Choosing the right projector can basically cause a lot of difference and elevate your screen time. For most people, screen and video quality is the most important thing in the home media system. The reasons why some people choose a projector over a screen are many. For instance, it provides massive visuals and images. Besides, the projector is more gentle on your eyes. It doesn’t strain your eyes as the screens do.
Moreover, you get to see more details with ultimate clarity if you have a projector by your side. Besides, there are other tremendous features that you may not find on TV screens. Not all the projectors are the same, meaning you have to do extensive research before choosing the right one. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the good quality ones apart from the bad quality ones. So, if you want to have an immersive screen time and want a projector for that, keep glued to this article. This guide will provide an extensive guide on how to choose the right projector for your budget.
How to Choose a Projector?
The type of projector greatly depends upon the purpose you want it for. You need to ask yourself two questions before getting your hands on one. Do you want it for your home theater? Or do you want the projector for office purposes? Essentially, all the projectors work on pretty much the same principles. Here we will focus more on the projectors for home theaters. The few considerations you need to make before buying a projector are listed below.
Selection of a Projector Based on Your Room Size
So basically, before even looking at all the features, you need to take measurements of the room. It will help in the projector’s placement and will allow for better image throw and visuals quality. Measuring the size of your room will also allow you to choose the right throw ratio of a projector. The throw ratio is the ratio of the size of the image to the distance of the projector.
If you want your projector to throw a 100 inches screen and you have a small to medium-sized room, then you should place the projector 1.5 to 2.5 meters away. You need to check your projector if it can throw a 100 inches screen on that much distance. On the other hand, choose a projector that can throw 100 inches images on 2.5 to 4 meters distance for larger rooms. By looking at these parameters, you can choose the right projector for your home theater.
Choosing a Projector Based on the Installation Site
Before buying a projector, you also need to consider the position of installation based on your room’s setting. You should install the projector at a place where there are less movement and no blockage. You can get a projector that you can place at the side of the room so the view might not get obstructed. If you mean to do that, then you must get a projector that provides a clear and well-proportioned screen. Meaning your projector should have horizontal or vertical keystone so that it can project side images. That way, your projector can throw perfectly aligned images.
Choosing a Projector Based on the Brightness of Your Room
Another thing you might also want to consider is how your projector can perform in a well-lit room. If your home theater is installed in a brightly lit room, then you should get the projector that throws a bright image even in bright light. There are a lot of projectors that can perform in all lighting conditions. It depends on the lumens light a projector can throw. A projector with 2000 to 2400 lumens can throw a bright image in the dark to medium lit room. On the other hand, a projector with 3000 lumens can create a bright light in a well-lit room.
Some Other Features You Need to Look For
Now that you have read the above section you will have some idea about what kind of projector to buy. In the next section, we will briefly discuss some other features you should never overlook before getting a projector for your home theater. Remember, you should always look at the conditions of your room/living area and choose what’s right for it.
ANSI Lumens
ANSI lumens is the value in which the brightness of a projector is measured. Before buying a projector, make sure you get the projector with good ANSI lumens so that you can get a bright image. It also depends upon the environmental situation; if you want your projector in a brightly lit room, then go for a higher lumens projector. On the other hand, if you are okay with watching movies in a dark room, then you can go for a projector with a lower lumens value. A projector with good lumens value can provide theater-like visual effects.
Technology Used in Your Projector
The projectors nowadays basically use 2 kinds of technology to produce images. Both of the technologies have their own benefits and downfalls. The technologies that the projectors use are DLP and 3LCD. What kind of projector you need is greatly based on your personal preference. Let us see what the benefits and drawbacks of both kinds of projectors are?
DLP Projectors
In DLP, projectors, focus lenses, spinning color wheel, and DMD are the chief components. The light is projected by the light source that passes through the focus lens and spinning wheel. As a result, the colors are separated and sent to the digital micromirror device, also known as DMD. The DMD then reflects the image formed after adjusting its angle onto the screen. DLP projectors allow for unrivaled color accuracy and precision.
Moreover, there are least chances of color fading on the screen. Also, the color contrast is excellent, which allows you to see the tiniest details with ultimate clarity. However, the DLP projector does have a drawback that can not be neglected. For instance, the DLP causes a rainbow effect on the light areas of the screen due to the color separation color spinning wheel.
3LCD Projectors
Now coming to the 3 LCD projectors, these projectors are novel and use the latest technology. These projectors use 3 LCDs of different colors to separate the colors coming in front of the light source. This projector has many benefits, among which are; the production of vivid colors and more saturation in the visuals projected. One of the disadvantages of the LCD projectors is that the color contrast of its image isn’t that good.
Light Source of Your Projector
So before buying a projector, check for the light source you want. There are two types of projectors that can be distinguished in terms of their light source. That is laser projectors and lamp projectors. As the name suggests, the laser projectors use lasers as a light source whereas, the lamp projector uses tiny bulbs as its light source.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Laser Projectors
Laser projectors are no doubt the finest on the market and have many advantages. However, they do have their own drawbacks that we shall discuss in the following sentences. They are good because they produce ultra-bright images and have a long life. The laser projectors have low maintenance costs, and the light stays bright for a very long time. The only disadvantage of this type of projector is that they come with a hefty upfront cost.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Lamp Projectors
As you know, lamp projectors use small light bulbs as a light source which has many advantages, for instance. These projectors have a lower initial cost, which allows you to set up a home theater even if you have a tight budget. Moreover, these projectors project bright and vivid colors with high contrast. As for the disadvantages, it has a low life span and higher maintenance cost.
Quality of Image
The image quality of a projector determines its resolution value, contrast ratio, and aspect ratio. The quality of the projector’s image is decided by the values of these three aspects. The higher the value, the better the project is. Let us see how the values of these factors affect the quality of the image projected.
Resolution
Resolution is the number of horizontal pixels by the number of vertical pixels. The number of resolutions plays a vital role in the production of images. Higher resolution means the projected image will be clearer and high definition. If you need an FHD video, then the projector you will get should have a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. A 4k projector has 3840×1080 pixels that produce images with ultimate clarity and details.
Contrast Ratio
The contrast ratio is defined as the ratio of brightness of the light shade to the dark shade. A higher contrast ratio means the images will be ultra-clear with vivid details no matter how minuscule they are. For instance, having a contrast ratio of 5000:1 will produce clear images. The reason behind that is the light images will be 5000 times brighter than the darkest images.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio of the projector is defined as the ratio of the width of the image projected to the height of it. The choice of aspect ratio greatly depends on your personal preference. If you want a full HD video, the aspect ratio for that would be 16:9. Projectors having 16:9 aspect ratios are generally 4k projectors that have incredible image quality.
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FAQs
How do I choose a projector for my home?
To choose a projector for your home theater, you need to look for a few things. For instance, check for the ANSI lumen value and get that matches your requirement. Moreover, check for the image quality and resolution. Your projector should produce high-quality images with a good number of resolutions. Also, check for the aspect ratio; your projector screen should throw a properly aligned image.
How many lumens are required for outdoor projection?
For outdoor projection, you need a projector that should have higher value brightness. The maximum value of lumens for outdoor projection should be 3500 lumens for a 12×7 ft screen. If your projector has that much brightness, only then can it throw a bright image with ultimate clarity.
Do more lumens mean a better projector?
As you all know, more lumen means your projector can produce a brighter image. Therefore more lumens definitely means a good projector because it would prevent you from the fuss of drawing your curtains and the situation of your room lighting.
Should I get a 4k projector?
You can get a 4k projector for sure if you have the budget. A 4k projector costs more than the other ones and provides top-notch image quality. These projectors use more internet for streaming videos. Moreover, 4k projectors provide better viewing even if placed at a distance.
Which home projector is the best?
There are many great projectors for home theaters, among which the following are industry-leading. For instance, Samsung, the premier, Vava 4k laser projector, and Epson EH-TW9400 are among the finest projectors. They produce high-quality images and will turn your rooms into mini theaters.
Bottom Line
Your home theater will be incomplete without a projector if you are a fan of big screens. The current projectors have gone through a great deal of technical advancement. They produce the best image by using innovative technologies. You no longer have to go to a cinema and buy a ticket for a movie. If you have a good quality projector by your side, you can have immersive moviegoing at your homes. The above-mentioned features greatly determine the quality of projectors. We hope this article helps you in finding the right product for your home theaters.