HTPC projector advice?

[Joduko]

Our 55 inch TV from 2014 has died and I'll be honest we're just not in the greatest economic shape to shell out a few hundred dollars for a display of the same size, but the wall behind where the TV once sat is free of all obstructions which got me thinking "maybe we could just get one of those sub 80 USD projectors on Amazon". It's not like I care about video quality much since we only used the TV to watch youtube/twitch with the old PC we hooked up to it.

 

I think my biggest question is for such a setup to work, what are the best mounting positions for the projector itself? Can it just sit on the entertainment center where the TV sat or does it need to be back further from the wall? Maybe from the ceiling closer to the middle of the room? Or all the way in the back of the room behind the sofa?

[Kilrah]

There should be specs for the distance to screen and resulting screen size, but will typically need to be 1.5m or more from the wall. Will likely have to actually have it in hand to define what's an appropriate size (if any) for the real brightness since the brightness specs are complete BS on these things.

Will pretty much only be viewable in very low ambient light.

[Joduko]

3 hours ago, Kilrah said:

There should be specs for the distance to screen and resulting screen size, but will typically need to be 1.5m or more from the wall. Will likely have to actually have it in hand to define what's an appropriate size (if any) for the real brightness since the brightness specs are complete BS on these things.

Will pretty much only be viewable in very low ambient light.

Understood.

[IPD]

If you're spending $80 on a projector, you get what you pay for.  The picture will be vastly inferior to your 55"--in every conceivable way except perhaps size.  Chinese knockoff projectors all list hyper-exaggerated brightness figures, and most lack even rudimentary adjustments other than a manual focus ring.

 

At the point at which you figure out mounting options and requisite wiring--you're going to wonder why you didn't shop FB marketplace or a local Goodwill store to buy a used TV--for the same amount of money you spent.  A $20-30 camera tripod might hold up the projector fine, but you'll be stringing cables across the floor, etc.

 

Additionally, a bare wall is not ideal for any projector.  And with the minimal amount of light output that is likely coming from a crappy Chinese projector, you will want as much screen gain as possible.  You can get paint or pre-grommeted screens to hang on your wall--but again, this will cost money that you are desperately trying to scrimp on.  And the bigger the display you want from it, the dimmer it is going to be.

 

I'm just trying to warn you.  There is a LOT of trash-information and marketing propaganda out there.  It's not that you aren't going to just get low-quality.  It's that you may well end up wondering why you spent the money in the first place.

[IPD]

P.S.

I have an AAXA M7 and a 100" foldable screen.  Total price was <$600 (audio not included).  That's about the minimum quality I can heartily recommend--even for a semi-permanent setup.  And I don't need blackout curtains to make an underperforming Chinese projector minimally visible.