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Anyone know of a good projector for 3D games and 3D films?

RedRizla
Honored Visionary
I don't want to spend much and might even look for a used projector if anyone knows of some good ones for 3D games and 3D movies. I would like one that used active 3D glasses Cheers!

@cybereality - You might know some also?
68 REPLIES 68

cybereality
Grand Champion
This is the one I'm using now: Acer H7550ST. It's not super cheap at $850, but it's 1080P and short throw, so fit nice in my living room setup. The Optoma HD142X is cheaper at $550, but has a longer throw so will only work in large rooms. My old projector was an Optoma and it was pretty sweet. Only 720p, but that was fine for gaming since it's limited to 720p by the silly spec. I'd definitely recommend going with 1080p as the 720p projectors are not much cheaper today and you will lose out on Blu-Ray movies and desktop use. Look for DLP projectors that support DLP-Link (mostly all 3D DLP projectors should). The DLP-Link glasses are cheaper and easier to find and are good quality too.
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RedRizla
Honored Visionary
@cyberaelity Are the DLP-Link glasses active glasses and do they work with this projector using Nvidia 3D vision? I've never owneda projector and really want one now but I'm cluless. Also, the Optoma HD142X is that a short throw projector and do I need a short throw in a room that is 11ft by 11ft? I was looking at a BenQ W700 3D Digital Projector are they any good? Cheers!

cybereality
Grand Champion
Yeah, DLP-Link are active glasses. They are better than most propriety glasses (even including Nvidia) because they sync directly with the projected image and do not need an emitter or base station or anything. I would recommend getting an HDMI 1.4a compatible projector as that is the 3D standard. With that BenQ model, or other older sets, they will have more limited compatibility. For example, you won't be able to connect a PS4 or stand-alone Blu-Ray player for 3D movies. There were also a bunch of older projectors that were advertised as "3D" but couldn't actually support any 3D software. So we aware. HDMI 1.4a projectors should mostly all support Nvidia 3DTV Play software, though you will use the DLP-Link glasses of your choice (Nvidia glasses won't work, but DLP-Link glasses are nicer anyhow). You also have the option of using AMD GPUs if you ever want to switch.

The Optoma HD141X looks fairly affordable at £384.47 used on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD141X-Full-1080p-Projector/dp/B00M2YDBXK/

Or the newer model, Optoma HD142X for £399.73 used.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD142X-Projector-Viewing-Support-Black/dp/B01JOASEJU/

If you want to go really cheap, and can live with 720p, this one is a steal for £272.97 used: Optoma H183X
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-H183X-Lumens-Cinema-Projector/dp/B01D3HQS70/

At 11 feet distance you can get about a 100" image. If the projector is closer to the screen, then of course the image will be smaller. Short throw are better at much smaller distances, like between 3 to 6 feet from the wall. Like in my living room, I have the projector 6 feet from the wall and get a 125" image. 

Hope that helps.
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RedRizla
Honored Visionary
@cybereality Cheers for the info cyber. I looked at the projectors you suggested and does the Optoma HOptoma H183XD142X have 3D or did they scrap it in the new version? Also, does the cheap Optoma H183X use the DLP-Link active glasses and is it a long throw projector that would work well in an 11ft by 11ft room? One more question...The cheap projector you recommended says it streams 1080p, so is this one 1080p or 720p? Thanks for the help.

cybereality
Grand Champion
All 3 are 3D, not sure why it's not listed on Amazon. They should all be DLP-Link compatible. In fact, mostly all DLP projectors will support 3D and DLP-Link as it comes standard with the chip. Unless the company was really cutting corners, so good to double-check. The first 2 are 1080p native. The cheaper one is 1280 x 800 native, but can accept a 1080p signal and downscale it. 

In terms of the throw distance, you should measure out your room (i.e. where you plan to place the projector) and see how much distance there is between the lens and the wall you are to project on. Then you can figure out how big the screen will be. Here is an example calculator for the H183X:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-H183x-projection-calculator-pro.htm

Just adjust the numbers to see how it will fit. Just eye-balling it, looks like you can get around 90" screen (this will be the same for all 3 of the ones I linked to).
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RedRizla
Honored Visionary
@cyberaelity I was looking to get this one you recommended, but I don't see it mention 3D? Is this a 3D one? 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optoma-HD142X-Projector-Viewing-Support-Black/dp/B01JOASEJU/

Also, do the resolution make a big difference because I might get the cheaper one if it does? Last question.. Are projectors reliable or do they break easily? Cheers!

cybereality
Grand Champion
Yes, it's 3D. If in doubt, check the manufacturer website or download the manual.
https://www2.optoma.com/us/product/hd142x/

Resolution won't matter for gaming, as the HDMI spec is limited to 720p. Even with a 1080p projector, games still run in 720p (though may look slightly better since it can upscale to 1080p). However, for movies it makes a big difference. Blu-Ray 3D is 1080p, if you watch a lot of films it will look noticeably better. I would personally go with the 1080p model, simply because you won't need to upgrade for a while, but it depends how much you want to spend and how much you will use it.

Are the reliable? Well anything can break. I had my Optoma for around 5 years and it was pretty solid the whole time. I have heard of people that had problems, but that could really happen with any product. One thing to note, the bulb has a lifespan, usually around 2000 - 3000 hours, and then it dies. So if you used it for 20 hours per week, it would last for around 2 years. For me, I didn't use it much, so after 5 years it was only half done and I sold the projector for like $300. You can buy replacement bulbs for around $150. Good to keep in mind if you are buying used as the bulb can be worn out. 
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RedRizla
Honored Visionary
@cybereality I was looking at this projector but noticed it doesn't use DLP. What do you think 3D movies and games using this projector would be like? Cheers!

http://www.ebuyer.com/738082-epson-eh-tw5300-3lcd-full-hd-3d-projector-v11h707041?reevoo_page=2#reev...


cybereality
Grand Champion
No, I would advise not getting anything other than DLP. With that Epson, you will need to buy their brand-specific proprietary glasses, which could be expensive or hard to find. With DLP-Link, it's a standard, so you can easier find cheap glasses on ebay, etc. and they are generally better quality with no need for an emitter.

I think the ones I recommended are good and the HD142X is confirmed to be compatible with Nvidia 3DTV Play (some projectors may not work). Is there something you are looking for that those options don't have?
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