Inexpensive Home Theater: Projectors
May 9th, 2007
The projector is the heart of the home theater system. Nothing can save your home theater system if your picture looks like garbage; but a nice picture can cover a multitude of other sins.
The projector also represents a large percentage of the overall budget. And, since the objective of the inexpensive home theater is to get a great bang-for-the-buck home theater system, I looked at the price/performance ratio and tried to get the projector that provided the best value.
While creating my home theater plans, I had my eye on one particular projector: the Sanyo PLV-Z4. This was a recommendation from a friend who had recently installed one in his home theater. However, I didn’t have the blinders on — I did plenty of research to make sure it was the right one for my setup.
I researched which display technology (LCD or DLP) would be better for my plans and looked at many makes and models of home theater projectors. Basically, my research narrowed down the choices to two models: the Panasonic PT-AE900U and the Sanyo Z4. The light characteristics of our room and the layout of the system played a role in the decision, but eventually it was the better warranty which pushed the Sanyo PLV-Z4 to the top.
Here is a list of some sites that helped me research home theater projectors:
- http://www.projectorcentral.com - great site for reviews
- http://www.audioholics.com - fantastic reviews, not just for audio equipment
- http://www.projectorpeople.com - check out the projection calculator
- http://www.avsforum.com - good source of detailed information if you can find an appropriate thread
In hindsight, I wouldn’t change a thing. The Z4 throws a great picture, and the warranty gives some much needed peace of mind (especially with young kids running about). Of course, the Z4 has now been replaced with the Z5, and I recently read a review of a 1080p projector for under $3000. Technological progress continues marching on.
Previous articles:
- Inexpensive Home Theater: Introduction
- Inexpensive Home Theater: Technology Primer
- Inexpensive Home Theater: Planning
Next articles:
- Inexpensive Home Theater: AV Receiver
- Inexpensive Home Theater: Speakers and Subwoofer
- Inexpensive Home Theater: Crucial Components
Entry Filed under: Home Theater
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2 Comments Add your own
1. Mike | May 9th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
So, it’s been in for a while now, whatcha think of your decision?
2. Seth | May 9th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Still loving it. The only thing that is mildly annoying is that the newer projectors are even better and for less money. Still, I think the system I put together has been worth every penny.
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