Any recommendations on *how to shop* for a portable projector for standard presentation use and also home theater (SDTV and HDTV) use?

I'm more looking for hints on what tech/specs I should be looking into and which I should steer clear from...

Current output is via an FX5200...

-brendan

www.avsforum.com

digital or CRT it's all there..

i'm a CRT type of guy.. but digital is your only "portable" option.

Went with the BenQ PB6200, which is a good portable laptop display/HT compromise if you're planning to use a HTPC at home. It's composite/svideo inputs give a rather sad image (due to the lack of a good on-board processing chip), but the VGA input (which can also be hijacked for Component inputs) is amazing.

I also looked at the Optoma 745 (aka 739) because of the DVI input option, but the 6200 gave a substantially larger image and my living room is small.

Watched a Contact DVD via the knoppmyth box last night (I know, I know) projected onto a white wall and was entranced.

Thanks!

-brendan

nothing like a projector to get the best outta the box

I have a sony 1271 CRT.. it's not portable at about 200lbs.. but throwing up a 720p picture with a 10 foot diagonal (4:3) makes me really happy

When i finally i get my new mobo and chip i'll get some pics up

And your right.. the best part is VGA straight to the projector.. no messing with low-res svideo.

Of course, having gotten the PVR-500 up and running on the new box connected to the projector, I'm now *required* to fix my analog cable cabling problems. It's one thing to get noise and compression-artifacts-due-to-noise on a small screen. Quite another to get them floor to ceiling. Yikes.

For fun, I got some high quality 25' VGA cabling for switching inputs up front using a manual KVM box connected to the projector at the rear of the room. Alas, I forgot to keep track of the M and F connector types. Duh.

Can't move everything where I want it just yet.

-brendan

That, my friend, is why god invented gender benders. Pick up a couple of these and you should be all set.

Thanks! I was gonna go looking for them nearby...e.g. stop by microcenter first. If theirs look low-q, I'll go to a known good web vender.

In either case, I'm making a chart first to make sure I get the *right* benders!

-brendan

I bought a Ben-Q PB6100 through this site a year and a half ago. The projector seams to be working pretty well. The actual site I got it from is:
http://www.projectorsolution.com/index. ... geredirect

I believe the 6100 is under $700 now and the 6200 isn't too much more.

I'm also looking into a projector, but I'm worried about ambient light. Do you guys watch in the dark all the time? If I don't want to watch in the dark, what kind of projector / how many lumens do i need? Thanks.

If you don't want to watch in a darkened environment, a front projector isn't for you. Think of it this way: The "blackest" area on your (white) screen is the ambient light level in your room. All the projector can do is ADD light to make the image. The "black level" is what you start with in the room.

Rear projectors create their own black level by enclosing the projector in a dark box. Otherwise they're pretty much identical to front projectors. I started my big-screen viewing with a front projector with a curved silver screen. It was a *little* effective at reducing ambient light. But I switched to a rear projection TV because I want to view in moderate light.

_________________
Do you code to live, or live to code?
Search LinHES forum through Google

Thanks, that's what i was thinking too. I like watching TV as a secondary activity much of the time.
I found a sweet deal on a refurbished Toshiba 51in HDTV, only $749.

I checked it out at best buy today, and it looks really nice.
Now the only question is, if i buy that, how will i get it out of my apartment when i eventually move.

Same way you'd get it in...

_________________
cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

During the week, we watch at night with only a few spot lights shining on us (for reading or working on my laptop, or if my wife does some cross stitching or similar craft).

At the weekend (if there is lots of stuff to empty of our KnoppMyth box), we will watch during the day, but I will minimise sunlight by either putting some extra curtains up, or zooming the screen image to its smallest setting (or both).

Sony also has a magic screen material that reduces ambient light without dimming the projected image, but I am not sure how well it really works (cannot afford the hellacious price of the thing after buying a HS50 projector)

_________________
| Nigel Pearson, nigel.pearson.au@gmail.com
| "Things you own end up owning you" - Tyler, Fight Club