A digital video projector offers the big screen without the big TV. Projector advancements have come a long way in recent years with absolutely no compromise in quality this means they now look better then ever and have eliminated many past problems and are now actually affordable meaning the regular buyer is able to step into a HDTV projector for a reasonable price.
Things you will need:
Your Budget
Which space /room will the projector be located in
Step 1
The first thing you will want to decide upon is what type of projector do you want. The two most common and most affordable technologies are LCD and DLP. Some sensitive people may experience an effect which is refereed to as the "rainbow effect" which is unique to single-chip DLP projectors. So you may wish to seek for a demo of the unit first. Your best bet is too find a local sound / home theatre store in your local area to review both technologies first hand.
LCD projectors produce richer color dynamics for better results in rooms with ample ambient light. DLP pixels are far less visible on the screen and the projector is actually much smaller compared to an LCD.
There is also a third technology called LCOS which can produce truly amazing video and is capable of surpassing either LCD or DLP, but the price is also quite high. By 2010 prices should start to decrease as production become more efficient.
Step 2
Take measurements of the space or room the projector will be intended for and also identify the throw distance - the distance from the projector mounted on wall / ceiling to the location of the screen.
This throw distance will be related to the throw ratio each manufacture identifies for a projector, which means the distance the projector needs to be from the screen to produce a certain size image.
Step 3
The next consideration will be: Resolution and Brightness. For brightness, you will need to determine how many lumen's your projector should be. This can range from hundreds, to multiple thousands. For home theatre use brightness is not as important as resolution. For resolution, you will want to match the resolution of your projector to your signal format you will be displaying, if you intend to mainly concentrate on HDTV format a WXGA projector will be your most affordable selection.
Step 4
Chances are you will want a projector with a zoom lens. Basically, a zoom lens amount of 1.4 would translate to 40%. You probably want a projector that has a decent sized zoom rate of at least 50%. This will make things a lot easier when installing your projector and making the final adjustments. It also means that you can place your projector closer to the screen in a small room.
Now that you know what you are after better, my advice is to shop around a little. Stick with well known companies, as these provide the best quality projectors at the best prices and will also offer the best warranty deal. Check out major retail stores to visually compare projectors, or shop online to find the best deals.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember to allocate some money in your budget for a good screen.
- Investing in a good screen can enhance your viewing experience.
- Setting up a screen that can roll up, really keeps things compact and your room is not being taken over a HUGE TV that you need and army to move.
- Research the cost of a replacement lamp and find out what its life is in hours. Sometimes it can be totally frustrating to spend a few hundred dollars on a replacement lamp. Get a warranty if you can.
- Having a projector means having a VERY mild humming sound because of the fan in the projector to cool the lamp. However low it is, figure out if you like it or not.
