ViewSonic PJD7828HDL XGA DLP Projector

I bought this projector for $412.49 in July 1, 2020 as a Warehouse Deal. It came shipped from Viewsonic. Repackaged as described but with everything included and no signs of usage. This is a really good projector, even for the regular price. I'm blown away that I can have such a cinematic experience at home for far below $1000. I wanted to replace my old Epson projector that blew it's bulb after years of use. The Epson was $3000 when it was new (around 2007). It is absolutely no match for the ViewSonic! We usually put the projector on the table and run it off a notebook. So it wasn't really about building a home theater, more keeping the fun of watching movies on a big screen, especially since cinemas aren't really a happy place right now. We initially bought a Vanko Leisure 3 because of the recommendations from tech sites. That thing was a huge disappointment. I don't know if there was something wrong with the lens but I never got it fully focused. The image was laggy, and even though much brighter than our old projector, it was a step back in almost every way. So we returned it. After more research I decided to buy a Viewsonic PA503W, also a Warehouse Deal. I really liked it but it had issues. After about 20 minutes bright spots appeared. Another return. I didn't wanted to pay the full price for a replacement, so I got this one for a little over $100 more. And I can say: This is it! It's so good that I decided to permanently mount it under the ceiling. Setup: - Mount Factory Universal Low Profile Ceiling Projector Mount ($10) with removing the center link it hangs 7.5ft above the floor and projects 11ft into the room (with a higher ceiling) a image of roughly 5x10ft. - Cables are organized in a Monoprice Open Slot Wiring Raceway Duct that goes all across the beam (using 3) - Initially I had a Fire TV stick in the dongle compartment, but it got really hot in there and had some real performance issue*. It now moved to the back with a short HDMI extension and a Smays ethernet adapter, which makes it run super smooth! - USB* power comes from a RAVPower 4-Port USB Charger that currently lives inside the cable duct Quality: - It doesn't look much, especially the gray plastic around the lens, that looks like somebody recycled a 90s desktop PC. But I like the boring design. I like my tech so I'm not bothered by it, but I don't need something flashy hanging over my couch. The rear cable cover is a really nice feature. The dongle compartment is genius, but has airflow issues. This might be caused by the fact that it hangs upside down. The plastic cover itself is thin plastic with a hole. All threads are brass inserts, even the tiny screws for the dongle and rear cover. Remote is descent. It's black (white remotes are a dumb idea) and could need a background light for the keys. It comes with a laser pointer, while the PA503W had a white LED for light. - Sound: Don't use it, it's horrible. Seriously: If you really have no way to stream via Bluetooth to any sort of descent audio device, at least connect it to some active PC speakers. - Noise: Has a fan and it's not silent. It quiets down after a few minutes and I don't really notice anymore it when I'm into the movie, but the first time I turned it on I thought: Oh man that's loud. Weirdly enough it's more quiet upside down than on the table. Might be the shape or the simple fact that it's better ventilated with the ceiling mount. There is nothing that I really don't like. Especially not for the price. I wish I could utilize the dongle compartment, since it really looks neater. There is a function to switch on when it gets power. It would be perfect if there would be a way to power it down without using the remote (Jan 2021, I added an Orvibo Magic Cube Smart Wifi IR controler and burried the remote). With the Fire TV Stick it's really nothing more than an wireless on and off switch. I don't want to just cut off the power since it seems to have a procedure to cool down with the fans on before completely turning off. So far I really like my new setup. It definitely makes me hungry for more, like a better screen, and an easier audio setup, and maybe even a better projector. But for now I just can't stop smiling when I sit on my couch with a screen almost as large as a garage door! *Update Jan. 2021: The Firestick issue is solved. I got a brand new one and it performs great inside the compartment. **The USB plug on the back must be activated in the setup menu to deliver power. Odd but that's how it is.