MojoLists

Big, Bigger, Biggest is the reason I have a front projector in my theater. I want a picture as big as the sound my system produces. I looked at LCD, DLP and CRT televisions but to reach the size I wanted the cost was way out of line with my budget. I was fortunate that InFocus had recently released the X1 800x600 projector. The reviews, based on its very good HD capabilities for under $1000 sold me and I have been content through 2.5 lamps or about 8,000 hours of use.

I won’t pretend that the picture competes with a 1080p projector but it is as good as some of the 720p projectors I have run across. My point here is that you can have a big picture for a lot less than a 42” television and unless you must have the absolute best possible picture you will be happy, even amazed at the latest sub $1,000 projectors.

My projector is almost 6 years old now and I will need to replace it soon. I have seen the same model on Ebay, new, for around $400 recently. The InFocus 4800 and X3 are also about the same cost and there are many options now for under $500 that will give you the picture you crave with a very nice picture.

For those willing to spend a tad more, the options for 720p and 1080p projectors has fallen below $1500 and continues to drop. Sanyo, Optima, Panasonic and Mitsubishi all have excellent models in this price range.

There are a few considerations to discuss before making a swap though. If you can adjust to the requirements of a front projector, do it, you will not be disappointed.

Things to consider:

• A projector needs a screen or does it? I have found http://goosystems.com/screen paint rolled onto a flat wall is as good as any screen I have seen. Goo also provides a reference tool to assist in selecting the exact mixture that will work best for your projector.
• It isn’t a television and some projectors have a delay between being turned off and turned back on again. This has never been an issue for me but it is different than most of us are used to.
• Long cable runs. This is a problem in both additional cost and aesthetics. Most projectors are ceiling mounted and hiding the cables is difficult unless your room is pre-wired for it. Once you set up you never have to think about it again though.

Some people believe the need to replace lamps after 3,000+ hours of use is a hassle but it is very easy and much better than tossing out a TV and buying a new one.

If a front projector can work in your room, go for it, it is cheaper than a TV half the size and todays technology gives you a great picture at any price point.

Big bass from a booming sub is the cornerstone of any good home theater. Unfortunately, people that live in apartments or watch movies while the rest of the house is sleeping are forced to live without the realism a subwoofer brings to the game.

There is a great solution and it fits in even the tightest budgets. Bass shakers are a great addition even for those who already have a sub and they are easy to set up. Low frequency bass transducers are mounted under the seating in your theater or living room, depending on your system. They take the signal from your subwoofer output and vibrate, sometimes violently with the low frequency signal.

The realism bass shakers bring to your movies and games is impressive and it is one of the best upgrades you can make. It also impresses friends and to my surprise, are very friendly on the wife acceptance factor.

ButtKicker is the most common brand of low frequency transducers however lower cost alternatives that work as well are easy to find on Ebay and other sites across the web.

Bass shakers use an amp, which may be included in a kit, or you can use an old receiver, subwoofer amp or anything that delivers 50 watts. No need to worry about high quality power here, any old amp will do.

Stop living without the bass you so badly need to maximize your home movie experience and install bass shakers now.

To upgrade or make do with what you have is a constant question home theater enthusiast must answer on a regular basis. The most common problem facing us today is to upgrade our old receivers to one that can handle HDMI. Even receivers purchased today may not handle HDMI or only switch the video, as is the case in my living room where my Harmon Kardon passes two HDMI signals.

This works in that room as the speakers are hand me downs from my first 5.1 system 10 years ago and HD audio isn’t an issue. My problem comes in my dedicated theater where I have a Kenwood Sovereign receiver, one of the few I have found capable of driving the power hungry 4-ohm load of my Magnepan system through a full on action movie without overheating.

The Kenwood doesn’t even do component video switching but I am not giving it up, I love the warm sound and frankly, can’t afford to upgrade right now. I had to ask myself if HD audio was worth it and I decided it was so I waited until a Blu-Ray player came out that was capable of sending all of the HD audio formats via analog outputs. I settled on the Sony S550, I love it, the sound improvement over standard Dolby, and DTS is impressive, more open, detailed and enveloping.

HDMI switches are readily available at reasonable prices if you are running out of connections on your television. These switches can be manual, automatic or remote controlled depending on your budget.

I decided I could live with the Kenwood for a while longer, not that I have much of a choice and the cost of the Sony S550 was significantly lower than upgrading my receiver. For those of you who want to keep your DVD-A/SACD player connected to your receiver inputs look to Zektor for a high quality 8 channel analog switch or consider the budget solution of using a A/V switch.

In addition Denon has a universal Blu-Ray player, priced somewhere close to new car territory that solves this problem altogether. Oppo is also jumping into the universal Blu-Ray market with a rumored MSRP between $499 and $599 and considering the quality of their DVD players, this may be a real bargain.

If you enjoy the sound of your current receiver do your wallet a favor and keep it, you can still enjoy the sound and visual improvement of HD without falling into the upgrade trap. Besides, the receiver you want to buy today will likely be outdated next week.