Introduction
One of the latest widescreen, HD (High Density) television receivers, large, but lightweight, with exceptional picture quality, is a welcome addition to any home entertainment system. But, for some people, even this does not achieve the home theatre experience that they're looking for, and they opt instead for a system which, quite literally, creates a "theatre" in their home - a projector, accompanied by a huge, high quality screen, and, more often than not, digital surround sound speakers.
There are many different makes and models of projector on the market, but a little, light research is all that is required to make an informed purchasing decision.
Technical Terms
If you're thinking of following the projector route, then the chances are that, at some point, you will need either to read some sales literature, or speak to a sales consultant. It's probably a good idea, therefore, to familiarise yourself with, at least, some of the technical terms and jargon that you'll come across.
ANSI - ANSI stands for "American National Standards Institute", a private organisation that issues guidelines for voluntary standards - including such things as illumination power and contrast ratio, when it comes to projectors.
Aspect ratio - Aspect ratio is the ratio between the width and height of an image; an aspect ratio of 4:3 produces an image four units wide, by three units high. An aspect ratio of 16:9 is required for true widescreen projection. The Sony VPLHS3 model is an example of this type.
Contrast - Contrast measures the difference between the light and dark areas on an image. Projectors typically have a contrast ratio of between 500:1 and 5000:1, and, generally speaking the higher the contrast ratio the better. Some newer models, for example, the Sanyo PLV-Z4, may have phenomenal contrast ratios, as high as 7000:1.
DLP - DLP stands for "Digital Light Processing", a method of image production. DLP employs a "Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) - composed of many thousands of tiny mirrors, which point towards, or away from a lens to produce light or darkness. Colours are produced by a spinning colour wheel, or wheels.
LCD - LCD stands for "Liquid Crystal Display", and, as the name suggests, uses an electric current to align crystals that are suspended in a liquid. It is another method of image production.
Lumen - A lumen, the symbol for which is "lm", is a measure of the perceived power of the light entering the eye from a projector. The Epson EMPTW620, as an example, offers a brightness of 1600 lumens.
Pixel - A pixel, short for "picture element" is a single point (effectively a dot of light) in an image. The higher the number of pixels an image contains the higher its quality, all other things being equal.
Resolution - The resolution of an image is usually described in terms of the number of rows and columns of pixels which it contains. You may, for example, come across "858 x 484" (WVGA), or "1280 x 720" (WXGA), which are widescreen projector resolutions, amongst many others. The Relisys RLP2000 model, for example, offers native 1024 x 768 (XGA) resolution with compression for 1280 x 1024 (SXGA).
Throw Ratio - The throw ratio, or "distance projection ratio" is the distance from the screen that a projector needs to be in order to produce an image of a certain width. For example, if a projector has a throw ratio of 2:1, to produce an image 5 feet wide it needs to be placed 10 feet from the screen. The Hitachi CPX345 model, for example has a throw ratio of 1.49 to 1.79:1.
Important Considerations
Lighting
Lighting is, without doubt, the most important consideration before you consider purchasing a projector.
Even the most expensive, advanced models will struggle to give you a satisfactory viewing experience in a room where ambient light levels are anything other than very low. In other words, if you do not have a room without windows, or which can be made almost completely dark with blackout curtains, then a projector is probably not a wise choice.
DLP Versus LCD
Nowadays, projectors of both types tend to be much of a muchness, although there are a few things to be aware of, particularly when it comes to models at the lower end of the market.
DLP models tend to be slightly smaller, but single chip models may suffer colour separation - a "rainbow" effect - resulting in a trail of red, blue and green. Multiple colour wheels and faster rotation speeds have generally solved this problem, however. Some LCD projectors, on the other hand, are inferior in terms of contrast, and pixellation of images may be a problem.
Examples of DLP projectors include the Infocus IN26 and Optoma EP7150 models, offering contrast ratios of 2000:1 and 2500:1 respectively. Examples of LCD projectors, on the other hand, include the Relisys RLP2000, with a contrast ratio of 400:1, and the Sony VPLHS3, with a contrast ratio of 700:1.
Price
A projector can be a less expensive than a television set, but there are also some very expensive options available, depending on your demands for home theatre entertainment. Remember, too, when adding up the total cost of a projection system, to make allowances for the cost of a screen, and replacement projector bulbs, especially if you projector is to become a full-time replacement for your television set. Projector bulbs can be very expensive.
Positioning
The correct positioning of a projector is obviously vital to achieve maximum effect. The ceiling is the most obvious, and best, place to mount a projector - but this may also require professional intervention, increasing the cost. Other, perhaps more convenient, options are to place the projector on a table, or a shelf, towards the back of your viewing space.
Conclusion
Once you have a reasonable idea of the projection system that's right for you, and your budget, it's worth taking the time to talk to a sales consultant, or two, review any available literature and look at some customer reviews - a valuable source of information on the less desirable qualities of any given model -
before actually parting with your cash.
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