Question regarding Home theater projector

[jtrinc]

Hello everyone,
Recently I bought a sound system for my home theater, so the next step is to get a projector.
I am planning on plugging it to a DVD player. I do not have a blu Ray player or anything HD. At least not for now. But I do not have any plans to buy one soon.
I am going to put the projector in my basement, where there’s barely any light. So hopefully these two factors will make it easier to get something cheaper.
My question is: what’s your recommendation? I am planning on expending between 500 and 800 bucks. I have never had a projector before and I am very clueless about what things to keep in mind and what to look for. By the way, I do not have any preference brand wise.
So, if there are any good deals out there, or any websites with a decent selection, please let me know. Thanks a lot!!!
By the way, I am also going to need to buy a screen for it. Do you have any feedback on that front as well? Thanks again.

[redwudz]

AVS forum is one place to look for advice and info: http://www.avsforum.com/

A couple of projector sites: http://www.projectorpeople.com/ http://www.projectorcentral.com/recommended-home-theater-projectors.htm

You may not find much in your price range. $1000 - $1500US is more realistic. Stay away from business type projectors. You really want something designed for home theater, usually with HDMI, Component, VGA, and maybe S-video, usually in that order of choice.

[surfmonkee]

i would also consider the cost of replacement lamps, some can cost a fortune.

[jtrinc]

Thanks for the links and for the advice.
I found this one.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Epson+-+PowerLite+Home+Cinema+WXGA+Projector/9533926.p?id=...&skuId=9533926

It looks like it has all the inputs that you mentioned.
I also saw this one:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-HD66.htm

Which one would you recommend? Also, I can't see how big the screen can be with the optoma. Can anybody see that info anywhere?
Thanks again!

[redwudz]

Of those two, the Optoma seems to have better specs, though I would spend more for a projector myself. My Sony ran about $1300 and that's considered economical. For specs, you could look at the HD65 as it's similar: http://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-HD65.htm But I would go to the Optoma website and see if they have the information.

Bulbs are a big issue, but mine have lasted two years or more most times. They can easily cost $200 or more, so it is something to be aware of. Mine are about $250. Buy a spare as soon as you can. Most projectors keep track of bulb hours, so you will have an idea when it's ready to replace. They lose brightness, but rarely just burn out.

There is a lot of research to do before selecting a projector or setting up a home theater. You need to know the dimensions of your room and what options you have for projector mounting, along with where and how you will run cables, viewer distance from screen, amount of keystone adjustment the projector offers and a lot of other factors.

Also very important is the screen. A screen made specifically for video will give you the best contrast and brightness. They can get expensive. Don't even think about projecting onto a white wall. That will destroy the contrast. But some Da-lite screens are fairly economical. I use a 12' Da-lite. The high contrast gray in HDTV format is one good choice and fairly versatile.

You also want a decent subwoofer to really get the best effect from DVD/BD video. I use two 10" subs.

My existing home theater setup. I have two BD ROM drives for BD playback. https://forum.videohelp.com/topic368691.html#1990948

[jtrinc]

Thanks so much! I would have never thought about buying a spare bulb. You are right; I still have a lot of research to do. That is why this information is greatly appreciated!