If you want to appreciate a theater experience in your home, you need to have the best HD projectors. It is basically a perfect substitute for big and pricy TV screens as it provides ultimate functionality. An HD projector does not compromise on the quality of imaging and offers portability, an integrated Wi-Fi facility, and built-in speakers.
While choosing the right projector, the primary concern is to get it all within your budget. So, considering your budget, performance, and high-quality- we have assembled a helpful guide to the best HD projectors under $500.
Things to Consider Before Buying HD Projectors
Not every good thing has to be pricy and if you want to spend your money on something that is not only affordable but also, durable, functional, and robust, stick to the following information. For choosing the right projector for your home theater, you need to consider screen size, type of projector, brightness level, contrast level, resolution, connectivity, lamp life, and throw distance.
Your right choice will not only bring outstanding performance but also a premium quality view within a pocket-friendly budget.
Screen Size
The screen size of a projector depends on the viewing distance and ratio you choose. If you choose an 8-feet wide and 2.4 Cinemascope screen, you can make your sitting arrangement closer to it.
If you decide to go with a screen ratio of 16:9 having the same width, then your screen will have more surface area and height of 35% precisely. But know that, it will give you eyestrain. To reduce the effect on the eyes, it is suggested to sit a few feet back in viewing distance.
How To Pick The Right Screen Size?
To pick the screen of the right size, you need to follow the following simple steps:
- Check the optimal screen height
- Check the screen width
- Check optimal viewing angle at home
- Figure out the number of people your screen should accommodate
- Determine the projector screen size by the zoom range of your projector
Note: You can make all the calculations on a screen size calculator.
HD Format 16:9
Image Diagonal (inches) | Image Height (inches) | Image Width (inches) |
82 | 40.5 | 72 |
106 | 52 | 92.5 |
133 | 65 | 116 |
161 | 79 | 140 |
184 | 90 | 160 |
| 220 | 106 | 188 |
Acoustic Screens
Screens use a reliable buildup material that is best to hinder and reflect light. In that capacity, they additionally block sound and subsequently expect speakers to be set alongside them or in any case somewhere else in the room. Acoustic screens utilize a cross-section weave that allows offsetting reflectivity with acoustic pass-through.
Types of HD Projectors
Generally, there are two types of HD projectors preferred including liquid crystal display (LCD) and digital light processing (DLP).
LCD: it projects images or computed data on the screen and on other flat surfaces. An LCD projector functions by sending light from a metal halide lamp via a series of dichroic filters or a prism. It is done by separating light from three poly-silicon panels.
DLP: This technology comes in a set of chipsets having an optical micro-electro-mechanical technology that incorporates a digital micro-mirror device. DLP projectors are used in almost 85% of digital cinema projections. These are considered as standalone units for businesses and classrooms, basically.
How Both Types Differ?
In order to have a better understanding of both types, you need to know how they differ regarding performance, image quality, durability, and workability. Both have some pros and cons, so without any ado, let’s move forward.
LCD Projector
Pros
- Dynamics of brighter colors in ambient light
- Consumes less power
- Produces less heat
- Quieter function
- Produces sharper image on data
Cons
- More visible pixels
- Screen doors impact some video images
- Larger (even for similar lumen)
- Bad contrast
- Black is a lighter gray
DLP Projector
Pros
- Smooth video streaming
- Smaller box
- Less visible pixels
- Filmlike on HDTV
- Produces darker blacks
- High contrast
- Portable
Cons
- Excessive moving parts
- Generates audible noise
- Bad reds and yellows at high power
- Color saturation
- More lumens with ambient light
Features | LCD | DLP |
Image quality | Good picture quality | Better picture quality |
Rainbow effect | Yes | No |
Contrast | Higher | Lower |
Portability | Yes | No |
Light source | LED or standard lamp | Standard lamp |
Technology type | Reflective | Transmissive |
Price range | 300–1000+ dollars | 250–1000+ dollars |
Brightness Level
For HD projectors, the brightness level matters the most. Less or more than required brightness will essentially strain your eyes and can give you cerebral pain. To decide the ideal brightness, you need to consider your location and requirement.
Preferably, for a dull room or evening time screening, 1000 (lumens are the estimation of brightness that a projector gives out) would be adequate. While, for separating more bright spaces like homerooms, gathering rooms, or rooms with a greater and open light source, a projector with at least 2500 lumens is ideal. If you mean to use the projector open-air or visible to everyone, go for a projector with 3000+ lumens.
Contrast Level
Higher the contrast level, the simpler it will be for you to plainly watch scenes one in a million shot, and notice critical subtleties. If the difference in proportion is too low, the screen will be excessively whitewashed, which makes it difficult to separate basic details that you must not want to miss. An ideal contrast level is around 10000:1 or below 5000:1 only if you expect fair clarity.
Resolution
It is the number of pixels showed per inch of an image and is measured in pixels per inch (PPI). The higher the resolution, the clearer will be the view. The appropriate resolution for various screens is as follows:
- DVDs on a big screen (HD- 1280 x 720)
- Businesses presentation (WXGA- 1280 x 800)
- Blu-ray videos & Gaming (Full HD- 1920 x 1080)
Connectivity
Pick a projector with all mainstream network choices that are viable with all videos and gaming. USB, HDMI, and VGA are the most ideal alternatives for an appropriate arrangement and also very much conceivable. While, Bluetooth offers the most ideal choice if you need to play content from a PC. You need to be sure that your projector is feasible with both MAC and PC.
Conclusion
If you know what highlights and details put forth any projector worth the cost, you are ready to go. Alongside searching for the technical details, personal preference and satisfaction play an important part in deciding the best HD projectors, so decide accordingly.
Sources
- https://www.projectorcentral.com/build_home_theater_screen_size.htm
- https://www.carlofet.com/how-to-select-your-ideal-screen-size/
- https://www.benq.com/en-me/knowledge-center/knowledge/choosing-projector-screen-type–size–material–and-more.html
