Projectors
You’ve always wanted to watch that old favorite movies like you would in a cinema - big screen, total darkness and surround sound effects for maximum viewing pleasure. Having your hands on some of the best home theater projectors can relive your dreams in more ways than you would expect, all in the comfort of your own house.
Projector Buying Guide
1) LCD or DLP?
Polysilicon Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) home theater projectors control colors through 3 small panels to create truly vibrant colors with sharp images, best used for dim rooms.
Digital Light Processing (DLP) home theater projectors use a single chip with approximately 400k micro mirrors to modulate the lamp’s light and project it out to the screen, thereby creating smooth video performance with large contrast ratios for best home theater performance.
** DLP-type projectors are currently more popular than LCD-type projectors.
2) Brightness
The brightness of a home theater projector to buy, as measured in ANSI lumens, will all depend on whether there is enough ambient light on your home from windows or other lightings. A darker room with practically no ambient light will therefore not require a high projector brightness. For best experience, the home theater projector brightness should be between 700 - 2000 lumens.
It all depends on whether there is enough ambient light on your house from windows & other lightings. A darker living room should require a higher projector brightness. For great home theater experience, the brightness should be between 700 - 2000 lumens.
3) Image Quality
The 3 factors affecting image quality are resolutions, brightness uniformity and input signal source. For sharper viewing pleasure, it is recommended to go for High Definition home theater projector having resolutions of at least 1280 x 720 pixels (WXGA-H) or 1366 x 720 pixels (WXGA) which would project high quality image on large screens. However they need at least 720p HDTV signal to work best.
Brightness uniformity is defined as the % of brightness as measured from corner to corner and edge to edge. The higher the number, the greater the image consistency. Look out for brightness uniformity above 85%.
The source refers to the quality of your input signal. A low quality signal to the projector will definitely project low quality output on the projector screen. Check with your cable providers if they are able to distribute at least 720p or 1080i signal input to your house or else you may need to do some video scaling to get the best out of your home theater projector.
4) Lamp Life
The half-life for most LCD or DLP projectors are between 2000 - 4000 hours, after which they will lose half their brightness. Although still useable after that, the brightness will not be sufficient for high performance projections. It is therefore advisable to choose projector that have a higher half-life as each replacement bulb cost between $200 -$400.
5) Aspect Ratio
This refers to the ratio between the width to the height of the panel inside the projector. Most common aspect ratio is 4:3 (similar to LCD monitor or TV screen) although for high performance, widescreen home theater projection, this aspect ratio should be 16:9 as HDTV signals are broadcasted in 16:9 widescreen format.
6) Contrast Ratio
It’s the ratio between the brightest and darkest section of an image. The higher the number, the more defined will be the image. For best result, aim for at least 400:1 contrast ratio for LCD home theater projector and as high as 2000:1 for DLP home theater projector.
** Some of the best home theater projectors have dynamic IRIS that automatically controls contrast ratio for optimal viewing.
7) Connections
To get the best and sharpest image possible, the projector needs to have 1 component video input as well as 1 DVI or HDMI connection to carry true high definition signals which would be used in the future.
Projector Reviews & Ratings
We received the best projector reviews from CNET, Consumer Reports, Projector Central and Projector Reviews. Professional reviewers there tested some of the best home theater projector models from top-quality and well-known makers such as Acer, Benq, Epson, Mitsubishi, Optoma, Panasonic, Sanyo and Sony. Projector ratings based on HD and DVD picture quality plus ease of use determines the best projectors in their class.
Best Home Theater Projector (1080p)
Projector Reviews #1: Shining bright with excellent projector reviews from pros and consumers alike is the best rated Optoma HD80 1080p Home Theater Projector. If you only want the best in home theater performance, then this Optoma projector will satisfy your needs. With 1300 lumens and astounding 10K:1 contrast ratio complemented with BrilliantColor processing technology and 3-stage video processing system, you’ll experience studio-grade resolution with detailed color images that makes home theater viewing a pleasure to behold. At native resolution 1920 x 1080 coupled with widescreen format 16:9 aspect ratio, high-quality home theater experience is guaranteed from this best projector from Optoma.
Projector Reviews #2: Projecting its way to stardom with top-notch projector reviews from consumers and experts is the best rated Panasonic PT-AE2000U High Definition Home Theater Projector. Hollywood comes to town with this Panasonic projector that produces film-like images so amazing you thought you were in the thick of action. This best projector from Panasonic features Cinema Color Management technology and together with 1500 lumens and 16K:1 contrast ratio with dynamic Iris (for deeper, richer black), you’ll get smooth, high-definition pictures that will definitely fascinate you. With 1920 x 1080 native resolution at 16:9 aspect ratio, you’ll get to enjoy cinematic action up close.
Best Home Theater Projector (720p)
Projector Reviews #3: Projecting all the way to the top with great projector reviews from experts and consumers is the best rated Optoma HD70 720p DLP Home Theater Projector. For that ultimate home theater experience that will literally transform your room into a movie theater, look for this Optoma projector to provide one. This best projector from Optoma features 720p resolution projecting at 16:9 aspect ratio with 1000 lumens brightness, 4K:1 contrast ratio and BrilliantColor color processing technology to create detailed color images of ultimate brilliance so realistic that you’ll definitely enjoy every minute of it.
Projector Reviews #4: Inching its way slowly to greatness with impressive projector reviews from projector experts and consumers is the top rated Mitsubishi HD1000U High Definition 720p DLP Home Theater Projector. Versatility comes alive with this Mitsubishi projector that will project true-to-life and colorful images for the hole family to enjoy. Featuring 1500 lumens brightness and 2.5K:1 contrast ratio with BrilliantColor technology for that rich, vivid color images. In 720p native resolution projecting at 16:9 widescreen format, it’s perfect for home theater viewing. At less that $1000, you don’t have to break the bank to get one.
Projector Reviews #5: Projecting ever brightly with superb projector reviews from experts as well as consumers is the best rated Panasonic PT-AX200U Home Theater Projector. If you’ve ever wanted to put home theater experience right into your living room, then by all means get this Panasonic projector. Extreme brightness of 2,000 lumens plus Light Harmonizer 2 technology produces clearer, brighter and crisper images every time. Pure Color Filter technology produces 6000:1 contrast ratio that provides vibrant colors against deeper blacks for dynamic movie experience. With 1280 x 720 native resolution in 16:9 aspect ratio, now you get to enjoy cineplex movie at the comfort of your own home from this best projector.
Best Home Theater Projector (Projector)
Our top pick is the Sony VPL-VW100 Full HD Widescreen Projector. Combining contrast ratio of 15000:1 with 1920 x 1080 pixels built from 3 display panels provides real home theater experience for all to enjoy. 400W Pure Xenon lamp provides equal brightness output for blue, green and red colors producing trillions of colors for sharper screen quality. Advanced Iris technology pushes contrast ratio to the limit by making bright colors sharper and crisper while making sure black levels more deep and detailed. Downside - Very Expensive.
Resources: Video Projector (Wikipedia)