Projectors vs. Televisions

Overview

Projectors are gaining popularity in home and business settings. Businesses use projectors to deliver high quality slideshows and presentations, and home consumers use these same projects for sophisticated home entertainment systems.

If you are shopping for a projector, you should expect to make a financial investment. Good quality projectors will cost at least $700. Prices will vary based on a variety of factors including resolution, lamp life, networkability, high-definition capability, warranty, and installation.

Most high definition 1080p projectors cost more than $1,000. Some projectors can cost more than $4,000. When you buy a projector, you should invest in a product that is right for your personal or business needs. Understand the most effective ways to use a video projector, and have a strong understanding of the range of available features and products.

Projectors vs. Televisions

Turn off the lights and pull out a big screen, and a projector can make any room feel like a movie theatre. With equipment that works with the size of your room, your home can become a great place to watch movies and sports.

For convenience, projectors are portable and adaptable: you can take your projector anywhere and adjust the screen size to meet your needs. People use projectors in bedrooms, living rooms, movie rooms, and yards. If you have the budget, you can even watch your films in 1080p for an enhanced viewing experience.

For the most part, televisions are neither adjustable nor portable. Your TV stays in one place, and your screen will always remain one size.

In any case, the cost of using a projector is higher than the cost of using a television. Unlike a TV, a projector's lamp has a limited life span of 1,000 to 3,000 hours of use. Replacement lamps can cost up to $500. Most televisions last significantly longer.

Overall, a projector costs more than a comparable television. Most 1080p projectors cost over $1,000 while many 1080p televisions are available for $700 and under. A projector enables a bigger viewing screen, but higher image quality is cheaper on a TV.

Televisions are viewable in all lighting conditions. This is not necessarily the case for many projectors, which require the room to be dark or close to dark. Otherwise, the display will be dim or difficult to view.

Factors to Consider

• Budget: Is the cost right for you? Projectors are not a wise investment for everyone. Some people may find more use and value in a high-definition and big screen television. How often do you watch TV? Can you afford to make a substantial initial investment and continue to replace your projector lamp every 2,000 hours?
• Portability: Do you expect to travel with your projector? The ability to transport your theatre is a significant advantage. Take your projector to your friend's house for a night of video games, or set up a backyard movie. If you want portability, you'll need a projector that you can lift and carry.
• Brightness: Projects all come with an ANSI Lumens rating. An ANSI Lumens rating of 1,000 or more should be high enough for a home theatre. Larger rooms and outdoor areas may require a higher ANSI Lumens rating. The distance between the screen and the projector can help determine the necessary ANSI Lumens rating.
• Contrast ratio: A projector's contrast ratio can help deliver sharper video quality. A contrast ratio of 1,500:1 should be sufficient for most home theatre systems.
• Pixel density: If you plan to watch high-definition video on your projector, you will want as high of a pixel density as possible. A 720p HDTV needs a pixel count of at least 1280x720.
• Color: Find a projector that displays colors as true to life as possible. Distorted colors may make your video and television difficult to watch.
• Screen: Buy your screen to complement your projector. The size, material, and portability of the screen are all factors to consider.