EH-TW7000

For a completely dark room with a 3.85 m throw and a 2.8 m screen, all three options can work, but prioritizing quiet operation and consistent image quality, the Epson EH-TW7000 seems like a solid pick. It’s reliable, delivers strong color accuracy, and generally runs quieter than the Optoma UHD38x, which has had some reported reliability issues. The ViewSonic PX701-4K shines in brighter rooms, so its advantage is less relevant here. If you’re open to slightly stretching the budget, some Dangbei 4K projectors are worth checking too, they offer excellent brightness, color, and low fan noise, plus solid build quality, making them beginner-friendly for home theaters.

I have been using [this](https://www.amazon.com/Epson-V11H961040-EH-TW7000-videoproiettore/dp/B07XTWF3XV?crid=2LQVE15SEIRAV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.u-iNuJHZUHF4JM-htf2VQuGtnrM-wxMJaYmykTOX2JSOwiHBmnOkQIKF38k6_AU8txam5MBRRSZruIyGHGVCU9tIPELPr9FUeQIKDya1hPHwpKdBGDqaZsljb1Bnz50EPQEtAyN7GYu1DmW6Zvw4qSxciiihhT9i22bDxf8G8vxnnEt3vEbtgrjuG0c4VaJMlslJNOnhBt7YXn8iyQm8tdUZhzn-nj1KrfZhXoCHz0M.SOjXq7Au7iMVl0opb5lnqO60dd1cZY9mMiTwI4XaZ_c&dib_tag=se&keywords=Epson+EH-TW7000%2C&qid=1750969033&sprefix=%2Caps%2C641&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=grok43-20&linkId=fc849a5b6f8949a868716f7abbb5905e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl) version of the epson you have mentioned and it has been working great so far, I think it can be a good fit for your usecase

I have the US version of the EH-TW7000. It's indeed very bright and does well in ambient light. You'll want some amount of light control, like full curtains, but you don't have to sit in complete darkness to get a good picture. I'm not clear on why not having a warranty would affect bulb replacements. However, if you're concerned about the mercury ban, it might make sense to buy a replacement bulb as soon as possible to have on-hand. It would especially make it easier to resell in the future. What do you mean by filmmaker mode? Do you mean with no motion-smoothing and post-processing? All of that can be turned off.

I just picked up a tw7000 for £600 and it's great!

My set up was an Epson 3200 (~$1300), a Silver Ticket Screens 120” wall mount screen (~$200), and some cheaper blackout curtains that don’t completely block light from windows but dull it significantly. I couldn’t watch very dark movies or tv shows in daylight, but it was plenty sufficient for what I wanted most of the time. For something like sports games, it covered my bases well. The 3200 full price is closer to $1600, but you can find refurbished (or used) ones in the $1000 range now fairly often. I don’t think there’s a world where you can get a satisfactory set up in your max $1200 budget with gambling on used projectors online that may or may not work okay, but you might be able to get something if you’re willing to go up a couple hundred dollars. This is assuming you already have an AV receiver and speakers and are not using the tv speakers. If you need to get those as well, I think $2200+ is going to be the floor for what you want unless you’re willing to spend a lot of time searching for used equipment and taking chances on them.