# Anyone use a projector in your studio?



## jmauz (Oct 13, 2019)

I'm starting the design phase for my new studio and I'm trying to decide whether to get a huge flatscreen or go the projector route. I've been using a traditional led/lcd tv for years but I have several composer buddies in town who use projectors and they say they'll never go back. 

Anyone have any experience? And before you start talking about fan noise, I'm aware of that, so save your fingers.


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## goalie composer (Oct 13, 2019)

I'm curious what the advantages are to using a projector vs a traditional flat-screen.


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## dzilizzi (Oct 13, 2019)

Well you do need a big white space on the wall. I've seen people use a projector on other forums and they seem to like it. I don't have enough empty wall space. I find my 32" monitor to be quite big enough but I know others who love their 47" or larger screens. I think it is only worth it if you make it larger than a normal screen size.


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## charlieclouser (Oct 13, 2019)

75 inch Samsung 4k LED television for me. I've got lots of windows and natural light coming into my studio, so a projector would just look like a washed-out, dim mess. Come to think of it, pretty much every projection system I've ever seen in a studio looks like a washed-out, dim mess. In a studio, it's never going to be completely dark, what with all the computer displays, pretty blinking lights on the gear, and maybe a tiny bit of light so you don't stub your toe every five minutes - so even the most burly $25k Barco projector will struggle to compete, while any $2,000 tv will be bright and sharp.

In a completely dark movie theater with the latest technology, the projection still looks a little bit more dim and washed-out than even my Samsung TV (which has a matte / anti-glare finish), and the LG 4k OLED tv in my living room absolutely smokes any display system I've ever seen, theatrical or residential. We actually prefer it to going to any but the biggest theaters (Chinese, CineramaDome, El Capitan, etc.).

So.... yeah. Get an OLED tv if you want ultimate blacks and crispness, and can deal with the reflections from the screen, or get a Samsung LED tv if you need the lowered reflectivity of a matte / anti-glare screen. Projectors are done - unless you need to go above 85 inches diagonal, which at the moment is sort of the largest size for reasonably-priced televisions.


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## Mike Greene (Oct 17, 2019)

I have a projector in my studio, and it was worth its weight in gold when I wanted to impress a client, because the large screen justified my cranking the music up to 11. Loudness wars exist for a reason - "Loud sells." (I've had clients literally high five each other, because the experience was so cinematic.) You can't crank it to 11 if you don't have a big screen, because loud music on a small screen is a noticeable mismatch, so the projector was great. Plus the screen is motorized and comes down from the ceiling when it's showtime, which adds to the client experience.

Clients hardly ever come here anymore, though, because everything is over the internet now, so "client experience" is much less of a factor than it used to be. Plus, as Charlie said, there's a major downside to projectors, in that you have to dim the room. A lot, if you want the picture to look good. With large flatscreens so cheap nowadays, a projector can't compete on picture quality or convenience.

With that said, they still do have an upside, because that dimming of the lights does "set the scene" for _"What you're about to hear is going to be great!"_ I'm not sure how much that matters, though, because although it's fun to write about "impressing the clients," most of the time things are much more straightforward. In other words, any client who's been here more than once would probably rather skip the dog and pony show and just get straight to hearing what I've got for them.

Bottom line from my perspective on whether I would do a projector or not - I lean towards no. However ... my projector needs a new a new bulb, which is over a grand (that's a hidden expense - bulbs don't last forever), but rather than just retiring the projector, I'm considering buying a new one. (That would be my fourth.) I probably won't, but there's something very cool about them that tempts me.


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## ptram (Oct 17, 2019)

Projectors include noisy fans. They are great for reviewing, but I wouldn't use them while composing.

Paolo


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