Best route for 1080p and projector?

[doogie88]

I'm a little new to newgroups and also 1080p and the rest, so I may be a little lost.
I'm looking at getting a projector. If I go that route, I think ideally I would wan for BD and project at 1080p when possible? If i get a rip, do you think quality will suffer a lot on a projector?

At the same time I want the best quality possible to enjoy the 1080p.
What's the best way to do this? Download full BD and stream off my PC to my projector?

Thanks.

[Beck38]

Actually, front projectors blow all the LCD/Plasma 'flat' screens away, IF you do it right. Biggest issue with either is what/how to 'feed' it.

I built a HTPC a couple years ago, tried NVidia graphics card first, then went to ATI (both 'top line', ATI worked better), mucked around with various s/w players (both commercial and free/pd), finally 'gave up' and bought a Popcorn Hour A110. Waiting to get a new C200 right now.

Best D*MN $300 I think I've ever spent. Plays (just about) everything, including wacky/neato things like MKV's with Ogg Vorbis additional audio tracks, things like that. The only downside with the A110 is the 100Mb/s interface, and slightly slow (compared to the C200) crunching Sigma Design chipset) of really high-rate video (>40Mb/s).

I have a full BR rip of 'Day After Tomorrow' I use for 'testing', and it peaks over 50Mb/s at many spots. Once I get the C200 (newer decode chip and gigabit LAN), it should no longer be a problem.

But for all the MKV variants plus a lot others, take a look. Both component, HDMI, optical audio (both Dolby/DTS including HD variants) out.
I stream from a large NAS/RAID box, using SMB, nothing fancy but works solidly (if you run into trouble, put on your networking hat and it's all pretty easily 'fixed').

I'm sold on it. C200 at the end of this month or next. I'm currently 'moving' my A110 between the LV and bedroom, a bit of a pain but pretty easy. Also, lots of 3rd party streaming support, including Netflix, on the C200.

Big splash right now at CES, take a look.

[doogie88]

Thanks for the reply. Most of that made no sense to me though lol.
What do you mean by this: "and it peaks over 50Mb/s at many spots"

And what's the difference from streaming right from the PC or using Popcorn Hour?

[Beck38]

Thanks for the reply. Most of that made no sense to me though lol.
What do you mean by this: "and it peaks over 50Mb/s at many spots"

And what's the difference from streaming right from the PC or using Popcorn Hour?

A Blu-Ray disc, encoded VC1, can easy hit >50Mb/s encoded video (plus multiple HD audio streams like DTS-MA and Dolby True-HD). Re-encoded (x.264 stuff) is of course lower rate, just like with SD DVD's, where max output on the disc is around 8-10Mb/s, and re-encoded stuff varies all over the place (although it's generally agreed that <3Mb/s is yucky).

As far as streaming, the only difference between an internal drive on the PCH and from either a PC or a NAS) is if you have a network that is blocking v. non-blocking. Reasonable design will keep it non-blocking, or simply use the network engineers fallback of 'throwing more bandwidth at it', i.e., a switched Gigabit LAN.

When Syabas designed the C200, they added a gigabit LAN (most everything is these days, and Gigaswitches are VERY cheap), plus upgraded the Sigma Designs chipset. The only thing s/w wise that is still in the 'development phase' (kinda works round about from what I gather) is playing BD discs directly on the machine (internally or over the LAN). Lots of code/legal issues with that, it does play (like the A-110) ISO's of SD-DVD's directly (either from a disc player or from HD ISO).

All of these boxes are essentially 'Swiss knifes' of video. Probably the closest competitor to PCH is the WD box, which is cheaper but doesn't have anywhere near the formats it plays.

[doogie88]

Thanks. Damn, that's still a lot of confusing stuff lol.

[Beck38]

Certainly not anything worse than the actual audio/video equipment. If you're not reading 'Widescreen Review' on that front, you are definitely behind. Lots of good info on top-line projectors, LCD/Plasma screens, you name it. I've been a subscriber for about 20 years.

[EyeBaller]

First of all, how are you planning to set up the projector, is it a home theater setup or just a projector in a room to use with computer speakers? Do you need to run network cables? Are you still planning on downloading on a PC in a different room? Or will the PC that's downloading be in the same room as the projector.

If the former, you should go with a streaming solution whatever it may be, popcorn hour will work, as will a PS3. If the latter, then just hook up to the projector with DVI/HDMI and you can run directly from the PC.

[doogie88]

Projector is a HT projector setup, from the ceiling, in my basement. Computer is upstairs. My house is small. I figure I can run the cable through were the cable for my internet comes in, which will then be up in the ceilings of the basement and I can go to the projector. Or would it go to the receiver? Shit I just checked and my receiver doesn't have HDMI. I may upgrade that when I get my projector I think, probably my best bet?

[Beck38]

My HT setup doesn't use HDMI as it's 'generation' was well before any display's had that interface (in fact, projector types were component only until the last couple of years); plus, I don't have HD audio either. My audio system is (and folks tend to 'cheap out' there) is way more bucks than the video portion, but handles DTS/Dolby 6.1 formats.

In fact, until I upgrade the video display (3D in 2011? probably north of $10K) the audio preamps/amps/decoders/speakers I have now is still 3-4 times the cost of the current video display. Somewhere around the spending on the IT stuff!

Most of the top-line receivers, if you go that route, do HDMI 1.3a these days; discrete components (better, what I have) are just starting to handle it. Then again, I have over 6Kw of audio power, far beyond even the largest receiver types.

Your own situation may differ, of course. But you need to 'ramp up' on the possibilities, plan things out, figure the cost analysis, etc.

[doogie88]

**

[lightshow]

So back to the original question, since I'm interested also, what should I be looking at spec wise to get on a projector (video only, audio will be handled separately) which will handle 1080p video output?

[EyeBaller]

Projector is a HT projector setup, from the ceiling, in my basement. Computer is upstairs. My house is small. I figure I can run the cable through were the cable for my internet comes in, which will then be up in the ceilings of the basement and I can go to the projector. Or would it go to the receiver? Shit I just checked and my receiver doesn't have HDMI. I may upgrade that when I get my projector I think, probably my best bet?

Yep, I would upgrade the receiver so you'll be getting better sound too through your set up.

Do you have wired networking in the house? From the PC room to the basement? It's really going to be a matter of personal preference, but in this situation I would probably go the streaming route. The PC downloading upstairs, wired network to a streaming box downstairs. You can pick what you want to use here, my suggestion would be a PS3. That way you control everything from a remote (harmony maybe).

Since the PC is in a different room, to directly hook it up, you'd also need wireless keyboard/mouse to control it.. which depending on distance may/may not work.