Home Theater Projectors

Home Theatre Projector

Ever dreamed of having a movie theatre right in your living room? Home theatre projectors are the way to go. Home cinemas can be purchased in or around the same price range as other types of home entertainment systems, such as plasma or HDTV. Since there are several functions for projectors, choosing one for a home theatre does require a small amount of knowledge about the different types of projectors, finding out after you buy one that it is ideal for an office setting might not go over very well. The reason an office projector may not work as well at home has to do with lighting, the types of images being displayed, and scene motion. Movie projectors require a higher image contrast as opposed to light output, found in office projectors. One important aspect to home projectors is the need for a controlled light environment. These projectors work best in rooms that can be made completely dark and have little to no ambient light, otherwise it will be difficult to see, and the quality of image may suffer.

DLP Home Theatre Projector

One option for home theatre projectors is DLP (digital light processing). The primary advantage DLP projectors have over LCD (liquid crystal display) projectors is contrast. Some DLP projectors also offer HDTV compatibility, which is something one may want to consider if planning to upgrade in the future, or if you’re someone who just likes to keep your options open. A few other aspects that are of importance when shopping for a home theatre projector are brightness (measured in lumens), resolution, aspect ratio, and input/output.

Home Theatre Projector Screen

The second most important aspect of shopping for the perfect home theatre projector is always the projection screen. It is so easy to get engrossed in deciding which type of projector is going to you’re your home theatre needs that you may neglect to spend the necessary time and thought in selecting a screen. Consequently, exerting the effort to find the perfect projector without investing in its counterpart is pointless. Screens can be relatively inexpensive, but their value as an integral part of the home theatre experience should not be minimized. When selecting a screen, three basic aspects need to be considered: size, format, and material. Size is important because you need to determine how much projection space is actually needed; a minimum of a 30° field of view for the audience is suggested. Format should also be considered. Does the viewer want a true movie theatre feel, or do they prefer more of a TV style look? The format array to consider are anamorphic (cinema-scope) 2.35:1, letterbox video: 1.85:1, HDTV: 1.78:1 and standard video format (NTSC and PAL) 1.33:1. Lastly, material needs to be taken into account. There are four main types of screen surfaces: matte white, pearlescent, silver and glass bead. Depending upon where your theatre will be placed, as well as budget will establish which type works best for you.