups were often inadequate, showing movies in 2D or projecting onto small screens.
Despite this, after reading detailed reviews on technophilic websites, I decided to take a chance. I purchased an Epson Dreamio EH-TW5200 projector, a Sony BDP-S5100 3D Blu-ray player, Bluetooth 3-D glasses, a Sanwa 90-inch screen, and a universal ceiling mount.
Despite not having the optimal opportunity to see the HD projectors in action, I felt I would be satisfied with my purchase, primarily since I intended to keep my 45-inch plasma for regular TV viewing.
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I saved significant money by handling the installation and opting for more affordable brands when purchasing the screen, ceiling mount, and glasses.
Additionally, I invested in an extended HDMI cable (10 meters) and acquired additional materials from the local hardware store to mount the screen to the wall.
In hindsight, I am pleased that everything arrived separately over several days, allowing me to install and inspect each component meticulously.
Once everything was set up, I was thoroughly impressed. Utterly impressed. In the first week, I tested the system with a diverse selection of movies.
The list includes Bolt (in 3-D), The Hidden Fortress (in Toho Scope), Dial M for Murder (in 3-D), The Blues Brothers (in 1.85:1), Tron Legacy (in 3-D), Creature from the Black Lagoon (in 3-D), The Seven Year Itch (in CinemaScope), Perfect Friday (in 1.66:1), The Great White Silence (a silent film in 1.33:1 format), Destroy All Monsters, The Flesh and Blood Show (part-3-D), Grand Prix (in Super Panavision 70), Man in the Dark (in 3-D), Fantasia 2000, Toy Story (in 3-D), The 300 Spartans, Chain of Evidence (a 1.85:1 Sony Choice Collection DVD-R), Wild Oceans (in IMAX 3-D), Phantom of the Paradise, and Samson and Delilah (in 1.37:1 Technicolor).
Eight Reasons Why You Should Dump That LCD Television
If you’re contemplating switching from your LCD television to an HD projector, there are several compelling reasons to make the transition.
Here are eight compelling reasons to consider replacing your LCD television and buying an HD Projector.
1. The Price
Sharp’s 90-inch 1080p 3-D television is priced at $10,999.99, although it is currently on sale for $7,997.99.
In contrast, the comprehensive setup I described, including the projector, screen, ceiling mount, 3-D Blu-ray player, three pairs of 3-D glasses, and various mounting materials, cost me approximately $1,250.
2. The Picture
While my budget didn’t accommodate a 4K projection system, my Epson projector delivers an exceptionally sharp, bright, and vivid image, surpassing the visual experience offered by most movie theatres.
My ability to create a dark viewing environment mitigated concerns regarding brightness and blacks, allowing me to optimize the projector’s settings.
3. The Sound
The larger screen necessitated adjustments to my 5.1 sound system, resulting in enhanced directionality of sound effects and dialogue, particularly noticeable during screenings of early CinemaScope and large road show titles.
4. The 3-D
The Epson projector delivers an impressive 3-D viewing experience, with exceptional brightness and presentation quality across various 3-D content, including titles like Creature from the Black Lagoon, Wild Ocean, Man in the Dark, and Bolt.
5. The Big Screen
Beyond the apparent enhancement for big-budget films, the substantially larger screen creates a more immediate, intimate, and lifelike viewing experience, fostering more profound engagement with the content.
6. The Advantages of a Projected vs. Plasma/LED Image
Projected images offer distinct aesthetic advantages, including accurate aspect ratios without over-scanning and a more natural and rich color representation than direct light from plasma or LCD televisions.
7. The Return of the Communal Viewing Experience
Watching movies with family and friends on the projection system fosters a communal viewing experience that is both immersive and conducive to losing oneself in the movie, enhancing overall enjoyment.
8. The Surprising Fact About DVDs
Surprisingly, standard-definition DVDs, even those sourced from less-than-pristine film elements, looked remarkably good on the 90-inch screen, showcasing the effectiveness of the projector’s upscaling capability and making standard DVDs a viable viewing option alongside Blu-ray discs.
I think the retail stores I visited were making a mistake by not promoting HD projectors more aggressively.
If customers witnessed the true capabilities of these devices, I’m confident they would sell rapidly.
I am delighted with my purchase, and I encourage all dedicated movie enthusiasts to contemplate investing in a projection system when they are following in the market for an upgrade.
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