Best Projector for Home Use: All you Need to Know

Televisions are slowly taking the backseat as more and more entertainment options are available. If you want to avoid setting up a TV at home, you can always go for a projector, which takes up less space and offers better, more enhanced visualisation. Further, a projector provides almost the same experience as watching a movie in the theatre. So, you do not have to leave your home to spend quality time with your family and loved ones.

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But with so many options available in the market, how to know which will be the best projector for your home? Prices of home projectors may vary widely. There are several other things to consider, like the type of image, technology, and extra features. No worries! This article underlines all the major things to consider while making your choice.

See also: Tips for designing an entertainment room at home

Choosing the best projector for home: Things to consider

Here’s a list of all the factors you should take into account before choosing a projector for your home.

Size of the room

The first consideration will be measuring the size of the room you plan to install the projector in. What is the maximum distance between the spot where you will place the screen and the projector? How far will the seating be? In regular, small or medium-sized homes, the average distance between the projector and the screen should be 2 metres- 2.5 metres. This can be extended to 4 metres for a 100-inch screen in larger homes.

The Epson EB-S41 SVGA Projector is one of the best models for small and medium-sized rooms. Its LCD with a brightness of 3,100 lumens will give you an HD picture quality of resolution 1920X1080. It also allows zooming up to 1.35x. But the best thing about this projector is that it is invariably low-priced at Rs 28,519 only.

The BORSSO TM Moon 7.1 HD Wi-Fi YouTube Projector has an LED display with a brightness of about 3000 lumens. It is one of the best projectors for gaming and watching movies on a 200-inches screen. Plus, the projector offers connectivity with Android phones and a cross-platform streaming experience.

If you are looking for a high-tech experience in your large room, you can go for the Anker Nebula Smart Wireless projector, compatible with Android 7.1, to let you play content from your smartphone. Once charged, this projector can give you 4 hours of movie or gaming experience consistently. Its quick charge technology allows it to charge faster than many other Smart projectors.

Light technology

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All the advanced projectors use three leading light technologies – LED, lasers and UHP (Ultra High-Pressure lamps). UHP projectors are the most common of these, followed by LED and laser light ones.

The best thing about UHP projectors is they are relatively inexpensive and ultra-bright when new. However, the brightness degrades over time, and if you do not change the lamp, the projector will lose its brightness in a few years. LED and laser light projectors are more advanced and durable. They can be costlier than the UHP ones but last longer with the same brightness. Some projectors also use both technologies and are quite trendy.

The LG HU85LA Laser projector completely complies with this preference with its 7.2 inches ultra short-throw distance, Dynamic Tone mapping, and LG’s spectacular TruMotion technology. Irrespective of the size of the room, you are bound to get stellar picture quality with this product. Further, it is considered the best projector for iPhone lovers, as it has in-built voice assistants and smart functionalities.

The Optoma CinemaX P1 Laser Projector stands next in line with its NuForce soundbar and 4K resolution. It is a smart home-compatible device that is not too expensive. This product will give you an experience equivalent to the movie theatre with its dual woofers and ported chambers. Add to it the 3000 lumens laser light that enhances each detail in picture quality and you’ve got yourself a cinematic experience at home.

Lumens: What are they?

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In a projector, lumens generally represent the amount of light the device can create and how bright the resultant image will be. For example, a 3000-lumens projector will provide more colourful images than a 2000-lumens product.

However, there are products of 3100 lumens as well. You will see little difference between it and the 3000 lumens one. If your room does not have much lighting and is small, a 2000-lumens projector will work fine. But for a larger, brighter space, lumens of 3000 or above will assure the best picture quality.

Where to place the projector?

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The best projector for your home is determined by its specifications and features and how it will adjust to your room. Hence, it is essential to consider where to place it before shopping for the best device. The single-chip DLP projectors have little or no lens shift. It means that you have to move the device every time you want to adjust the height of the image. These projectors also have an upward throw, meaning you must mount them on the ceiling or a coffee table. Hence, looking for a projector with considerable lens shift is better.

Then again, most projectors have a limited zoom range, so you have to check that out before you buy one. If you have a larger room, buy a high-end model with mentioned distance calculators in the product specifications that you can refer to before making the purchase.

FAQs

How to determine high picture quality?

You have to consider factors like brightness and contrast ratio along with resolution. A 4K resolution on a 100-inch screen is fine, but to get the best-quality image, you should consider buying a bright projector with high contrast ratio and, of course, a 4K resolution.

Can I get a 3D projector?

You can get 3D-capable projectors without the glasses.

What is a short throw?

A short-throw projector can be placed close to the screen to get the exact size image. In long-throw projectors, you can place them as far off the screen as possible without altering the size of the picture.