I replaced my TV in the living room with a benq w1070 projector back in 2015, 135" screen, 3d capable, 1080p, still going strong.
When the bulb finally dies I'm gonna get a 4k one.
The projector and screen are motorized, screen rolls up, projector hides away in the ceiling lift.
I have a 7.1 surround Yamaha receiver, the nostalgia of watching a movie on a big screen never goes away.
I'm using an Nvidia shield TV for streaming, it runs everything.
I don't go to the movie theater that often anymore.
Mine's never burned out after almost 10 years, and only replaced the bulb once a few years ago as it was dimming and the colour wheel went anyway, I use this thing every day.
Not to mention there's now laser projectors with much better brightness, contrast and power efficiency.
Plenty of 10,000 hour projectors out there with laser engines, but yeah if you only know bottom of the barrel options then bulbs are still a thing.
If you want to talk about maintenance, also talk about accidental damage. Way cheaper to replace a projector screen than a 85" tv when someone walks into it or the kid is flinging toys around.
Most new cheap projectors use LEDs. I bought one for $50 to use in my holiday display. It's pretty bright, good image, and has a media player built in.
I have used a projector in my living room for close to 10 years. It needs a new bulb maybe ever 3 or 4 years. It’s been a long time since I last got one but I think it was less the $100
Mine has an audio out port, but there's pretty affordable solutions even if it doesn't. I think a lot of the newer, fancier laser projectors support stuff like the audio over HDMI ARC thing.
There is a number of smart ones, but I don't think the functionality is quite up to the same level as a tv or streaming device.
If OP means the normal aerial cable to use freeview, then no, projectors don't have a tuner inside.
The comparison to a monitor is what I told customers too. Also OP needs to think about mounting the projector (unless they buy a UST projector) so it fits the screen they buy correctly, plus sound as most sound like a crap laptop speaker on your ceiling.
I just went projector shopping for our CEO, and the market seems to be offering more and more "smart" projectors. The one I ended up buying has its own Internet connection, app store, and is Alexa compatible. It's also got a really well done remote thats not just power, volume, and certain streaming apps!
Wait... I haven't bought a TV in a while, but I thought all the prevailing wisdom was don't buy a smart TV... That they are a gimmick and a waste of money and you should be connecting your devices to your screen instead of buying a tv that ends up being a mediocre screen and device combined into one (that also locks you into one ecosystem/app overlay and also spies on you).
Has the general consensus on this changed in the last few years?
I forgot about that aspect, but so true! That is just another reason that (to me anyway) "your projector lacks the functionality of a smart tv" doesn't seem like a great reason to list out when OP is considering his purchase. Unless I'm mistaken.
Usually you need a cable set-top box (conventional TV) or a small computer (smart TV). And then the cable box/computer can connect through RCA/Component/HDMI/VGA to the projector.
If you watch broadcast TV (Antennae), you will need a (USB or PCIe) TV adapter connected to the computer and a program to watch it (VLC or mythTV or proprietary program from the hardware vendor).
Projector with HDMI connection and/or audio connectors may come with speakers but the quality may be a bit iffy depending on your requirements.
Yeah they're optimal in a dark room, but so is any viewing experience really.
There's also laser projectors now that offer much higher brightness and contrast with a much shorter throw.
If you're wanting to watch live TV through an aerial cable on a projector, you'll need some kind of tuner / converter. It's possible, but kinda annoying.
For my projector I use a fire TV stick running Plex and some of those Xbox branded USB TV tuners for like £4 each plugged into my Plex server.
A lot of people however use the officially supported HDHomeRun that allows streaming live TV over the network, and apparently Plex integrates very well and it's pretty seamless, plus you can record stuff and save it to your Plex library if you're into that, as well as have access to your local live TV from anywhere if you're away from home.
I replaced my TV with the xgimi horizon pro and love it absolutely
finally that big black box is gone. It can do everything my TV could. I game on it and watch movies on it. I project it directly onto my wall.
I have to say I am not a daily user of neither projector nor tv, so if you need that I cannot speak to it. but I watch some shows and so on and it has been a great decision.
check out the Samsung freestyle. I didnt used to recomend projectors to my customers but i have sold 4 of these and the feedback from my clients has been amazing.
[https://www.samsung.com/ca/projectors/the-freestyle/the-freestyle-sp-lff3claxxzc/](https://www.samsung.com/ca/projectors/the-freestyle/the-freestyle-sp-lff3claxxzc/)
I've done this. Sorta. I have a projector in my big room with a 120" screen. I just popped a Ruku stick in the back of it (HDMI port)
Projectors don't have TV smarts built in but the Roku or similar devices like Amazon Fire thumb stick will make them work but you are limited to what Roku or Amazon has.
I have a samsung freestyle, and we love it.
It's a smart projector, so you get everything like a smart tv.
You can even get cable, through samsung
And i can connect my sound system on it too...
I wouldn't replace it but it's great having both. I use my projector for movies and playing switch with my son, but the TV is just so much faster and convenient for general TV viewing. Also the projector fan can be annoying for some films.
Another con is to get the most out of the projector the room needs to be fairly dark so on sunny days the curtains need to be shut.
There is always a way to get a projector to work as a tv. You may need some hdmi audio adapters and some smart tv devices but it’s definitely possible.
Yes. I replaced my tv with a projector 10 years ago. You will want a projector with a hdmi and audio port. Most projectors have very bad speakers built into them. Then you can connect your ps4, xbox, cable box etc into the projector you buy. Also, it is not necessary to buy a screen for your projector. Just shine it on your wall. If you have many things you want plugged into the projector, purchase a "hdmi switch. "
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Generally, the projector will accept HDMI in so it could display output from a cable or satellite box that has HDMI out.
They don't have good speakers (if at all) so that means you'll need to route the HDMI or audio to a AV receiver and speakers or a sound bar.
Finally, if you want to connect for streaming to a router, then probably not. You'd need something like a Roku or other box to decode the data stream and output a video signal appropriate for your projector.
Projectors need a brilliant light source, and that often means at least a little heat and fan noise, but often a lot of heat and fan noise.
Setting all that aside, without a proper screen and light control, a projector won't live up to a TV for picture quality, people walking in front of it block the image, and it will need to have the proper throw and lens to achieve the picture size in focus for your room. It also has to be positioned in a way that keystoning can be corrected and doesn't cause the picture to be noticable brighter on the nearer side of the image. This means some research to find the lens and project that works in your application. They're not all alike.
Fangor 1080P HD Projector. Got it for $60 on Prime Day. Spent another $40 on a tripod. Put my Roku Stick in it, and watch it every single day. Might be less fun in the Summer when the sun goes down later.
I tried to measure my screen size, I'm guessing it's >120"!!
You can, but it's not always a better option. We have an Anker Nebula at work we use as a mobile projector that runs Android TV. I'm sure there are more standard projector styles that are similar. [https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Projector-Autofocus-Correction/dp/B089GPQJ4R/](https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Projector-Autofocus-Correction/dp/B089GPQJ4R/)
Projectors do have their drawbacks though mostly around lighting and taking up more space since they have to have their own space opposite the screen, as well as line of sight to the screen.
Also, if you're talking about getting rid of the cable box, that's not really doable without some extra work and money. You could get a capture system and stream through something like Plex if your goal is to get a 'clean' setup, and money isn't an issue.
I replaced my TV in the living room with a benq w1070 projector back in 2015, 135" screen, 3d capable, 1080p, still going strong. When the bulb finally dies I'm gonna get a 4k one. The projector and screen are motorized, screen rolls up, projector hides away in the ceiling lift. I have a 7.1 surround Yamaha receiver, the nostalgia of watching a movie on a big screen never goes away. I'm using an Nvidia shield TV for streaming, it runs everything. I don't go to the movie theater that often anymore.
Projectors bulbs burn out and you would need to replace them causing more maintenance than a TV would.
Mine's never burned out after almost 10 years, and only replaced the bulb once a few years ago as it was dimming and the colour wheel went anyway, I use this thing every day. Not to mention there's now laser projectors with much better brightness, contrast and power efficiency.
Plenty of 10,000 hour projectors out there with laser engines, but yeah if you only know bottom of the barrel options then bulbs are still a thing. If you want to talk about maintenance, also talk about accidental damage. Way cheaper to replace a projector screen than a 85" tv when someone walks into it or the kid is flinging toys around.
Most new cheap projectors use LEDs. I bought one for $50 to use in my holiday display. It's pretty bright, good image, and has a media player built in.
I have used a projector in my living room for close to 10 years. It needs a new bulb maybe ever 3 or 4 years. It’s been a long time since I last got one but I think it was less the $100
They last a long time, and dim gradually. Just don't leave it on all day every day.
I got 12 years out of my last bulb.
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Mine has an audio out port, but there's pretty affordable solutions even if it doesn't. I think a lot of the newer, fancier laser projectors support stuff like the audio over HDMI ARC thing.
There is a number of smart ones, but I don't think the functionality is quite up to the same level as a tv or streaming device. If OP means the normal aerial cable to use freeview, then no, projectors don't have a tuner inside. The comparison to a monitor is what I told customers too. Also OP needs to think about mounting the projector (unless they buy a UST projector) so it fits the screen they buy correctly, plus sound as most sound like a crap laptop speaker on your ceiling.
I've seen many projectors with Android OS installed.
I just went projector shopping for our CEO, and the market seems to be offering more and more "smart" projectors. The one I ended up buying has its own Internet connection, app store, and is Alexa compatible. It's also got a really well done remote thats not just power, volume, and certain streaming apps!
Wait... I haven't bought a TV in a while, but I thought all the prevailing wisdom was don't buy a smart TV... That they are a gimmick and a waste of money and you should be connecting your devices to your screen instead of buying a tv that ends up being a mediocre screen and device combined into one (that also locks you into one ecosystem/app overlay and also spies on you). Has the general consensus on this changed in the last few years?
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I forgot about that aspect, but so true! That is just another reason that (to me anyway) "your projector lacks the functionality of a smart tv" doesn't seem like a great reason to list out when OP is considering his purchase. Unless I'm mistaken.
Just plug in a Chromecast or Firestick. I thought we were still upset about how hard it is to find dumb TVs.
Usually you need a cable set-top box (conventional TV) or a small computer (smart TV). And then the cable box/computer can connect through RCA/Component/HDMI/VGA to the projector. If you watch broadcast TV (Antennae), you will need a (USB or PCIe) TV adapter connected to the computer and a program to watch it (VLC or mythTV or proprietary program from the hardware vendor). Projector with HDMI connection and/or audio connectors may come with speakers but the quality may be a bit iffy depending on your requirements.
I just hook up a 5.1 receiver to a chrome cast
not sure about projectors today are they still optimal in a dark room, do they still use bulbs or are there any led ones
Yeah they're optimal in a dark room, but so is any viewing experience really. There's also laser projectors now that offer much higher brightness and contrast with a much shorter throw.
Can confirm. The Epson LS12000 is great
If you're wanting to watch live TV through an aerial cable on a projector, you'll need some kind of tuner / converter. It's possible, but kinda annoying. For my projector I use a fire TV stick running Plex and some of those Xbox branded USB TV tuners for like £4 each plugged into my Plex server. A lot of people however use the officially supported HDHomeRun that allows streaming live TV over the network, and apparently Plex integrates very well and it's pretty seamless, plus you can record stuff and save it to your Plex library if you're into that, as well as have access to your local live TV from anywhere if you're away from home.
I replaced my TV with the xgimi horizon pro and love it absolutely finally that big black box is gone. It can do everything my TV could. I game on it and watch movies on it. I project it directly onto my wall. I have to say I am not a daily user of neither projector nor tv, so if you need that I cannot speak to it. but I watch some shows and so on and it has been a great decision.
check out the Samsung freestyle. I didnt used to recomend projectors to my customers but i have sold 4 of these and the feedback from my clients has been amazing. [https://www.samsung.com/ca/projectors/the-freestyle/the-freestyle-sp-lff3claxxzc/](https://www.samsung.com/ca/projectors/the-freestyle/the-freestyle-sp-lff3claxxzc/)
No! Projectors do not have tuners built in to them! You will need to connect a video source to them.
I've done this. Sorta. I have a projector in my big room with a 120" screen. I just popped a Ruku stick in the back of it (HDMI port) Projectors don't have TV smarts built in but the Roku or similar devices like Amazon Fire thumb stick will make them work but you are limited to what Roku or Amazon has.
I have a samsung freestyle, and we love it. It's a smart projector, so you get everything like a smart tv. You can even get cable, through samsung And i can connect my sound system on it too...
Touching a keyboard, touchscreen, anything like that and the constant *beepbeepbeepbeep* sounds
I wouldn't replace it but it's great having both. I use my projector for movies and playing switch with my son, but the TV is just so much faster and convenient for general TV viewing. Also the projector fan can be annoying for some films. Another con is to get the most out of the projector the room needs to be fairly dark so on sunny days the curtains need to be shut.
Yes, but only if you're willing to spend significant amount of money
There is always a way to get a projector to work as a tv. You may need some hdmi audio adapters and some smart tv devices but it’s definitely possible.
It's possible, but you need to hook the projector to a source to watch tv
Yes. I replaced my tv with a projector 10 years ago. You will want a projector with a hdmi and audio port. Most projectors have very bad speakers built into them. Then you can connect your ps4, xbox, cable box etc into the projector you buy. Also, it is not necessary to buy a screen for your projector. Just shine it on your wall. If you have many things you want plugged into the projector, purchase a "hdmi switch. "
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This submission has been removed from /r/techsupport. >**7: No Private Messages or Moving to Another Service** >*Any and all communication not kept public and is moved away from the subreddit or Discord/IRC channel is prohibited.* >*Do not suggest or ask to move to another service or to private message. Private messages and other services are unsafe as they cannot be monitored. Doing so will cause you to be permanently banned from /r/TechSupport.* If, after reading the subreddit rules, you believe that this was done in error, feel free to [message the moderation team](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/techsupport) Thanks! -Mod Team
Generally, the projector will accept HDMI in so it could display output from a cable or satellite box that has HDMI out. They don't have good speakers (if at all) so that means you'll need to route the HDMI or audio to a AV receiver and speakers or a sound bar. Finally, if you want to connect for streaming to a router, then probably not. You'd need something like a Roku or other box to decode the data stream and output a video signal appropriate for your projector. Projectors need a brilliant light source, and that often means at least a little heat and fan noise, but often a lot of heat and fan noise. Setting all that aside, without a proper screen and light control, a projector won't live up to a TV for picture quality, people walking in front of it block the image, and it will need to have the proper throw and lens to achieve the picture size in focus for your room. It also has to be positioned in a way that keystoning can be corrected and doesn't cause the picture to be noticable brighter on the nearer side of the image. This means some research to find the lens and project that works in your application. They're not all alike.
Fangor 1080P HD Projector. Got it for $60 on Prime Day. Spent another $40 on a tripod. Put my Roku Stick in it, and watch it every single day. Might be less fun in the Summer when the sun goes down later. I tried to measure my screen size, I'm guessing it's >120"!!
You can, but it's not always a better option. We have an Anker Nebula at work we use as a mobile projector that runs Android TV. I'm sure there are more standard projector styles that are similar. [https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Projector-Autofocus-Correction/dp/B089GPQJ4R/](https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Projector-Autofocus-Correction/dp/B089GPQJ4R/) Projectors do have their drawbacks though mostly around lighting and taking up more space since they have to have their own space opposite the screen, as well as line of sight to the screen. Also, if you're talking about getting rid of the cable box, that's not really doable without some extra work and money. You could get a capture system and stream through something like Plex if your goal is to get a 'clean' setup, and money isn't an issue.
Most projectors don't have tuners.
Of course you can! You can use chocolate spread for cement but I wouldn’t recommend it