Going 4K - TV vs Faux K Projector?

[5meohd]

Hoping someone has experience with both.

I've decided either something like a 65" LG C1 OLED or a BenQ HT-3550.

Reason? I currently have a Panasonic VT50 and a BenQ HT-3050. I hate that I can totally appreciate the reference grade black levels and flawless contrast of the TV, yet also appreciate the near perfect REC709 color and cinema like THX viewing distance ratio of my projector, yet can NOT afford a both in one package!!

I also hate that I'm collecting 4K discs for years, and especially with Criterions announcement, I can't enjoy them.

Do I go with a inaccurate faux K projector to maintain the size and maybe enjoy a moderate uptick in color and sharpness? Or do I grab this used OLED, calibrate it and have near perfection... without the size.

I'm so torn. The 50" in our bedroom certainly doesn't translate the cinematic feel. The projection screen we have is 85". Going down to 65" is gonna suck, but it might be worth it to enjoy the PQ improvements and discs we own!

Thoughts?

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by 5meohd

I'm so torn. The 50" in our bedroom certainly doesn't translate the cinematic feel. The projection screen we have is 85". Going down to 65" is gonna suck, but it might be worth it to enjoy the PQ improvements and discs we own! Thoughts?

I think you've pretty much answered your own question right here. If you watch movies the majority of the time, then a projection screen would be the choice. You can get an inexpensive $250-300.00 TV to put in a secondary room to watch regular TV and play games on ( that's if you're a gamer), or use the TV in your bedroom for regular TV shows and the news. It doesn't have to be a OLED with all the bells and whistles of a smart tv, just something nice and small from Walmart, and use the projector screen for movies.

[Energy Crisis]

No OLED, but I have a 75" Vizio P Series Quantum X and BenQ HT3550 here.

The PQX is one of the most capable HDR displays available (roughly 3000 nits peak brightness), but I absolutely prefer the BenQ for movies. You simply can't beat the immersion of a projector. I don't like the Faux K label though. It's pixel shifted yes, but it's gets the required resolution on the screen. The tone mapping is gorgeous too despite the obvious limitations of what a projector can do with HDR. I wouldn't want to be without either one, but if forced to choose there's no way I'd take a tv over it.

Do be aware though, this thing is LOUD. Really, really loud.

[andreasy969]

I would never go smaller. You won't be happy, if you go smaller. Size >>> pq. It sucks, but it's the truth. Swapping the size for HDR (the resolution isn't as important anyway) won't make you happy. You'll lose the (IMHO much more important) cinematic feel, i.e. the thing you fear, is exactly what's going to happen. Also, going closer to the TV to keep the same ratio is NOT the same (coming from someone who once thought so, since it seems to be logical, but there's a difference due to the lack of real size). If you're coming from 85", don't go smaller. You will regret it.

My 2 cents.

[5meohd]

Thanks for the feedback!

I suppose the next question is: Does the HT3550 show at least some of the benefits of a 4KUHD disc vs an equal bluray counterpart? It doesn't really seem like many of the YouTube reviews answer that question. I don't game, I have a light controlled room... I want the best possible disc playback I can get for ~ $1500. But if the reality is the HDR and wide color don't really do much vs my 3050, then obviously I should jusy buy a fresh bulb and keep waiting.

Maybe frame the question this way. Is the 3550 good enough to use as a display and be a valid part of the conversation around the quality of a 4K disc? I love that stuff.. im a DVDBeaver nerd.. but for a while now it's simply reading.. not reading and watching and talking..

Cheers!

[ronboster]

Originally Posted by slimdude

I think you've pretty much answered your own question right here. If you watch movies the majority of the time, then a projection screen would be the choice. You can get an inexpensive $250-300.00 TV to put in a secondary room to watch regular TV and play games on ( that's if you're a gamer), or use the TV in your bedroom for regular TV shows and the news. It doesn't have to be a OLED with all the bells and whistles of a smart tv, just something nice and small from Walmart, and use the projector screen for movies.

100% agree with Slimdude

If it were me, I'd look for JVC 570 projector. I assume you can find one between $1,500-$2000 range (I could be wrong since I haven't been in the market for a while).

I think you'd see the benefits of faux 4k and have better black levels vs the BenQ. It's not unusual to find used projectors with low hours, since users seem to fall into two camps (used it all the time or others use theirs for "special" viewing=low hours).

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by 5meohd

Thanks for the feedback!

I suppose the next question is: Does the HT3550 show at least some of the benefits of a 4KUHD disc vs an equal bluray counterpart? It doesn't really seem like many of the YouTube reviews answer that question. I don't game, I have a light controlled room... I want the best possible disc playback I can get for ~ $1500. But if the reality is the HDR and wide color don't really do much vs my 3050, then obviously I should jusy buy a fresh bulb and keep waiting.

Maybe frame the question this way. Is the 3550 good enough to use as a display and be a valid part of the conversation around the quality of a 4K disc? I love that stuff.. im a DVDBeaver nerd.. but for a while now it's simply reading.. not reading and watching and talking..

Cheers!

Yes. It will be a considerable upgrade from your current projector and you'll see a massive difference between BD/UHD quality. Its Wide Color Gamut support is very impressive. The colors can be a bit overcooked perhaps but in a pleasing way. The color filter is also useful for Rec. 709 content and you might find standard blu rays look better with D. Cinema than they do on your current projector as well. Pixel count actually starts to matter with projection too, where it really doesn't on a tv IMO, so you'll be able to better appreciate the resolution gains. The one issue is that although the tonemapping is great, a projector is still a projector and they aren't ideal for HDR. So while the majority of UHD content will be stunning you will run into some scenes that will trip it up. You can just accept that as a necessary tradeoff, or you can try to mitigate it by getting some sort of external tonemapping solution (Panasonic player with the HDR Optimizer, HDFury device, etc). Either way you'll likely find yourself tweaking things a bit more than you would with a tv. I don't make adjustments often necessarily, but occasionally with some titles I'll feel the need to drop the HDR brightness to -1 or whatever to make it look better. With my tv I've never once felt the need to touch anything after the initial setup, but from posts around here I gather not everyone is that lucky.

[5meohd]

Thanks!

I think a Panasonic UHD player is actually the better next step. The current LG I have is such a cheap unit. I bought it more for its region free bluray capabilities. But it just sucks.. it has a weird audio sync issue that I can't seem to fix with the built in delay on my Onkyo and it has no HDR settings to help with tone mapping.

So I'll probably get a player first. Sit with it for a while. And see about a JVC or maybe the HT3550 around Christmas.

Thanks for all the feedback!

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by 5meohd

Thanks!

I think a Panasonic UHD player is actually the better next step. The current LG I have is such a cheap unit. I bought it more for its region free bluray capabilities. But it just sucks.. it has a weird audio sync issue that I can't seem to fix with the built in delay on my Onkyo and it has no HDR settings to help with tone mapping.

So I'll probably get a player first. Sit with it for a while. And see about a JVC or maybe the HT3550 around Christmas.

Thanks for all the feedback!

If you want a better 4K UHD Blu-ray player, wait until the Christmas season to get what you really want. It wouldn't make sense to buy multiple 4K Blu-ray players in the meantime because you're only going to be wasting your money. Get what you want the first time around the first time around, then you won't have to keep buying blu-ray players.

[5meohd]

I already snagged a Panasonic UB420. I've done some quick testing with 4K discs of The Matrix, Snatch and Guardians Vol 2. So far so good!

[sapiendut]

Make sure you set up your Panasonic properly. Most people don’t