Buying a projector

[Cal Weldon]

I'm a real newb. Is this something you would spend 200 bucks on? Can I get bulbs for it and approx how much do they cost?

Thanks in advance

InFocus Projectors: InFocus LP225 TFT LCD projector

 

[wakibaki]

It's 800x600 and it's not widescreen. It's probably worth $200, but it is obsolete. You really want to be looking forward into the future. It depends, however, to a certain extent, how much HD program material (blu-ray, satellite) you have available to you. We have 3 free-to-air HD satellite channels here and a blu-ray player.

For a newb, I'd go for a 1280x720 (720p) widescreen (HD ready they call them here) which is not the top class (1080p) hi-def spec, but is a step up from SD TV, and produces an impressively sharp 8-foot-wide picture in a dimly-lit room. A 1080p projector would probably not give us much benefit for the extra expense, they really come into their own for HD gaming.

As to the bulbs, I can't say, but if you buy a current model you should be supported for some time. Mine's an Optoma DLP (as opposed to LCD), some people complain about picture artifacts, particularly of you move your eyes fast from side to side, but I like mine just fine. The picture is easily as good as plenty of cinemas I've been to. A proper screen helps with the brightness.

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[Cal Weldon]

Thanks Waki, that's very informative. I may come back with more questions later on.