I have a 47in led 3d HD 1980x1080. I'm going to be travelling a lot in the future and wanted something pretty portable that I could carry with me instead of lugging this HD TV around with me. Any help would be appreciated.
Home movie projectors?
- Thread starter jerzi
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What are you going to be using it for? Home projectors are not really portable, or meant to be so. Especially if you plan on having a proper screen to project the image (movie/game whatever) onto it. Without having a proper screen you will get all sorts of problems popping up in the image. For example to you project the image onto a red wall, everything will have a red tint to it. Things in the image that are supposed to be white will be completely red. If the wall has any texture or is an uneven surface, like the door in the background of you avatar for example. It will create off looking spots in the projection where the image bends in and out of the uneven surface. Plus you still have to carry around whatever device it is that is generating the image. (Blu-Ray player/game console/laptop)
If it is just for watching movies, I would just use my laptop. If it is for video games I would get a 1080p computer monitor with HDMI input built in speakers. This would also work if you want to watch movies on a larger screen then your laptop and you could still hook something up to it like a Blu-Ray player.
If you need to install a Blu-Ray disc drive on your laptop if the hardware will support the playback. Any of these options would be cheaper and safer for the hardware. I can't see a projector taking to much abuse before it gives out. They are made to be put in one spot and left there for the most part.
Like I said, it really depends on what your using it for, but there are better options out there.
*EDIT*
This model from Newegg.com should do well.
Asus VE248H Black 24" 2ms Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 250 cd/m2 10,000,000:1 - Newegg.com
If it is just for watching movies, I would just use my laptop. If it is for video games I would get a 1080p computer monitor with HDMI input built in speakers. This would also work if you want to watch movies on a larger screen then your laptop and you could still hook something up to it like a Blu-Ray player.
If you need to install a Blu-Ray disc drive on your laptop if the hardware will support the playback. Any of these options would be cheaper and safer for the hardware. I can't see a projector taking to much abuse before it gives out. They are made to be put in one spot and left there for the most part.
Like I said, it really depends on what your using it for, but there are better options out there.
*EDIT*
This model from Newegg.com should do well.
Asus VE248H Black 24" 2ms Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 250 cd/m2 10,000,000:1 - Newegg.com
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As far as portability goes, they make portable projectors. They are usually low res with low powered lamps.
This makes them fine for presentations or what not, but not very good for entertainment.
As for regular projectors, they would be more robust ( in regards to portability ) than a 47" tv.
A few things to consider:
Resolution - any thing comparable to your tv is going to be $800 to a $1000 and up
Lumens - depending on the ambient light levels where you plan to use a projector, you will want
a fairly high lumen rating. The lower res projectors come in a broad range of lumen levels,
while the higher res projectors tend to come with lower lumen levels. The high end projectors
are expected to be used in a dedicated "theater" setting with more controlled ( lower ) ambient light sources.
The lower lumens on high end projectors actually allows for better color because there is less "bounce back"
or "scatter" from the screen
Screen - a plain white wall ( flat, not glossy ) with no texture, is perfectly fine for a projector unless you
are expecting theater quality colors and depth. Even walls with a little color ( like off white, eggshell, light tans
and greys ) will not effect the color that much. You would be surprised how quickly the brain adjusts to the
slightly off colors. I use a projector in my living room for both my "tv" and my "computer" screen, and my walls
are a light tan with a little grey ( taupe ? ). I only noticed the whites were a little off. I recently painted my
projection area with a certain white recommended by other projector users, and the only real difference it made
was in the whites and the contrasts. A good, down and dirty, solution for a screen would be to get a roll of 48"
plotter paper. You would want a matt white with a tight weave and heavy duty ( what they refer to as 36lb or heavier ).
A 7' piece would give you a roughly "16x9" format, and you could use tacky putty to mount it on any wall without
leaving a mark. If you are wanting a great picture, your only choice would be a projector screen, and I don't know
how portable that would be in your circumstances.
If you are wanting something comparable to your HDTV, you would need a 1080p 3D projector ( $1200 or more ),
and a high end screen ( $500 or more ), in a room with very little ambient light. Make sure to have a high speed
hdmi cable. Many people would be surprised how much this effects picture quality. Unless you really want the 3D,
I would not recommend 3D in a projector. Some people see a bit of a "rainbow" effect with 3D projectors, it
is not true for everyone, but it is a known effect.
If you would be satisfied with a reasonably good picture, then I would recommend a 720p projector with 1800 to
2000 lumens ( $600 to $800 ), and the paper screen setup I suggested earlier. In a room with low ambient light,
this will give you a very decent picture.
I have a white painted wall with a good 720p projector, and even during the day, my picture is pretty good.
At night, with a single lamp on behind me, even a movie as "color intensive" as Avatar is pretty good.
note - Watching a projector in a completely dark room is even worse for the eyes than watching a tv in a dark room,
so be careful. Also, some forethought will be needed in regards to projector placement. Height, angle, and distance
from the screen, has to be fairly precise for best picture. Knowing these in advance will make sure you have the
right equipment with you. ( a separate stand for the projector that is the right height, for example )
This makes them fine for presentations or what not, but not very good for entertainment.
As for regular projectors, they would be more robust ( in regards to portability ) than a 47" tv.
A few things to consider:
Resolution - any thing comparable to your tv is going to be $800 to a $1000 and up
Lumens - depending on the ambient light levels where you plan to use a projector, you will want
a fairly high lumen rating. The lower res projectors come in a broad range of lumen levels,
while the higher res projectors tend to come with lower lumen levels. The high end projectors
are expected to be used in a dedicated "theater" setting with more controlled ( lower ) ambient light sources.
The lower lumens on high end projectors actually allows for better color because there is less "bounce back"
or "scatter" from the screen
Screen - a plain white wall ( flat, not glossy ) with no texture, is perfectly fine for a projector unless you
are expecting theater quality colors and depth. Even walls with a little color ( like off white, eggshell, light tans
and greys ) will not effect the color that much. You would be surprised how quickly the brain adjusts to the
slightly off colors. I use a projector in my living room for both my "tv" and my "computer" screen, and my walls
are a light tan with a little grey ( taupe ? ). I only noticed the whites were a little off. I recently painted my
projection area with a certain white recommended by other projector users, and the only real difference it made
was in the whites and the contrasts. A good, down and dirty, solution for a screen would be to get a roll of 48"
plotter paper. You would want a matt white with a tight weave and heavy duty ( what they refer to as 36lb or heavier ).
A 7' piece would give you a roughly "16x9" format, and you could use tacky putty to mount it on any wall without
leaving a mark. If you are wanting a great picture, your only choice would be a projector screen, and I don't know
how portable that would be in your circumstances.
If you are wanting something comparable to your HDTV, you would need a 1080p 3D projector ( $1200 or more ),
and a high end screen ( $500 or more ), in a room with very little ambient light. Make sure to have a high speed
hdmi cable. Many people would be surprised how much this effects picture quality. Unless you really want the 3D,
I would not recommend 3D in a projector. Some people see a bit of a "rainbow" effect with 3D projectors, it
is not true for everyone, but it is a known effect.
If you would be satisfied with a reasonably good picture, then I would recommend a 720p projector with 1800 to
2000 lumens ( $600 to $800 ), and the paper screen setup I suggested earlier. In a room with low ambient light,
this will give you a very decent picture.
I have a white painted wall with a good 720p projector, and even during the day, my picture is pretty good.
At night, with a single lamp on behind me, even a movie as "color intensive" as Avatar is pretty good.
note - Watching a projector in a completely dark room is even worse for the eyes than watching a tv in a dark room,
so be careful. Also, some forethought will be needed in regards to projector placement. Height, angle, and distance
from the screen, has to be fairly precise for best picture. Knowing these in advance will make sure you have the
right equipment with you. ( a separate stand for the projector that is the right height, for example )
Thanks guys. I was looking for a setup that I could break down in less than a mintue and be out the door. Portable pull out screen on a stand and something that could project on the wall with good quality.
I found the Epson V11H499020 Home Cinema 750HD 2D/3D 720p 3LCD Projector
Up to 3 x Brighter Colors
Color Brightness: 3000 lumens
White Brightness: 3000 lumens
2D and 3D capabilities; 3D glasses included
All-digital HDMI audio/video connection
Leaning towards this.
I found the Epson V11H499020 Home Cinema 750HD 2D/3D 720p 3LCD Projector
Up to 3 x Brighter Colors
Color Brightness: 3000 lumens
White Brightness: 3000 lumens
2D and 3D capabilities; 3D glasses included
All-digital HDMI audio/video connection
Leaning towards this.
It all depends on what you are doing. Business, pleasure trips, teaching a class in different locations? If I'm just traveling for pleasure all hotels have LCD TVs with media inputs. A DVD drive on a laptop would drive any of them provide you had video/audio and USB or HDMI cables.
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