Is This Normal? My new projector's picture is dull even though I paid for 4K

1 point by SorabAlavi 6 hours ago

Hey everybody, need some hive mind help. Finally upgraded to a 4K projector after years on a 1080p one, but I'm hitting a wall.

The image is sharp, sure, but the colors feel flat and the blacks are more like dark grays, even in a dim room. It doesn’t have that “pop” I was expecting. My setup is pretty basic: projector straight onto a light grey wall.

I know the wall isn't ideal, but could it really be the main culprit holding back a decent projector? I’ve been down a research rabbit hole and keep seeing “ALR screen” come up as a game-changer for contrast.

For those who made the jump from a wall to a proper screen:

Was the difference really that dramatic? Was it a subtle improvement or a “holy crap” moment?

Any brand/model recommendations for a living room with some ambient light? I’ve seen the brand VIVIDSTORM pop up a few times in discussions—anyone have real experience with their screens, good or bad?

Just trying to figure out if my next investment should be in a screen or if I need to troubleshoot the projector itself. Thanks for any wisdom!

ompogUe an hour ago

I've been learning my way through this the last few years. Started small and cheap, have gotten to "good enough for me" and cheap. Bought about 5 <$200, and a ~$400 low-end epson.

Looking to do outdoor video graffiti and VJing.

You appear to be thinking in terms of resolution, where you'll get better details/sharper focus the higher you go.

For projectors, I've learned to move up in lumens. 6-7k minimum.

Keeping in mind: the higher the luminous flux, the more expensive.

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Tomte 5 hours ago

> blacks are more like dark grays, even in a dim room

A projector cannot take light away. So unless your room is truly dark (no candles even), you cannot expect black. “Dim” is not nearly enough.

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fuzzfactor 3 hours ago

In some situations, each viewer having their own personal display screen would be the ultimate, but the projector is the most suitable workaround.

Other times the center of attention is intended to be drawn to the presenter, so the projector is much more suitable than individual screens would be.

There is a difference between business projectors and entertainment models. Either way to get the most out of it I would say you definitely need a high-performance dedicated projector screen, maybe check with the pros who rent the AV gear to conferences and get their advice on the ones they think work best. Without them actually trying to sell you products it should be possible to get some honest evaluation under non-ideal conditions.

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