The 3 Best Projectors  Oct 2023

Home Theater: Home theater projectors highlight image quality, with a great emphasis on color vibrancy and contrast. These types of projectors work best in dark areas, and make you feel as if you are in your own movie theater. Because of their large image size (often up to 36 times larger than a regular-sized TV), sufficient wall space is suggested, and can be great for watching movies, playing video games, or having a slideshow for a big group of people. You can connect to the source via an HDMI cord, and it may also have a USB port as well as audio outputs to connect to a sound system.

Business: Recommended for meetings and presentations, business projectors work well in areas with bright lighting. This type is projector is designed for the main purpose of static media, such as graphs and slides.  They are easy to set up and are small enough to transport hassle-free. Many of these connect to the media source by use of a VGA or USB cord. Some may be compatible with DVI or HDMI cords as well, and some even feature wireless capabilities.

Pico: Pico models are even smaller than business projectors, and fit in your pocket. Even though the projector is small, sharp and vivid images can be displayed, though it will be most effective for a small group of people.  The pico projector is convenient for both business and home use, especially for those who travel around.

Technology Explained

Aspect Ratio: This term refers to the rectangular shape of the video image. Most projectors have ratios of 4:3, 16:10, or 16:9, meaning that the chip inside the projector is shaped in that specific dimension.

Resolution: This is referencing the sharpness and clarity of the picture being shown, and it is based on the number of pixels. A greater pixel count means higher resolution, but also requires a heftier investment. Lower resolutions are more cost-effective and can produce images that can hold their hold. Resolutions include 1280x720, 1280x800, 1920x1080, or for the very best quality, 4K or Ultra HD. You will get the best image quality by matching your projector resolution to the resolution of the video source you plan to use.

Throw Ratio: This is important and takes two things into consideration—how far the projector is from the screen (the throw distance) and how wide the screen is.

Lumens: The brightness of a projector is measured in lumens. The range for most projectors is from 800-3,000 lumens, with 800 lumens being at the cheaper end of the scale. The amount of lumens necessary depends on where the projector will be placed and how bright the viewing area will be.

Displays: Most models produce images with either DLP (digital light processing) or LCD (liquid crystal display) technology. How do you know which one to choose?  Each type has different advantages.

DLP projectors

• Lightweight and compact
• Smooth motion output
• High color contrast
• High image quality

LED projectors

• Bright color and output for use in areas of high light
• Sharp images for presenting graphs and data
• 3D images with no image ghosting
• Energy efficient
• Quieter than DLP models

The quality of the image projected is a feature that people took into heavy consideration. If you are going to invest in a nice projector, go all out in terms of image quality.

How loud the projector speakers are also should be taken into consideration, as well as how much noise the projector itself makes. You should be able to hear without having to strain your ears.

Brightness is vital. If you are going to be using the projector in an area with high light, the bulbs need to be capable of producing high luminosity.

• If the screen size isn’t known, opt for a projector that has the ability to zoom or has a shorter throw.
• Motion smoothing refers to the adding of extra frames so that the motions of the images do not appear jerky or shaky when being transferred to your screen.
• It is good to make a list of all the things that are necessary to give you the best experience, and then compare prices as well as features.
• Check the warranty of the product in consideration to be sure you can receive help should your projector be faulty.

Optoma: Has received many awards for its numerous models of projectors, the most recent being for the HD91+. This model contains cutting-edge technology that allows for higher efficiency and more flexibility for your needs.

Epson: Produces quality products for affordable prices, and even offers rates for students. Epson was developed in 1942, and has been a prominent company that many people have relied on since.

Digital Galaxy: A manufacturing company in China that sells projectors all around the world. Its newest innovation, called the i-Interactor, is used as an interactive electronic white board.  This can be great for homes, for your kids to play with, or in the office to better explain ideas and figures.