Another HT dilemma, need your valuable inputs.

[harryneopotter]

Hello good people of the forum, here I am back again with another dilemma on where to spend my (very) hard earned money.

I already have an entry level home theater-ish setup for my bedroom (10 feet viewing distance, LG 65C9, Taga 806 5.0 Package, Polk Owm3 x 2 mounted on ceiling, SVS PB 1000 sub, Denon x1400h ) which I love and adore.

I always dreamt of having a dedicated home theater room, but that wont be happening for a few years at least. So now I am thinking of setting up a semi home theater in the living room (of my rented flat). Since it is a rented flat, there is very limited scope for any structural changes or modifications. So the setup should look clean at the end.

Now the difficult part, very very limited budget of 1.5-2lakhs INR which makes the equation very hard to solve (atleast for me). So I see only two options:

1. Get a good entry level 4k projector like TW7100 (around 1.3l) + a decent screen (approx 10-15k) and a good 5.1 soundbar like Sony 40R or Samsung HW67E/XL with the remaining budget.

Pros: Good picture quality, easy to manage and setup, less wires to conceal (though HDMI cable from the PJ to the soundbar would be a pain to hide), surround sound in budget​

Cons: I am not sure if such soundbars or budget HTiBs can do justice to the big screen and help with the immersion factor at all.​

2. Get a decent 1080P PJ like Optoma HD30HDR or TH585/685 + screen + a basic AVR and 5.0 speaker combo (whichever I can fit in the budget). I already have a spare subwoofer (Yamaha NSW-300) so will save some money on that.

Pros: Better sound (hoping it can rival normal theater sound, NOT IMAX), more future proof if I want to upgrade the sub or speakers in the future​

Cons: Not sure how would the 1080P PJ fair on a 100/120 inch screen with a viewing distance of 10-12 feet, tons of wires/cables to hide, NOT neat looking etc​

​

The room is huge (2 portions of 12 x 18 feet each), but the viewing area is around 12 feet wide and around 18ish feet long. My main usage is movies (OTT, BR Rips etc), occasional cricket matches and some light music on parties. The room gets ample day light in the day but I can control it a little using blackout curtains etc. But it wont be fully dark in day time.

Now which of the two options stated above will give a better immersive experience, I am not sure about. Any input or suggestion is welcome

Forgot to add: for both options I can get the projector or the AVR from UK as a friend is coming in November first half, which would help save some money for the rest.

 

[efernand1]

Hello good people of the forum, here I am back again with another dilemma on where to spend my (very) hard earned money.

I already have an entry level home theater-ish setup for my bedroom (10 feet viewing distance, LG 65C9, Taga 806 5.0 Package, Polk Owm3 x 2 mounted on ceiling, SVS PB 1000 sub, Denon x1400h ) which I love and adore.

I always dreamt of having a dedicated home theater room, but that wont be happening for a few years at least. So now I am thinking of setting up a semi home theater in the living room (of my rented flat). Since it is a rented flat, there is very limited scope for any structural changes or modifications. So the setup should look clean at the end.

Now the difficult part, very very limited budget of 1.5-2lakhs INR which makes the equation very hard to solve (atleast for me). So I see only two options:

1. Get a good entry level 4k projector like TW7100 (around 1.3l) + a decent screen (approx 10-15k) and a good 5.1 soundbar like Sony 40R or Samsung HW67E/XL with the remaining budget.

Pros: Good picture quality, easy to manage and setup, less wires to conceal (though HDMI cable from the PJ to the soundbar would be a pain to hide), surround sound in budget​

Cons: I am not sure if such soundbars or budget HTiBs can do justice to the big screen and help with the immersion factor at all.​

2. Get a decent 1080P PJ like Optoma HD30HDR or TH585/685 + screen + a basic AVR and 5.0 speaker combo (whichever I can fit in the budget). I already have a spare subwoofer (Yamaha NSW-300) so will save some money on that.

Pros: Better sound (hoping it can rival normal theater sound, NOT IMAX), more future proof if I want to upgrade the sub or speakers in the future​

Cons: Not sure how would the 1080P PJ fair on a 100/120 inch screen with a viewing distance of 10-12 feet, tons of wires/cables to hide, NOT neat looking etc​

​

The room is huge (2 portions of 12 x 18 feet each), but the viewing area is around 12 feet wide and around 18ish feet long. My main usage is movies (OTT, BR Rips etc), occasional cricket matches and some light music on parties. The room gets ample day light in the day but I can control it a little using blackout curtains etc. But it wont be fully dark in day time.

Now which of the two options stated above will give a better immersive experience, I am not sure about. Any input or suggestion is welcome

Forgot to add: for both options I can get the projector or the AVR from UK as a friend is coming in November first half, which would help save some money for the rest.

Since you have a good system in the bedroom why not move the same to the intended area? Maybe you might need to upgrade the AVR and PJ accordingly.

For the Bedroom if less time is spent watching content and most time sleeping there, possibly a smaller setup or soundbar Atmos system may work as a solution.

These are random instant thoughts, I will let other FMs also chime in here!

 

[harryneopotter]

Since you have a good system in the bedroom why not move the same to the intended area? Maybe you might need to upgrade the AVR and PJ accordingly.

For the Bedroom if less time is spent watching content and most time sleeping there, possibly a smaller setup or soundbar Atmos system may work as a solution.

These are random instant thoughts, I will let other FMs also chime in here!

Yup, that's a logical response for sure. But I am happy with my bedroom setup and I spend a lot of time there (working from home) and I consume a lot of content (YouTube, TV shows and all). So I would like to keep the current setup as it is.

The PJ setup in the living room will be for movie/match nights with friends or for movie watching on weekends. Right now I have a 43 inch VU TV with 2 Blaupunkt towers setup in a different area of the hall which is used for cricket matches since people usually feel comfortable hanging out in the hall instead of my room. And a big screen projector setup is a life long dream of mine, which ignited this spark, lol.

If and when I move to a dedicated setup, then I would probably switch the sound setup (i.e soundbar in the room and Avr setup to the dedicated room). But for now, the current setup should stay as it is if possible.

 

[Silencer]

Why not bring the Denon and its buddies to the living room and blaupunkt to bedroom?

If you've always wanted a projector setup. Then get the best projector you can and setup in the living room. Is 7100 available? Did you look for 9400? If you've found a 9400, get it while you still can. No other projector comes close in value.

I'm partial to Epson. But BenQ also has decent options.

If your living room is a big bright one, then include a light rejecting screen in the mix. May not be cheap to get.

You already have a decent sound system. So it will be smarter to focus on the projector side for now.

​

 

[harryneopotter]

Why not bring the Denon and its buddies to the living room and blaupunkt to bedroom?

If you've always wanted a projector setup. Then get the best projector you can and setup in the living room. Is 7100 available? Did you look for 9400? If you've found a 9400, get it while you still can. No other projector comes close in value.

I'm partial to Epson. But BenQ also has decent options.

If your living room is a big bright one, then include a light rejecting screen in the mix. May not be cheap to get.

You already have a decent sound system. So it will be smarter to focus on the projector side for now.

​

I was using the Blaupunkt Towers for 2 years before I got the OLED. Once I got the OLED, I felt it deserves a better audio setup and hence went for the Denon setup. I don't want to deprive the OLED screen of its current setup, which is why I want to keep the bedroom setup as it is. Another reason is that the Taga floor standers speakers are huge in size and I am trying to keep the living room look as clean as possible.

While I'd absolutely love to go for 9400, it'll eat up the whole budget for audio which doesn't sound too good, lol.

 

[ankitbhargava]

Start with a good 4K PJ and 2.1 in living area (assuming budget is little flexible)
If you end up using it often I am sure you would find it reasonable to invest more later and take it to 5.1
In a living area kind of space 5.1 is more than sufficient for occasional delights.

If its strict budget, I would go for a 4K PJ + Sound bar for now. Upgrade later.

 

[harryneopotter]

Start with a good 4K PJ and 2.1 in living area (assuming budget is little flexible)
If you end up using it often I am sure you would find it reasonable to invest more later and take it to 5.1
In a living area kind of space 5.1 is more than sufficient for occasional delights.

If its strict budget, I would go for a 4K PJ + Sound bar for now. Upgrade later.

Thank you so much.

Yes, 5.1 should definitely be fine for this purpose. However, I am not sure if a 5.1 sound bar can provide a passable theater experience combined with the PJ. An excellent 4k 120" picture with mediocre sound system might ruin the experience.

Or should I go for a decent 1080p projector with a complete 5.1 setup with Avr and bookshelves for LR and my current Yamaha Ns-SW300 Sub?

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

You need to ask yourself what it is you want, dividing budget leads to sub optimal components, but the end goal is not components but experience. You should look at the overall picture of what you have, what your budget is and what your trying to achieve. I personally say to avoid projectors, but if that is your dream then perhaps focus on that. Again I don't know your goals just a random thought. I personally think in terms of what will bring me the greatest joy when using the component, not in buying it to fulfill a dream.

 

[harryneopotter]

You need to ask yourself what it is you want, dividing budget leads to sub optimal components, but the end goal is not components but experience. You should look at the overall picture of what you have, what your budget is and what your trying to achieve. I personally say to avoid projectors, but if that is your dream then perhaps focus on that. Again I don't know your goals just a random thought. I personally think in terms of what will bring me the greatest joy when using the component, not in buying it to fulfill a dream.

Totally agreed. May I ask why you'd recommend to avoid projectors? I don't see any way of getting a huge screen experience in my home without a projector, which is what I am going for here. The goal is to have a cinematic experience in the comfort of my home which I can share with friends and family.

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

Totally agreed. May I ask why you'd recommend to avoid projectors? I don't see any way of getting a huge screen experience in my home without a projector, which is what I am going for here. The goal is to have a cinematic experience in the comfort of my home which I can share with friends and family.

I have 3 projectors I don't use and am looking to sell, I don't use them because for a few reasons -

1) Brightness, I care about brightness more than any other display attribute.
2) Picture quality (overall), projector can't match TVs
3) Can't view with lights on, I got tired of watching with lights off and used to get headaches. It's okay for occasional use.

IMO if people have the budget buy a large TV but since the budget isn't there the projector might suit for big size at reasonable cost. The entire draw of a projector is big size for relatively low cost. If you've never had one the allure is more. For you it might be suitable, for me not, this is why I said personally. Don't expect miracles with an ALR screen. Expect to watch in darkness. The projector will not have the brightness or the color saturation of TVs, DLPs can have their own look but they have the same limitations as other projectors. Not trying to dissuade you but best if you consider carefully and even better if you demo the projector you are interested in. Years ago when big TVs were very expensive, my first projector made me very excited, today though it's a different story.

 

[skelfoutlaw]

Mine is a similar kind of setup. Using a Epson TW7100 along with Samsung Q990B and i love watching movies on it.
If you are planning to use it in living room its better to go for 7100 compared to 9400 as its brighter. In 9400 you will get better black but you can use it to its full potential only in a dedicated home theater setup where you can totally control the lighting. For living room I feel 7100 is your goto projector. Also it will fit your budget.

 

[harryneopotter]

I have 3 projectors I don't use and am looking to sell, I don't use them because for a few reasons -

1) Brightness, I care about brightness more than any other display attribute.
2) Picture quality (overall), projector can't match TVs
3) Can't view with lights on, I got tired of watching with lights off and used to get headaches. It's okay for occasional use.

IMO if people have the budget buy a large TV but since the budget isn't there the projector might suit for big size at reasonable cost. The entire draw of a projector is big size for relatively low cost. If you've never had one the allure is more. For you it might be suitable, for me not, this is why I said personally. Don't expect miracles with an ALR screen. Expect to watch in darkness. The projector will not have the brightness or the color saturation of TVs, DLPs can have their own look but they have the same limitations as other projectors. Not trying to dissuade you but best if you consider carefully and even better if you demo the projector you are interested in. Years ago when big TVs were very expensive, my first projector made me very excited, today though it's a different story.

Just came from a small demo (TW7100 and Benq TK700). The demo room had a 133 inch screen with a viewing distance of around 10-12 feet. 4K videos on youtube, netflix etc looked pretty good in the dark room and sports (cricket) was decent enough with lights on. So yes I think I'd still want to get the projector. If you are looking to sell and are in Delhi NCR, let me know

Mine is a similar kind of setup. Using a Epson TW7100 along with Samsung Q990B and i love watching movies on it.
If you are planning to use it in living room its better to go for 7100 compared to 9400 as its brighter. In 9400 you will get better black but you can use it to its full potential only in a dedicated home theater setup where you can totally control the lighting. For living room I feel 7100 is your goto projector. Also it will fit your budget.

Yes, it looks like TW7100 is making more sense by the day. Getting a good price for it as well. If I buy TW7100 here, I can ask my friend to bring a 7.1 AVR with him and complete the setup by buying a 5.0 package.

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

Just came from a small demo (TW7100 and Benq TK700). The demo room had a 133 inch screen with a viewing distance of around 10-12 feet. 4K videos on youtube, netflix etc looked pretty good in the dark room and sports (cricket) was decent enough with lights on. So yes I think I'd still want to get the projector. If you are looking to sell and are in Delhi NCR, let me know



Yes, it looks like TW7100 is making more sense by the day. Getting a good price for it as well. If I buy TW7100 here, I can ask my friend to bring a 7.1 AVR with him and complete the setup by buying a 5.0 package.

That's good you took a demo and saw for yourself, especially with some lights on. Make sure to see what screen you saw it on and how much light was in the room to understand what to expect. Remember you often get a lot of tweaking options in a projector and the brightest mode often pushes green. I'm from Kolkata, if you don't mind shipping send me a PM.

 

[skelfoutlaw]

Just came from a small demo (TW7100 and Benq TK700). The demo room had a 133 inch screen with a viewing distance of around 10-12 feet. 4K videos on youtube, netflix etc looked pretty good in the dark room and sports (cricket) was decent enough with lights on. So yes I think I'd still want to get the projector. If you are looking to sell and are in Delhi NCR, let me know



Yes, it looks like TW7100 is making more sense by the day. Getting a good price for it as well. If I buy TW7100 here, I can ask my friend to bring a 7.1 AVR with him and complete the setup by buying a 5.0 package.

I use blackout curtains in my living room, but still there is decent amount of light which comes in, still I can enjoy movies during afternoon. So even with a bit of ambient light 7100 does pretty well.
Projector along with a dedicated AVR and Speakers is the best possible setup. However, I didn't want the hassle of running wires everywhere so went with the best sound bar I could have got in my budget
What's the quotation you got for 7100? I had got it for 1.18L in the month of Jan. I heard, Epson have recently hiked prices of all it's projectors in India.

 

[harryneopotter]

That's good you took a demo and saw for yourself, especially with some lights on. Make sure to see what screen you saw it on and how much light was in the room to understand what to expect. Remember you often get a lot of tweaking options in a projector and the brightest mode often pushes green. I'm from Kolkata, if you don't mind shipping send me a PM.

Ouch, shipping can be risky, specially with my luck. However, do expect a dm soon

I use blackout curtains in my living room, but still there is decent amount of light which comes in, still I can enjoy movies during afternoon. So even with a bit of ambient light 7100 does pretty well.
Projector along with a dedicated AVR and Speakers is the best possible setup. However, I didn't want the hassle of running wires everywhere so went with the best sound bar I could have got in my budget
What's the quotation you got for 7100? I had got it for 1.18L in the month of Jan. I heard, Epson have recently hiked prices of all it's projectors in India.

Yup, I'll be using blackout curtains as well, but there is still some. Ambient light which I won't be able to control, so need something brighter like 7100.

And yes, the primary reason of going with sound bars is the hassle of running wires. Will try some on Monday, if time permits.

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

Ouch, shipping can be risky, specially with my luck. However, do expect a dm soon


Yup, I'll be using blackout curtains as well, but there is still some. Ambient light which I won't be able to control, so need something brighter like 7100.

And yes, the primary reason of going with sound bars is the hassle of running wires. Will try some on Monday, if time permits.

Anytime. I pack well.

Just know that brightness alone is not useful, you need an ALR screen to use it with some light, even then it matters on what screen and how much light and where it's coming from. The best ALR screens in the business are often accepted to be DNP and SI. Some people think Stewart is good but IMO they are mediocre and overpriced. SI and DNP and very expensive though. I am not aware of any very effective and modestly priced ALR screens.

 

[harryneopotter]

Update:

So I have decided to go for a 4k projector for now. A full hd projector for 120" screen wouldnt look good at 9-10 feet viewing distance.

Two options i have gotten are
Epson Tw7100 for 114k
Benq Tk700sti for 143k

Are these prices any good? Any better options in this range, considering that's the max I can spend for now.

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

You saw them both so you will be better able to judge what you prefer. There might be some other options, don't know prices, you can search the websites of the companies for other choices. Some popular budget options other than Epson and BenQ are Viewsonic, Optoma. There are some cheaper chinese projectors that you might like but there isn't any warranty and not sure if they are available here. Hisense,Samsung and LG also make some projectors, most of them are UST. Have a look.

 

[harryneopotter]

You saw them both so you will be better able to judge what you prefer. There might be some other options, don't know prices, you can search the websites of the companies for other choices. Some popular budget options other than Epson and BenQ are Viewsonic, Optoma. There are some cheaper chinese projectors that you might like but there isn't any warranty and not sure if they are available here. Hisense,Samsung and LG also make some projectors, most of them are UST. Have a look.

To me, they both looked equally good. But my friend said that she liked the Benq one better (probably noticed the difference in sharpness).

I am also looking at UST projectors but none of the ones available in India are in budget or even extended budget. I am keeping an eye on UK prices and trying to snag a good deal if possible. Will it be worth getting Epson Ls500 or Samsung LSP9T (both ultra short) for less than 2k £?

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

If you can't tell them apart might as well get the cheaper one. Most Indian pricing is much higher than abroad pirces. It is cheaper to import but no warranty I think but not sure. I personally don't like Epson unless I must because of price, I'd recommend the Samsung in this case, from what I've seen and heard it's pretty good for what it does. I'm also a DLP fan, I like my DLP projector more than the 3LCD ones. If I were to buy a projector today I would buy a DLP laser 5000 lumens +.