# My first projector



## tx media room (Feb 14, 2009)

I am currently in the process of planning for my media room.

I came across a projector in Costco that looks interesting and wanted some advice:

package deal: Samsung A400 projector, 106" Screen, Ceiling Mount, HDMI & Component cables --> $900

I realize it may not be the best - what I am trying to ascertain is if it is good enough. Pkg price seems sharp to me and may be what I need to get started.

BTW my media room is about 21x17


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## seeclear (Jun 1, 2007)

Well, I'm a newb at this as well, but you need to calculate the throw distance for your screen size and the offset. I thought you might be able to do that at projector central dot kom, but I see that the projection calculator is not an option you can choose on that page. 

The throw distance is how far away the projector is from your screen, and offset will determine how far down your projector needs to be from the ceiling. You also need to think about how high you want your screen to be to calculate some of these parameters. If the projector won't work for where you want/need to mount it, it won't be a very good bargain. You may need to go to the samsung website to find that info. 

Also, be aware that Costco has changed their return policy for some of these electronic items, so you might want to make sure of the terms before you buy. Good luck!


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## seeclear (Jun 1, 2007)

OK, so it looks like the mounting distance would be 1.5 to 1.8 times the screen WIDTH, which is 96", so 1.5 times would be 144", 12 feet. 1.8 times would be 172.8", 14.4 feet. 

I don't find the offset on the samsung website, but you want to mount it low (or high) enough so that you don't have to tilt the mount and then use keystoning adjustment, as that can degrade the image.

The other parameters look pretty good, 2000 lumens, 2500:1 contrast, it is only 720p, but on a 106" screen I bet that would look pretty good. Would you use this for broadcast HD or more for playing BlueRays? I think most broadcast is still 720p anyway. BR outputs 1080p, but scaling back to 720p would still look good on a "not huge" screen.

Hope this is some help.


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## Jeff Aguilar (Apr 11, 2006)

If you can control the light in your media room, I think that this projector would work well for you. Just remember when reading reviews of this projector, or any other projector, that most reviews won't mean to much to you after you are enjoying your movies. There are always weaknesses in every projector, but most people cannot tell what they are when they are used to only seeing what is in front of them. Ignorance is bliss! There is always something better out there, but is it worth the extra money?

I have an entry level 1080p projector, and I have read many, many reviews stating the weaknesses of my projector. That never enters my mind when I am enjoying a movie or watching a TV show on it.

Jeff Aguilar


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