A projector is now a familiar name among modern technologies. There was a time when we only could see projectors in the movie theaters or a big stadium. But nowadays, people use it in the office, different clubs, classrooms, and even at home.
Since projectors serve so many purposes, they come in different varieties. Each type is suitable for different purposes. For example, a pocket projector is perfect for daily office meetings and home theater because of its portability. So, knowing about various kinds of projectors is essential if you want to buy the right projector for you.
Moreover, only knowledge about the types is not enough. It would be best to consider a lot more things while buying a projector. You will find so many options at projector shops. But, selecting the best one will be difficult for you.
However, looking for specific things on a projector can make everything easier. Image quality, color, resolution, projector screen are general qualities to consider. This article will show you how to buy a projector.
How to Choose the Right Projector
Different people need different types of projectors. It depends on what purpose you need a projector for. So, before buying a projector, choosing the right option is the first thing you should consider.
For Home Theater Projects
Who doesn’t want a TV with a large screen? Buying a big TV is not always possible. But you can make it up with a home theater projector. A home theater projector can work like a “big” TV for home entertainment.
The best options for home theater are a 4K projector, movie projector, and DLP projector. If you want a large screen at a low-cost price for a home projector, then a 4K projector is the best option for you. It offers you pictures with 4K resolution and upgrades your living room to a whole new level. Moreover, the setup is a lot easier than you ever think.
Another best option for home theater is a DLP projector. It works with the digital micromirror device. Moreover, a DLP projector offers HD resolution and a smooth and clear image. In addition, it is portable and comes with a smaller box which is easy to maintain.
Some people consider a movie projector as a true home theater projector. It comes with a lot of features. Moreover, you can find a movie projector with 4K resolution, DLP technology, multimedia, and many more options.
Office Projectors
A projector becomes an inseparable part of office life. Whether you attend a meeting or deliver a presentation, all you need is a helpful projector.
With this in mind, an LCD projector is one of the best options for your office purpose. LCD or Liquid Crystal Display projects images through prisms by separating them into red, blue, and green colors. It offers sharper and brighter colors even than a DLP projector with no rainbow effect. The ambient light dynamics make your presentation easier and flawless.
Portable Projectors
If you have to use a projector more often, then a portable projector is handy. Whether you need a projector for the classroom, office, outdoor projects, or you want to chill with your friends with a big-screen movie at home; portable projectors are the best.
You will find several varieties of portable projectors in the market. Mini projector and pocket projector are the most popular among them. Firstly, a mini projector is portable and easy to carry. It is approximately 8”*8”*4” in size.
Another best option for you is a pocket projector. Typically pocket projectors work with either DLP or laser light technology. It comes with micro, pico, and ultra-portable technologies.
Business Projectors
Projectors are now widely utilized in the business fields. Meanwhile, a portable projector is convenient for meetings and outdoor projects. It helps with presentations, business planning, data analysis, and more. On the other hand, the LED and LCD projectors with big screens suit a large conference room.
An LED projector uses light-emitting diodes to create videos and images instead of a typical halogen lamp. This projector can connect with computers and android phones. Not only that, but it also comes with a wireless and pocket projector.
Others
A projector can be helpful in a lot more ways. A projector is enough alone to make your day from the classroom to outdoor activities. You can get a wired or wireless projector according to your demand.
For example, a classroom projector is available in both wired and wireless. In addition, it is easy to use, and you can connect it with android and a laptop. This projector is also compatible with Bluetooth and WiFi. On the other hand, portable projectors are the greatest of all options if you travel somewhere and still need a projector. You can carry the pocket and mini projectors everywhere.
What Should Consider to Buy a Projector
It is common to get confused while buying the right projector. To overcome this situation, you first should know what type of projectors you want and which features are the best. To help you with this, we will show you some general features.
Resolution and Image Quality
Image resolution is one of the essential features of a projector. Since the projector is all about seeing videos and images, picture quality matters the most. Different projectors come with different types of resolutions.
However, your projector resolution has to be at least 800*600 pixels to build up a large image on the screen. If you want a regular home theater projector, then a minimum of 1024*768 pixels is long enough for you. On the other hand, you need 1280*720 to 1080P image quality for the office meeting and big conference room.
DLP and LCD projectors are suitable everywhere to create sharp and bright images. A regular home theater movie projector comes with different resolutions with clear images. However, it would help to look for a projector with HDTV input. In addition, there is also one thing you need to know; if you need a projector for outdoor activities, then a high-resolution image effect is a must.
Nowadays, 4K projectors are getting more credits everywhere because of their excellent image quality and availability. They create images with HD resolution, perfect for home theatre and office meetings. But you should make sure that it’s a native 4K projector since all 4K projectors don’t come with an actual 4K resolution.
Image Color and Brightness
The right color combination creates natural and perfect images. If a projector cannot produce the actual colors, it will fail to create perfect image quality. You can find some projectors which have the blue effect problems.
You need to check the color depth, brightness, stability, and much more for color reproduction. No matter what kind of projector you decide to buy, make sure it comes with better color production. Typically, projectors with LCD, DLP, and LED technologies promise to create perfect color images on a large screen.
Projector Screens
A projector cannot work with a projector screen. So, choosing the right projector screen is the most important. However, you will get confused while choosing the best screen.
Projector screens come in a lot of types and sizes. You have to look for some general features while selecting the right projector screen for you.
Screen Fabric
you have to make sure that you choose the right fabric color for the screen while buying a projector. If you want an outdoor projector, you should choose a white-colored screen. On the other hand, the gray color is suitable for a dark place. Another thing you have to make sure of while buying a projector is because the projector screen has a good balance between Gain (measurement of screen brightness) and Viewing Angle (measurement to explain the right angle from center).
Portable Screen
If you want to use your projector for multi-purpose, you need a portable projector screen and a mini projector or pocket projector. A medium-sized portable projector screen is perfect for your mini projectors. The best advantage of it is that you can carry it everywhere.
Manual Screen
A manual projector screen is cheaper than all other projector screens. If your budget is short, you can easily choose a manual projector screen with any projector.
Screen Paint
You can consider a projector screen paint if you have to buy a projector for the conference room. So, you can buy a projector that can work with a large smooth surface. In this way, you do not always have to fix the projector screen whenever you need to use it.
Portability
Nowadays, portable projectors are getting more and more popular among consumers. The portable projectors can be used for multi-purpose. You will find different varieties of portable projectors. You can choose the pocket and mini projectors with LED and DLP technology if you want to entertain yourself at any place.
To illustrate, if you want to use a projector for both work and entertainment, portable projectors are the best choice.
Inputs
You have to ensure that the projector provides the particular inputs you need. Usually, all the projectors work with HDMI cable, DVI, VGA, and USB cables. But HDMI technology is the most advanced one. If you want to use the projector by connecting it with your PC, HDMI input can be a good option for you.
Many mini projectors now come with cables and wireless connections. Moreover, they also can connect via WiFi and Bluetooth. For example, if you want to buy a mini or pocket projector, you can look for the inputs that connect with an android phone.
FAQs
How Many Lumens Do I Need for a Projector?
Lumens are responsible for brightening the image of a projector. To be specific, a lumen is a single unit that measures the screen’s brightness. Different types of projectors need different lumen numbers. For instance, a minimum of 1500 lumens are required for home theatre projectors. On the other hand, projectors for classrooms and big seminar rooms need at least 2500 lumens in daylight.
Which Projector Is Best for Home?
You can easily enjoy your Saturday evening watching movies or playing games on a large screen projector with your friends. Home projectors come in different varieties. If you are a movie freak, then a movie projector or DLP projector is the best option. On the other hand, a 4K projector can be suitable for large screen games.
Which is Better, DLP or LED Projector?
It is difficult to say which projector is better, DLP or LED. However, it will depend on your demand. But you can choose one of them by knowing their features. Such as, a DLP projector can work without a filter, sharp image quality, and 3D capabilities. Besides, the LED projector has a long lifespan, better color, and less power consumption capability.
Is the Projector Better Than the TV?
Different sizes and types of projectors are now available everywhere. If you enjoy something on a large screen, a projector is better than a TV. Moreover, a projector is also less harmful than a TV as it creates brightness with soothing colors. As a result, kids are safer with a projector than with a TV.
Is There a 4K Projector?
You can find a native 4K projector in today’s marketplace. It is perfect for your home theater and office meetings. A 4K projector offers high video quality with 4K HD resolution. However, one of the best 4K projectors is JVC DLA-NX7 native 4K projector. It provides 4096*2160 images with 8 million pixels.
Conclusion
Projectors are not challenging to purchase. Every day we discover so many ways to utilize it. The projector is not limited to the movie theater or conference room. People also buy projectors for personal uses.
However, you need to know how to buy a projector correctly. With this in mind, you should choose first what type of projector you need. The most popular projectors are movie projector, mini projector, pocket projector, 4K projector, etc.
The resolution, image quality, brightness, projector screen, and inputs are the primary features you should consider while buying projectors.