Affordable Viewing: The Best Home Theater Projectors Around

Do you remember the thrill of going to the drive-in or local theatre?  It was an experience unmatched.  Through the decades, technology advanced, ushering a trove of entertainment options to consumers, including VCRs, DVD players, digital streaming, HDTVs and more.

One almost needs some sort of engineering degree to understand all the options, differences, and leaps in advanced technology.  In addition, with handheld devices and phones taking away attention every few minutes, it’s difficult for people who ‘remember the past’ to bring back some of that nostalgia and simplicity, combining it with theatre-quality sight, sound and ambiance.

It’s Not Them, It’s You

Like high-definition televisions, projectors offer an elite viewing experience.  While a number of manufacturers break the threshold of offerings, most models will deliver on quality.  Yet, those who are disappointed in purchasing usually don’t conduct enough preliminary research regarding exact needs (or preferences).

For example, the Epson Power Lite offers full, 1080p and 3D viewing, but reviewers are disappointed at its lack of an audio output.  While the lack of audio would not spoil a viewing experience, those expecting to optimize audio opportunities will be left wanting.

Intention

As suggested, intention is likely to shape a well-informed consumer’s purchase.  Projectors are coveted for four viewing sources in mind: data, video, photos and games.  Prioritize these elements of content, seeking projectors suitable for intent.

A major divide is created by those seeking projectors for business and school purposes (PowerPoint presentations) or movie and gaming.  Perhaps start a web search or in-store conversation by seeking models engineered for specific purposes.

Resolution

Align a projector’s native resolution (number of pixels in the unit) with what content you will be most-oft viewing.  For example, a 1080p projector, the elite of modern-day projectors, will not be able to transform images stemming from a cable box to high resolution; many channels may remain of low resolution.

Being higher tier models, 1080p players are mostly reserved for those who love gaming and watching movies, who also have a Blu-ray or stream content from existing computer files.

Ambiance

Many people seek home projectors to emulate the ambiance of a movie theater experience.  To resemble such, consider a given room or space’s ambiance.  For example, placing a projector in a spacious family room (with a lot of light and windows) could disappoint a viewer; because, a projector’s viewing experience is enhanced by complete darkness.  Serious movie watchers usually reserve a sub-level room for viewing experiences.  Consider deemphasizing elements of light (placing a projector in a basement, reserving darker drapes for existing windows, and waiting until after sunset to view in particular situations.)

Portability

A projector could be small enough to fit in your pocket or too large to take anywhere else than the intended placement.  Like most projector options, preference warrants size.  Teachers, businesspeople and those wanting to ‘game’ at a friends’, should consider safety, practicality and integrity of the device if occasional to frequent traveling is in its future.