The ultimate guide to choosing the perfect projector for your home

WHERE TO START?
 

1. Room Dimensions

Before making any decisions, measure the size of your media room and what type of content you plan on experiencing. Will it primarily be for movies, shows, presentations, or a combination of these?

2. Screen or Wall Dimensions

Next, measure the length, width, and height of the wall where the screen is to be placed or where you plan to project the image. Pro Tip: you can convert your blank wall into a screen too.

3. Determine the Throw Ratio

Starting with a better understanding on what is a throw ratio. It is the distance between the projector and screen for optimal viewing and the width of the image it will project. Let’s look at an example, a projector with a throw ratio of 1.5:1 means that for every 1 foot (or meter) of image width, the projector needs to be placed 1.5 feet (or meters) away from the screen. For instance, if you want to project a 6 ft wide image, the projector should be placed at a distance of 9 feet (1.5 x 6) from the screen. Once the distance is determined and the exact measurements of the room have been taken into account, we can proceed with determining which type of projector will be ideal for your room.

SELECTION OF PROJECTORS

Brightness and Lighting

Once the above steps are done, the next most important aspect is to check the brightness in a projector. The projector brightness is determined by the light output it produces. It is measured in ANSI Lumens. ANSI lumens provide a consistent and reliable way to compare the brightness levels of different projectors, regardless of the technology used or the manufacturer. It represents the average amount of light that a projector emits across the entire image.

Another critical consideration is the lighting conditions in your media room. For dedicated dark rooms, projectors with lower brightness levels that are more capable of delivering excellent colour output can be considered. Conversely, if the room is well lit or has large windows, selecting a high-brightness projector (2500 ANSI lumens and above) is recommended to maintain image quality”, says Naveen Tiwari, Senior Product Manager at BenQ India.

Selection of Projectors as per Room Sizes

Now comes the part of deciding the particular model and brand that fulfils all your requirements. One name that is synonymous with projectors is BenQ. The Taiwanese manufacturer is one of, if not the only manufacturer to comprise projectors in every category. You can find their products being used in homes, educational institutes, corporate environments and many more. Its wide range of products coupled with stellar image quality makes it a worthy pick. Here are product recommendations suitable for different room sizes.

Along with projectors, BenQ also offer their Ambient Light Rejection or ALR screens that are used in rooms with ambient light without compromising image quality or necessitating a darkened environment within a few inches from the screen. We recommend GV1 and GV30 models for ultra-portability and the GS50 model for outdoor camping and indoor purposes.

Through the course of this research and speaking to the experts in the field, we found that setting up a home theatre is as easy and similar to buying a new TV. With the vast advancement in technology, connectivity and relevant pricing, projectors make a compelling case for themselves.