For those of you looking at the new televisual formats the front projector seems to get missed. I must admit I have not kept up to date on this as some like Woochifer but I was highly impressed the other day from what I saw out of a Front projector system that was far cheaper and far better than some of the expensive rear projector sets.

I remember the old days of watching $25,000.00 systems in dark rooms with atrocious picture quality. The other day I was watching a $1497.00Cdn front projector with a $500.00Cdn screen. Now it was not a big big screen maybe 50-70 inches but it was quite a smooth picture a lot of resolution if not detail...similar to theater pictures which IMO is still better than super detail images that to my eye are tough on the eyes like the $6,000.00 Sony rear projectors.

Maybe I'm picky or not picky enough but what I liked about this set up is that you can actually set-up a REAL home theater sound system the way it was MEANT to be heard by having 5+ speakers of the identical make and model number across the front LCR channels. Why? Because let's say you had three B&W N801s across the front - the screen would sit above the speaker - none of that center hump I always hear.

I also like the fact that when you're not watching you don't have to have an imposing tv in the room - simply roll the screen up and perhaps have a nice painting behind(They had a screen that runs off a remote control which operates the screen like a garage door - for more money of course).

Apparently the screen has some sort of crystal system to make the picture superior or reflect light or some such stuff.

The total system under $2000.00Cdn is the best thing I've seen woithout spending a small fortune and offers the home audio advantage. The unit can take feeds from XBOX and all that stuff as well. It also serves as a slide projector.

The plasma picture is nice and all and I'm sure it is no doubt technically superior - but frankly this relatively inexpensive projector to me looked better overall - sorta more natural.

Unfortunately I didn't catch the brand of the thing at the time - wasn't a Sony I can say that much. There is probably some annoying disadvantage like expensive bulb replacements to ruin it all - but if you have not been looking at any of these things it might be worth it to give it another look because this was easily superior to the $25,000.00 thing I saw in the mid 90s - and that room was better than this cheapie one.