3D projector recommendations / options

[lucasatakros]

Originally Posted by kenbenobi

I'm a total newbie when it comes to projectors. I have a 60" DLP Mitsubishi TV currently, but it's starting to make noises, so I want to prepare for its eventual death and get a 3D projector. I'm been reading a lot on here, and have seen several suggestions, but most of what I'm seeing is either short throw (which is not ideal for my room) or very expensive.

Ideally, I want to project from 16-17 feet away. The room has a VERY high ceiling (15-20 feet?) so ceiling mount ain't gonna happen. There is a ledge in the back of the room that I could easily set a projector on, so that's the ideal plan.

Are there any recommendations for a semi-cheap 3D projector that can project from 16-17 feet away? I honestly don't care about 4K. I just want to project my 3D BD's.
I read that you need a vesa port to use active 3D glasses, so I assume most projectors use passive glasses, like in the theater? I'd prefer to stick with active, if my PS3 active glasses can be used. If I'm understanding things correctly, BenQ projectors use DLP technology, so my current PS3 3D glasses should work, since they use DLP-Link?

I am using a Panasonic 3D BD player, currently set to checkerboard due to my Mitsubishi requirements, but that can be changed. I also have a PS3, which could be used with the projector.

Hi Kenbenobi,

I use an Optoma HD25E connected to a PS3 from about 18' away on a ceiling mount (11' high ceiling- I use a ladder to reach it (at least until I add stadium seating). I can completely darken the room, so 3D is decent- even when projected at 165-175" diagonal. For active glasses the type will depend on your projector and/or emitter since some use different frequencies- some use RF, Blu-tooth, Zigbee. My emitter uses Zigbee. I believe this is one reason 3D "failed". Too much incompatible equipment....

I would recommend the following: mount your projector using a drop down pipe or on your rear wall, use half-way decent passive glasses while you search for affordable active glasses and/or a compatible emitter since most 3D equipment has been discontinued and can cost an arm and a leg! That's my 10 cents worth- hopefully someone who is more knowledgeable can offer opinions. Optoma has a new 4K laser projector with the 3D sync connection- so some new equipment is still on the market....... it's $2,799 though.

[levcore]

So it looks like my older Samsung active 3D TV has now bitten the bullet sadly. I'm very disappointed that this day has come. I now need to invest in a 3D and ideally 4K projector (but at least 3D) and i am in the UK.

Are there any UK posters who could possibly please recommend a good and reasonably priced 3D projector either with or without 4K functionality?

If you are not in the UK but can recommend a 3D projector that i can order from the UK then that would also be very helpful.

How about the one below? I found it after reading lucasatakros' above post. I don't think it does 4K but as long as it has the 3D...

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD...PROJECTOR&th=1

or how about this one, it says it does 3D and 4K
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-W172...PROJECTOR&th=1

what kind of glasses does one need to purchase to watch 3D with these?

thanks in advance.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by levcore

So it looks like my older Samsung active 3D TV has now bitten the bullet sadly. I'm very disappointed that this day has come. I now need to invest in a 3D and ideally 4K projector (but at least 3D) and i am in the UK.

Are there any UK posters who could possibly please recommend a good and reasonably priced 3D projector either with or without 4K functionality?

If you are not in the UK but can recommend a 3D projector that i can order from the UK then that would also be very helpful.

How about the one below? I found it after reading lucasatakros' above post. I don't think it does 4K but as long as it has the 3D...

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD...PROJECTOR&th=1

or how about this one, it says it does 3D and 4K
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-W172...PROJECTOR&th=1

what kind of glasses does one need to purchase to watch 3D with these?

thanks in advance.

Hi Levcore, I've been dreading the demise of my 70" Visio 3D as well. I've been keeping an eye out for a 3D projector replacement for some time now. The one I've been leaning towards is the Xiaomi WEMAX A300 (Review: https://www.awaqa.com/xiaomi-wemax-a300-review/). The major features for me are (other then 3D support):
1). Laser - Long lasting and bright (viewable in daylight)
2). UST (Ultra Short Throw) - You can place it on your existing media console. No need for ceiling mounts, etc.
Look for DLP 3D glasses. There are many to choose from.

Good luck!!

-- Scott

[levcore]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

Hi Levcore, I've been dreading the demise of my 70" Visio 3D as well. I've been keeping an eye out for a 3D projector replacement for some time now. The one I've been leaning towards is the Xiaomi WEMAX A300 (Review: https://www.awaqa.com/xiaomi-wemax-a300-review/). The major features for me are (other then 3D support):
1). Laser - Long lasting and bright (viewable in daylight)
2). UST (Ultra Short Throw) - You can place it on your existing media console. No need for ceiling mounts, etc.
Look for DLP 3D glasses. There are many to choose from.

Good luck!!

-- Scott

Thanks for the suggestion, do they sell these in the UK? I'm struggling to find it. Looks like it'll be out of my price range anyway unfortunately. Looks like a great bit of kit though!

[chrisp32]

I have a BenQ W2000, which I can highly recommend. The quality of the 3D is phenomenal. However, I think it may now be a discontinued item. That said, I don't think you can really go wrong with a BenQ 3D DLP projector, which I believe the other one you linked to is.

They do seem to suffer from dust contamination, though, which is a bit of a bother. There's quite an annoying dust speck right at the bottom of mine (actually under the image but you can still see it as a bright spot on the wall in dark scenes). I am sure it's easy to fix but I am not prepared to invalidate the warranty by opening it up myself (and likely damaging it), but am equally nervous about sending it off for cleaning, as last time I did that they broke my projector (the BenQ W1070), which was a discontinued item and hence couldn't be replaced with the same model (which, incidentally, is why I now have the W2000).

As for 3D glasses, I would definitely try to get hold of the official BenQ glasses. These are pricey but I see Amazon currently has them in stock for £53 (sounds expensive but it's not uncommon to see them in the £80-100 range).

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by levcore

So it looks like my older Samsung active 3D TV has now bitten the bullet sadly. I'm very disappointed that this day has come. I now need to invest in a 3D and ideally 4K projector (but at least 3D) and i am in the UK.

Are there any UK posters who could possibly please recommend a good and reasonably priced 3D projector either with or without 4K functionality?

If you are not in the UK but can recommend a 3D projector that i can order from the UK then that would also be very helpful.

How about the one below? I found it after reading lucasatakros' above post. I don't think it does 4K but as long as it has the 3D...

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD...PROJECTOR&th=1

or how about this one, it says it does 3D and 4K
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-W172...PROJECTOR&th=1

what kind of glasses does one need to purchase to watch 3D with these?

thanks in advance.

I think you would do well with either of those. My first projector was the Optoma HD143X and I adored it. I end up upgrading to a 4K BenQ (the HT3550 or W2700 to you guys). In my experience, the BenQ is by far the better projector overall, but I have to admit the Optoma actually handled 3D a little bit better. The HD143X was brighter (at the expense of color accuracy), but that extra brightness is helpful for 3D. The Optoma also includes a 3D sync port for RF glasses if that's important to you. Most DLP projectors now use DLP Link glasses only so it's nice to have a choice.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by chrisp32

I have a BenQ W2000, which I can highly recommend. The quality of the 3D is phenomenal. However, I think it may now be a discontinued item. That said, I don't think you can really go wrong with a BenQ 3D DLP projector, which I believe the other one you linked to is.

They do seem to suffer from dust contamination, though, which is a bit of a bother. There's quite an annoying dust speck right at the bottom of mine (actually under the image but you can still see it as a bright spot on the wall in dark scenes). I am sure it's easy to fix but I am not prepared to invalidate the warranty by opening it up myself (and likely damaging it), but am equally nervous about sending it off for cleaning, as last time I did that they broke my projector (the BenQ W1070), which was a discontinued item and hence couldn't be replaced with the same model (which, incidentally, is why I now have the W2000).

As for 3D glasses, I would definitely try to get hold of the official BenQ glasses. These are pricey but I see Amazon currently has them in stock for £53 (sounds expensive but it's not uncommon to see them in the £80-100 range).

Thank you for the information. man this is so tricky to decide what is best to go for. That is really annoying about the dust speck you mention and not something i would have even thought of with such things but thanks for making me aware.

Those glasses are super expensive but i take your point about official ones being best. When it comes to shutter glasses for 3D projectors, what are the options generally speaking? By that i mean do i have to buy shutter glasses that are solely designed to be used with 3D projectors? So no other form of shutter 3D glasses would work with a 3D projector?

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

I think you would do well with either of those. My first projector was the Optoma HD143X and I adored it. I end up upgrading to a 4K BenQ (the HT3550 or W2700 to you guys). In my experience, the BenQ is by far the better projector overall, but I have to admit the Optoma actually handled 3D a little bit better. The HD143X was brighter (at the expense of color accuracy), but that extra brightness is helpful for 3D. The Optoma also includes a 3D sync port for RF glasses if that's important to you. Most DLP projectors now use DLP Link glasses only so it's nice to have a choice.

Thank you for the information. Would you mind please elaborating on the 3D sync port for RF glasses, i'm not sure what any of that means!

When it comes to throwing this much money down on something i need to do my research but its' good to hear so much positive feedback for BenQ range of projectors.

[chrisp32]

I am not an expert on 3D glasses but I believe for any BenQ 3D projector you need "DLP link" glasses. When I had my original W1070 I had non-official 3D glasses, which worked fine. However, when I upgraded to the W2000 I noticed that those glasses would lose synch in very bright scenes, and would take a couple of seconds to re-synch. This is apparently a known issue with that projector, but I am not sure what other BenQ models it affects. It was for this reason that I stumped up the cash for the official glasses and I am so glad I did; not only do they never lose synch no matter how bright the image, but the image looks so much brighter and more vivid through these glasses than it did through my original ones. On the flip side, they do cost a pretty penny and are becoming harder to get hold of.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by chrisp32

I am not an expert on 3D glasses but I believe for any BenQ 3D projector you need "DLP link" glasses. When I had my original W1070 I had non-official 3D glasses, which worked fine. However, when I upgraded to the W2000 I noticed that those glasses would lose synch in very bright scenes, and would take a couple of seconds to re-synch. This is apparently a known issue with that projector, but I am not sure what other BenQ models it affects. It was for this reason that I stumped up the cash for the official glasses and I am so glad I did; not only do they never lose synch no matter how bright the image, but the image looks so much brighter and more vivid through these glasses than it did through my original ones. On the flip side, they do cost a pretty penny and are becoming harder to get hold of.

Ah ok thanks you for the information. I guess I need to make my mind up soon, so annoying if the glasses are getting hard to come by. I don't want to rush into a big purchase like this but I'm obviously desperate to future proof my 3D collection so I can continue to enjoy it.

Decisions Decisions! So fo you just plug your 3D blu ray player/ 4K player directly into your projector like you would a TV, is that how it works? How noisy is your projector model also as I've read a few things about fan noise? Some stuff I watch with headphones anyway so that wouldn't necessarily be a big issue.

[chrisp32]

Yes you basically just plug the HDMI cable into the back of the projector like you would a TV and away you go. Mounting the projector and positioning the image so it fits the screen (assuming you intend to use a dedicated screen and not just project on a wall) takes a bit of time, but I have zero DIY skills so needed some assistance.

I sit right under mine and you can hear it during quieter scenes if you listen out for it. When I first got it I could detect a very quiet high-pitched whine, which troubled me, but either that stopped or I have learnt how to ignore it. I can generally ignore most of the sound coming from the projector and don't find it an issue, but everyone differs in this regard.

My first W2000 actually made a very loud rattling noise but I exchanged it for a new one and the new one doesn't have this issue, so that was a defect rather than a problem that affects this model.

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by levcore

Thank you for the information. Would you mind please elaborating on the 3D sync port for RF glasses, i'm not sure what any of that means!

Well, most DLP projectors now only use DLP Link glasses. These work great and are inexpensive, but DLP Link maintains sync by a light pulse on the screen. The pulse is visible to the naked eye so you must wear the glasses the whole time when the projector is in 3D mode - if you take them off the picture will be very washed out with wrong colors. This could be annoying if you watch something like The Mask that mixes 2D with occasional 3D scenes.

That Optoma has DLP Link as well, but it also has a VESA port for a 3D emitter that keeps sync via radio frequency. So with RF glasses, the picture looks the same as it always would without wearing the glasses. RF glasses also do a better job of maintaining perfect sync as DLP Link can lose sync if you look away from the screen. I've never had DLP Link glasses lose sync myself, but some people have had issues with it so YMMV. Anyway, RF glasses on a DLP projector are probably the ideal solution, but they are more expensive and also require buying the separate emitter.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by chrisp32

Yes you basically just plug the HDMI cable into the back of the projector like you would a TV and away you go. Mounting the projector and positioning the image so it fits the screen (assuming you intend to use a dedicated screen and not just project on a wall) takes a bit of time, but I have zero DIY skills so needed some assistance.

I sit right under mine and you can hear it during quieter scenes if you listen out for it. When I first got it I could detect a very quiet high-pitched whine, which troubled me, but either that stopped or I have learnt how to ignore it. I can generally ignore most of the sound coming from the projector and don't find it an issue, but everyone differs in this regard.

My first W2000 actually made a very loud rattling noise but I exchanged it for a new one and the new one doesn't have this issue, so that was a defect rather than a problem that affects this model.

OK thanks for the info, this is such a hard decision! I've got a lot to consider.

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

Well, most DLP projectors now only use DLP Link glasses. These work great and are inexpensive, but DLP Link maintains sync by a light pulse on the screen. The pulse is visible to the naked eye so you must wear the glasses the whole time when the projector is in 3D mode - if you take them off the picture will be very washed out with wrong colors. This could be annoying if you watch something like The Mask that mixes 2D with occasional 3D scenes.

That Optoma has DLP Link as well, but it also has a VESA port for a 3D emitter that keeps sync via radio frequency. So with RF glasses, the picture looks the same as it always would without wearing the glasses. RF glasses also do a better job of maintaining perfect sync as DLP Link can lose sync if you look away from the screen. I've never had DLP Link glasses lose sync myself, but some people have had issues with it so YMMV. Anyway, RF glasses on a DLP projector are probably the ideal solution, but they are more expensive and also require buying the separate emitter.

OK thanks for explaining, i see what you mean. There is so much to think about with a purchase like this and that is something i would not have thought to consider had you not mentioned it. It also complicates my decision further ha ha but I'm glad you've told me about this.

I'll have a look at the available Optoma models also in that case.

[levcore]

OK guys so say i was being "cheap" and decided to forego the projector including 4K and only going for 3D, what would you say about the below links?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-DS34...87&sr=8-4&th=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-H183...s%2C187&sr=8-5

Although it's worth noting that both of those are "temporarily out of stock" now how temporary that is who knows, could they have been discontinued? I'm not sure where else in the UK is a good place to look for such tech.

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by levcore

OK guys so say i was being "cheap" and decided to forego the projector including 4K and only going for 3D, what would you say about the below links?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-DS34...87&sr=8-4&th=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-H183...s%2C187&sr=8-5

Although it's worth noting that both of those are "temporarily out of stock" now how temporary that is who knows, could they have been discontinued? I'm not sure where else in the UK is a good place to look for such tech.

I'd avoid those two and stick to looking for a full HD 1080p projector personally. Those are only SVGA (800x600) and WXGA (1280x800) projectors. Always look at the native resolution as that's what it's capable of displaying, not 'HD ready' which just relates to input.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

I'd avoid those two and stick to looking for a full HD 1080p projector personally. Those are only SVGA (800x600) and WXGA (1280x800) projectors. Always look at the native resolution as that's what it's capable of displaying, not 'HD ready' which just relates to input.

Ah OK thank you, serves me right for trying to be cheap! Yes i definitely at least want a full HD 1080p projector.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by chrisp32

Yes you basically just plug the HDMI cable into the back of the projector like you would a TV and away you go. Mounting the projector and positioning the image so it fits the screen (assuming you intend to use a dedicated screen and not just project on a wall) takes a bit of time, but I have zero DIY skills so needed some assistance.

I sit right under mine and you can hear it during quieter scenes if you listen out for it. When I first got it I could detect a very quiet high-pitched whine, which troubled me, but either that stopped or I have learnt how to ignore it. I can generally ignore most of the sound coming from the projector and don't find it an issue, but everyone differs in this regard.

My first W2000 actually made a very loud rattling noise but I exchanged it for a new one and the new one doesn't have this issue, so that was a defect rather than a problem that affects this model.

Chris can i just ask where you look in the UK for 3D projector price options that is not Amazon? I'm so used to only checking Amazon, are there any other tech sites you'd recommend? For example where did you buy your projector from? Thanks.

[chrisp32]

Originally Posted by levcore

Chris can i just ask where you look in the UK for 3D projector price options that is not Amazon? I'm so used to only checking Amazon, are there any other tech sites you'd recommend? For example where did you buy your projector from? Thanks.

Sorry, only just seen this. I got mine from Richer Sounds. They price match and also throw in a 6-year guarantee (or at least used to), so they're a good option.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by chrisp32

Sorry, only just seen this. I got mine from Richer Sounds. They price match and also throw in a 6-year guarantee (or at least used to), so they're a good option.

No worries thanks for the info, that's good to know, I'll check them out!

[pixote]

Optoma's are decent even with the low price. I've owned these;

HD25e
HD26
HD27e
HD29 Darbee

My sister and parents also own them which is why I have tested so many, I didn't buy all these for myself lol...

The 26 looked spectacular after I found some online picture settings someone posted.

The best value IMO is the HD27e. I don't know if they make it any longer, but not only is it very bright but it has 10k lamp hours. I think I paid 550 CAD for mine on Amazon during a sale which is around 330 GBP.

The HD29 Darbee is supposed to be the best of the LOT but frankly I don't think the 3D is as good on that one as the others but it's possible it's just my eyes. lol

I have not tried an BenQ but I've heard great things

I think IMO you should go for the DLP link glasses because if for some reason you ever buy a second projector you can use them also. I have 4 sets of DLP and 2 sets of the other one where I need that little black box but I always use the DLP and they work across all the projectors I've tried

There is a difference in glasses quality as well, don't find the cheapest pair

[WaverBoy]

So, my dilemma is this: I was wanting to get my local Odd Fellows lodge set up with a 3D capable projector in their main hall, which has a projector loft all set up even, but come to find out that 3D projectors use active glasses instead of passive, unless you fork out $$$$$ for a polarization modulator. I would ideally want a passive setup for the lodge, because passive glasses are cheap and easy to hand out to a bunch of people showing up for a movie, with no worries about activating the glasses, dead batteries, broken expensive glasses, etc. Deciazulado responded with this when I posed the question on another thread:

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

Projection could be done a few ways. For example you could have 2 cheap 1080p projectors and put filters over the lens, | and —, and with a screen made for polarization and all you'd need is a "signal splitter" that would send Left to projector A and Right to projector B, and your polarized glasses.

That method sounds extremely cumbersome and like it could be fraught with issues like double imaging — I’d love to hear more thoughts on this sort of setup, or if there might be a better affordable way. Any more ideas out there?