I'm looking for a theatre display again.....

[nickbuol]

Crap.  I sound like a pompous ass.  I didn't mean to. 

Yeah, mission accomplished.  You'll fit right in this thread, though.

Don't hate on him because he's right PBJ. Everyone has their own needs, no doubt, but all things being equal you can't beat the full blown 100+" home projector experience.

I don't think that we will ever convince Jim.  Then again, if I fit in with him, I should probably go back and delete my post. 

[saint]

I put two HDMI cables at $3.50 each into my cart and the shipping was $7.  The same cables were $3.50 shipped on Amazon.  

Monoprice is awesome for a lot of things but you can beat it for small orders.

Yep, I was able to beat monoprice on a 6' hdmi cable including shipping at Amazon. Surprised me I'll check both from now on.

[ChadTower]

That brings up a fair point.  Is all that expense worth it for a man without kids?  A family spends $60 at the movies.  A single guy spends $10-12.  How many $11 movie tickets do you have to buy to pay for that home theater setup?  200?

[nickbuol]

There is definitely a break even point with Monoprice.  Then again, unless you have Amazon Prime, you still have to spend $25 at Amazon too in order to not have to pay shipping.  I have found that around that price, it doesn't matter where I go.  Ordering from Amazon with free "super saver" shipping will get my the stuff in at least a week.  Monoprice, usually 2 days unless I order the 1st thing of the day.  I also trust the quality of the Monoprice stuff.   To get a cable for $3.50 shipped on Amazon either will generally take longer, or be cheap quality from my experience.  Not saying it is all junk, there are many good nuggets out there.  

One big benefit to Amazon is that I buy stuff from them all the time due to their product variety, so I can tag on a cable or two and not have to pay shipping as long as I am willing to wait for it to actually ship and get to me.

[Gray_Area]

That brings up a fair point.  Is all that expense worth it for a man without kids?  A family spends $60 at the movies.  A single guy spends $10-12.  How many $11 movie tickets do you have to buy to pay for that home theater setup?  200?

If it's only current movies, perhaps.


What do you all think of this site, and price?? (Have to register an all that to see shipping I think.)


LG Infinia 55LW5600 55-Inch Cinema 3D 1080p 120 Hz LED-LCD HDTV

member price: $ 315 VIP price : $ 287  


http://www.hotabiz.com/us-productinfo.asp?id=7310

[nickbuol]

That brings up a fair point.  Is all that expense worth it for a man without kids?  A family spends $60 at the movies.  A single guy spends $10-12.  How many $11 movie tickets do you have to buy to pay for that home theater setup?  200?

Very true.  I used to have to argue that point with my wife.

Counter-point: How many movie theaters are the perfect temperature (my wife is always cold), has a cheap supply of fresh popcorn and drinks or lets you bring your own goodies (beer/wine/Skittles), starts the movie when YOU want to see it, has comfy seats, allows pets (or is that "pests"   ), will pause the show in case you need to go to the bathroom, allows you to text (pausing optional), can jump from movie to music party on the fly, doesn't smell funny, doesn't have sticky floors, if the people next to or behind you are too loud, you can tell them to be quiet/get out/or just turn up the volume, so on...

It is something that we've managed to justify.  Our lives are so hectic that it is great at the end of a day to recline back and "crash" while watching something to get our minds off of the crazy day.  Plus, I live in Iowa where it can be well over 100F (with humidity) in summer, and below 0F in the winter plus wind chill.  Spring and fall are very short seasons for us.

[nickbuol]

What do you all think of this site, and price?? (Have to register an all that to see shipping I think.)


LG Infinia 55LW5600 55-Inch Cinema 3D 1080p 120 Hz LED-LCD HDTV

member price: $ 315 VIP price : $ 287  


http://www.hotabiz.com/us-productinfo.asp?id=7310

A quick google search of hotabiz.com review doesn't make me want to give them any money.

Plus $315 (let alone $287) for a 55-inch tv is bogus.  That TV should be around the $1000-$1500 price range.

Either they are scamming to steal your money, or they are scamming to get you to pay $1000 shipping.  Either way, it is a scam or shady at best, and that isn't very promising.

[saint]

First thing I thought at those prices was to wonder where they were stolen from

[ChadTower]

Counter-point: How many movie theaters are the perfect temperature (my wife is always cold), has a cheap supply of fresh popcorn and drinks or lets you bring your own goodies (beer/wine/Skittles), starts the movie when YOU want to see it, has comfy seats, allows pets (or is that "pests"   ), will pause the show in case you need to go to the bathroom, allows you to text (pausing optional), can jump from movie to music party on the fly, doesn't smell funny, doesn't have sticky floors, if the people next to or behind you are too loud, you can tell them to be quiet/get out/or just turn up the volume, so on...

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

[shmokes]

Counter-point: How many movie theaters are the perfect temperature (my wife is always cold), has a cheap supply of fresh popcorn and drinks or lets you bring your own goodies (beer/wine/Skittles), starts the movie when YOU want to see it, has comfy seats, allows pets (or is that "pests"  ), will pause the show in case you need to go to the bathroom, allows you to text (pausing optional), can jump from movie to music party on the fly, doesn't smell funny, doesn't have sticky floors, if the people next to or behind you are too loud, you can tell them to be quiet/get out/or just turn up the volume, so on...

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

By far the biggest problem with a commercial theater is simply selection. What if you didn't get a chance to catch, say, Xmen: First Class last summer? What are you gonna do if you wanna see it? You gotta watch it at home. What if you feel like watching Dr. Zhivago? Gotta watch it at home. And so on. There are about eleventy bajillion more movies in existence than there are playing at your local movie theaters.

[drventure]

EDIT: Long post deleted because I couldn't clearly communicate that a large projection setup can be awesome without having to spend a ton.  It came across just wrong.

+1 on that. I found a motorized tab tensioned screen off CL for 250$ (a fixed screen is WAY cheaper, but you have to be able to dedicate some wall space, and I didn't want to, though, now, that's probably the way I'd go if I do it again), and a Panasonic Ae-900U project off ebay for 300$.

I've read that buying a can of screengoo and a good sponge roller and some MDF gets you very good screen for a fraction of that price.

I can also see the benefits of a set it down, run a cable, and you're done big LCD or plasma. A lot of the choice comes down to personal preference and how/what you typically watch.

[saint]

If you're not buying your cables from monoprice.com, you're paying too much as a rule (though that ebay deal was a score).

+1,000,000

EDIT: Long post deleted because I couldn't clearly communicate that a large projection setup can be awesome without having to spend a ton.  It came across just wrong.

Gah, I thought it was well written and I wish you'd left it

[Gray_Area]

A quick google search of hotabiz.com review doesn't make me want to give them any money.

Plus $315 (let alone $287) for a 55-inch tv is bogus.  That TV should be around the $1000-$1500 price range.

Either they are scamming to steal your money, or they are scamming to get you to pay $1000 shipping.  Either way, it is a scam or shady at best, and that isn't very promising.

I did a search but nothing, not even 'review', shows anything significant. Certainly looks scammy. But you never know. Asian markets have cheap stuff. Would $200 shipping be worth it if the item costs retail $800, and you're getting it for $400?

[Ond]

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

No. Sorry, but this is not necessarily so.  Pompous mode on: [Come over to my place and I'll radically adjust your thinking on this. Sure a cheap all in one sound system is not going to reproduce big commercial theatre sound, but it is possible to not only match the experience but it exceed it with high fidelity consumer systems. It's also a matter of space, in a large or even medium theatre 7500 watts  is appropriate, in a home theatre the same quality can be achieved with wattage appropriate to that space.  A well matched and configured system with powerful subs can reproduce the wide dynamic range and quality of a commercial theatre.] Pompous mode off.  

[Ond]

I've read that buying a can of screengoo and a good sponge roller and some MDF gets you very good screen for a fraction of that price.

Out where I am screengoo worked out more expensive than the cost of a fixed 110" screen, so I went with the screen.

[saint]

My buddy built me a fixed 100" screen for less than $200. Works a treat.

[shponglefan]

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

But the 20' screen and 7500 watt sound system is also meant for a much larger space at a much greater viewing distance.

Personally, I have a 92 inch screen, HD projector and 500 watt 7-channel system + 750 watt subwoofer, and I find it gives comparable experience to a real movie theater.  Minus the annoying whispering, crinkling of candy wrappers or cell phones.

[shponglefan]

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

No. Sorry, but this is not necessarily so.  Pompous mode on: [Come over to my place and I'll radically adjust your thinking on this. Sure a cheap all in one sound system is not going to reproduce big commercial theatre sound, but it is possible to not only match the experience but it exceed it with high fidelity consumer systems. It's also a matter of space, in a large or even medium theatre 7500 watts  is appropriate, in a home theatre the same quality can be achieved with wattage appropriate to that space.  A well matched and configured system with powerful subs can reproduce the wide dynamic range and quality of a commercial theatre.] Pompous mode off.  

^ This.

IMHO, I've found a good subwoofer properly EQ'd can exceed the quality of low-end in a commercial theater.  At least in my experience.

[saint]

There's also subjective size. I sit 2/3 back in a movie theater. The screen is a certain subjective size. I sit much closer in my home theater. The subjective size is pretty close match. These days, we prefer watching a movie in our home theater than out. If for no other reason, there is always some jackass talking or txting during the movie. No exaggeration, at least 3 of the last 4 or 5 movies we've been to in a theater have had someone being a jackass that way. Infuriating.

I also pay a ton less for food/drinks, set the temperature where we want it, eat/drink whatever we want, etc. Home theater is where it's at for us. We host movie night parties with our friends that are always a good time. We did obscure science fiction movie night one time, martial arts night another. Before the avengers we did a re-watching of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, etc.

Again, to each their own, and there's a lot to be said for dropping in a TV and being done with it without much fuss, but I believe the majority of folks who get to try someone's home theater with a projector would want to have one of their own.

[nickbuol]

Well, most of those are usually nonissues at a decent theater.  But the easiest counterpoint is that a 100" screen with a consumer surround sound system is also absolutely nothing like a good movie theater.  At all.  That's an important part of the comparison.  It's not just the environment.  It's also 20' of screen size and about 7500 watts of sound system.

7500 watts (I know, made up number, but I get the point) is for large rooms.  You need to fill massive air volumes.  Plus you need to understand that watts can start becoming somewhat meaningless.  I mean, take a receiver with 7 powered channels (plus the sub output of course) at 100 watts each.  Some other company may have the same thing at 125 watts per channel, but you would be hard pressed to notice any really volume difference with the extra 175 watts.  It just doesn't work the way that people think it does.  I can say this that at 700 watts plus subwoofers (nothing too monsterous) and it will be a LOT louder than your local theater, even at well under max power.  Pair that power with good circuitry and speakers that can reproduce clean sound at high volumes, and you are almost there.

I have only heard a movie in a theater maybe a handful of times where I didn't think that it would sound as good or better at home.  A nice IMAX theater that I've been to, and the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood (has the brand new, fully calibrated, played at deafening reference level, Dolby Atmos.  

I'm not talking HTIB setups with crap speakers (been there myself), but something a little decent with treated wall/floor/ceilings just like the big theaters.   A hard surface box with the world's best speakers will still sound muddy and terrible with peaks and valleys all over the frequency range and different depending on where you are in the room.

Maybe you have some top 20 theater in your area and the "best" you've heard is Bose.  It is hard for me to know, and theaters are definitely NOT for everyone. However, hit up the AVS forum http://www.avsforum.com/ and you will find that the hobby of home theater is HUGE and most people rarely ever step into a commercial theater again once they have one in their house.

Again, not for everyone, just like BYOArcades and such.  Nothing wrong with going out to movies either, just don't be quite too quick to judge the home theater experience.

[nickbuol]

Gah, I thought it was well written and I wish you'd left it

LOL. I could PM you a copy. 

[nickbuol]

I also pay a ton less for food/drinks, set the temperature where we want it, eat/drink whatever we want, etc. Home theater is where it's at for us. We host movie night parties with our friends that are always a good time. We did obscure science fiction movie night one time, martial arts night another. Before the avengers we did a re-watching of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, etc.

Just don't do a LOTR extended edition marathon.  Been there, done that...  Even with breaks to swap discs, between movies, for food, etc, it is TOO much sitting engulfed in the world of hobbits, elfs, and dwarfs...  And I love those movies.

[saint]

I also pay a ton less for food/drinks, set the temperature where we want it, eat/drink whatever we want, etc. Home theater is where it's at for us. We host movie night parties with our friends that are always a good time. We did obscure science fiction movie night one time, martial arts night another. Before the avengers we did a re-watching of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, etc.

Just don't do a LOTR extended edition marathon.  Been there, done that...  Even with breaks to swap discs, between movies, for food, etc, it is TOO much sitting engulfed in the world of hobbits, elfs, and dwarfs...  And I love those movies.

Too late, we totally did that (over the course of a 3-day weekend)

[Ond]

I've really got to go do some actual work on my HT today rather than mess about reading stuff here, but a final comment on projectors, PB Jim made a comment earlier about projectors being the best the 90's had to offer which made me think about the rapid progression of the technology in general.  1080P has only just been around at an affordable price for a few years and already 4K technology is in the high end of the market.  The projector scene will only get better over the next few years. Many commercial theatres themselves are equipped with both 4K units and traditional 35mm projection systems, the filter down into the home market is assured.  Projectors need a dark room for the best results, yes you can use them in a lit room but its a compromise.   If you're tending toward a multipurpose usage in a lit room I'd still consider the largest TV unit you can afford.  It's not a theatre like experience, but then it depends on what you're aiming for.

[saint]

Well, the "I have to see this now" factor is strong. We saw the Avengers in the theater, we'll see the next Batman in the theater. But we are waiting to see the new Spiderman when it comes out on blu-ray... I'd say we see about 1/3rd of the movies in the theater that we used to once we got the home setup. There are some movies though that we just wouldn't wait for.

[nickbuol]

You can cram all 3 movies onto one DVDR DL in reasonably high def.  New Line splitting those movies across two discs was a marketing gimmick.

    

[ed12]

ahh
going out is fun
u get to hold hand's
kiss,buy popcorn,pop,look at all the the other ppl
look around a mall etc etc
buy something u have benn thinking about

ed

[shmokes]

Is that a poem?

[Le Chuck]

Is that a poem?

If you have to ask you'll never know Daddy-O

[ChadTower]

Well, the "I have to see this now" factor is strong. We saw the Avengers in the theater, we'll see the next Batman in the theater.

When we have to see it now we go to the IMAX.  There is no potential argument for anything in the home being a reasonable replacement for seeing The Dark Knight at IMAX.

Of course, when the movie ends up sucking like the last two Harry Potter movies, that's $75 into the toilet.

[shmokes]

The last two Harry Potter movies were by far the best of the series. What would have possessed you to go spend $75 to see sucky movies 7 and 8* when you had already seen the first 6 even suckier Harry Potter films?







* Frankly, I thought the last two films were quite good for the most part

[ChadTower]

I thought they were awful and made little sense at times.  That's a different conversation for a different thread. 

[nickbuol]

Chad, we don't have any *real* IMAX theaters here where I live.  The closest IMAX is 2 hours away and is a "dome" theater in a Science Center.  Not good.

There is a Century Theater there too with their "XD" setup, but I've need been to it since they added the XD setup.

I travel pretty much monthly for work, and most of the metro areas I travel are in big(ger) cities like Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Denver, Charlotte, etc...  I will admit that I ALWAYS check to see what is playing at one of the local IMAX theaters when I am traveling.  To date, after 3 years of monthly travel, I have only seen a small handful of movies at an IMAX.  It seems like some of the places are playing the new movies, or blockbuster ones for only a couple of weeks (when I am not travelling) and then when I am there, it is something stupid or a movie the just doesn't seem like IMAX would be the right format for... This happened with one of the Twilight movies.  No thanks on ANY screen, but on IMAX?  Yes, it happened to me.  The one theater was playing something worthwhile (don't recall what anymore) right up until I started my travel.  

[shmokes]

I thought they were awful and made little sense at times.

Perhaps the movies were made under the (almost totally reasonable, lol) assumption that every single person watching the film had already read the book. I never found it to be nonsensical, but I don't rule out the possibility that this is because I already had information in my head that automatically filled in any gaps in the film's narrative. I don't know that this is the case. I just know that I thought the movies were pretty good, and by far the best of the series. The first two movies, for example, are pretty wretched. And the third is only marginally better, IIRC.

[ChadTower]

Twilight on IMAX does seem like a waste of time unless you're a 14 year old girl.  Then again, so was everything else about those movies.

I just looked at the full list of IMAXes.  I can't find a direct link to the map view but if you go to map and zoom out it shows there are like 300 of them in the eastern half of the US and a ton on the west coast.  There aren't as many in the midwest.  I was surprised to see that there are eight of them within 75 minutes of my house (two are museums and only show the documentary type stuff).  There are a lot more IMAXes than I thought.

[ChadTower]

veggie burgers

It's always good when they bring you a coaster for your beer.

[nickbuol]

Thanks for the link Chad.  I didn't realize that there was a "real" IMAX (non-dome) anywhere near me.  Happens that there is one, but it is still an hour and 40 minutes away.   

And Jim, thank you (I guess) for the visuals on your "waitresses."

[DillonFoulds]

...If you buy any descent-quality TV today...

Just had to say, I find this the absolutely most appropriate typo that I've ever read.

[lilshawn]

Is that a poem?

I once spent two weeks
speak entirely haiku
walmart checkout stares

Haiku are the bomb
it's perfect for OCD
it has stuff to count

Haiku IS plural
They say haikus are stupid
Who's stupid now (ass)

 

[Vigo]

Just to clarify, IMAX slaps their label on much smaller screens and the company does not differentiate between them. It still officially carries the IMAX label. If you go to a theater that says it displays IMAX, you might be getting hosed into going to a movie with a screen 1/4th the size. The image also not only in a smaller size, but a worse resolution as well.