Iv been looking around at them all, but its all so confusing.
Tell me some things about bulb life, lcd vs. DLP, different brands.
i have about $800 to spend on one, i have found some decent ones, but mostly ill use it for watching movies and playing my 360.
bulb life blows pending the projector.
i’d be more concerned about where it’s going. so…where’s it going?
optoma projectors are pretty cheap, but run super hot, and i noticed shitty bulb life on the HD80. i would imagine the operating temp would have some correlation with the bulb life. i just installed a mitsubishi HC1500 to replace a optoma HD80 in one of our studios. it seems alright so far. it’s near your budget.
take into account the room you’re putting it in. specifically, throw ratios, screen size, viewing distance, and ambient lighting.
i’d recommend something over 1000 lumens. most people who do a projector setup want a big ass screen. if you are sitting less than 20 feet away from a 70"+ screen, you’ll probably want a 1080P projector. as far as i know, you won’t find one in your price range. however, 720P is still a good picture.
if i were you i’d save some more scratch and do it right the first time. let’s get some details on the room layout first though.
The one thing I wish I had checked before I got my second projector was the type of bulb it used. My first one used pretty generic $4-$15 a piece, but the life was only around 200 hours.
The newer projector uses 20,000 hour bulbs at $200-$350 a piece!
Which is why the new one sits in my closet, while the old one gets used.
well i have 2 rooms it will be used in, neither which are very big, both are around 11x11, one slightly larger.
i dont need one that great, i would like a 1080p, but for one of those im looking at around 2k.
i also need one with inputs for components, rca, svideo, hdmi, etc.
basement rooms with no lights or a sun room with 17 picture windows?
ones a basement and the other has one small window, which usually doesnt produce too much light, it has an air conditioner and the blinds are always closed.
how does this one look?
it looks like you just fell off your motorcycle. i say buy it.
why do you say that?
I hope you meant the new one lasts 2000 hours otherwise you really suck at math.
$10 bulbs that last 200 hours = .05 cents per hour cost.
$275 bulbs that last 20000 hours = .01 cents per hour cost.
If it really is 2000 hours then…
$275 bulbs that last 2000 hours = .14 cents per hour cost.
But really, even if you watched 4.5 hours of TV a day, 365 days a year, the expensive one would cost you about $230 a year to run. And I seriously doubt you’re watching 4.5 hours of TV every single day on your projector. Break out your nice new one and enjoy it you cheap bastard. 
I’ve got a AE900u which I’ve had for almost 4 years now; 720P unit, but still looks really really well on a 120" diagonal screen. Bulbs run about $300 but I got >3K hours out of my 1st one before it failed. You can pick up one of these units with either no or low hours for right around your price range. 1100 lumens, 5000:1 dynamic contrast ratio; HDMI and Component inputs. It is a 3-LCD projector though, not a DLP.
With the older and/or cheaper DLPs some people see a rainbow effect (I’m one of them).
I’ve been using a HP VP6320 for the past 3 years, works great bulbs are still around the $300 mark. However I’m still sub 2000 hours on the first bulb. It’s a DLP unit, no one has noticed the rainbow effect unless you move something in front of it quickly. I bought it more for PC usage.
However it has been working quite well with 720p, or 1080p inputs as well. Just note you will need a darker room for it.
Hah, you’re right 2000 hours, not 20,000 durrrr
But seriously, how about this cost analysis:
Projector-$590
Bulb-$424.35
So in the closet it stays!
^ Sell your projector cheap then 
Make me an offer :hay:
150 bucks