FP vs Plasma and LCD

[tigerfan33]

OK. Need your help. I do think now I have a dedicated room (thanks honey) that I can use for a FP setup. It will have controlled lighting. I do need to know as far as pq and brightness goes, how does the FP stack up against Plasma and LCD?
My plasma and LCD are both professionally calibrated so I really like deep blacks and accurate color. I hope to put up a 100" to 120" screen. How big a difference does the screen material matter to make the FP the best it can be. Does the room NEED to be totally dark for optimum viewing? Also, is there any distortion on off center viewing like a LCD?

As you can see I am new to the FP and have yet to decide if this what I want at this time. I have yet to see a GOOD FP ( brick and mortar with lights on which seemed really dumb to me).

 

[teachsac]

I prefer my FP over all of my other sets, especially when watching movies. I has a more film like quality when watching movies. Plasma to me looks more artificial, although it looks great.

Unfortunately, B&Ms always have the lights on. You can always have them turn them off. A good front projector will have very good blacks and viewing angles will not be affected. The screen also makes a tremendous difference with both viewing angles and colors. Don't paint your walls and expect it to look good (like some previous poster stated).

Are you looking at a 16:9 screen or a fixed 2:35? For home setups we use Stewart screens. We generally use the Studio Tek or Firehawk screen material, 60-136 degree optimum viewing cone, where the ambient lighting is controlled.

B&Ms usually don't carry Good FPs. For accurate colors and deepest blacks, the JVC's are really some of the best projectors out there. We have also been very pleased with the Viewsonics, go figure on that one.

A good HT setup is not exactly cheap, but for the size it is the best value for the dollar.

S~

 

[jayn_j]

IA good HT setup is not exactly cheap, but for the size it is the best value for the dollar.

Agreed, but it also isn't the commitment it was 10 years ago. Back then you really needed a $50k budget.

Teachsac is right on the money about the screen. Choose carefully and the rest will follow. Ditto on forgetting B&M for projectors.

The one thing I wanted to add was to address your question about black levels and contrast. I would suggest heading off to the local multiplex and tasking a critical look at video quality, black levels and overall sharpness. If you look critically, it is not difficult to do better. However, I don't believe you are going to achieve the contrast ratios of a good plasma or LED backlit LCD panel. What you WILL have is 100"+ screen, the movie feel of front projection, a room that is free of the distractions found in the family room, etc. It is about the overall experience, and even a poor projector can get you there. I'm thinking back now to an Advent front projector I had in 1980. Composite video only, poor brightness, needed a curved screen, etc. However, when properly set up, it became a THEATER and my house became the place to watch movies.

Wish I had the space/ownership to put one in now.

 

[teachsac]

Agreed, but it also isn't the commitment it was 10 years ago. Back then you really needed a $50k budget.

Definitely not. But don't expect it in the 1-2K range either that LCDs and plasmas are going for. A 16:9 100" Firehawk screen runs around 1600. The Cinema 2:35 screen is double.

S~

 

[mike123abc]

I have 2 plasmas, 2 LCDs and 2 FP. I do all my watching now on FP. But, FP is (as pointed out above) much more expensive. It all depends on what you want to spend. Do not forget you will need a sound system too. There are projectors that will outdo the best plasmas in black levels, but you will really pay for them. You can get a good projector in the 1-3k range.

If looking for a good deal on FP, hang out at avsforum in the 3k+ area and watch for the occasional specials that pop up. I bought both my projectors that way. My last one a Pioneer FPJ1 had an MSRP of 9k, but when Pioneer quit the TV business they were closed out for $2700. My other projector was MSRP of 3k and was closed out for $700. The big projector show is in a couple months, around now through after the show they start to close out last years models.

You can get a decent screen for a few hundred dollars.

 

[tigerfan33]

Thanks for the help guys. I am going to see a couple of set ups the next few weeks to see if this is exactly what I want to do. I have heard that "either you like fp or you don't". I talked to a guy that installs home theaters and he will take me around to different ones to have a look for myself.