(Part 2) Best products from r/projectors

These projectors are all LED based instead of your standard bulb based projector.

LED Projectors:

• Aren't that bright (brightness = 'lumens') and just aren't good outside under very controlled conditions like under a gazebo projecting onto a dark wall. The less light, the better, especially for LED projectors.
  
• Colors may not be as vivid, as sharp/crisp looking as some bulb-based projectors but LED projectors are still good.
  
• Cheaper LED projectors don't usually have a lot of controls to set things up. They have an options menu like all other projectors but they don't have a lot of 'features'. They're very plug and play, which can be good and bad.
  
• Are much more portable and lighter than bulb-based projectors.
  
• Are a big bang for buck, you don't have to replace bulbs like you do in bulb projectors which are $80-$300 (they last for roughly 3,500-7,000 hours).
  
• Their picture doesn't really get 'dim' over time like bulb based projectors do.
  
• LED projectors will last for 20,000 to 30,000 hours but when they die then they are just done, similar to that of a TV.
  
  The brand is AAXA which isn't the worst and isn't the best. The majority of their projectors are smaller but have pretty good build quality from what I've seen. I can't really judge on the quality apart from the specifications (480p, 720p, lumens, etc) or looking at picture/video reviews. So, if you're interested, you can go looking through youtube or searching for it on Projector Central. :)
  
  AAXA LED Pico. Seems great for what it is and can project up to a 60" image, but the very, very low lumens means it's going to be in a dark room 1000% of the time. Has quite a few ports for such a small projector. Much better than many of the $100 no name chinese projectors you see on Amazon that are 480p SD (Standard Definition) or less because this one is 540p HD (weird res, but that's ok).
  
  AAXA P3-X. Looks like a better version of the LED Pico above, can project up to an 80" image, more lumens but still needs to be in a completely dark room to see anything, more battery life, more ports for different devices.
  
  AAXA P5. The best and most expensive of the three. It's 720p HD, can project up to 100", still needs to be in a very light controlled room because it's only 300 lumens, you get the idea. The only problem with this guy is that he's better than the 480p projectors but he's not as good as some of the $500-$600, 1080P HD bulb based projectors. So, he has a lot of competition from things like the LG PH300, the bulb-based Acer H5380BD and other used/refurbished projectors.
  
  Anyways, hope this helped. Feel free to ask questions, I know this was a little long-winded but I try to reply to posts like I'd reply to close friends and family. Even if you're only spending $150 on the LED PICO projector, I'd want you to get your moneys worth. :)
  

Projector: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LL2SHK6/

Attached it to the ceiling with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IDC0K2

Projected onto this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00446MTDM/

And I just bought some big screwhooks and some chain to hang the screen, but probably would have been easier to just put these in the wall: https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Screens-L-Brackets-Spectrum-ZVMAXLB6-W/dp/B001EHAI6Y

First go.

I fiddled with the angles and aspect and eventually got the image and screen edges to lineup.

So far I love the Optoma. It is clear and bright with ambient light in the room, colors are crisp and vibrant, noise is minimal or nonexistent with media audio playing, internal speakers are not bad at all. Has four display options 16:9, 4:3, "Super Widescreen", and LGX(I think). Changing between inputs is very quick and efficient, and set-up is incredibly simple. I've got a Chromecast and Roku3 thrown into it, and will be hooking up an older Bose 3-2-1 into it once I put shelves up for the speakers.

I do wish the volume could get softer as "1" is still loud enough to be heard through closed doors. I also have had one instance of turning the projector off and then 10 seconds later just the audio kicked back on. It also puts out not a small amount of heat.

I'd choose the HC1040. its 469 refurbished on epson.com
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Cheaper bulbs, great color balance, longer eco lamp life, better features, decent positioning, better remote, needs AV receiver or speaker with hdmi audio passthrough or a P.C..
Gets loud using full power mode but quite quiet in eco with almost no loss to the strength of the projected image even in ambient light.

If you're using a HTPC(like an xbmc device) as the video source its a non issue.
Just need to get a screen that favours the epson in for deep black reproduction and you're set.

The HD142x will have some nice color to it but the adjustments are less intuitive, the focus wheel will get reset every time you put on the lens cap and unlike the HD141x you cannot adjust it from the top only the front which feels a bit shallow increasing the time to focus.
The emphasis on the Black levels seems to come at the expense of white reproduction and even gave other items within the image a yellow or brownish tone.
You'd need much more aggressive settings that the out of the box presets to get the accuracy you want with it.

Now objections:
Epson Powerlite HC2030 Home Cinema 2030 2D/3D 1080p 3LCD Projector (Certified Refurbished)
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https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Powerlite-HC2030-Projector-Refurbished/dp/B00TNYDI4O/
Price: $342.30 USD as of this post.

3.5mm Audio out included, better black levels, and comes with Amazon's warranty if you really don't like it you have the liberty to return it vs CL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE46pmwVPpY

Save $30, better peace of mind too

I'm not well versed in projectors at all but I bought this for myself as a birthday gift and I love it! I put a solar shade in my picture window and the projector sits on my coffee table 11' away and I get a great picture. I'm not sure of the diagonal measurements on my projection but my window is 70" wide and it fills it. Amazon also has a best of list for projectors - that's how I found this one.

You are the best! Now I have all planned out for purchasing. Last question I promise...

I'm 4'8.5" but pretty scrappy. How easy is this crap to mount?
This is the one I'm looking at:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COF74G2/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Reviews say it has pretty clear instructions but should I be calling in reinforcements or need tools? lol

If your projector zoom setting is already at the widest setting you will need to re-mount it further back.

Is it a pain in the ass? Yup. But, here is a handy tool for you to use that will get you very close when making measurements!

https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm


Regardless of which size screen you end up with, here are some US sources for both traditional & ALR screens that would work well for you.
https://elitescreens.com/
https://www.screeninnovations.com/
https://www.projectorscreen.com/Grandview


If you'd like to save a more than a few bucks, and don't mind waiting a bit, I would order from XY Screen via their website or Alibaba. Ordering via Alibaba will give you some room to negotiate and break up your payments via PayPal to circumvent the current Chinese good tariffs currently in place. This is a bit riskier, but with PayPal being on the buyers side most of the time in payment/return/damaged item resolutions, I liked my chances and ordered one last week. Here is their website: http://www.xy-screen.com/xy_en/products/index.asp


Keep in mind that these are not ALR screens, but XY Screen does have grey options that will help with contrast in ambient light conditions. (They do have Ultra Short Throw specific ALR screens, but do not confuse these with ones that will work with your projector.


Hope this all helps! If you have more questions, feel free to DM me.


OH! Here's the TL:DR for ya -


100-120" ALR Screens: https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Screens-Aeon-CineGrey-100-inch/dp/B00YJG5XYO/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=100%22+ALR+Screen&qid=1574637824&sr=8-7


\^ That will work with your current projector

I picked up a generic Chinese CL760 (720p native) projector for $90 or $95 shipped on Amazon when they had either a price mistake or an unusually low price (it had to have been $90 because I think Chase Freedom cards were doing 5% cash back on Amazon at the time). I just project onto a large wall in my living room using this stand.

I'd say my total cost so far for the projector, stand, longer power cord, 20' HDMI cable, and a strap was about $175. For that price I've been pretty happy, though I can see some of its shortcomings. I might upgrade to a name brand 1080p deal at some point if I can find a white hot deal (Black Friday, SlickDeals.net special, etc.), but for getting started and testing whether I'd like having a projector, it's been great.

Really depends on what you consider cheap or not. If you don't want to spend more than $100 then any highly rated Chinese projector on amazon would do, be wary of YouTube videos as most are paid adverts by the company. Just be aware that most if not all will state "supported" resolution of 1080p, but if you look at native resolution spec it's going to around 480p (native is the keyword as that is the actual resolution output). Don't expect much functionality or features like usb-c and definitely don't expect it to last. If you have been scrolling this subreddit you might have notice a lot of people requesting help for fixing their low end projectors after a slight bump or drop, etc.

If you bump your budget to $200-$300 you could pick up a Nebula Capsule you're still stuck with 480p, but you gain 4 hours battery life, android os (Apps and the ability to mirror screen), and HDMI all in the size of a soda can. If you want to project on the ceiling just pick up a gorilla pod.

So I took the plunge haha and opted for the silver ticket 106" screen , and bought some 8ft blackout curtains for the doorway , should be pretty dark at all times after this. I chose this because they have that odd dimension of 106 because if I max out the distance on the projector to 110 it'll be on the calling and it looks like that size would be the perfect max size for the wall ;
STR-169106 Silver Ticket 4K Ultra HD Ready Cinema Format (6 Piece Fixed Frame) Projector Screen (16:9, 106", White Material) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CYLK1BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WJYQDb03DGDJ9

I have the Optoma HD27, throw distance of ~15-16ft (sorry, I don't remember exact, but it's close) Used it for movies at this point and it has been fantastic. I use it with a 140" and it's awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/Optoma-HD27-1080p-Theater-Projector/dp/B01JR7G672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482172210&sr=8-1&keywords=HD27

I currently have this
Epson VS250 SVGA which is doing an excellent job for me. Very bright and outputs very crisp and beautiful images.

The manual doesn't have the combination " green power , red lamp " tho... I agree with you about the lamp life but I think I'll buy a cheap one just to be sure this is not some other problem!


Do you have any link or video that explains how to clean the fans ? And if the problem was the fans wouldn't the "TEMP" led turn red?

Thanks!

Edit : whats your opinion about this one https://www.amazon.es/dp/B01J5FNC78/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_azBiDbXJNX8DD

You are going to struggle with gaming with either of these models and tv probably won’t be much better. The problem is resolution. Both projectors are 800x600 native resolution, basically standard-def tv. Imagine a computer monitor from 1998 blown up to 100” screen. Text will be unreadable and video will be blurry like tv in the 90’s.

Honestly, if you’re set on a $300 price ceiling, go off brand and look for “native resolution” of 720p, very important to look for native resolution. A listing that just says “supports 1080p” or “HD” is likely just taking about the inputs it’ll accept, not the actual projection resolution.

My advice would be to save up $200-300 more and get a baseline name brand like this one: Epson Home Cinema 1060 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073S4TS4G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lrP8Bb3NAH9YJ

If that’s totally out of price range, there’s always the used market. Just look for a lightly used one so the bulb isn’t worn. They are expensive to replace.

Anker nebula capsule.


https://www.seenebula.com

I use mine with my RetroPi setup all the time. And also use with my laptop for quick office meetings.

Regularly on sale on Amazon or Woot for 229-249. Also doubles as a great Bluetooth speaker.

Nebula Capsule, by Anker, Smart Wi-Fi Mini Projector, Black, 100 ANSI Lumen Portable Projector, 360° Speaker, Movie Projector, 100 Inch Picture, 4-Hour Video Playtime, Outdoor Projector-Watch Anywhere https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076Q3GBJK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gHaJDbFQTD5MZ

The nebula capsule 2 is 499, but also has higher res.

Mate it to a VGA to HDMI cable and you’re good

For me the Optoma HD27 is a great choice love the lumens-3200 and the dlp display it has.

Okay, a wall is fine. You're not going for hyper clarity or amazingly dark blacks. A screen will only make it better but you can def suffice without one.

I have an epson 2030
that I bought refurbished from Amazon for <$500. That with a simple sound bar and subwoofer make up my every day use projector. I wouldn't shrink too far below that price range as anything less than that is likely old or too bad to be able to use. I'd also recommend an LED one as bulbs last waaaaaaay longer.

It sounds like you may be underestimating how bad cheap projectors can be. I'd highly suggest a trip to a home theater store or even a Best Buy. See if they can give you a tutorial or a demonstration of the selection of projectors they have there (some stores will have them set up so you can experience it in real life)

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COF74G2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this is the one that i got - which was excellent. I'm sure your's would work fine as well.

Thanks so much for your feedback thats a big help. One that seems to be a competitor is the Optoma HD26 1080p 3D, Would the W1070 be a better bet than HD26?

Hey I was in the exact same situation about 2 months ago!

I replaced my Benq W1070 bulb with this one from amazon

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J5FNC78/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's $83 with 180day warranty.

I was very tempted to do a 4k upgrade as well.. but it seems like you really need to get almost to $2k range to get good picture and faux 4k.. there are cheaper ones in teh lower $1000's, but I don't know they just didn't seem to be even as good as the w1070 in some ways aside from the 4k aspect.

Personally I would say if you really don't care that much about the 4k yet.. do a cheap sub-$100 lamp with a basic warranty.

Great idea. im going to fasten this to cut 2x4 and then use two rachet straps around the pole. Thanks so much.

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https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Adjustable-Extendable-Projectors-MI-603/dp/B003AFONFU

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This is what I used to mount my W1070. Was pretty easy to set up and has been rock solid. I don't know if it will fit the W1100, but it is very flexible in terms of connections, so I'm betting it would work.

I have mine on this screen https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CYLK1BQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and it is perfect. It could definitely go bigger if you have the room.

Yes, I got this one.

Setup was rather tricky, but since it's been on my wall, I've been completely satisfied with it.

Thanks. Yeah, I had this one in mind? Do you think it would be decent in a completely dark room?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014D7Y1XC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1505549251&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Epson+720p&dpPl=1&dpID=41xZ-nVVMrL&ref=plSrch

I think you should really be looking at the 5040.

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Home-Cinema-5040UB-Enhancement/dp/B01IO0QWJA

But yes everything is going to be better on the Epson vs a $700 Optoma.

What are your thoughts on ViewSonic....

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9S3OOC/ref=psdc_300334_t2_B00MK39P92

This seems like a nice alternate for a couple hundred less.

spend the extra ~$50 and get the viewsonic PJD5134, highly recommended, way better reviews

http://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-PJD5134-Projector-Lumens-Blu-Ray/dp/B00A9S3OOC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421163994&sr=1-1&keywords=viewsonic+pjd5134

I second the 1060 recommendation. The renewed is great value but the new version is also within /u/Yn0tThink's budget. As the other poster mntioned, the 20 foot throw is going to be a problem. The projector does much better at a closer range.

This is a true OEM Osram replacement, and it’s what I’m currently using.

AWO 5J.J7L05.001 5J.J9H05.001 5J.J6E05.001 Premium Projector Bare Lamp Bulb Replacement For BenQ W1070 W1080ST HT1075 HT1085ST W1070+ W1080ST+ i700 W1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J5FNC78/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_QeeVXq3365Afg

Just buy this lamp and not the housing. Install it wearing rubber gloves so you don’t leave any oils on the bulb and it will be fine.

There is that Anker can shaped battery operated combo projector, android device and speaker. That plus a basic screen and you're good to go.

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Projector-High-Contrast-Playtime/dp/B076Q3GBJK

Yeah there really is a lot to look into and so far has been very overwhelming.

As far as 3D capability, it isn't really a deal breaker for me but it doesn't hurt to have either. The Optoma HD25 has been replaced with a 26 model and seems to be priced in the same range according to amazon. However both models show (at least according to the calculators scale if I read it right) to have some compatibility concerns with the throwing distance and the size I'd be able to achieve.

Buy a stand like this one https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Projector-Rolling-Adjustable-Presentation/dp/B06X9CBY6Y

You might be able to build your own with pipes and wood.

So, you should have screw holes on the bottom of your projector. They are designed to work with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/QualGear-PRB-717-WHT-Universal-Projector-Accessory/dp/B00COF74G2 (I'm not endorsing this specific product. It was the first one that came up when I searched for projector ceiling mount).

These kinds of mounts let you adjust the exact angle of your projector relative to the wall/screen.

If you're set on using the mount that you have, you're going to need to place some objects under the front of your projector to raise the angle and eliminate the keystone as much as possible.

you want at least 1280x800(720) native resolution. projector central or avsforum is my go to for projector information. i dont watch youtube reviews cause most of the time they are linked with affiliate links to sale the projectors for them to make money.

to check to see if you would like that resolution the viewsonic has head on down to walmart and pick up their rca projector they are selling right now and try it out. do do yourself a favor. get wxga at least

and no there is no affliate links
https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Cinema-Brightness-Theater-Projector/dp/B014D7Y1XC/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016LEB7G4/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=1FV4MFE9CP7ZC&coliid=I2MLPEVAA5S39Z -th670

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H4ZLI4U/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_2?colid=1FV4MFE9CP7ZC&coliid=I1OUPCQ5BUY3IK&vs=1 - ex9200

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TNYDI4O/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_3?colid=1FV4MFE9CP7ZC&coliid=I2Y3HOEBA9P62J&vs=1 -epson 2030

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HQCF6R6/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_4?colid=1FV4MFE9CP7ZC&coliid=I8N46Z71BWK5N - optoma hd142x

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01JR7G672/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_10?colid=1FV4MFE9CP7ZC&coliid=I3DG58RXGSYV0I&vs=1 - optoma hd27

I wouldn't touch a 720p projector for any amount of money. Not in this day and age.

I would look at:

http://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-PJD5134-Projector-Lumens-Blu-Ray/dp/B00A9S3OOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396398858&sr=8-1&keywords=Best+1080p+Projector+Under+500

I just started looking into projectors but found this if you don't mind going refurbed:
https://www.amazon.ca/Epson-Cinema-Projector-Manufacturer-Refurbished/dp/B00TNYDI4O/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1458654275&sr=1-1&keywords=2030

I did not do extensive research, but here is something fairly inexpensive:

https://www.amazon.com/Projector-Anker-Portable-High-Contrast-Playtime/dp/B076Q3GBJK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537393253&sr=1-3&keywords=anker+portable+projector

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/BenQ-MH530FHD-1080p-3300-ANSI-Lumens-Home-Theater-Projector-Refurbished/152995998482?hash=item239f45ab12%3Ag%3A-%7EkAAOSwVpla32AU&LH_ItemCondition=2000

Why not just a TV? For that price you are looking at cheaper quality no name projectors (or used) but you need a short throw projector that a tiny size, and that runs on battery??

Basically you are looking at 720p or 1080p resolution.
https://www.amazon.com/Projector-Anker-Portable-High-Contrast-Playtime/dp/B076Q3GBJK

Or smaller but lower specs,
https://www.amazon.com/Projector-Anker-Portable-High-Contrast-Playtime/dp/B076Q3GBJK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=anker+capsule&qid=1569519056&s=gateway&sr=8-3

It's really just for casual movie use... I don't really like the look of a big TV dominating my tiny living room.

Bought the Optoma ML750 just now and will see how it goes. If it sucks I'll return it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GGGQHG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1