Projector question


I want to install a projector in our "media" room and get rid of the plasma tv. It would be used almost exclusively for movies. Maybe a little gaming and a little watching sports. Here's the thing, I know nothing about projectors. Budget of $1200-$1500. Do I want LCD, DLP, screen, painted "screen", etc?

Thanks
ecruz
Close out JVC DLA-HD350's floating around as clearance demo units in Best Buy's accross the land, can be had for $1200!!! JVC will replace bulbs, fix any issues (if there were any), and supply missing remotes, feet, power cables, etc under the manufacturers warranty!!
The difference between the JVC's and the Epson 8350?..NO CONTEST! JVC is in another league! And black level is IN THE BASEMENT BLACK!!!...which allows you to use ANY white screen, white wall paint options, or DIY screens, WITHOUT having to use high contrast gray screen/black screen to help black level and contrast!! The Epson's black level is like any other entry projector - GRAY! And the rest of the image is way more refined all around on the JVC (of course, the HD350/RS10's were $5000 new!)
Compared to the over hyped Panasonic 4000u, Epson 8500/8700's and such the JVC's simply whipe the floor with those competing models! Really, they're in another league...in fact they're the Mercedes Benz of projector's under $10k.
Comes with power "everything", anamorphic, large lens and automic power lens cover, 19db whisper quiet, and JVC's unbeatable customer service. ...All else are just passanger cars trying to compete.
RE: Avgoround

Can you be more specific as to which stores may have these units?

I just spoke to a (typically incompetent) sales associate from customer service on the phone who couldn't spell JVC.

The local store's sales guy was much more helpful but couldn't locate one in any of the area stores.....
I just read "The official JVC DLA-HD350 owners thread" (the last few pages anyway) at the AVSforum.....I wouldn't invest in that projector at any price, yikes!

Do a search at the AVSforum before you buy.

Dave
Update: Just bought another (3rd) DLA-HD350 from Best Buy in Southern Cali area for $1000 plus $129 for 2yr war (includes one free bulb replacement)!! Also, JVC will replace dead bulb this demo came with, under their warranty! - amazing!!!
Sogood51, might I just state that, first, the HD350 is FULLY AUTOMATED AND MOTORIZED, unlike simpler stipped down MANUAL EVERYTHING models from likes of Epson and optoma! So, inherently, there's more right there to possibly go wrong and need service, with the much more robust and motorized JVC projectors. This last one I just bought being the 3rd I've owned, yes, I can say I already had a service issue, which was a thin blue discoloration stripe down the left side of image. However, JVC replaced optical block for repair over 2 days turn-around time, and all was perfect! NOT ONLY THAT, THEY GAVE ME A NEW REMOTE CONTROL, NEW FEET FOR THE PJ, AND A BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT BULB TO BOOT!!!..all under warranty, of course! EXCEPTIONAL customer service, indeed!
At any rate, I've been thilled thus far from not only JVC's customer service, but the image quality from these things is just amazing!..and I got em all for screamin deals too.
Beyond all of that, I see nothing on these units that would lead me to believe that these JVC's have more service issues than anything else out there. In fact, I've owned litterally more than a dozen video projectors in the past 8 years, AND MOST ALL OF THEM HAD SOME SORT OF IMAGE FLAW, ISSUE, OR IMPERFECTION - if not some sort of break down- TRUTH BE TOLD!! Let me list:

Sanyo PLV-Z1 - swapped out with replacment (pixels out)
InFocus X1 - red discoloration in one corner
OPtoma HD65 - image from chip not all the way up 16:9 view
Epson 8350 -(owned 3)all 3 had red discoloration in black
scenes/field, 1 was at least 2 pixels off 3lcd
Optoma HD65 - (currently own) 1/2 image is pinkish color
Panasonic PTAE4000U - no issues to report(lacked image pop)
Mitsubishi HC6800 - 1/2 image was bluish hue/darker
JVC HD350 (owned 3ea) one service issue,fixed jvc -perfect.
I'm just saying. I don't think I believe for a second the JVC's are more prone to issues than anything else. They're fragile pieces of machinery by nature. So undoutedly you'll find issue across the board with this catagory over most anything else, in my experience. Some might differ, I'm sure, though.
The thing is that once its set up the motor zoom and shift mean nothing so itsaves a few steps? Big deal! I had a manual and now a full motorizied unit and it really means nothing after the first setup. I could see if maybe its not ceiling mounted that it gets moved or bumped I suppose.