Since I'm going to be moving around several more times before I settle somewhere, I am reluctant to buy a large rear projection tv. Large flat panels tend to be out of my price range, and I want something larger than is reasonable to get as a CRT. This leads me to projectors, which are inherently small (and screens can be rolled up.) My questions for front projection folks then are:

What models do people have? I've been comparing the 2k and under range but I really don't know what I should be looking for.

Would I realistically need to worry about lamp life (at least for a year or two) if I primarily used the projector for movie viewing only and not day to day tv watching? The lamps can be quite expensive it seems...

Are there any other general snippets of wisdom you have picked up in your projector search I might want to know about?

About lamp-life. Dont' forget that DLP and LCD rear projectors also only have about a two year life.

My brother in law has a front projector, and has for a couple of years now. What he has found is that he really only watches the front projector for movies and HD content (like Sopranos, and sports). So, after two years, hw still hasn't replaced his bulb, and he doesn't think that he's gonna have to for some time. Consider that the bulb lasts approx. 8000 hours. If you watch 15 hours a week, that's a little over 10 year light bulb light (if my math is right)...(8000 hours, divided by 15 hours/week = 533 weeks = 10+ years).

Now, of course, that would an average of around 2 hours of TV per day. Considering you might watch 3 hours per day on week days, and 5 on the weekend, you get 25 hours per week, which equals a little over 6 years.

2 things: It's pretty expensive to buy a front projector and then only watch DVD's on it. (cause you'll still need something to watch the news on, right?) But considering cost, size and bulb life, you can get a great value. Let's say you do all your viewing on the big screen using your FPT, and you watch a sh*tload of TV. Bulbs only run about US$250-300. So, in the long run, you get a monster screen that feels so much closer to the movies - you get to impress the hell out of your friends - and all it will cost you is an occasional (every 3-4 years) investment in bulbs. Who knows, maybe they'll come out with a longer lasting bulb that can be fitted into an older projector in a few years. Then, you'd be real happy.

I'd say, if you've got the space - go FPT.

However, also consider ambient light issues. If you've got much light in the room, your image will begin to degrade pretty rapidly (almost to the point of being unwatchable). And you never get true black unless you buy a nice semi-gray reflective screen, which can be fairly pricey as well.

All in all, It's my ultimate goal to put on in a dark, windowless basement one day. Best of luck.

Where is this magical 8000 hour bulb? And what can I stick it in?

Most people would be more than happy with half the life of that bulb.

Any bulb can last indefinately... just reduce the voltage applied to it, and the sublimation of the tungsten atoms will be slowed to a near stop... of course, it'll put out a lot less light, and the light it puts out will be nearer the 700 kelvin range (blue daylight is 5600, yellow incandescent is 3200)... but it will last nearly forever. There are still 100+ year old bulbs of Edison's burning in his house.

Bren R.

Sorry if I mis-spoke Getoffb - Not owning a FP myself, I was assuming that the front projector bulb woul dlast about as long as a DLP or an LCD bulb. I could very well be mistaken. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong, and it won't be the last time I get caught talking out of my @$$.

Most projectors have a quoted bulb life of 2000 - 3000 hours, and many projectors will refuse to start up after the bulb has reached a certain number of hours.

You will want to minimize ambient light for movie watching, but some light is OK for less critical watching. I watch TV on my projector with the lights on in the room. Direct sunlight WILL wash out the picture.

I have a Sony HS10 and have been very happy with it. There a lot of great projectors available for less than $3k. There is a lot of good info at projectorcentral.com.

I love my fp setup even if I only get to watch it for movies. I have my old tv that works fine for the regular stuff. But yes, projector central is a great place for reviews. For you price range I'd look at the Sanyo Z2 or Panasonic 500. Aslo check out the AVS Forum they have more projector information that you can shake a really big stick at.

Josh

I'll ditto Josh's sentiment. I love my projector. For $900, I have a movie theater in my living room.....soon to be in my basement. Once you come to the FP side of the world, you won't go back.

As far as options go, there are many alternatives out there. As stated above, ProjectorCentral.com is a stellar resource. The AVS Forums also have a wealth of knowledge on projectors. For under $1K, you can get the Infocus X1 which is pound for pound the best bang for your projector buck. For a little bit more, you get into the Sanyo Z1 & L300 zone. Then, if budget isn't as much an issue, you can stretch and get something like the HS10/20. If HD isn't a huge priority and budget is a concern, I would highly recommend the X1. I've gone toe to toe w/ an HS10 on DVD.....but got creamed on HD content. It's all about what your application is. I've seen the L300, but can't comment on the Z1 and the newer Z2 & L500. As you see, there are a ton of choices. I would poke around the above references to get some education. ProjectorCentral is, again, a great place to start.

Good Luck

Thanks for the input, I have been poking around and educating myself a bit more on the subject. I will let you all know if I decide to go that route, but it won't be in the immediate future if I do.