Decades ago, projectors were so bulky and expensive that only businesses and organisations had them. As a projector is able to project images onto a large screen or surface, it is usually used for presentations to large groups of people. But these days, they are a lot more affordable and portable, so it’s not uncommon for families to have one at home.
Projectors used to be associated with classrooms and business meetings, but these days they’re beginning to show up in home theatres and living rooms as well.
Gone are the pixelated images and bulky units — in their place are sleek marvels of technology that boast capabilities like Ultra HD, Bluetooth connectivity, and even built-in Android TV. They have plenty of advantages over the traditional TV screen, too.
How do home projectors work?
Images are magnified onto a large surface or screen using a bright light bulb and lens. How big the projected image is depends on the resolution, brightness of the bulb and the distance of the projector to the screen.
Usually mounted from the ceiling, at home, it may be used to watch movies or live sports when a big group of friends are around. Some home users are even doing away with the TV, in favour of one.
How to choose a home projector?
Throw
This is the distance between the home projector and screen. If you don’t have much room, opt for a short-throw projector that can be conveniently placed on a table right in front of the wall or screen you’re projecting on.
Bluetooth connectivity
If you’re going for the full cinematic experience, check if your projector has Bluetooth support that enables it to link up with your speakers seamlessly.
Size
Are you planning to move it around a lot, or double it up as a work projector in your home office? There are plenty of miniature versions out there, like Canon’s MP250 Mini Projector, which weigh very little but can still project 4K images.
Brightness
This is measured in lumens. If you’re planning to watch movies mostly at night, a brightness of about 1,500 lumens is fine. However, if you’re also using the projector in the day or in a room with plenty of ambient light, you’ll need something brighter, with a minimum of 2,500 lumens.
What is an Ultra Short Throw projector?
An Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector is ideal for movie nights in a limited space. These devices generally have a very wide-angle lens with a throw ratio of less than 0.4m, letting you place the projector just under or just above the screen, which means it’s easy to install and saves the cost and hassle of a ceiling-mounted one.
Here we’ve rounded up some reasons why you should consider a projector vs tv, and some of the best mini projectors (for all budgets) that will make entertaining in small living rooms easier and so memorable your guests will be bugging you for their next invite.