Once only available to the fabulously wealthy, units that previously would have cost thousands of dollars can now be had for as little as $899 on certain websites; and the quality of home projectors is constantly improving.
If you, like many of your fellow Americans, have lately found yourself a curious spectator in the burgeoning home-projector market, you'll want to do lots of research before you commit to one model. A cursory understanding of the technology behind the pretty lights and colors is necessary to ensure that you have the right model for your budget, your uses, and your space.
Currently, there are three dominant, distinct projection technologies. Each type will display colors, images, and brightness differently; and the prices will vary accordingly.
Digital light processing (DLP) technology uses one tiny mirror per pixel of graphic information. Each mirror is angled to display precisely the right color. Images from DLP projectors tend to be brighter and clearer than from other types, and this technology is the acknowledged growth area in the market. These projectors are among the lightest available, making them ideal for transportation. They are also the most expensive.
A second available projector technology is single-panel thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display, or to use the much-needed acronym, TFT-LCD. These projectors will shine light through a panel of translucent LCDs, which direct the light over the correct colors. Because the technology approximates what you'd find if you took apart your high school trig calculator, these models are some of the least expensive on the market. However, the low price might not be worth the reduced color quality. Before you settle on a TFT-LCD projector, be sure that this is the right choice for your home theatre.
Another type of projector is a variation and improvement on the TFT-LCD models. Dubbed polysilicon LCD, or 3LCD, this kind of projector will have three LCD panels rather than just one. Each panel is a different color—red, green, or blue—and the colors are much more accurate. The catch with this technology is that the user trades color quality for brightness. This may not be an issue if your goal is to watch movies and sporting events in a mostly darkened room; make sure you check out the exact brightness before you commit to a purchase.
Speaking of brightness, this is one of the more important factors in your projector purchase. When referring to these products, brightness is measured in lumens. The more lumens, the brighter the image will be. Greater brightness allows for a larger projection. Again, in the average American living room on an average Saturday night, a relatively low brightness—around 1,000 lumens—is more than sufficient.
If you have a larger room or want to be able to project images while the space is brightly lit, you will require much greater brightness. However, more lumens means more dollars, so shop wisely.
Now that you have a rough idea of how many lumens to shop for, take a look at resolution. What you need in this department will depend on how the projector is hooked up. If you're using data from your laptop with a standard 1,024 x 768-pixel resolution, your projector needs to be able to support that. Again, higher resolution will equate to a better picture and a higher price.
There are many other factors to consider, but these three—DLP vs. LCD technology, brightness, and resolution—should be enough to start shopping! Additional research on factors such as throw distance, contrast ratios, audible noise, and special features may be useful to inform your decision.
Before you buy, read lots of product reviews to find exactly what you're looking for; and remember, technology will continue to improve, and prices will keep falling as the months pass.
One product currently in favor among technology reviewers is the Epson MovieMate 25 Projector-DVD/Music Player Combo. The coolest feature about this plug-and-play model is its built-in DVD player and self-amplified speakers, which saves users the hassle of figuring out audio and video connections. It can also read other kinds of files, such as JPEG and WMA. Audio and video inputs allow for playing video games or home movies.
Starting at just over $1,000, this unit is equipped with 3LCD projection and 1,200 lumens, which allows users to project even in moderate light or outdoors. This projector features a 480-pixel resolution, and the MovieMate is packaged with an 80-inch pull-up screen and carrying case.
For higher resolution (720 pixels), check out the Epson PowerLite Cinema 550. With more contrast and greater brightness, this unit is definitely more high-end, with the price tag to match: It can be purchased for around $2,500.
The projectors in the InFocus Play Big series are also creating a fair amount of buzz in the gadget-geek trades. The IN74 is a DLP projector with a 480-pixel resolution; the IN72 uses the same technology to achieve a 720-pixel resolution.
Featuring a swivel base and adjustable zoom and focus, these units are also among the coolest-looking projectors around. Critics warn that consumers may be paying more for the flashy packaging; but priced at around $1,200 and $2,500, respectively, these projectors should be right in line with the rest of the market by the time they're released in the first quarter of 2006.
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