Home Cinema - Blu-ray Forum

Harrip Otter · 01-06-2008, 08:46 PM

Hello from a VERY new boy in the United Kingdom! Hope you can help; I have a home cinema room presently with a Sharp Projector and Panasonic DVD player both now some years old. First question is, whilst obviously for Blu Ray I need a new player, would that be compatible with the projector or does that need to be HD-ready? Or is there some after-market conversion gizmo? As the projector was top-end at the time (cost over £3000) I am a bit reluctant to junk it.

Secondly, everyone seems to be recommending the Panasonic BD30 player but I can't find any mention of it in the UK, is is not on this market yet? Should I wait?

If I do have to buy a new projector, what's the best (and importantly, the brightest) able to handle Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, and live TV? Must be adjustable for both 16/9 and regular 4/3 formats.

Thanks guys for your help

crackinhedz · 01-06-2008, 09:13 PM

all Bluray players can connect to any TV, weather it be through HDMI,Component,Composite...so yes, it will work with your Projector.

Blue · 01-06-2008, 10:24 PM

Although a Blu-ray player will output to a projector of any age, you will only get the same quality that your projector can put out presumably from the UK it will be PAL so approx 800x600. You will see no difference in the quality betwwen DVD and Blu-ray in this case.

The newer consumer projectors can go as high as 1920x1080 (1080) and the cheaper models 1280x720 (720). There maybe some issues with some of the older HD TV's and projectors, but all the models released in the last few years are fine they must be HDMI (or the older DVI interface) with HDCP. The best is to have a look at projectors that you can then decide which you prefer that fits your buget.

Harrip Otter · 01-07-2008, 10:46 AM

Thanks for your replies for which I am grateful. So from what you say, Blu-Ray discs WILL play through my old Sharp projector, BUT quality will not improve over DVD. Presumably then, the same will apply when viewing broadcast HD through the same projector?

In that case, seems there is no point in my going either HD or Blu-Ray unless I get a new projector first?

I am primarily a film enthusiast and my home cinema room is equipped with a 35mm movie projector from which I get a stunning 14ft-wide (with Cinemascope) sharp bright picture. Against this, any video or TV format looks frankly awful. I was hoping to get a projected HD TV and Blu-Ray image that at least approaches film for quality.

Blue · 01-07-2008, 11:10 AM

Yes HD broadcasts will be the same. Blu-ray can be considerably higher quality than HD broadcasts. If you were to put a badly scratched lens on your 35mm projector - no matter how good the film print is it will still look bad on the screen. Your video projector is fixed a set resolution (guess 800x600) so a Blu-ray player will throw out the extra detail to match the video projector (otherwise the video projector would not show anything).

Your only advantage of buying Blu-ray movies (I assume you buy) is you will not be replacing the DVD's when you do get a HD video projector. Then again Blu-ray players are getting better and cheaper, so it depends on your buying habits and time frames.

You will however get a stunning clear and sharp image from Blu-ray and a HD projector (with your tastes 1080 would be the way to go), as to which will be best 35mm or Blu-ray - have a look through previous threads, please don't start that debate up again in this thread (anyone).

01-06-2008, 08:46 PM	#1
Harrip Otter New Member Member since:Jan 2008	Home Cinema Hello from a VERY new boy in the United Kingdom! Hope you can help; I have a home cinema room presently with a Sharp Projector and Panasonic DVD player both now some years old. First question is, whilst obviously for Blu Ray I need a new player, would that be compatible with the projector or does that need to be HD-ready? Or is there some after-market conversion gizmo? As the projector was top-end at the time (cost over £3000) I am a bit reluctant to junk it. Secondly, everyone seems to be recommending the Panasonic BD30 player but I can't find any mention of it in the UK, is is not on this market yet? Should I wait? If I do have to buy a new projector, what's the best (and importantly, the brightest) able to handle Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, and live TV? Must be adjustable for both 16/9 and regular 4/3 formats. Thanks guys for your help

01-07-2008, 10:46 AM	#4
Harrip Otter New Member Member since:Jan 2008	Thank you! Thanks for your replies for which I am grateful. So from what you say, Blu-Ray discs WILL play through my old Sharp projector, BUT quality will not improve over DVD. Presumably then, the same will apply when viewing broadcast HD through the same projector? In that case, seems there is no point in my going either HD or Blu-Ray unless I get a new projector first? I am primarily a film enthusiast and my home cinema room is equipped with a 35mm movie projector from which I get a stunning 14ft-wide (with Cinemascope) sharp bright picture. Against this, any video or TV format looks frankly awful. I was hoping to get a projected HD TV and Blu-Ray image that at least approaches film for quality.

Similar Threads
thread	Forum	Thread Starter	Replies	Last Post
my home cinema	Home Theater Galleries	kevcampbell	4	07-30-2009 02:39 PM
Home Cinema Help!!!	Home Theater General Discussion	philbrierley	9	04-07-2009 04:50 PM
Home cinema	Home Theater General Discussion	Rick1978	7	08-27-2008 05:57 PM
Home Cinema System	Blu-ray Technology and Future Technology	Dujtech	3	07-11-2007 08:36 PM

01-06-2008, 09:13 PM	#2
crackinhedz Super Moderator Member since:Feb 2007 Home Theater Gallery:10 Blu-ray reviews:8 Trading Score:19	all Bluray players can connect to any TV, weather it be through HDMI,Component,Composite...so yes, it will work with your Projector.

01-06-2008, 10:24 PM	#3
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	Although a Blu-ray player will output to a projector of any age, you will only get the same quality that your projector can put out presumably from the UK it will be PAL so approx 800x600. You will see no difference in the quality betwwen DVD and Blu-ray in this case. The newer consumer projectors can go as high as 1920x1080 (1080) and the cheaper models 1280x720 (720). There maybe some issues with some of the older HD TV's and projectors, but all the models released in the last few years are fine they must be HDMI (or the older DVI interface) with HDCP. The best is to have a look at projectors that you can then decide which you prefer that fits your buget.

01-07-2008, 11:10 AM	#5
Blue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Melbourne Australia Blu-ray collection:206	Yes HD broadcasts will be the same. Blu-ray can be considerably higher quality than HD broadcasts. If you were to put a badly scratched lens on your 35mm projector - no matter how good the film print is it will still look bad on the screen. Your video projector is fixed a set resolution (guess 800x600) so a Blu-ray player will throw out the extra detail to match the video projector (otherwise the video projector would not show anything). Your only advantage of buying Blu-ray movies (I assume you buy) is you will not be replacing the DVD's when you do get a HD video projector. Then again Blu-ray players are getting better and cheaper, so it depends on your buying habits and time frames. You will however get a stunning clear and sharp image from Blu-ray and a HD projector (with your tastes 1080 would be the way to go), as to which will be best 35mm or Blu-ray - have a look through previous threads, please don't start that debate up again in this thread (anyone).

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals