little known fact: i built an amphitheater on the property. i’m ready to start playing movies
i’m thinking of getting this a sharp xr32x dlp projector. 2500 lumens, 1024x768 resolution.
question: i’m thinking that i would stick a dvd into my laptop, then output to the projector. but i need sound, so i thought i’d output sound just to a big boom box. i’m guessing that i’d run a cable from my apple laptop dvi or vga output to the projector, and then run a cable from the mini rca jack in the computer to the boom box.
Dan,
5 years ago, after getting a projector in my classroom for powerpoints, etc, I had to get one for home. Back then, lcd’s were much more quiet than dlp’s. Not sure if that is the case now. Went with a viewsonic lcd with brightness and resolution similar to what you are looking at.
The only thing I regret: check on the cost of replacement bulbs before deciding. Some run ~$100 while others can be $200-$300+. Something to consider if you’re going to be using it extensively. My Epson at work costs $90 for a new bulb (granted it’s their lowest end model), but the home viewsonic is at least double that price. Fortunately the home bulb hasn’t died yet, but someday…Had I looked into replacement bulb cost in advance, I may have gone with a different projector.
One major thing I have learned from a few years of heavy use (my classroom projector) is that frequent power on/off cycles kills bulb life. My bulbs last longer if I leave it on 6 hours straight rather than on for an hour, off for 30 minutes, x4.
I set up my home projector in my garage when I converted it into a play room for the kids (right, for the kids!). For sound, I wound up buying a Toshiba dvd/vcr/receiver all-in-one (“home theater in a box”) from best buy for about $250. It came with 5 speakers and a subwoofer. I don’t regret that purchase one bit. That set up gets used all the time. The whole family plays Wii on it, kids watch their stuff while doing art projects or playing out there, my wife and I plop down in beanbags and watch Lost and other stuff off the dvr…great setup. And watching ironwar on an 80" screen while riding the trainer is pretty cool…
If you’re not a hardcore audiophile, I think a home theater in a box is the way to go with a projector. And you can run your computer audio (and video) through it, too.
Hope that helps! And I wish I could make it up there this weekend to get FISTed!
Cheers,
John
I use a Budget Priced 4 lb, 1200 lumen 600x800 Toshiba TLP-S10 portable which I carry in a Pelican Divers case myself. I have a Mini VGA Y/PB/PR input which works well using Apple M9320G/A ($19) adapter to the Mac. (Some people have had trouble with their projectors not recognizing the presence of the signal from the Macbook.) You may get a more effective signal transfer using Apple M 9321 G/B Mini DVI to DVI adapter.
You can send music to a boom box. Acknowledge though, the Macbook output is week and you will likely need to up the level out 5 to 10 db on the equalizer setting under “window” on Macbook. The sound will also improve if you choose “Spoken Word” on the EQ.
Best to use a Pre-Amp/Amp or Receiver for sending sound to outdoor or home speakers for great sound. Last couple Wildflowers I ran a couple of Bose 901s off 300 watts 8 ohm power which sounded great.
You are the creator of you theater.
If you’d need/like, I’ll bring a receiver, wire, and speakers.
What you thinking of showing? Monte Python’s Holy Grail?
“What you thinking of showing? Monte Python’s Holy Grail?”
up here, outdoors, under the pines and joshuas and the milky way, it’s got to be a western i’m thinking appaloosa, but i’ve got a bigger catalog of westerns than MGM, i think so there’s no shortage.
Appaloosa, O.K., You and Monte deffending Valyermo from your Western Neighbor? Who is the Widow coming to town?
I request “The Magnificent Seven” (parody to “Seven Samurai”), the last great american western, to christen your amphitheater.
We should edit up another parody featuring this cast as the latest standing champion gunslingers of Ironman:
Tim DeBoom (The Quiet Man with a Loud Name) as Yul Brynner… Chris Adams
Craig Alexander (Definitive Western Ironman) as Eli Wallach…Calvera
Chris Mc Cormack (King of Cool) as Steve McQueen…Vin
Norman Stadler (Dynamited man of Bike action) as Charles Bronson…Bernardo O’Reilly
Peter Reid (Gent and returning Judge) as Robert Vaughn …Lee
Luc Van Lierde (Jolly Mercenary and infamous World Record holder) as Brad Dexter …Harry Luck
Faris Al Sultan (The silent knife-thrower) as James Coburn…Britt
little known fact: i built an amphitheater on the property. i’m ready to start playing movies
i’m thinking of getting this a sharp xr32x dlp projector. 2500 lumens, 1024x768 resolution.
question: i’m thinking that i would stick a dvd into my laptop, then output to the projector. but i need sound, so i thought i’d output sound just to a big boom box. i’m guessing that i’d run a cable from my apple laptop dvi or vga output to the projector, and then run a cable from the mini rca jack in the computer to the boom box.
would this work?
it will work but for sound you might need something bigger than a boom box since you are outdoors. Being outdoors, the sound need to be much greater as there are no walls to “contain” the sound.
it will work but for sound you might need something bigger than a boom box since you are outdoors. Being outdoors, the sound need to be much greater as there are no walls to "contain" the sound.
Good point. I read an interesting scientific article once about concert hall acoustics. Turns out that they take into account the sound-deadening properties of members of the audience, with each person estimated to be equivalent to something like .5 square meters of open window. In order to make the acoustics work properly (i.e. intended total length of resonance, "intimacy" or time to first echo of resonance, etc.) it is apparently vital that a good concert hall provide a coat check.
That’s all a little off-topic, though. Anyway, I’m watching this thread with interest. TV died a few months back, and I’m seriously thinking about replacing it with a projector. I haven’t had cable or watched TV for almost five years, but I’d love to have a better way to watch movies than on a laptop screen.
it will work but for sound you might need something bigger than a boom box since you are outdoors. Being outdoors, the sound need to be much greater as there are no walls to “contain” the sound.
Good point. I read an interesting scientific article once about concert hall acoustics. Turns out that they take into account the sound-deadening properties of members of the audience, with each person estimated to be equivalent to something like .5 square meters of open window. In order to make the acoustics work properly (i.e. intended total length of resonance, “intimacy” or time to first echo of resonance, etc.) it is apparently vital that a good concert hall provide a coat check.
That’s all a little off-topic, though. Anyway, I’m watching this thread with interest. TV died a few months back, and I’m seriously thinking about replacing it with a projector. I haven’t had cable or watched TV for almost five years, but I’d love to have a better way to watch movies than on a laptop screen.
One of the best forums for all things A/V that i have found.
I don’t think you are going to be happy with a laptop. How fast is it? Its one thing to show a picture on a tiny screen but totally different is you try do do the same on a big projector.
It would work but it will probably not look any good. I am not sure how good the scaler chip is on this projector is but it would be better to connect a DVD player using its component output. A better solution would be to use a scaler between the DVD player and the projector. But scalers can be expensive.
I would not use my laptop for this setup, that would be almost the worst possible solution.
VGA will look crummy- your best bet will be to go DVI, and then I’d recommend that you buy a projector that’s 720p resolution with as much contrast and lumens as possible.
One thing not mentioned is your desired screen size; some projectors scale well, others don’t. If you know what type/size of screen you’d like to use, then Projector Central (http://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm) has a great calculator you can use to fine-tune your set-up and/or pick the best projector for your needs.
Sound - as others have mentioned, you’re going to need more than you might think. If you’re not looking for anything too fancy, I’d go with powered PA speakers, like the ones available from JBL, Yorkville, or Mackie. You’ll be able to use them for all sorts of things other than movie screening… a simple ($50) mixing board should do the trick for converting the 1/8 mini stereo audio out from the lappie to the XLR inputs that the speakers will most likely use.
My blog has stuff about my home theater - just click on the home theater link, and you’ll see more… Sound was a big concern for me, so I went way overboard.
… I read an interesting scientific article once about concert hall acoustics. Turns out that they take into account the sound-deadening properties of members of the audience, with each person estimated to be equivalent to something like .5 square meters of open window. In order to make the acoustics work properly (i.e. intended total length of resonance, “intimacy” or time to first echo of resonance, etc.) it is apparently vital that a good concert hall provide a coat check.
That’s all a little off-topic, though. …
To take it further off topic, a well designed theater seat absorbs the same amount of sound if someone is sitting there or not. So the theater sounds the same full or empty.
