Brightness
Think about the level of ambient light in the room where you will be using your projector. In the home cinema you will hopefully have control of the level of light so this will not be an issue. If you are using a room at home that has ambient light then you will need to opt for a brighter projector. In the business arena you are likely to be presenting in very bright rooms with standard office lighting and windows. A good projector for business use will need to have a high brightness level.
Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens. For home cinema you should be looking at projectors that have around 700 ANSI lumens brightness and for business projectors you will need between 1000 and 1500.
Color
The color, gray-scale performance, and video playback, are only really important to the home user as they will give more natural and detailed videos.
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As home cinema projectors become more affordable then more people are using them both at work and at home. You might be thinking that projectors are all alike and the more you spend the better it will be. Well this is not strictly true. The more expensive projectors will be of a higher standard, but you might not experience any benefit if you do not choose the correct model. This is why we have written this article to try and guide you and help you choose the model most suited to you.
Before any purchase it is important to have a think about what you will be using it for and in what kind of environment. The business user will have very different requirements to someone wanting to set up a home cinema. Companies are now marketing hybrid projectors that claim to be able to be used for both home cinema and business. These two environments are very different though and will need projectors designed specifically to be able to handle these two very different uses. As you read the rest of the article you will begin to understand what you need to look out for when purchasing your video projector.
LCD or DLP
Both are excellent formats and which you choose will depend on your use. The business user will be more suited to an LCD projector due to the increased brightness. The home user on the other hand would be better to opt for a DLP projector as these will give a more cinematic experience.
Increasingly, consumers who want to experience cinema-like viewing in their home opt for a home theater projector. These devices allow users to view their entertainment in a darkened room without the size restrictions of a television screen.
However, as most owners will attest to, there is a somewhat significant maintenance expense associated with this type of
set up; the expense of the lamp.
Lamp life in a projector is said to be between 2,500 and 4,000 hours but in some instances consumers have reported a lamp life as short as just a few hundred hours. With lamp replacements priced at a few hundred dollars, the shortened life span of a lamp can be an unwelcome surprise. Buyers should take heart however as there are numerous things they can do to help assure their new lamp burns brightly for as long as possible.
* Keep the projector stationary when possible. The filament within the lamp is fragile and is especially vulnerable to
damage when it is hot; thus avoiding any jostling, especially when the unit is still hot, is important.
* Keep hands off of the lamp. Bare hands can leave oils on the surface. The oils can get burned onto the surface of the
lamp which can cause cracking. Use of a tissue or soft cloth when removing/changing the lamp is wise.
* Turn the lamp off appropriately. o Turn the lamp off about 5 minutes prior to turning off the projector. This allows the
fan to cool the unit.
o Because turning the power on and off can stress the filament due to sudden voltage increase it is wise to avoid turning
it on and off unnecessarily when taking a short break in viewing. Use of the "soft start" function can be beneficial if the
projector has it.
o On the other hand, an auto standby feature can be useful to assure that the lamp is not inadvertently left burning when
viewing is done.
* Keep it clean and cool. Projectors should be housed to assure they are not near a heat source and have adequate venting.
There should be nothing obstructing their air intake or exhaust vent. The filter should be cleaned every 3-6 months and
changed per manufacturer guidelines to assure good airflow and to keep dust off of the lamp.
As with any light source, the lamp within a projector will eventually fail and need to be replaced. However, proper use and
maintenance can help to assure that the projector lamp will realize its full life expectancy rather than placing any
unnecessary burden on the owner's budget.
About the Author:Christine Peppler believes that consumers should not have to possess a technology degree to be able to choose home electronics and entertainment devices. Take advantage of the wealth of simple to understand, useful information and shopping available on her website at www.homemedias.info.
Families play video games, listen to music from multiple speakers placed strategically around the room, and watch the latest movies without having to leave home or even open cabinet doors. Designers of the audio and video components no longer try to make the television itself appear as traditional furniture. Instead, the units are big and sleek with blank and stainless steel or chrome. These TVs are meant to be seen!
The next step was a logical one - seating. Comfortable couches, often with recliners built in. Chairs you sink into with a small table for drinks and snacks. Recessed lighting has become the standard and it is even possible to purchase stadium-type seats for use in your home.
It is no longer necessary to drive miles to a movie theater, pay high prices for entrance, popcorn and drinks.
Whether you place your home theater system in a corner of a large room or designate an entire room for the purpose, one thing is certain - this will be an area of your home that will be heavily used by your family.
As the technology became mainstream, the prices dropped and the demand for large home video systems continues to grow. More and more often, homeowners are including a video room when choosing the design for their new home. The large screen led to rooms designed for viewing TV and movies. This is quite a change in direction from years of trying hide home entertainment from view.
Interiors designers no longer recommend cabinets or closets to hide the entertainment components as they did year after year. Instead, they design seating areas and sound systems, turning rooms into real family theaters. The rooms are multi-purpose, with the goal of an area where technology is the center of attention.
The next step was a logical one - seating. Comfortable couches, often with recliners built in. Chairs you sink into with a small table for drinks and snacks. Recessed lighting has become the standard and it is even possible to purchase stadium-type seats for use in your home.
It is no longer necessary to drive miles to a movie theater, pay high prices for entrance, popcorn and drinks.
Whether you place your home theater system in a corner of a large room or designate an entire room for the purpose, one thing is certain - this will be an area of your home that will be heavily used by your family.
