Plasma or Projector? Need some input

[ecuar]

Ok bluray lovers My old 42 inch plasma just died and I got the wifes permission to get what I want! As longs as it's under $2000. So I have been looking and cant make up my mind! Plasma or Projector. What would you do with $2000!?

Epson 3020(unfinished Sheet Wall)
or
Panasonic TC-P60GT50
or
Samsung PN60E7000FFXZA

Oh the options!

I was thinking about just running the projector cables on the ground and mounting a shelf to put it on. We plan on trying to sell the house we live in within a year and I don't want to go through all the work of fishing cables and making a power outlet for the projector. I have never owned a projector this would be my first.

Thanks so much for your input.

[PUsokrJosh305]

With your situation of selling your house and moving, I would get a plasma so you can take it with ya more easily than a projector and the screen. As you said, you don't want to run all those wires and then eventually rip them back up and move

[frogmort]

I have a 42" plasma in my living room and an Epson 6500UB projector in my HT room.

I have my projector along with all of my other components on a bookcase in a closet at the back of the room. I can point any of my remotes at the front wall and they reflect back to the closet with no problems, and they all have on screen displays. At first I put everything in the back just for convenience, but now I really like the clean look of having nothing up front except for my right, left, center speakers and the screen.

With a projector, you can go with any size you want, pretty much. I am projecting a 130" diagonal image and I love it. I rent, so I couldn't do anything permanent, so I covered all of my walls and ceiling with black bedsheets I bought at Walmart for $5 each, and just used thumbtacks to hold them. If you look at the pics in my gallery you can see what it looks like. My main gallery doesn't have the front wall trimmed out, but one of them in there has the newer pics with the screen trimmed out.

A projector would actually be much easier to move to the new house than a plasma. They only weigh a couple of pounds and are about the size of a shoebox or a bit bigger.

Good luck!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

With your situation of selling your house and moving, I would get a plasma so you can take it with ya more easily than a projector and the screen. As you said, you don't want to run all those wires and then eventually rip them back up and move

Don't pull the wires, just make due running them behind furniture etc... and project onto a wall and buy a screen after you move.

Easier to move a projector than a Plasma.

EDIT:

There's nothing like watching a film on a 130+ inch screen either.

EDIT:

What are you going to do for the daily news/weather etc.... I wouldn't want a projector for "All T.V. Viewing" though... although some don't mind it, I wouldn't like to sit in the dark while I watch Pawn Stars

[bhampton]

It's real easy to make a screen with black out fabric from Jo Ann's and 1x3 frame from a hardware store.

I'm lucky to have both a plasma and a projector but,... I wouldn't want to live without a projector.

[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Don't pull the wires, just make due running them behind furniture etc... and project onto a wall and buy a screen after you move.

Easier to move a projector than a Plasma.

EDIT:

There's nothing like watching a film on a 130+ inch screen either.

EDIT:

What are you going to do for the daily news/weather etc.... I wouldn't want a projector for "All T.V. Viewing" though... although some don't mind it, I wouldn't like to sit in the dark while I watch Pawn Stars

I'll second what Beta Man had to say. Except the Edit

[frogmort]

This is one thing to think about too, as an example, a 130" projected image is exactly the same size as four 65" TVs.

[Show spoiler]

[ecuar]

You guys are making this to easy.

I was looking in to screens also, Monoprice screens and mounts. About the seating, my seats are all the way to the wall. The distance from the screen is about 12.5 feet, anyone think that will be an issue? Was thinking about 110 inch screen max.

Thanks guys for all the quick replies and all the info. The pic of the 4 60's makes me really want it!

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by ecuar

You guys are making this to easy.

I was looking in to screens also, Monoprice screens and mounts. About the seating, my seats are all the way to the wall. The distance from the screen is about 12.5 feet, anyone think that will be an issue? Was thinking about 110 inch screen max.

Thanks guys for all the quick replies and all the info. The pic of the 4 60's makes me really want it!

I sit about 9 feet away from a 130" screen, so I'm sure 12.5 feet from a 110" screen would be fine. I actually started out about 7 feet away, but I could see the pixels a bit, especially on brighter scenes, so I gradually kept backing away just until I couldn't see the pixels at all. From 9 feet away it's almost like an IMAX theater.

If you do decide to go with a projector, I would suggest holding off from getting a screen at first, and just projecting onto the wall like you mentioned in your first post. That way you can test out what size really works best for your room and your personal tastes before you're locked in to a set screen size. You might find that 110" is too big(I doubt it) or you might decide to go with 150" screen. You might also want to try adjusting your seating distance too once you get a pj, if your room allows for it, and that might change what size screen would work best too.

Edit: I bought my Epson 6500UB manufacturer refurbished from Visual Apex and it came with a full two year warranty just like a brand new one. It looks like a brand new unit and is still working flawlessly after almost one year. It shipped very fast, and they have some great prices too. They have new and refurbished units available. The ones with an "-R" at the end means it's refurbished.

Good luck!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by frogmort

This is one thing to think about too, as an example, a 130" projected image is exactly the same size as four 65" TVs.

[Show spoiler]

I can't even take a picture with my phone that gets my entire 135" screen in the picture!

[i007spectre]

Projector all the way, I know I have not looked back once.

[davevh84]

Yeah, projector all the way. That epson projector is a great choice for your 1st projector.

[ImStylinOnYaBro]

I have never seen a projector, but recently wanting a new TV, i have done more looking at plasma, and it is awesome to the led lcd. I once, a long time ago, have been i na house w/ a projector but it definitely wan't 1080p. Either choice couldn't be bad, pending on the space. Anyone have a E7000 sammy? that is hte other choice to the st50 i was tossing, but no bestbuys or other stores near me have a E7000

[ecuar]

Been reading on the E7000 that they have a buzzing issue. Not sure how loud it is but it's there. Also with the new Panny TV's they are more prone to Burn in/IR then the Sammy Plasma's. They both have there con's and pro's. Just depends on what you find worse then the other.

Panny- Pros - Better blacks
Cons - possible burn in

Sammy- Pros - Better colors
Cons - Buzzing sound really noticeable on whites and bright colors.

Cnet did a really good review of them both. I would search for it online.

I think im going to go with the projector. Just waiting going to get the sheets and prep the basement for it. Possibly going to go for a new layout.

Anyone ever cover there windows with black sheets? I have two small windows in the room and was thinking about getting a few black sheets and a white one to cover the walls with. Was going to shoot the projector over one of the windows.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by ecuar

Cons - possible burn in

I can't believe people still think this is an issue..... any plasma post-2008 or so, isn't gonna have a burn in problem.

Burn in is permanent.

Image Retention is temporary.

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by ecuar

[Show spoiler]Been reading on the E7000 that they have a buzzing issue. Not sure how loud it is but it's there. Also with the new Panny TV's they are more prone to Burn in/IR then the Sammy Plasma's. They both have there con's and pro's. Just depends on what you find worse then the other.

Panny- Pros - Better blacks
Cons - possible burn in

Sammy- Pros - Better colors
Cons - Buzzing sound really noticeable on whites and bright colors.

Cnet did a really good review of them both. I would search for it online.

I think im going to go with the projector. Just waiting going to get the sheets and prep the basement for it. Possibly going to go for a new layout.

Anyone ever cover there windows with black sheets? I have two small windows in the room and was thinking about getting a few black sheets and a white one to cover the walls with. Was going to shoot the projector over one of the windows.

I have one big window in my HT room. I made a home-made window plug for it. It does three things: 1- It keeps the light out. 2- It keeps the outside noise down. 3- It keeps the HT sound from being as loud outside.

Basically I put a folded up comforter in the window frame, then covered that with a foam matress topper($10 Walmart), then covered the inside of the window with plywood, then covered the walls with black sheets. Now you can't even tell that there's a window there. It's definitely not the most professional way to do things, but it works great. Here are some pics of what I did(sorry, cellphone camera sucks):

1)The comforter:

[Show spoiler]

2) Over the comforter, the foam matress topper:

[Show spoiler]

3) The plywood:

[Show spoiler]

4) Black sheets over plywood with side surround speaker:

[Show spoiler]

[ecuar]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I can't believe people still think this is an issue..... any plasma post-2008 or so, isn't gonna have a burn in problem.

Burn in is permanent.

Image Retention is temporary.

Sorry i Stated above that is was IR. I was saying it wrong it was IR not Burn in.

I will have to looking in to covering the windows with something. I went to walmart and the only sheets I could find were $15 bucks a piece so i need to find some cheaper ones to cover my whole room.