How To Choose Home Projector

When choosing the right home projector for your needs, there are several things that you should keep in mind before finalizing your equipment. To get the best possible results from a projector, it is mandatory to know the requirements and the place where you are willing to use the projector. It is not necessary that a certain brand or a projector with certain specifications, working great for someone you know will also work great for you. It depends on room size, lighting and many other factors. But most importantly and the first step towards choosing the best projector is choosing the right type of projector technology.

Usually there are two main types of projector technologies which are used by the home audience. The first DLP projectors and the second are LCD projectors.

After selecting the right type of projector technology, it’s time to look at other specifications of projectors which will help you to attain the best possible projection results. Also go and look at how does home projector work – Click Here.

Following are a few questions you need to ask yourself before identifying the best projector for your needs:

How much brightness do I need?

To get the best possible result from your projector, first you need to identify the amount of brightness you require from your projector. Projectors works differently under lights as compare to dark rooms. You will have to select the right projector according to the ambient lights on your room.

The brightness of the projector is measured in lumens. Usually you will find projectors ranging from around 800 to 3000 lumens. If the room for your home theater is dark or there is no ambient light, you can select projectors with less lumen.

But if you are looking for projectors which can work great under lights or you have placed your projector in a place which has plenty of ambient light, you should consider projectors with high lumens. It also gives you a smooth and uninterrupted experience while watching your video, etc. Sometimes you have to open light or someone might open your door or window, so projectors with high lumens make sure your experience is great throughout.

What is the distance between my screen and projector?

One of the most important factors in achieving the best projection result is choosing the right projector, according to the measurement of the distance between your projector and your screen.

You have to check the throw distance in specifications of your projector. Make sure you are choosing the right type of projector according to your specific needs.

Projectors are divided into two categories when it comes to throw distance. Long throw distance and short throw distance, projectors. Long throw distance as specified by its name has a long throw distance, and may require a lot of space between projector and screen. While on the other hand, short throw projectors require less distance between projector and your screen.

If you are looking for big screen experience in rooms where it is not possible, because of the space, you can select ultra-short throw (UST) projectors. They can be placed right beneath your screen.

Where will I place my projector?

After identifying the best projector with regards to lumens and throw back distance. It’s time to select the position of your projector. You don’t want any obstruction between your projector and your screen. Obstruction can occur in the form of furniture, etc., or simply by people moving in between the projector and your screen.

It’s not such a smart idea to move around your whole furniture or ask people to stop walking in front of your projector; it’s better to choose a projector which can be aligned to horizontal or vertical angles so it could be more convenient for you and people, who have to move around the room.

You can go for projectors which can be mounted to ceiling or projectors which you can place at the side of your screen so there is no obstruction.

How much resolution do I need?

This is typically based on your taste and your needs. The higher resolutions you go for the better projection results you will get.

Usually you will require 1280 x 768 resolutions for a video with 16:9 aspect ratios. But if you are looking to play HDTVs, blu-rays or other high definition media you will have to buy projectors with high resolutions to get best possible results.

Is there anything else I need to know?

While we have discussed the main technical aspects involving in choosing the right projectors; but here are some other things which you should keep in mind: Lamp Life: The LCD and DLP projectors use lamps for light. These lamps can depreciate with time, which can affect the brightness of your projector and you might have to replace them. Consider it in your budget for maintenance.

Native Aspect Ratio: The native aspect ratio is the size of your projection result or in simple words, the rectangular box in which your image or media will display.

You would want to choose the right native aspect ratio to avoid or minimize the blackness on your screen. Different media is made on different aspect ratios, the closer your aspect ratio is to the media’s aspect ratio, the lesser the black spaces on your screen.

Some of the common aspect ratio for projectors is 16:9, 16:10 and 4:3. The most popular aspect ratios used these days for consumer video display is 16:9; it is standard HD TV format. The 16:9 native aspect ratio projectors are designed for home experience/theaters.

So you have to select the right native aspect ratio for your projector. You can watch videos and media of other native aspect ratio on your projectors as well but selecting the right specifications for yourself can reduce the black area around your image and give you a better visual experience.

Conclusion

After going through the article you will understand that the best projector for your home depends not just on the specifications of the projector but can vary on technical aspects as well. It is always better to set an appointment with a professional so he can better understand your requirements.