If you’re in the market for a projector, finding the one that’s right for you is no easy task. There are all kinds of projectors that have different specifications for . The type of projector you need largely depends on what you’ll be using the projector for. Home theater projectors for high-definition visual playback have different features compared to projectors for slideshows or more casual use.
Before going into the different types of projectors, keep the following questions in mind:
- Do you want to travel with the projector or keep it in a specific room?
- If it’s for a fixed location, how big is the room?
- How much lighting control do you have over the room?
- What is the size of the projector screen?
- How much flexibility for projector placement is there?
- What media source will you be projecting from?
These are the main categories of projectors designed for specific uses:
Pocket Projectors
Pocket projectors, also known as pico projectors, are designed to be small, lightweight, and portable. They typically are the most affordable type of projector but offer limited abilities and specifications. They are perfect entry-level projectors for teenagers or those just getting into a home theater. Pocket projectors are also great for mobile home theater setups for activities like camping trips.
Multimedia Projectors
Multimedia projectors are the most common projector type, often used in classrooms and business settings. They are designed for versatility and general-purpose use, such as slideshows, PowerPoint presentations, and short video playback. For this reason, they generally don’t have high-resolution specifications. Brightness capabilities typically range between 2500 and 4500 lumens, and zoom range goes up to 1.5x. This means these projectors can handle moderately lit rooms and offer some flexibility with projector placement. Multimedia projectors are described with VESA computer resolutions rather than HD video resolution because they are commonly used with computer sources.
Short Throw Projectors
A subcategory of multimedia projectors, short-throw projectors are specifically designed for applications where the projector is placed extremely close to the screen or has a throw ratio of less than 1:1. Typically short-throw projectors are placed between 18 and 24 inches away from the screen, often in fixed installation applications. They often have brightness capabilities of 3000 lumens or less and are best suited for small screens.
Home Theatre Projectors
Home theater projectors are designed for high-quality movie playback in a dedicated home theater setup. Their specifications focus on image quality rather than versatility. Brightness capabilities are lower than other projector types, typically falling below 2000 lumens. According to who specializes in home theatre and audio equipment, this is because home theater projectors are designed to be used in rooms with full lighting control. “If you don’t have the ability to eliminate all the light in the room, you won’t be getting the full-color contrast your projector has to offer. Black our curtains or window-less rooms are necessary,” says Mr. O’Brien. Zoom ranges are the highest of all projector types, going up to 2x; this gives you the ability to adjust the projection without physically moving the projector. Unlike multimedia projectors, home theater projectors use HD video resolution specifications; most of them are 4K or Full HD. Many companies will try to sell multimedia projectors described as home theater projectors, so look out for high lumens, resolutions in VESA, and low zoom ranges.
Large Venue Projectors
Large-venue projectors also referred to as fixed-installation projectors, are specifically designed for permanent installation in, as the name implies, large venues. They are most often used in commercial applications such as movie theaters, stadiums, and lecture halls. Typically, these projectors will not offer zoom range, but instead, have interchangeable lenses if a different zoom level is required. Large-venue projectors have high brightness capabilities to accommodate different light settings and large screen sizes. They can range as high as 4500 to 20,000 lumens or more. Some projector models offer “stacking”, or the ability to combine the output of two or more projectors to further boost brightness levels.
With all the main types of projectors covered, let’s discuss the key aspects of a projector that will help you decide which kind is right for you.
Throw Ratio
Throw ratio refers to the ratio of the size of the screen and the distance between the screen and the projector. To determine the throw ratio, divide the distance from the projector lens to the screen by the width of the screen. It’s essential to get a projector that can handle a throw ratio that accommodates your setup, so calculate the throw ratio based on the size of the screen you have and where you want to place the projector. Shorter throw ratios mean the projector is close to the screen, and these are generally harder to accommodate.
Brightness
Brightness refers to a projector’s ability to display a full-color image in different light settings. The biggest mistake most people make is buying a high-quality projector and trying to use it in the lightroom. Better projectors can’t project a high contrast image in the lightroom. In fact, most high-quality home theater projectors have weaker brightness capabilities and are designed specifically for use in a dark room. If you want to get the most out of your projector, make sure you have full control over the lighting in the room. If you can’t make the room totally dark, then opt for a projector with at least 3000 lumens, which will typically be a multimedia projector.
Resolution
Most people think that resolution is the most important specification, but it is actually much less impactful than throw ratio and brightness. Any standard projector will have at least XGA resolution (1024 x 768). Home theater projectors will have at least Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) and many offer 4K. Check the resolution specs of the media source you are using; matching the resolution of your source is always the best way to get the most out of your projector.
If you consider these three key factors, you should be able to determine which projector you need. For more critical projector consumers, you can and also consider specs like keystone corrections and lens shift, DLP v.s. LCD, 3D capabilities, and HDR.