I’m having trouble opening the link, so I have no idea what projector you’re looking at Peter.
Regardless of the “deal”, I can share some thoughts about this choice you’re contemplating.
Projectors are not as simple as TV’s. No way and if anyone tries to tell you differently, they are full of crap. But they are not an onerously troublesome device that will give you hours of grief either. With projectors you have to contend with ambient light, mounting locations, screen size, zoom, contrast, brightness, type of screen, bulbs, fans, user interface, etc. All of these things can be easily learned and dealt with, just don’t walk into this blind.
The ideal situation is a completely light controlled room because you are sending a beam of light threw the air to a reflective surface (screen) that you get the pleasure of looking at. But, with the right projector and screen, you can get away with using a projector in an area WITH ambient light. You will have to spec out a projector with good lumens and also get yourself a good screen with a + gain. Now depending on the contrast ratio of the projector, you may be able to get away with a standard white screen with a + gain, but typically, you will want to go with a silver or grey screen to bring out the colors. These high contrast + gain screens get expensive. You can also try your hand at a DIY screen, and good luck with that. I did and wasn’t happy with the results.
One thing you need to be aware of is advertised ratings and real world test results. Do not believe what your read. If the projector you are looking at is rated at 10,000/1 contrast ratio, it’s probably more like 4,000/1. If it has a lumens rating of 1000, it’s probably more like 300. Do not, really – do not believe these ratings. Try to find a review where they reviewer tests this to a recognized standard. The reason this is so important is that you need to know real contrast and lumens so that you can decide which screen you can get away with. The two work hand in hand.
There are other things to consider as well, like where you will mount the projector. If it’s 8’ away, you need to find a short throw projector. Not all projectors can be mounted that close to the screen without throwing up huge image. Or, if you mount it 20’ away, you need to find a long throw projector that won’t put up a huge image with that long of a throw. But there is a trade off with this as well. The longer the throw, the lower your lumens will be. The more you zoom the lower the lumens. So you need to figure this out and then look for the right projector for your application. Not just the cheapest.
The debate over 720p and 1080p is a good one. When I view a really good HD movie in my room with my “old” Panny 900 in 720P, I have a very difficult time believing how a 1080P projector could throw up a better image. It is so realistic, so vivid, so much color and depth, I just can’t believe that it can get any better. But, I have not ever seen anything with a higher resolution, so maybe it can be better. I just don’t know for sure. I am however currious enough to find out and will be buying a 1080P projector as soon as I make up my mind which one to get. But for your room/application, I believe you are better off sticking with 720P. Not so much for image quality, but lumens. The current crop of 1080P projectors do not have sufficient lumen output for an application where there is much ambient light. You have to spend well over ten grand to get one that will work for your intended location.
So is it worth it??? Yes, I think it is. Should you think seriously about it?? Absolutely. Just do your homework and don’t go too cheap. Put up a “to not exceed” budget and give it a try. But be realistic too. You can’t expect miracles for pennies. Just because you find a good deal, does not mean that that good deal is the best option for your intended application.
