For a dedicated home theatre projector, that will be used in a darkened room, a high contrast ratio greater than 2000:1 is required. For data projectors and some multi-use projectors a high contrast is not required as ambient light in the room reduces any ill-effect that a low contrast may cause. If you plan to use your projector mainly in a lit or even semi-lit room, the contrast ratio is not of vital significance.

If you are interested in a discount alternative to some of the more expensive home theatre projectors, please call our office (1300 739 131) and speak to a qualified team member. Many projectors are available starting at approximately $1200 that may be suitable depending on your operating environment.

Before purchasing, whether from us or a competitor, please feel free to contact us to discuss the projector you are thinking of purchasing. We like to ensure you are getting the projector that's right for your needs. Many AV resellers and even some home theatre specialists only hold some models and therefore attempt to sell what they have in stock.

Optoma has made yet another strong performer with the HD65. This little powerhouse offers a high definition resolution of 1280 x 720 together with a massive 4000:1 contrast. The High definition resolution will give you great detail while the high contrast ratio provides good reproduction of dark shades and strong blacks.

The HD65 is one of the first DLP projectors to feature an amazing 6 segment colour wheel running at 4X speed ,ensuring awesome colour reproduction and eliminating the chance of seeing the rainbow effect visible in older model DLP projectors. Most DLP home theatre projectors on the market operate using a 5 and sometimes a 4 segment colour wheel.

With all the inputs you'll ever need, such as the 15pin D-Sub, Composite RCA, S-video, the new HDMI v1.3, and Component, the HD65 is very easy to connect to your dvd player or other theatre products. Additionally Optoma has included a 12v relay so you can connect certain motorised screens to the projector that can automatically lower or raise when the projector is turned on/off.

If your after a great high definition home theatre projector, that isn't going to cost you the earth, this is it!

Traditionally the LCD projectors have been excellent for colour reproduction but have fallen short with a lower contrast than the DLP alternative. As mentioned above, this Epson unit offers a massive contrast ratio exceeding that of 98% of all others on the market. Epson has managed to do this using a new filter (or Iris), that increases the contrast substantially while still maintaining the benefits of excellent colour reproduction.

With Epson's new lens shift technology, the days of keystone correction are over. Keystone correction, is software built into most projectors to allow the user to correct the distortion (usually vertical) that is caused when the projector is pointed at an angle to the screen. With lens shift, its simply a matter of adjusting the lens. This method makes it easier to position the projector, plus allows for wider positioning of the projector (ie left or right, up or down of the screen). The Epson TW700 also offers a 2.2x optical zoom, allowing the projector to be positioned either very close or far back from the screen without changing the image size. A great feature for those with limited mounting positions.

How good is the image? Epson's TW700 high definition home theatre projector is the upgrade to the popular TW600 that won countless awards from around the world, so when we first heard of this new release we had very high expectations. Trust me when I say we were not let down. It offers an incredibly sharp image with amazing colour and outstanding detail. We had a chance to review EMP TW700 with a massive image of 3.5metres (wide) and even at that huge size the image was perfect.

Panasonic have also released a new home theatre projector with similar specifications to the Epson, however after viewing both we have chosen the Epson as our recommended unit. This is due to the higher contrast ratio the Epson offers, the higher optical zoom, and the fact that Epson actually manufacture the LCD panel for Panasonic resulting in both projectors having the same image base. While the Panasonic is capable of a slightly higher brightness level, it does loose a fair bit a colour accuracy and contrast when doing so.

If you are after a true high definition solution for your home, this Epson EMP-TW700 is the ultimate choice.

After the massive success of the EMP-TW1000, Epson has released the EH-TW3000 Full Definition projector. This projector will give you one of the sharpest native widescreen pictures available with an exceptional WUXGA 1920 x 1080 resolution. That is a massive amount of detail quite a bit ahead of the current media. Most DVD's and even digital TV are encoded in standard definition but the newer Blueray discs are coming out now and offering the full definition resolution which the Epson TW3000 takes advantage of. The Epson TW3000 is equipped with whopping 18,000:1 contrast ratio for the blackest of blacks and well defined colours. The TW3000 is also incredibly quiet with a barely audible 22dB noise rating, way under the average rating of approximately 30-35dB.

Traditionally the LCD projectors have been excellent for colour reproduction but have fallen short with a lower contrast than the DLP alternative. As mentioned above, this Sanyo unit offers a massive contrast ratio exceeding that of 98% of all others on the market. Epson has managed to do this using a new filter (or Iris), that increases the contrast substantially while still maintaining the benefits of excellent colour reproduction.

With Epson's new lens shift technology, the days of keystone correction are over. Keystone correction, is software built into most projectors to allow the user to correct the distortion (usually vertical) that is caused when the projector is pointed at an angle to the screen. With lens shift, its simply a matter of adjusting the lens. This method makes it easier to position the projector, plus allows for wider positioning of the projector (ie left or right, up or down of the screen). The Epson TW3000 also offers a 2.1x optical zoom, allowing the projector to be positioned either very close or far back from the screen without changing the image size. A great feature for those with limited mounting positions.

We found the image excellent with standard definition images as well as HD content. But when a Full definition Blue Ray disc was played it really came into it's own. The detail in the recording takes full advantage of the 1080p full definition resolution and though the contrast and colour are just as good as on a standard def DVD the detail made a remarkable difference. This is truly the technology of the future.

Additionally Epson have equipped the TW3000 with dual component and dual HDMI inputs making it easier to wire it up. The Genuine Australian model also comes with an 2 year warranty on the projector and 6 months on the lamp.