Large, flat screen TV or projector system for home theater inquiry

**KSRdallen** · 08-05-2018, 01:05 PM

We’re doing an addition on our house that will have an office/theater room. I’m looking for a quality system, but want to keep costs down (the addition cost requires it!). We could probably go up to a 70-80” screen, but I’m not sure that’s warranted since it’s not a huge room.

Recommendations?

**Doc** · 08-05-2018, 01:44 PM

My cave has a 60" flat screen that I run my computer monitor thru and my RVeal streaming box so I can pretty much do anything on it. I prefer the TV over projection because the light in the room does not affect the picture quality whereas it will for a projection TV

**badrose** · 08-05-2018, 08:58 PM

Picture quality first, size second.

I picked some out on the Best Buy site you might want to look at.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchp...l%20Categories

**CitizenBBN** · 08-05-2018, 09:29 PM

It's not the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean..

Oh, wrong thread. Nevermind.

(PS get the TV over projector unless you just want a huge image. Doc is right, and projectors just aren't as good at motion in general, though they are way better than in the past. Besides, you can get a 60-70" screen pretty cheap relative to a really good projector AND the really high reflection screen. But you can get really REALLY nice projection systems that match any TV, its just costs.)

PS, hopefully Pedro sees this one.

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-05-2018, 10:11 PM

I have a theater room with a projector. But at 70 or so inches go with a TV. No doubt.

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**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-05-2018, 10:16 PM

How big is the room and how far will you be from the screen?

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**CitizenBBN** · 08-06-2018, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat

I have a theater room with a projector. But at 70 or so inches go with a TV. No doubt.

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Above 70" I'd definitely get the projector. At 60/70" the price point says TV IMO, but after that it's projector. just have to get one with enough refresh for motion and enough lumens.

**KSRdallen** · 08-06-2018, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat

How big is the room and how far will you be from the screen?

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It’s 9.5’ x 16’ and the TV will be on the 16’ wall. It’s designed to be an office, but will double as a TV/theater room. Seems like 60-70” TV is the ticket.

**KSRdallen** · 08-06-2018, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by badrose

Picture quality first, size second.

I picked some out on the Best Buy site you might want to look at.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchp...l%20Categories

Quite a price range. I’ll take a look at these more closely tomorrow. Looks like a big price jump from 55” to 65”, but also across brands. Never heard of a couple of these.

**Doc** · 08-06-2018, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by CitizenBBN

It's not the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean..

Oh, wrong thread. Nevermind.

(PS get the TV over projector unless you just want a huge image. Doc is right, and projectors just aren't as good at motion in general, though they are way better than in the past. Besides, you can get a 60-70" screen pretty cheap relative to a really good projector AND the really high reflection screen. But you can get really REALLY nice projection systems that match any TV, its just costs.)

PS, hopefully Pedro sees this one.

is that like the old magicians saying "its not the size of the wand, but the grandness of the illusion it performs"

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by KSRdallen

It’s 9.5’ x 16’ and the TV will be on the 16’ wall. It’s designed to be an office, but will double as a TV/theater room. Seems like 60-70” TV is the ticket.

Go with a 65-70 inch. Optimal viewing distance is 1.5-2 times the distance of the screen. So at 70 inches, you need to be in the 10-12 foot range from the screen. 4K is actually a 1 to 1 ratio, but who wants to sit 6' from a 70" TV?

Get a 4K with UHD and a decent surround sound system.

You only do a projector if you are on a tight budget and a need a cheap fix. Amazingly some cheap projectors give a decent image. Or going up to 100 inches or higher. Even around 100 inches, I'd consider a TV instead. edit - to clarify, at 100 inches, I'd consider a nicer smaller TV (70") over a projector.

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by CitizenBBN

Above 70" I'd definitely get the projector. At 60/70" the price point says TV IMO, but after that it's projector. just have to get one with enough refresh for motion and enough lumens.

You can get the refresh rate at a decent number. It is the color/contrast/lumens/room light that is hard to balance. Higher lumens and you get more contrast (more whites), but start to lose colors (and even brightness on colors) on anything affordable. With a TV you don't have to sacrifice that.

There are some really nice projectors that are starting to get affordable. The 4k market is just starting to happen for consumers. It has been there, but not affordable for most of the world. And even still, many are still faux 4K, but better than 1080. One I have my eye on came out in May, I plan on buying it before basketball season.

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 09:44 AM

I'm trying to decide if I want 3500 lumens, or 2200 lumens with better color. Everything is equal on the same model, just two different options. I have controlled lighting, but I have a pocket window that I want to open up into another room once I get it finished. Then you can see the screen from either room. I'm leaning toward brighter, but I go back and forth.

**blueboss** · 08-06-2018, 10:21 AM

I asked a lead sales guy at Best Buy if he could pick out any TV in the store to take home, he said the QLED Samsung. I personally was looking at around the 60” size. There are several different models of QLED in that size, and of course it was a higher end model...I have it written down at home somewhere.

We had a long conversation about why that brand and model over everything including Sony, LG OLED, Panasonic, etc... most of which I can’t quote right now because it was a few months back and I’m old, but I was convinced.

...also keep in mind at Best Buy they don’t work on commission, so the guy had no real motivation to just pick one towards the higher price range. My next step was going to be HH Greg and see what they had to say, but I got side tracked, I really don’t need a new TV I was just wanting to upgrade since my main TV is about five years old.

Keep us informed on what you find out there.

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**badrose** · 08-06-2018, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by KSRdallen

Quite a price range. I’ll take a look at these more closely tomorrow. Looks like a big price jump from 55” to 65”, but also across brands. Never heard of a couple of these.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchp...l%20Categories

I failed to include some others.

**KSRdallen** · 08-06-2018, 05:50 PM

Thanks all for the feedback. Very helpful! I’m learning toward the Samsung - 65" Class - LED - NU7100 Series - 2160p - Smart - 4K UHD TV with HDR.

I guess the next question is which surround? Are wireless (Bluetooth?) systems good options because I’d like to install it myself and no wires enables that!

**KSRdallen** · 08-06-2018, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by badrose

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchp...l%20Categories

I failed to include some others.

Thanks, John! Your links were great and helped me along with the comments here. Much appreciated.

**VirginiaCat** · 08-06-2018, 07:35 PM

I am a big believer in cnet reviews...here is their take on 65" TV's from best buy for the money, to best high end, etc.

https://www.cnet.com/topics/tvs/best...t-65-inch-tvs/

**CitizenBBN** · 08-06-2018, 07:42 PM

FWIW if you want to check out projectors, the best site ever is: https://www.projectorcentral.com/

It has a database of every projector I think ever sold. You can mess with throw on it, all that stuff. Haven't used it to shop for a home system but I use it for every business projector I buy.

**kingcat** · 08-06-2018, 07:54 PM

Off topic somewhat, but I did some work for a lady a while back on some bedroom seating. While I was complimenting her furniture, which was way upper end, she showed us this huge dresser/mirror combination. She grabbed a remote and the dang mirror was also a huge TV monitor.

I had no idea such a thing existed. She did complain the picture was not what she had hoped but could upgrade.

**CitizenBBN** · 08-06-2018, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by kingcat

Off topic somewhat, but I did some work for a lady a while back on some bedroom seating. While I was complimenting her furniture, which was way upper end, she showed us this huge dresser/mirror combination. She grabbed a remote and the dang mirror was also a huge TV monitor.

I had no idea such a thing existed. She did complain the picture was not what she had hoped but could upgrade.

I stopped reading at you doing some work for a woman in her bedroom.....

I saw one of those just this last week. Haven't seen many, but was kinda cool. Not sure I'd do it, I don't see the point of putting anything over the TV when I'm trying to watch it. I do like the ones that disappear into the console or floor or something.

**kingcat** · 08-06-2018, 08:00 PM

https://www.seura.com/products/tv-mi...entertainment/

Fairly common tech I guess, but I had no idea.

Next thing you know they'll have robots that beg to not be shut down or to have sex with you.

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by kingcat

https://www.seura.com/products/tv-mi...entertainment/

Fairly common tech I guess, but I had no idea.

Next thing you know they'll have robots that beg to not be shut down or to have sex with you.

Not far from it...

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**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 08:37 PM

Waiting on the projector and sound reciever. That is a borrowed projector from work.

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**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-06-2018, 08:55 PM

That is a photoshopped image. Getting the room and screen in one picture was impossible. So I took two and layered. One to get the room look and the other paused of the game for the screen.

I want to do something on the walls but I think I've talked myself out of any bad ideas....and just going with plain.

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**KeithKSR** · 08-06-2018, 09:45 PM

I’ve got a pretty good projector in my classroom, but it isn’t as good as a 4K Ultra HD TV.

**KentuckyWildcat** · 08-07-2018, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by KeithKSR

I’ve got a pretty good projector in my classroom, but it isn’t as good as a 4K Ultra HD TV.

Projector classrooms have very little contrast, many struggle on sharpness as well. Projectors seem to be on the verge of great improvements, but the loss of light is hard to overcome. But with short throws and lasers developing, they might get pretty comparable eventually.

That is actually a classroom projector that I have borrowed.

**KeithKSR** · 08-07-2018, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat

Projector classrooms have very little contrast, many struggle on sharpness as well. Projectors seem to be on the verge of great improvements, but the loss of light is hard to overcome. But with short throws and lasers developing, they might get pretty comparable eventually.

That is actually a classroom projector that I have borrowed.

The projector picture is pretty good, and the kids certainly don’t complain about it. By far the biggest factor is the quality of the image that is being viewed.

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