I want to buy a projector for watching DVDs etc. Its so confusing with all the technical stuff. What should I

Question

I've been looking at lcd projectors but with lumens, ratios, picture throws it's too confusing. I just want to whatch DVD's on a big screen from time to time.I have a big room so space isn't a problem.

Answer 1

Think of lumens as candle power. 1 lumen is equal to one lit candle brightness. 2 is two candles and so on.  The higher the lumen the brighter the picture.  But be warned having too bright a picture can shorten the bulb and actually make the image all washed out.

Contrast rating is the black level that is projected.  Since black is the abscense of light, it is very hard to project black using conventional bulbs, so what projectors do is project varying shades of gray.  The higher the contrast the darker the shade of "percieved black"  Most projectors actually do a very good job of this, but your lighting conditions and gain in the screen also contribute to the black level also.

You want a projector that is 1080p capable.  Because projectors have larger images than standard TV's, the pixels used to create the image are much larger, so you want a projector that can do 1080p so the pixels are much smaller and you won't notice them or get what is called "moire" or that looking through a screen door effect.

You also want a 16:9 image which is widescreen.  Basically the image is 16 measurements wide (inches, feet, centimeters whatever) by 9 measurements high.  4:3 is typical TV shaped, where 16:9 is widecreen shaped.  Some very ultra highend projectors actually can go even wider than 16:9 with anamorphic lenses that eliminate the "black bars" that many DVD's and Bluray's have.  But those projectors start in the 5,000 range.

Heat is also an issue, projectors run very hot, so make sure you compensate for this and the projector has adequate airflow.  I would also look at adding a battery back-up, so that if the power goes out suddenly the fans on the projector can engage and properly cool down the bulb, having it just shut on and off will decrease the bulb lifespan and may actually burn out the bulb.

Also make sure you have the projector "calibrated" to get the best image you can.

Answer 2

Go with a DLP front projector since it gives you the biggest picture measured diagonally. Check out a refurbished Infocus SP4805 4X projector at amazon.com which sells for around $570. Here's the URL:

http://www.amazon.com/InFocus-Screenplay...

It comes with a built-in speaker. Read the 15 Customer Reviews.

And here's an actual 96" diagonal movie image [A Good woman].

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/...

Good luck!

Answer 3

The higher the lumen, the brighter the picture (bigger number means you can use it while still having adequate lighting in the room).  Higher contrast is better.  Try to get something with a resolution at least 1920X1080, that way you'll get a clearer picture.  Lamp life is also a factor, if you buy a model with less hours for the life of the lamp, you'll be buying a very expensive lamp sooner rather than later.  The screen is important too.