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
Epson EH-TW5600 Full HD 3D Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $899
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 16:9 Brightness: 2500 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 35,000:1 Weight: 3.4kg Fan Noise: 27db Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $100) Lamp Warranty: 12 months / 750 hours Lamp Life Up To: 7,500hrs	FEATURES - 1.6x Zoom - 2x HDMI Connection - MHL Compatible - Horizontal & Vertical Keystone - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - Frame Interpolation - 2D to 3D Conversion - 10W Speaker Inbuilt - Bluetooth Audio [More Information]	RRP: $1199 Was $1149 Save $250 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma HD144X DLP Full HD 3D Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1199
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 3400 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 23,000:1 Weight: 2.5kg Fan Noise: 24db (eco) Warranty: 3 Years (+1 Year $119) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 12,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - 2x HDMI Connection - Powerful 10W Speaker - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - MHL Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $1499 NEW!!! In Stock Now $200 OFF WAS $1399 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma HD152X DLP Full HD 3D Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1599
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 3200 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 30,000:1 Weight: 2.8kg Fan Noise: 29db (eco) Warranty: 3 Years (+1 Year $125) Lamp Warranty: 12months/1000hrs Lamp Life Up To: 15,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - DARBEE Visual Presence™ - 1.6x Zoom - 2x HDMI Connection - Powerful 10W Speaker - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - MHL Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $1899 NEW!!! In Stock Now $200 OFF WAS $1799 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Epson EH-TW6700 Full HD 3D Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $2149
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 16:9 Brightness: 3000 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 70,000:1 Weight: 6.9kg Fan Noise: 24db Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $135) Lamp Warranty: 12 months / 750 hours Lamp Life Up To: 5,000hrs	FEATURES - 1.6x Zoom - 2x HDMI Connection - MHL Compatible - Horizontal & Vertical Lens Shift - Frame Interpolation - 2D to 3D Conversion - 2x 10W Speakers Inbuilt - Bluetooth Audio [More Information]	RRP: $2649 Was $2649 Save $500 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
BenQ W1700 DLP Ultra High Definition 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $1849
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 2200 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 10,000:1 Weight: 4.2kg Fan Noise: 33 / 29db (eco) Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $135) Lamp Warranty: 6 months/750hrs Lamp Life Up To: 10,000hrs	FEATURES - Rec. 709 Colour Calibration - Flawless All Glass Optics - 1.2x Zoom - Vertical Keystone Correction - 2x HDMI connections - HDR Compatible - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $2499 WAS $2499 SAVE $650 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma UHL55 DLP 4K Smart Home Theatre LED Projector			Your Price: $2199
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: UHD 3840 x 2160 16:9 Brightness: 2000 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 250,000:1 Weight: 3.9kg Fan Noise: 28db (eco) Warranty: 3 Years (+1 Year $135) LED Warranty: 12months/1000hrs LED Life Up To: 30,000hrs	FEATURES - HDR10 Compatible - HDMI Connection - HDMI 2.0 Connection - 2x 8W Speaker - SPDIF Out - Inbuilt Wifi - Inbuilt Bluetooth Input / Output - Short Throw - Inbuilt Android™ 4.4 (Kitkat) - USB Image & Video reader [More Information]	RRP: $2799 NEW!!! In Stock Now! $600 OFF WAS $2799 + FREE Chromecast Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
BenQ W2700 DLP Ultra High Definition 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $2499
	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 - 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 - 12 Volt Trigger [More Information]	RRP: $2499 NEW!!! - Limited Stock Available Now! Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma UHD50 DLP 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $2399
	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: 3 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 $400 OFF WAS $2799 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Epson EH-TW8300 Full HD 3D Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $3299
	SPECIFICATIONS Native Resolution: WUXGA 1920 x 1080 16:9 Brightness: 2500 ANSI Lumens Maximum Contrast: 1,000,000:1 Weight: 11kg Fan Noise: 20db Warranty: 2 Years (+1 Year $139) Lamp Warranty: 12 months / 750 hours Lamp Life Up To: 5,000hrs	FEATURES - 4K Enhancement - 2.0x Zoom (Powered) - Horiz. & Vert Lens Shift (Powered) - Frame Interpolation - 3D Capable(3D glasses required) - 2D to 3D Conversion - 2x HDMI Connections [More Information]	RRP: $4499 Was $4199 Save $900 Ends June 30th Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available
Optoma UHD60 DLP 4K Home Theatre Projector			Your Price: $3670
	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 Back in Stock! $629 OFF WAS 4299 Must End 30th June Flat Rate Freight! $22 Insured Australia Wide. Pick up Available