Home Cinema Projectors Buyers Guide

Information on Home Cinema Projectors and How To Buy the Best Home Cinema Projectors.

Home cinema projectors, also known as multimedia projectors, are becoming increasingly popular, as the user can experience the big screen from the comfort of his living room. Once considered out of the price range of the average home owner, prices have come down dramatically in the past few years, with the result that there are many affordable home cinema projectors on the market today and they are available to suit different budgets and specification requirements.

Many people love the versatility of many of today's home cinema projectors - you can use your projector for video or film input, from sources such as DVD, Div-X and Blu-Ray players; as well as for gaming, from your PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii or Xbox 360. Many home cinema projectors also allow input from television, CD players, MP3 players, computers, camcorders, digital cameras and memory sticks, which means that you can output music, photos and home videos as well as films.

Most of the middle to high-end home cinema projectors are purely projectors, however for those looking for an all-in-one unit, some manufacturers offer a projector unit with integrated speakers and even integrated DVD player. Some also include a screen in the package price.

As technology has advanced, costs have come down and a home cinema projector is now surprisingly affordable. If you are looking for a home cinema projector, you will be faced with a wide choice from many manufacturers, offering many different features. However with a little research, you can make the right choice for you based on your key criteria.

Please note that home cinema projectors are not usually suitable for education or business projector requirements as they have different specifications and features. For business or education projectors please refer to the separate Buyers Guide.

Home Cinema Projectors Guide - Table of Contents

• 1 Home Cinema Projectors Product Types
  • 1.1 LCD projectors
  • 1.2 DLP Projectors
• 2 Home Cinema Projectors Product Advice
• 3 Home Cinema Projectors Buying Tips
• 4 Popular Multimedia Projectors Brands

The two main types of home cinema projectors are categorised by the light technology that it uses.

LCD projectors

LCD projector - this is one of the older and simplest technologies for projectors and stands for Liquid Crystal Display; it is now usually known as 3LCD. 3LCD trademark is owned by Epson but licenced to other manufacturers. These projectors are usually less expensive than a DLP projector. Traditionally, the picture quality was not as good as a DLP projector however technology improvements have meant that the gap between quality - and price - is narrowing.

DLP Projectors

DLP projector - this stands for Digital Light Processing, a trademark owned by Texas Instruments and licenced to various manufacturers. It uses a light source which is passed through a colour wheel and processed by a DLP chip, which is then reflected through the lens onto the screen. Some manufacturers are also currently launching 3D DLP to display 3D content. Some users prefer DLP technology over LCD as they prefer the quality of the picture, especially as prices are starting to fall for DLP projectors.

Price

Price Info

Obviously budget will be an important criterion when choosing a home cinema projector and the price for models todays can vary from £500 to over £5000. It is therefore a question of finding a balance between features and acceptable budget. However as prices for home cinema projectors continue to fall, it is likely that you will be able to find a model at a reasonable price and with excellent quality.

However, when choosing your projector there are also features and specifications which are also very important.

Resolution

Resolution Info

Resolution is a measurement of how many pixels the projector uses to make the image and has a direct effect on the quality of the image. The higher the resolution, the better quality the image, especially when using a high quality source such as Blu-Ray or HD, but high resolution home cinema projectors are more expensive . It is therefore a question of finding a balance between good quality resolution and your set budget.

The actual measure of resolution for a home cinema projector is usually specified in one of two ways. Some manufacturers specify the numbers of pixels from side to side and top to bottom respectively. An example of this would be 1024 x 768. An alternative is when the resolution is referred to by its vertical resolution only e.g. 1080p.

Some examples of the levels of resolution available in home cinema projectors today are:

• 720p (1280 x 720) - High Definition Ready
• 1280 x 768
• 1080p (1920 x 1080) - Full High Definition

There are lower resolution home cinema projectors available but these are less popular.

Brightness

Brightness Info

Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens, which will always be mentioned in the projector specifications. Some manufacturers state the brightness in ' lumens', others in 'ANSI' and others in the full term 'ANSI lumens'.

A higher lumen specification will mean a higher brightness and usually a higher cost. As with resolution, you should find a balance between brightness and cost and it is important to note that a lower lumen specification may be perfectly acceptable for your needs.

There are various factors which determine which level of lumen rating is required, such as the lighting level in the room and the size of the screen.

Average lumens ratings for home cinema projectors on the market today usually range from 1000 to 2000.

Screen Ratio

Screen Ratio Info

A standard television usually has a screen ratio of 4:3, and a widescreen television usually has a screen ratio of 16:9, although other ratios are available. This screen ratio (also called aspect ratio) is measured in units and relates to the height and width of the television. This means that a standard television has a measurement of 4 units wide and 3 units high; a widescreen television has a measurement of 16 units wide and 9 units high.

The best aspect ratio for your requirements depends on the type of media that you will be using the projector for. 4:3 is more suitable for television programmes while 16:9 is often better for films.

Projectors are capable of displaying other aspect ratios (i.e. a 4:3 projector can display an image from a 16:9 source and vice versa) but it often leads to an inferior picture quality.

Contrast

Contrast Info

This is the ratio between the white and black parts of the image on screen and a higher contrast ratio produces a crisper and less faded image.

Contrast ratios available on home cinema projectors today range between 2500:1 on the less expensive models to 200,000:1 or more.

Projection Distance and Screen Size

Projection Distance and Screen Size Info

Each projector has a projection distance specified in feet or metres, so make sure that this corresponds with the size of the room it is to be used in.

Short Throw - a short throw (sometimes called ST) projector is able to project onto the screen at a very short distance, which can be very useful for projecting in small rooms.

The compatible screen size is also mentioned in the projector specifications.

Zoom

Zoom Info

This feature enables the user to adjust the image size without having to physically move the projector thereby offering extra flexibility.

Lens Shift

Lens Shift Info

This feature enables the user to adjust the position of the projected image, either vertically or horizontally, without having to move the projector.

Input Options and Uses

Input Options and Uses Info

While many people associate home cinema projectors with playing DVD's, most are actually far more versatile than playing DVD's. Some home cinema projectors are also compatible with:

• Blu Ray players
• Div X Players
• Computers
• Games consoles - PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, X Box 360
• Music output from CDs and MP3 players
• Photographs and home videos from camcorders, USB sticks and digital cameras

Many home cinema projectors have various input ports. These can include DVI, HDMI, component, composite, a VGA port for the PC and S video. Make sure that the home cinema projector you choose is compatible with the devices you wish to use as input.

HDMI is becoming very popular and is used for high definition sources such as PlayStation 3 and Blu Ray. Some home cinema projectors offer dual HDMI connectivity which allows two input devices for greater flexibility.

Some home cinema systems have integrated DVD players within the unit.

Speakers

Speakers Info

Most home cinema projectors are not equipped with speakers as many users prefer to install high- end surround sound speakers for the ultimate cinema experience, however there are some models which incorporate built-in speakers.

Other features and specifications which may affect your purchasing decision.

Size and weight - some home cinema models are considerably larger than others, which can be an important factor depending on how much space there is in your home cinema. Size may also be a consideration for storage purposes. Some of the lighter, smaller and often integrated devices are marketed as portable home cinema devices.

Lamp Life - average lamp life is usually between 3000 hours and 5000 hours, although LED technology projectors never need replacement. Some projectors are designed to make lamp replacement easier than others. Note also that some manufacturers quote two lamp life times, one in eco mode and one at full brightness.

Noise - noise levels, caused by the fan, are measured in decibels (dBA) and the average ranges from 20 dBA to 32 dBA. If you are using the projector in a smaller room, this might well be an important factor. The noise level may differ depending on the mode being used.

Remote Control - most home cinema projectors come with a remote control, some with backlit controls for using them more easily in a dark room.

Keystone Correction - many projectors offer this feature which corrects a distorted effect on the screen if the projector is tilted or at a slight angle. There are various levels of keystone correction - vertical and/or horizontal and at differing percentages. Some projectors detect the incline and perform the keystone correction automatically on start up.

Motorised Set-Up - some projectors have a motorised set up whereas others have to be adjusted manually.

Plug and play - with this feature, the projector automatically recognises the hardware, such as a DVD player, games console or computer, eliminating the need for it to be installed manually.