I managed to lock the temptation door and throw away the key :)

[Oddball]

As far as video is concerned, budget is likely the key point to determine where one ends up. Preferences for cinematic PJ experience and screen size obviously also come to play though. Had 120" screen at one point and had TVs of many sizes, usually got the biggest size that was available at respective time. At least from my experience, "cinematic" would start after 90" size.

Mini LEDs have gone bigger, better and cheaper starting last year. They are now playing in the true cinematic space. 98" TCL 2024 flagship X955 is a serious display at "only" EUR 5K. Its bigger brother 115" Max model is "only" EUR 15K. In their respective price brackets I would go (as I did) for the TV vs PJ unless able/wanting to add at least 20 inch (hopefully more) of size for the PJ setup.

2025 was not such a great year for TCL models. 98" model got better but also more expensive (EUR 10K as new), and 115" model got some improvements in panel but huge downgrade in zone count (3K vs previous 20K) and ended up at around EUR 13K. Hisense also had similar models in 2024/5, just not so familiar with them. Samsung also jumped back in the game, but with pricing that is too high and still no DV support.

As far as micro LED, they are also becoming more serious than before. It is still in a galaxy far away for all but few HT enthusiast, but is getting closer. As absolute high end solution, Awall 162" micro LED is "only" around EUR 50K. This is about at the budget for the top of the line PJ, processor, screen etc. And while I have not seen the micro LED, something leads me to believe that PJ has little to offer against such a beast.

 

[Esprit]

Here the houses are expensive and therefore small.
For now I am happy to project on the white wall with a UST projector.

 

[Oddball]

Here the houses are expensive and therefore small.
For now I am happy to project on the white wall with a UST projector.

View attachment 458293View attachment 458294View attachment 458295View attachment 458296View attachment 458297View attachment 458298

Tell me about it. I live in small town in Slovakia, aprox 100K people, and single parking spot in the underground garage of my building is equal to price of Awall 162" TV. And I could (at least for now) park outside and clean the snow and ice in the winter.

Not really familiar with UST projectors (so did not mention them), but that is definitively an interesting class of products.

 

[Esprit]

Tell me about it.

Here a 15-meter garage can cost up to 60.000€

 

[danstahl]

I want to chime in regarding the practicality of home theatre in a room that is not dedicated (living room) and why this thread is I think resonate the basic thing that most of us seek, and eventually have to always compromise. And some compromise could turnout to be acceptable

I use Apple TV4K as source, to Denon 1700 , to an LG TV (from circa 2016), in my living room setup.
I move The previously use HK5550 to my study for two reasons
1. The remote has become less responsive in some buttons
2. I want to try Atmos (5.1.2)
All working just fine, although I still prefer Logic7 for up-mixing, the simplicity of using just Apple TV4k remote to power on/off and control the volume and browse the source, turns-out make the system way more utilized by my wife and kids.

Since the room is open concept (non-symmetrical side walls); I have three options:
1. Put the couch in 2/3 of room length, 5.1.2 - ideal.
2. put the couch against the rear wall, use 7.1 but the side surround is closer to front (between 45-55). [For music, I like it better. For movies, I don't think I miss that much, comparing, and not having height channel, so long as the surround channels put bit higher].

3. Put the couch against the rear wall, 5.1.2.
My other family members enjoy "something coming from above" better. And they prefer this setup since the more spaces between the TV and the couch gives the flexibility to do multi-tasking: play board games while enjoying music, could do group Yoga/Aerobic using more space between the couch and TV, plus study group discussing some slides / presentation rehearsals using Apple TV4K displaying content from iPad. And the way this room is utilized to become more Communal, (I prefer kids nowadays hanging around at some living room of some home with some adults / parents around, hence, my house become sort of "basecamps" for my daughters, compared to let them don't-know-where doing don't-know-what), I think that, plus I could get to know the friends of my kids, learning new things from them, as well sharing some good music from my era and theirs, that's something that I prefer.
When everyone is not home, I back to #1, set to another audio preset for that position: done.


Now, being able to do this, I once tried to get some projector, but my wife hesitated to since our previous experience (the fan noise, the durability, the more complicated setup, the cost) had not been so good. And though I really do want to put center channel behind some perforated screen, but if the setup only cause my other family members to not using the setup since she thinking about the working hours of the projector all the time; then we could just go back to TV.

Now I've been thinking about UST Projector, (albeit still no center channel behind screen), but HDMI connection could not just make my stable output for PS4 through the AVR to my TV, (the fact that maybe my TV is to old for the HDCP), but still I just can't justify the purchase due to the potential issues comparing back then when the Video Cable are separated from Audio Cable.

And since the kids nowadays don't really care whether the sound is coming from TV to AVR - Multichannel up-mix vs 7.1 direct connection to the AVR so long as they play together with their friend, and that using more modern TV I could just alternate the connection with shorter cables, we compromise with no projector.

If somehow No HDMI problems like we encounters like now, I would get the biggest screen + Projector knowing that the only problem I might encounter is just to "replace the lamp". Now seems everything is in the edge of software vs hardware compatibility. The thought of trying every cable that just works, hide them neatly, then introduce to the same problem once another electronics is change/added, or even worse, after merely software/firmware updated, make me hesitant, since to me this entertainment systems should be just an oasis with acceptable compromise, never should just be another source of avoidable nuisance.

I've given some thought to ust rear projection but haven't pulled the trigger. In theory it could give the best of all worlds: minimal fan noise since it's behind curtains and farther away from the seats, still retain the acoustically transparent screen, completely hidden protector, and easier/shorter hdmi runs.

 

[risandipra]

I've given some thought to ust rear projection but haven't pulled the trigger. In theory it could give the best of all worlds: minimal fan noise since it's behind curtains and farther away from the seats, still retain the acoustically transparent screen, completely hidden protector, and easier/shorter hdmi runs.

The easier / shorter HDMI runs indeed is considered (if the AV racks is around the front of the room).
I was wondering, is it any good with DIY acoustically transparent screen (In a dedicated (light controlled) room, compared to ALR screen ? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Oddball]

Can't help much as not a screen person, but ran across some measurements with and without AT screen (that probably is not cheap given the overall setup), and it still shows some minor impact, but as reviewer says - nothing that some EQ (if you are really obsessive) could not fix. I would imagine that quality of screen fabric would have major impact on the outcome.

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