Projectors, and the death of TV in my household

[elspeth]

This year, when my TV license fee runs out, I'm going to not renew it, sell my TV and buy a projector instead. I've been thinking about it for a while, but have finally decided now is the time... the amount of programming worth watching nowadays is absolutely minimal, and I work very odd hours so if I want to watch a whole series, I buy it on DVD because even if I video it while it's on TV I don't get round to watching it, and I tend to lose videos or tape over things before I've watched them. So, no more TV. I don't watch it enough or enjoy most of what I watch enough to justify the license fee every year. Better to buy DVDs of the films and series I want to watch and not fork out the fee for the rest of it. There are so many ghastly reality shows and simliarly banal output - the few things I watch and enjoy are also, handily, the ones that do tend to be released on DVD.

Instead, I plan to get a projector and a decent-sized screen, to hook up to my DVD player so I can continue to watch things I like enough to have bought, on a screen size that does them justice. A good set of speakers will finish the effect off nicely.

Does anyone know anything about projectors? At the moment I know very little besides the obvious... what should I be looking for when I choose one?

[bench warmer]

Apparently, I am (& others of us are also) on the Other side of the Pond from you.

What do you mean by "TV license fee"?

Is it a yearly Tax for watching TV? ...or do you just mean Cable or Satellite Dish fees?
 If  a Tax, is TV broacasting essentially under the Queens watchful eye?
(Assume you are in Great Britain) (Those of us in the Colonies have revolted for less!)

[Bob]

Check the prices on those projector bulbs.  If you're talking about a machine that can display a computer (or DVD) image like a movie projector.

I know the computer light projector bulbs are like $4-500.  The projector costs $1,500-2,000.  Then when the bulbs burns out... ouch. 

[elspeth]

What do you mean by "TV license fee"?

Yes, I'm in Blighty... over here, if you want to have a TV you pay an annual license fee for the privilege - it's currently about £120, or less if you have a black/white TV/are on low income etc in which case there are reductions. This buys you the BBC, in effect - the price to pay for non-commercial TV. You people in the colonies may well be as revolting as you say, but over here, when the BBC advertises an hour-long program, it means it, not a 35 min programme with 25 mins of ad breaks. But, to get that extra 25 mins in the hour, we have to pay for a license. And if you get caught with an unlisenced TV, you get a £1000 fine if you don't buy one very very fast...