Best Uses For A Video Projector
Home theater projectors are best for viewing Sports and DVD movies. If you watch mostly regular TV, an LCD/DLP projector may be an expensive option as the bulb would need to be changed after 1,000 to 2,000 hours of viewing (some projectors now have upwards of 3,000 bulb life; and this continues to improve). Also, make sure you have the proper room size for your projector.
Portability
Portability is important; not just enabling you to move or travel with your projector, but simplifies installation and setup. It also makes it easy to try different screen sizes, distances, and different rooms to see what works best. If your projector is portable you can even hang a sheet on an outside wall (or garage door)in the summertime and enjoy your own drive-in movies!
Brightness
Brightness: Without sufficient brightness your image will look muddy and soft, even in a dark room. Check the ANSI Lumens rating. Relatively speaking, projectors with 1,000 ANSI Lumens or greater have sufficient brightness for home theater use. Room size and screen size/distance will affect the need for more or less lumens.
Contrast Ratio
Contrast Ratio complements brightness. High contrast ratios deliver whiter whites and blacker blacks. A projector may have a great Lumens rating, but if the contrast ratio is low, you image will look washed out. Contrast ratios of at least 1,500:1 are good, but 2,000:1 or higher is considered excellent.
Pixel Density and Scaling
Pixel Density is important, especially for LCD/DLP units. As stated earlier, LCD and DLP-based video projectors have a fixed number of pixels on their display chips. If most of your viewing is HDTV, get as high a native pixel count as possible. A native pixel count of 1024x768 is sufficient for DVD. However, 720p HDTV signals require a 1280x720 pixel count to give you a one-for-one representation of a 720p signal while, as mentioned earlier, a 1080i HDTV input signal needs a native pixel count of 1920x1080 for a one-for-one representation of the 1080i signal.
If a projector's pixel count is less and it accepts HDTV input signals, the signal is scaled to fit the number of pixels on the chip. In addition, some projectors also upscale a lower resolution image to match a higher pixel count on the chip. Scaling can work both ways. Check specifications for this capability.
If the projector has a good built-in scaler, the image should look smooth, and fairly consistent, no matter what the input source is (however, other factors, such as a poor film source print, degraded VHS video, and degraded color or gray scale consistency on the source material can affect results). Scaling cannot correct for poor source material, but can make your source look as good as it can look, based on the projector's native pixel field. There are also outboard video scalers and processors than can be used, which are often preferred in high-end video projection installations, especially if the projector is being used to project a very large image.
Color Reproduction
Color Reproduction is another factor. Check for natural flesh tones and color depth. Check how colors look in the brightest and darkest areas of the image. Check the degree of color stability from input to input. Everyone has a slight difference in color perception and what looks pleasing. Look carefully.
Inputs
Make sure the projector has the inputs you need, such composite and S-video for analog sources, component inputs for DVD, and DVI or HDMI inputs for HDTV. Most projectors also have VGA-type inputs for computers.
Don't Forget About The Screen
Screens come in various fabrics, sizes, and prices. You could use that old 8mm film projection screen or just put up a sheet, but to get the most out of your projector, spend money on a good screen. The type of screen that's best depends on the projector, the viewing angle, the amount of ambient light in the room, and the distance of the projector from the screen. Consult a video screen dealer.
Price
Although prices continue to come down for all types if video projectors, be prepared, by the time you buy your projector, installation mount or table, screen, and cables, you can expect to spend about $2,000 - $4,000 for a basic setup, and between $5,000 - $9,000 dollars for a mid-range setup. A high-end setup can easily be $10,000 or more. Of course this doesn't count any interior decoration and furniture costs you may want to incur, nor the cost of the other components (DVD player, AV receiver, or Preamp/Amp Combination, Speakers, and Subwoofer) for rest of your home theater system.
Conclusion
This has a been basic overview of common types of video projectors. For additional technical and price info, check the links in the upper right sidebar of this page.
