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The silver screen is perhaps the only thing that can beat the experience of watching cinematic content on a home projector. Truth is even silver screens rely on projectors for image reproduction.
While the price of big-screen TVs continues to drop, having a projector is still the best value for someone looking for a really big screen. In this article, we’ll discuss projects, their different types, and what to look for when purchasing one.
In the simplest of terms, it is an output device that takes a computer or video game console image, and projects that image onto a surface; in most cases, a projection screen.
Projectors have been around for quite some time now, and they’re hardly a novelty on the market. That also implies that they have evolved quite a bit from the old 35mm film types used in movie theaters.
When it comes to modern digital projectors, things aren’t as simple, especially if you’re not a tech enthusiast. In this section, we’ll try and help you understand the main difference between different types of projectors.
DLP projectors rely on digital light processing technology. This involves chips with tiny mirrors that turns towards or away from the light source, reflecting it on your screen.
The light in these projectors comes from a light source, and passes through a condensing lens. This lens then focuses the light onto a color wheel. Depending on how it’s aligned, the color wheel will only allow certain colors of light to pass through and reach the shaping lens.
The shaping lens subsequently focuses the light onto a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). A DMD is a grid of thousands of electromechanical mirrors. Depending on their position, they either direct the light to the enlarging lens or not. The enlarging lens then takes the light and projects it onto the projector screen.
DLP projectors have a pretty strong light output, which makes them fantastic home theater projector setups. They work especially well in rooms with plenty of ambient light, such as living rooms.
Liquid crystal display (LCD) technology has been around for quite some time, and it’s most commonly associated with TVs and computer monitor screens. However, it’s not exclusive to these applications alone, and it’s actually quite popular and commonly used in home entertainment projectors.
The LCD projectors comprise a light source, dichroic mirrors, regular mirrors, LCD arrays, dichroic prism, and an enlarging lens. The bulb emits a white light, which hits the red dichroic mirror and reflects it to the LCD array and into the dichroic prism. The blue and the green light passes through the red dichroic mirror and hits the green mirror, which then reflects it to another LCD array.
Lastly, the second dichroic mirror passes the blue light, which is reflected off the blue dichroic mirror to the LCD array and into the dichroic prism, where it combines with the red and green to form an image that’s then projected onto the screen.
Each LCD array is actually made up of millions of pixels which can be polarized to let a certain amount of light pass through. This allows the projector to display the varying brightness of individual RGB pixels and create an actual image.
LCD projectors don’t have moving parts, the picture quality is great, as well as the color accuracy, and despite the very high light output, the power consumption of these is relatively low.
Projectors actually use liquid crystal on silicon (LCos) backplates to modulate light and create an image. The image reproduction is similar to LCDs, but instead of using filtering mirrors and LCD arrays, the LCoS uses reflective panels, which also modulate the light.
When it comes to image quality, LCoS can typically produce resolutions that are as low as 480p; however, since it’s used in high-end applications, you’re not likely to find an LCoS projector that outputs anything lower than Full HD resolutions. In fact, most of them are 4K projectors.
Additionally, since they’re meant for home cinema applications and projecting on big screens, such as 4K UHD, they’re not really portable projectors. In fact, they can’t be classified as mini projectors either due to their bulkiness.
Buying the best projector for your application might end up being a sizable investment, so it pays to know what you’re looking for. In this section, we’ll go over factors you need to pay attention to when buying a projector.
The light source is one of the biggest factors you need to consider, and the two most commonly used light sources are lamps and lasers.
Models that rely on lamps as their light source are typically more affordable than laser projectors but at the expense of longevity. You can expect anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 hours out of them, after which they’ll become dimmer. Fortunately, the lamps are easily replaceable.
Laser projectors have a much longer life span, up to 30,000 hours. They’re pricier but require no maintenance whatsoever, and the image quality and brightness don’t deteriorate over time. Additionally, they can produce higher brightness (measured in lumens) than lamp projectors.
Resolution and contrast ratios are the two most crucial aspects to consider when discussing image quality, especially for entertainment purposes.
4K has become the norm, and it’s currently one of the best ways to enjoy movie night using a projector. However, 4K projectors with more advanced features may still sport a hefty price tag, in which case you should consider a more budget-friendly FHD device.
On the other hand, contrast ratio refers to the difference between the darkest and brightest areas of the image, and the higher the contrast, the nicer the image and the better the sense of depth. Some newer models feature High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, which offers wider contrast and brightness ranges, thus enhancing image quality.
Pricing depends on the projector type and the features a particular model has. For example, LCoS projectors are among the priciest options on the market, and DLP options are generally the most budget-friendly. The same applies to light sources, with lasers being a pricier option.
However, the pricing isn’t determined by the image reproduction technology alone. Resolution plays a crucial role, as well as various connectivity options (including Wi-Fi on more advanced models) or even built-in speakers.
Hopefully, our guide has helped you in your search for the perfect home theater projector. If money isn’t an issue, we’d recommend an ultra-short throw projector that outputs 4K resolutions and can be fitted near the screen without compromising screen size.
However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, a DLP lamp projector will undoubtedly take you through at least 1,000 movies before any noticeable difference in image quality begins to occur.
