Home Theatre Projector

Choosing a Home Theatre Projector.

What brightness level do I require?
How much do I need to know about image quality?
Should I ceiling mount my projector?
Are there any 3D Projectors?
What inputs/connections should I use?
What else should I look out for when buying?
What projectors do you recommend for home theatre?

How much do I need to know about image quality? [top]
For a dedicated home theatre room, there are 2 main specifications to consider before making your purchase. These are:
Native Resolution
Contrast Ratio

A Native Resolution is essentially a measurement for the number of pixels being projected. Usually this is represented in a number of pixels width to height e.g. 1920 pixels width and 1080 pixels high. Projectors can accept signals higher and lower of the native resolution but will have to convert or compress the signal to display in the native resolution.

The most common resolutions for home theatre are

WXGA - 1280x800 or 1280x720 (High Definition 720p)
WUXGA - 1920x1080 (Full High Definition 1080p)
UHD - 3840x2160 (Ultra High Definition 4K)

The recommended resolution for home theatre applications is WUXGA or UHD (1080p of 4K). The 1080P resolution will result in a widescreen high detailed image perfect for Full HD games and Bluray Movies. With a 4K projector you will be ready for the new 4K disks and gaming consoles out now. For more information on 4K Projectors click the link.

Contrast Ratio is another important specification of a home theatre projector. Contrast defines how far the whitest whites are from the blackest blacks. If the peak white value is significantly different than the peak black value the signal is said to have high contrast resulting in well defined & detailed shading. A contrast of 1000:1 means that the blackest black on the image will be 1000 times blacker than the whitest white.

For a dedicated home theatre projector, that will be used in a darkened room, a high contrast ratio of 10,000:1 or more is best. 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.

Should I ceiling mount my projector? [top]
Ceiling mounting is the best way to install a projector. Many projectors will require a projection distance of around 3 metres for a common image size of 100". This means you could pop it onto a coffee table but it is generally neater to have power and HDMI cables hidden in a ceiling space and the projector is safe from being knocked or dropped.

Are There any 3D Projectors? [top]
3D is a new feature on projectors and is available on all home theatre projectors. To get 3D running you will need

• Active shutter 3D glasses (not the $1 set from the cinema's)
• A 3D compatible HDMI 1.4 cable
• 3D Bluray player
• 3D Bluray movie

What Inputs/Connections should I use?[top]
Most projectors have older connections like VGA, Component and S-video on the back. The best connection to use is HDMI which gives you the sharpest digital image.

What else should I look out for when buying? [top]
There are some cheaper projectors ($300-$500) being advertised by some retailers as being great for home theatre. These offer low resolutions and generally offer extremely poor image quality. At Just Projectors, we have declined offers from our suppliers to sell these "HD compatible" projectors as we feel they simply do not offer the quality that is required for home movies.

There are also more specialised gaming projectors available. For more info on projectors for games and consoles click here.

What projectors do you recommend for home theatre? [top]

Home Theatre Recommendations
Optoma HD27e DLP Full HD Bright Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1249
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 3400 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 25,000:1 Weight: 2.9kg Fan Noise: 25db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $100) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - 2x HDMI Connection - Powerful 10W Speaker - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - MHL Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $1399 $150 OFF WAS $1399 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma HD29H DLP Full HD Bright Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1399
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 16:9 Brightness: 3400 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 50,000:1 Weight: 2.7kg Fan Noise: 26db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $119) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - HDR10 Compatible - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - Vertical Keystone Correction - 2x HDMI Connection - Powerful 10W Speaker - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - Fast Gaming Modes [More Information]	RRP: $1599 $200 OFF WAS $1599 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma HD39HDR DLP Full HD Bright Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1499
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 16:9 Brightness: 4000 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 50,000:1 Weight: 3.49kg Fan Noise: 26db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $100) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - HDR10 Compatible - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - 2x HDMI Connection - Powerful 10W Speaker - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) [More Information]	RRP: $1999 $500 OFF WAS $1999 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Viewsonic PX727-4K DLP High Brightness 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1699
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 2200 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 12,000:1 Weight: 4.2kg Fan Noise: 33 / 29db (eco) Warranty: 3 Years (+1 Year $135) Lamp Warranty: 12 Months / 1000 Hours Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - 6 Segment Colour Wheel - 1.2x Zoom - Vertical Keystone Correction - 2x HDMI connections - HDR Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $2499 In Stock Now! $300 OFF WAS $1999 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
BenQ W2700 DLP Ultra High Definition 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $2599
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 2000 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 30,000:1 Weight: 4.2kg Fan Noise: 30 / 28db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $135) Lamp Warranty: 6months/750hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - DCI-P3/Rec.709 Colour Calibration - 6 Segment Colour Wheel - Flawless All Glass Optics - 1.3x Zoom - 10% Vertical Lens Shift - Vertical Keystone Correction - Pixel/Colour/Flesh Tone Enhancer - USB Media Player - 2x HDMI connections - 2x 5W Speaker - HDR10/HLG Compatible - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $2999 RRP $2999 Save $400 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $0 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma UHD50 DLP 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $2349
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 2400 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 500,000:1 Weight: 5.3kg Fan Noise: 25db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $135) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - HDR10 Compatible - 1.3x Zoom - 15% Vertical Lens Shift - HDMI Connection - HDMI 2.0 Connection - 2x 5W Speaker - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $2799 $450 OFF WAS $2799 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma UHD60 DLP 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $3399
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 3000 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 1,000,000:1 Weight: 7.8kg Fan Noise: 25db (eco) Warranty: 3 Years (+1 Year $139) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - HDR Compatible - SDR To HDR Conversion - 1.6x Zoom - 15% Vertical Lens Shift - HDMI Connection - HDMI 2.0 Connection - 2x 4W Speaker [More Information]	RRP: $4299 $900 OFF WAS $4299 Must End 19th July Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Epson EH-TW8400 4Ke UHD Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $3999
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: 1920x1080x2 (4Ke) 16:9 Brightness: 2600 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 1,000,000:1 Weight: 11.2kg Fan Noise: 20db Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $159) Lamp Warranty: 12 months / 750 hours Lamp Life Up To: 5,000hrs	FEATURES - DCI-P3/Rec.709 Colour Calibration - 4K Enhancement - HDR10 Compatible - 2.0x Zoom (Powered) - Veritcal Keystone - Vertical Lens Shift (+/-96%) - Horizontal Lens Shift (+/- 47%) - Frame Interpolation - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - 2x HDMI Connections [More Information]	RRP: $4099 NEW!!! Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
BenQ W5700 DLP Ultra High Definition 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $4199
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 1800 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 100,000:1 Weight: 6.5kg Fan Noise: 32 / 26db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $139) Lamp Warranty: 6months/750hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - DCI-P3/Rec.709 Colour Calibration - Flawless All Glass Optics - 1.6x Zoom - ± 60% Vertical Lens Shift - ± 23% Horizontal Lens Shift - Vertical Keystone Correction - Pixel/Colour/Flesh Tone Enhancer - 2x HDMI connections - HDR10/HLG Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $4199 FREE Delivery Code: FREEDEL NEW!!! - Limited Stock Available Now! Flat Rate Freight! $0 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available