To enjoy a film as if we were in the cinema, normally we would have to focus on televisions with a very high diagonal (from 60 inches up) in order to effectively recreate the effect. Unfortunately, these televisions have very high prices for most people. But there is an alternative: we can use a video projector to watch films on a sufficiently large wall of the house and a canvas for projection, so as to faithfully recreate the cinema effect. In this guide we will show you all the prerequisites to be able to use a projector in the home, the characteristics that a good projector must have and to finish a guide to buying the models with the best value for money . At the end of the reading we will be able to independently choose our projector and enjoy the movies at home like never before!
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For convenience we have divided the guide into three chapters, so that we can analyze all the aspects to consider before purchasing a projector.
1) Analysis of the environment
Even before buying a projector, we will have to decide where to project the images.
We choose a wall of the house high enough and wide, so that we can project the image directly onto it without even using a canvas (obviously the wall must be white and have no paintings or suspended objects).
If the part is of a color other than white or there are paintings or other suspended objects, in this case it is better to install a retractable tarpaulin, such as the one available here -> HD 4K 3D projector screen (69 €).
This tarpaulin pulls down with the classic cord and stays in place until we pull it again, returning to the inside of the housing completely automatically.
Alternatively we can use a motorized screen, which we can close and reopen via a simple remote control; a model that we can analyze in this sense is available here -> homcom Motorized Projection Screen (94 €).
Whatever the solution adopted, remember to check that the chosen environment respects the following characteristics:
- The environment where we will use the projector must be a dark room or that can be easily darkened (curtains, blinds etc.).
- The sofa or armchair must be positioned at the right distance, multiplying the width of the image by the resolution coefficient (i.e. image width in centimeters by 1.8 with HD Ready images (720p), 1.5 for FullHD images and 1 for 4K images).
- The best results are obtained with the projectors fixed to the ceiling, suspended in the special support bracket.
- If the projector is to be placed at human height, on a support on the ground or on a lowered piece of furniture, be sure to position the sofa or armchair at least 3-4 meters from the projector (possibly behind it), so as not to warn too loudly the noises and heat emitted by the appliance.
- We will have to place the projector next to a home theater system at the height, so that we can listen to high quality sound.
Together with the projector we buy a 5.1 or 7.1 system up to the standard (with DTS and Dolby Digital support).
With these simple rules we can find the ideal environment where to place the projector in practically any home.
2) Video projector features
What features should a home projector have?
Not all projectors are the same, so before purchasing, make sure that at least these features are present:
- Resolution : the minimum resolution for a good home projector is FullHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), more than enough to reproduce anything at good quality.
If we are fans of the latest generation technologies, we can also focus on FullHD projectors with 4K Upscaling, that is, capable of adapting UHD images to FullHD projection (the images are clearly better than simple FullHD), or point directly on 4K projectors, in can also reproduce UHD content (in this case we recommend projections greater than 120 inches).
- Contrast : since we will reproduce the images in a dark room, a contrast of 5, 000 to 1 may suffice.
If the room is slightly lit or we want to watch movies even during the day, we will necessarily have to increase the native contrast up to 10, 000 to 1.
Let's not rely on dynamic contrast: it is artificially obtained with image processing, so it is better to look directly at the native contrast.
- Brightness : for dark environments a brightness of 2000 Lumens may suffice, for more illuminated environments we recommend never to drop below 4000 Lumens.
- Type of projection : currently there are three methods for image projection, namely DLP, LCD and D-ILA (also called LCoS and SXRD).
The cheapest but brightest is the DLP, while a good compromise between quality and lighting is obtained with the LCD technology.
D-ILA technology combines the advantages of both previous technologies, but the costs are high and maintenance must be carried out regularly.
Base your choices on these factors as well, so as to avoid finding yourself with a useless or poor quality projector after a few years.
- Connectivity : in order to connect the playback source (Blu-ray player, DVD player and satellite decoder) we make sure that the chosen projector has an HDMI, DVI and (increasingly rarely) VGA socket.
With these types of connections we should be able to connect any modern device and play our multimedia content without difficulty.
- Optical zoom : to be able to focus in any condition, better focus on models that offer optical zoom of at least 2x.
- Expandability : some projectors behave like real TV boxes, with the possibility to install apps on them (often use the Android operating system) and to watch streaming content without having to connect a PC or a separate device.
These TV Boxes also offer Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection in order to expand its functionality and therefore allow you to play content on-demand directly from the Internet.
If the chosen projector does not have smart features or an Android operating system, we can expand its capabilities by connecting a Chromecast to the HDMi socket, so that you can view any multimedia content from the compatible apps for Android and iOS .
3) Best projectors
After this roundup of tips, let's see together the best projector models selected from those available online.
We recommend relying on Amazon for the great assistance provided and quick and easy returns in case of problems.
- Acer H6540BD Projector (€ 490): excellent video projector with FHD + resolution, 10, 000: 1 contrast, 3, 500 Lumen brightness, VGA / MHL port, HDMI port, speaker included and Nvidia 3DTV.
- Epson EB-U05 3LCD projector (€ 493): a mid-range projector with a contrast ratio of 15, 000: 1, brightness 3, 400 lumens, 2 HDMI ports and a VGA port.
- BenQ W1090 (€ 654): medium-high end projector with 1080p Full-HD resolution, RGBRGB color wheel with 6-speed W, Audio CinemaMaster with 10 W speakers, 2000 lumen brightness and Sport mode (for fast images ).
- XGIMI H2 Projector (€ 999): high-end projector with Full HD resolution, 3D function, Harman Kardon Stereo, Auto Focus, 2.4G / 5G Dual Band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, MEMC, Android operating system and two ports HDMI.
- Epson EH-TW6700 (€ 999): another high-end projector with a contrast ratio of 70, 000: 1, brightness 3000 lumens, Frame Interpolation function and Detail Enhancement technology, 3D depth adjustment and built-in speaker.
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