Auburn Tech

Home Theater Projector Buyer’s Guide

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:14:55 +0000

It is important to compare values for resolution, brightness and contrast ratio when buying a home theater projector in an online store in order to get the best deal possible.

Resolution is defined as the number of pixels that the projector produces. Thus, the higher the resolution is the sharper the image will be. Resolution is written in two numbers: the first one refers to the horizontal pixels while the second set of digits indicates the vertical pixels. Like for instance, 800 x 600 resolutions and 1024 x 768.

AMSI Lumens which stands for American National Standards Institute is the one responsible in measuring the brightness or light output of a projector and determines how well you see the projected images in a brightly lit room. The more number of lumens, the brighter and larger the image will be. If the projector does not meet the requirements of the computer being used, the projector will automatically compensate by making the picture a little bit smaller. Higher values of search lumens projectors are more applicable to be used in a well lit room.

In buying home theater projector, it is wise to choose those with higher contrast ratios in order to provide images with true high definition. Be sure that the projector will come with an adjustable lens in order to have an ultimate viewing pleasure.

A good projector size should generally be between five to seven pounds. The size this small enables the projector to be placed under the bed or in a carrying case.

Those are the basic things that need to be covered when buying for a home theater projector. Projector prices can range from $500 and $3000. However, there are several online stores, such as eBay, that offer projector at a discount rate of $500-$600. This will be more than enough to meet all of your requirements.

An Introduction to Home Theater Projectors

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:15:04 +0000

The introduction of high quality home theater projectors in the market makes watching movies at home more pleasant and entertaining. With the large screen and darkened room, you will be able to loose yourself in total abandonment with the movie you are watching. There are several positive elements that a home theater projector offers in comparison to TV.

Utilizing the home theater projector offers an excellent screen size and price ratio. There are various large projectors in the market at an affordable price. The screen of a projector consumes less space and weigh less compared to a television set having similar size of panel.

On the other hand, an individual who owns a home theater projector must know that there will be a poor effect on contrast and color rendition when using a projector with the lights on due to the light hitting the screen. You will not be able to visualize the scenes projected on the monitor.

The screen is the second highest important element in a home theater projector. There are various screens available in the market so it is important to select the best one. It is worthy to note that common matte screens provide a more natural looking picture compared to reflection-type screens.

It is essential that a projector and a screen should be aligned during the installation process. There are many choices of accessories that will assure that they are in proper alignment.

The cooling system that comes with every projector is usually noisy and collects dust on its filter. Noise destruction can be minimized by choosing the low-noise model. However, with the modern type of home theater projector it comes with relatively quiet cooling system.

To maintain the efficiency of home theater projectors, it is a must to provide periodic maintenance such as cleaning the lenses, brushing or filtering the filters. Replacing the lamp is very much expensive so careful and deliberate attention should be given to it.

Purchasing a home theater projector is, indeed, an investment and an exhilarating experience for the entire family.

How to Compare DLP Projectors

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:16:11 +0000

DLP is short term for digital light protection. This is the usual type of projectors used in modern home theater setups. The DLP home theater projector has the capacity to project a fully high-definition, 1080p-resolution image onto a screen. Considering the fact that there are several choices of DLP projectors in the market, you must take certain things into consideration to get your money’s worth. Otherwise, it will become a tragic experience for you and your family.

The first thing that you are going to do is to look at the maximum resolution of the DLP projector to ensure that you get true high-definition picture quality that supports 1080p. There is nothing better to have from a DLP projector than this.

Second, you need to look at the cost of replacement lamps as these lamps come with expensive price tags at approximately $200 each. Furthermore, investigate the lamp’s life expectancy because no matter what type of projector you buy, you will eventually come to a point of replacing them. Before a lamp is to be replaced, it should render no less than 10,000 hours of service.

Third thing to do is to check the various inputs found in your projector. These inputs will distinguish whether the projector can project various videos from different sources onto your screen. Usually, only those expensive DLP projectors will give clearance for connection with various devices.

And lastly, it is important to look at the maximum size image capacity displayed on the screen. Make it certain that this maximum size projected by your projector matches the size of the screen.

Taking all these factors into consideration will give you assurance that you will make an informed choice in comparing DLP Projectors. A home theater projector with a price of $1,000 will afford you to have an exciting experience of watching movies at home.

Choosing a Home Theater Projector Screen

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 19:17:18 +0000

Choosing the right screen is equally as important as choosing the right projector. Committing the mistake of choosing the wrong screen will lead to a decrease, if not ruined, home theater experience. It is very vital to select the right screen in order to make images more vivid and alive, thereby increasing everyone’s pleasure.

In selecting for a home theater projector screen, the size of the room and the size of the people watching the videos should be taken into consideration in order to come up with the best size of a projector screen. Generally, the usual measurement is that the height should be one-sixth the distance from the screen to the back row seating. It should also be placed two screen heights away from the viewing seating. Then, the bottom edge of the projector should be four feet from the floor or at a level where the middle of the screen is just above eye level for the majority of viewers.

Choosing for the aspect ratio of the projection screen depends on the purpose of using the projector. If the purpose is to simply watch movies, then the wider 16:9 screen size is more suitable. But if you plan to use the projector for small presentations only, then 4:3 screens will be enough. The most common screen dimensions are 16:9 and 4:3.

Determining the right material for the projection screen is also essential in choosing a home theater projector screen. This will depend largely on two factors: the type of projector used and environmental characteristics of the room. If the light inside the room can be controlled, the best screen is that of matte screens. These screens do not fail to provide a pleasant movie experience.

Choosing a home theater projection screen is moderately difficult as you need to watch for lots of things. Otherwise, a poorly chosen screen will lead to incompatibility problems.

Home Theater Projector Installation

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:51:05 +0000

Installing a home theater projector is not as hard as one might think. The key element here is to have enough preparation even before the projector is purchased. You need to have a thorough analysis about the installation in order to enhance your experience of the technology and prevent it from only becoming a nuisance.

Every projector has their own variation in throw distances and offsets. A throw distance is defined as the distance between the size of the image projected and the distance of the projector to the screen. On the other hand, offset is simply defined as the drop from the ceiling in relation to the height of the projected image on the screen. Taking the above definition, it would be wise to start sizing up your room so that you will have an idea on what projector size best suits your room. This will also make it easier for you to choose a projector.

There are two approaches in installing your home theater projector. The first approach is to install the projector first and the screen next. The other approach is to mount the screen first followed by the projector. Regardless of which approach you choose, it is important to maintain proper alignment of the projector with the screen or make them as close as possible. And for aesthetic appeal, it would be nice to put the screen at the center of the room.

Make sure that in mounting your projector you have accurately measured the absolute center of the screen in relation to where the projector is to be mounted. Install the projector mount and pulled your cables into position then take your projector and put it in place by snuggling up the bolts tightly.

Installing your own home theater projector is certainly an exciting and a challenging task to do. But definitely its worth your time and effort as you can save money from the installation cost.

Home Theater Projector Accessories

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:52:26 +0000

In order to have the optimum experience of using projector for your home theater, it would be wise to purchase projector accessories. Thy will not only enhance your viewing, but also provide better care of the projector.

Not all projectors are portable; there are some projectors that require fixing in one place. In order for the images to be viewed well, you also need to fix the screen in one area. To achieve all these, the projector accessories that you would need are projector mount and screen mount.

It is vital to decide where to place the projector and screen before buying a projector mount. You must do this strategically in such a way that they will complement your home theater interior design. It is important that they will not transform your place into something smaller or project a cluttered look.

A projector is useless without the use of a screen. The most common projector screen used is the fixed screen. There are various options when it comes to screen mounts. You have a choice between wall mount, a ceiling mount and a floor mount. It is wise to choose the ceiling mount screen if you have children at home so that its safety is ensured. On the other hand, if you have a limited room space, it would be better to use wall-mounted screens because they are retractable so you can easily pull them back when not in use. This type of projector screen, however, is quite expensive compared to the others. It is very vital that the projector screen is compatible with the projector.

Another very important accessory for a projector is the lamp. It is unavoidable to replace your projector lamps as they have a lifespan to observe. There are even ties when a projector lamp simply fails unexpectedly. When buying you need to buy one that is compatible with your projector. Otherwise, it will be useless because it will not work.

All these accessories will certainly make your life easy while enjoying the benefits your home theater projector gives you.

Sony’s New Full HD Home Theater Projector

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:54:21 +0000

Sony is one of the most respected and famous companies in the business industry which offers an extensive line of products made from the highest quality. One of their specialties is manufacturing competitive, top of the line home theater projectors which are already tested and proven globally. Sony has the capacity to compete with other brands in terms of using high technology. The company is able to produce a new high-contrast, high-definition projector, adding more options for those looking for a true cinematic home theater experience.

The new VPL-VW85 projector features a full HD 1920 x 1080 progressive Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD(TM)) and 24p True Cinema(TM) technology, making every experience of film viewing exceptional. The staggering high dynamic contrast ratio of 120,000:1 and brightness of 800 ANSI lumens will surely amaze everyone in the planet.

Sony’s new full high definition home theater projector is specifically designed with the custom installation market in mind. Its lens shift function is motorized and fully adjustable that offers many options of installation and projector adjustment without ever distorting the projected image. Furthermore, the VPL-VW85 has the capacity to be set up in various environmental setting because its lens has a 1.6x motorized zoom with horizontal and vertical adjustment.

What’s amazing about this product is that it provides exceptional clarity and resolution for fast moving images because the projector has an additional Sony’s Motionflow(TM) 120Hz with black frame insertion technology. The Sony’s Anamorphic Zoom Mode which when combined with an external anamorphic lens will make home theater experience very much enjoyable.

Buying Sony’s new projector is quite an investment to make. You will never worry when you experience an unexpected technical problem because you can always access CEDIA certified technical support hotline for all troubleshooting and is eligible for Sony’s Advance Exchange program.

Home Theater Projector – Optoma HD70 DLP

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:11:43 +0000

Optoma HD70 DLP home theater projector possess its own distinctive characteristics that makes it one of the best products on the market. This home theater projector is made available to every homeowner because it is sold at an affordable price with the same efficiency in performance. It is considered as the lowest priced projector available with an impressive 1, 280-by-720 resolution.

Optoma HD70 DLP projects a stylish, sleek look. The remote of HD 70 is one of the best in the business. Its remote is backlit and has direct input-access buttons. It is a pop icon designed and manufactured for the home theater projector generation as well as properly labeled all throughout.

Setting up Optoma HD70 DLP projector is quite challenging because it should be mounted and that the throw angle should only be a few inches away from the ceiling. The brightness emitted by HD 70 reach a maximum of 23.31 foot-lamberts. This is higher compared to other projectors. It has also an acceptable and decent black level at 0.008 ft-L. Combining the two will create a contrast ratio of 2,914:1 which is far better among other high-end projectors in the budget realm. HD70 is detailed and has very little noise.

When it comes to Optoma HD70 DLP projector, there are only two features that might not be so good. One is that the color points are pretty far off. The colors are not perfectly captured. However, it is not really so noticeable especially on the eyes of the newbie’s. The other aspect that is not good about this projector is the scaling. The image projected is a little bit soft and fluffy compared with other projectors. However, the two disadvantages are not really substantial to make it a deal breaker. Considering its price at $1,000, it is definitely a good catch.

Optoma HD70 DLP home theater projector has its own class and style. It has the right brightness, a decent black level and an excellent contrast ratio. What more can you ask for from a projector with all these features sold at an affordable price?

Mitsubishi Home Theater Projector

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:13:55 +0000

It is no doubt that Mitsubishi has been playing a major role in the projector manufacturing industry. Mitsubishi is a giant company known worldwide for so many years now. Its capability of producing top quality and extensive lines of business and education, as well as home theater projectors are tested through time.

Most companies have chosen to utilize only one technology over the other, but Mitsubishi takes the maximum advantage that technology can offer and produced various applications for projectors in order for the consumers to have a wide range of choices. It is one of the few largest companies that offer home theater projectors using LCD and DLP. These lines of projectors are directly competing with each other, but offering unique features and characteristics at the same time.

Regardless of the home theater projector brand, there will always come a time when it unexpectedly experience failures in functionality. In cases like this, it is of utmost importance that the projector is packaged with a good warranty, considering the fact that projectors are not relatively cheap. In line with this, Mitsubishi proudly boasts its offer of a 3-year warranty program that is considered as one of the best in the industry. Other manufacturing companies only offer one or two year warranties on their projector line ups.

As proven with many years of excellent track record, Mitsubishi’s home theater projectors are extremely strong and become more and more advanced, as is the case with the top of the line, ultra-high contrast HC7000 1080p projector. Furthermore, their HC5500 has the lowest price among so many 1080p projectors found in the market. The company has also pioneered the tiny LED projectors which amazingly weighs less than 1 pound and fits easily well in the palm of your hand and which can be efficiently operated with batteries.

Indeed, Mitsubishi is one of the best brands in the industry which makes your money worth the buy.

Home Theater Projector – Epson BrightLink 450wi Interactive Projector

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:18:31 +0000

Epson BrightLink 450wi Interactive Projector possesses outstanding features that will certainly amaze the consumers and viewers alike. This projector is designed for an easy installation, easy configuration and most of all, easy on the pocket.

This home theater projector produces a respectable and decent brightness with 2500 lumens. The contrast ratio of 2000:1 is quite good. The 450wi has a native resolution of 1280×800 so it is a 16:10 aspect ratio projector. Epson BrightLink 450wi Interactive Projector is formerly the XGA (1024×768) version. It has the same features only that they differ in the native resolution. It contains so many features compatible with the conventional whiteboard but with the liberty to use any surface area you want. The BrightLink 450wi has a short throw that mounts above the screen for a presentation free of virtual shadows.

Epson BrightLink 450wi Interactive Projector has a maximum capability of accepting signals from just about any type of signal minus true digital HDMI or DVI. What makes this interactive home theater projector stands out from the rest is that it is completely networkable via a LAN port. You also have the freedom to purchase an optional wireless module if you want a wireless networking.

This projector comes with special features like it can project on different color surfaces because of its Color Mode feature. It is also easy to use the interactive software tools and it ships with rechargeable batteries and charger as well as two pens for multiple presenters.

Epson BrightLink 450wi Interactive home theater projector is such a great buy because not only its design stands out from the rest, but it is also laboriously manufactured in such a way that the consumers will not have a very hard time maintaining its functionality that is certainly quite easy.