I'm building a dedicated home theater in our basement and I'm looking for a 1080p front projector for my setup. I have never owned a projector before so I'll be grateful for any advice. The area of the theater will be about 27 feet by 15 feet and I'm looking at a screen size of at least 110 inches (16:9 of course). I won't be watching HDTV broadcasts as I have a 60" plasma in my den for that. This setup will be purely for 1080P movies and my main source is an HD DVD player, the Toshiba HD-AX2. I'm also looking at one of the standalone BluRay players, probably the Pioneer or the Sony, so multiple HDMI inputs are a must. I haven't decided yet on a ceiling mount or a shelf mount so lens shift capability is important. Lastly, my budget for this projector is $8K -$10K. Thanks in advance.
I like your attitude about separating home theater movie viewing and HDTV viewing. I'm of the opinion that a "home theater" should try to duplicate as much as possible the experience you get at an actual movie theater. That's why a dedicated HT room is probably the holy grail for most enthusiasts. I agree with your choice of a 1080p projector since your sources will be the highly regarded XA2 and a BluRay standalone. I recently completed my basement HT which has similar dimensions to yours (25 1/2 feet x 14 1/2 feet). I have an ISF'ed Sony VPL-VW50 projector on a 112 inch Stewart 4-way Screenwall Electrimask and my sources are the XA2 and the Panasonic DMP-BD10. Given your budget I would suggest the Sony VW50 (The Pearl) or VW100 (The Ruby). The other PJ that has been getting a lot of buzz lately is the JVC DLA-RS1 which is supposed to be released this month. It boasts of a very impressive 15,000:1 Contrast Ratio and a possible 2.35:1 CH Stretch feature: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=752351 Good luck!
Thanks for the reply and congrats on your new HT setup. I especially like the idea of using an electronic masking screen. I did look at the two Sony models and found them to be very impressive. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the JVC DLA-RS1. If you don't mind can you give me an idea on your audio setup. Did you use any acoustic treatments in your room? I'm meeting with my dealer who also does custom HT installations and he's suggesting a few sound panels and bass traps. Thanks in advance.
I have a Rotel 1098 Pre/Proc - 1095 Amp going to B&W 700 series speakers and 2 Hsu Research VTF-3 Subs. Regarding acoustic treatments it's important to work closely with your builder and installer. We used almost exclusively products from Acoustic Science Corp. For soundproofing our builder used ASC IsoDamp products for the walls and ceiling. The installer analyzed the acoustics of the room and put in an ASC tube trap behind each of the subs plus an array of Cinema Panels on the side, front and rear walls. http://www.asc-home-theater.com/ht-products.htm http://www.asc-soundproof.com/hometheater-soundproofing.htm Here's a good reference on home theater acoustics. It can get a little technical but should be very informative for you: http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/roomacoustics/roomacoustictreatments.php Let us know when you're able to get a close look at the JVC RS1.
@dblbogey7: Congrats on your basement HT buddy! How do you like your XA2 so far? I'm enjoying mine everyday and am just blown away by this machine's abilities. @oomox888: If I may add - you'll most likely get great results if your builder/installer was a member of CEDIA.
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm impressed with ASC's product line and will definitely give them serious consideration. My designer/installer is a CEDIA member and has attended most of their conferences. He's also familiar with the website you linked to regarding home theater acoustics. In fact he has met the author of the article. As for the JVC RS1 my dealer did say that it's one of the most anticipated 1080p products this year and he'll try to set-up a viewing for me once he gets a hold of one. Another question if I may: any suggestions for theater seats? Thanks in advance!
I have tiered seating - two rows with two seats in front and three at the back. All 5 seats are in the room's "sweet spot" and I have the option to add more later. We got the Berkline 094 seats: http://www.berkline.com/theater.html The other things you need to think about: 1. A universal system remote that neatly ties everything together. The higher-end Logitech Harmony would be a good place to start. 2. Power conditioning - really clears up both the video and audio and protects your investment. The Panamax component style conditioners are also a good place to start. Talk this over with your designer/installer and see what he thinks. Good luck! @eatsushi: Thanks buddy. The XA2 is really a gem and I'm enjoying it a lot. If only we could get more titles! Have you tried ordering any of the Canal Plus titles from amazon.fr?
dblbogey7: Thanks for all your help. I've decided on the JVC DLA-RS1 1080p projector after getting a chance to see it in action. Your suggestion was spot on. I'll also be ordering all of my room treatments from ASC and the theater seats from Berkline. Construction starts next weekend. My audio setup will be the Denon AVR-4306 and the Bowers & Wilkins 700 series speakers (same as you) and Mirage subs. My screen will be a 120-inch Carada. eatsushi: My wife actually suggested the exact same popcorn machine that you linked to. LOL! That plus some movie posters. Thanks too for your input. I'll keep you guys posted.
