Vintage Video Projectors

[Thomas Dafnides]

I do not use a video projector. But I would like to project some old vhs ,8mm and DV standard definition videotapes on to my cine screen. Would a vintage video projector from 2005-2008 be relatively , close in quality to the latest video projectors for projecting low res vintage tapes on a 60" screen ? Or for even this use, a modern projector would outshine in vhs projection that it would be worth the additional cost? Thank you for any feedback / experience .

[Melvin England]

Thomas - I, too, do not have a video projector. However, my advice to you is that if you are wanting to project video, once you have done it you will want to do it more and more with dvd's and blu ray. So, forget about vintage equipment.....just go for a decent modern machine. That is what I would do, but I am not going to at present (never say never) as it worries me that I would get spoilt re picture quality and my super 8 collection would become redundant which would NEVER do !

I suggest if you want to talk video projectors, contacting Graham Ritchie in New Zealand on this forum, would be a very good idea.

[Paul Adsett]

Hi Thomas, I can highly recommend video projection for projecting superb quality pictures on your existing cinema screen. They are excellent, trouble free, electronic devices for projection of all video material , including old VHS tapes. A video projector is guaranteed to add a new level of enjoyment to your home cinema, and there is absolutely no need for it to cause loss of interest in your existing film collection and film equipment, The two coexist without any difficulty.
I would definately recommend that you make sure to get a 3LCD projector as opposed to a DLP projector. The DLP projectors use a spinning color wheel to generate color (exactly the same principle as the old Kinemacolor film system of 1912) and some people have problems seeing color fringing rainbows with DLP projectors. Also 3LCD projectors have superior color brightness to DLP projectors. Buy a new EPSON 3LCD projector for a few hundred dollars and you will be amazed at how good those old VHS tapes look on your big screen! And you will be able to now supplement your film shows with an infinite source of films available on DVD and Blue Ray disc, most of which include amazing suplemental mateial of great interest to movie buffs. Good luck!

[Ken Finch]

Thomas, do not other with a vintage video projector. Buy a new one. There are plenty of quite cheap ones with short throw lenses these days which will suit your purposes and many of them will up scale the definition. They all have input sockets for almost every thing these days. My wife’s Women’s Institute has one which actually protects the image as l e ds rather than requiring a lamp to project an l c d image. I also has inputs for mobile phones. I also agree with Paul’s comments. I use an Epson similar to his in my home cinema. These have long throw lenses so that they can be mounted at the back of the room. The downside is the price of replacement lamps.Although they are rated for a thousand or more hours much depends on how often they are used, not just the time they are actually switched on. Certainly the Epson 3LCD are the best in my opinion and also they are not so expensive as the were when I bought mine.

[Brian Fretwell]

The only problem I can see with new video projectors is that, if you are using VHS from an old tape player, the new projestor will probably not have a composite video input and you will have to use a converter to HDMI.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

There are two things to keep in mind:

1. Used video projectors come with used bulbs that will reach their end of life soon. And many of the older projectors are using special proprietary bulbs that are very expensive (100€/US$/GBP and more). Not sure whether this is the normal price or just overpriced, but to give you an example:
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GYRKLCB...3769463&sr=8-5
2. Some of the used bulbs will be banned in the EU soon:
   https://videocentric.co.uk/news/end-...ned-in-the-eu/
   This will at least increase the prices outside the EU. But in many cases, the Chinese manufacturers will simply phase out the production a year later.

[Thomas Dafnides]

Using an hdmi converter with a rca video output to use with most modern projectors ... does this degrade the video picture ? Your experience ?

[Ken Finch]

All the new video projectors I have seen still have composite video input and also S video sockets.