Image projectors have gradually become a tool to simulate the effect of home theater. They allow you to project a bright and spacious image on any surface without depending on a screen of a fixed size.
Being able to project a new movie that you want to see from Netflix or new chapters of your favorite series are a much different experience than watching it on a home screen. But before deciding to buy one, we have to know all the factors that will affect us when buying the one that best suits our situation.
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Why a projector can be better than a screen to watch movies or series
A screen has a resolution that can be 1080p, 1440p, 4k, 8K…. It comes with fixed resolutions while with a projector we can have the resolution we want, enlarge the image or reduce it, losing a minimum image quality.
Films are made with the intention of being enjoyed on a cinema screen, with the structure, lighting and image size, and a projector is what best simulates the experience. It is even better for the eyes to see a projection on a surface than to see a huge LED screen.
In the case of series, in recent years, they are using cinematographic techniques and technologies to improve production values. With a projector, the experience of seeing a whole new season of La Casa de Papel will be much more different and immersive. Animated films or films with great special effects such as those of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will feel much better and more special thanks to the image quality that is offered to us.
Do we have space and structure?
A projector gives us a cinema screen anywhere. We will need to have a good surface on which to project the image if we want the experience to be better than on our television and screen. Ideally, a wall with a uniform, neutral color that does not distort the colors of the image in a way that cannot be corrected. The gotelé, the posters and the paintings in the room are going to be our enemies.
The image can be projected on a white screen for projectors, or with something more homemade we can use a sheet or large neutral-colored fabric that we can put taut, but it will require assembling and dismantling it when we want to use it, and washing it when it becomes dusty. If we want to use the projector indoors, we must use it in a wide space so that the image can be focused correctly, and that the room can be reduced in light.
Here we have possibly the only disadvantage compared to televisions, and that is that we are going to depend on whether our house, garden or premises in which we want to project a film or series, is wide enough. Ideally, there should be at least two meters between the projector and the wall.
Use that we are going to give the projector
Before any technology purchase, we must avoid being merely impulsive and think about all the uses that we are going to give it. Do we see enough series and movies so that the projector is not going to sit on a shelf without moving for several months? Will we see it alone or with family and friends?
If we are going to use it a lot and with more people, buying a projector is a great investment to turn film sessions and series into a greater experience. Many people will dare to go to your house to watch movies and series as if it were a great event because it will be different from watching it on television. The only case in which we advise against a projector is for regular or competitive gaming, since having to process the image and project it onto a surface can add several milliseconds of latency.
Factors to consider when buying a projector
Now that we have decided that yes, that a projector to watch movies and series is worth us and that we will be able to take advantage of it and use it regularly, we have to decide which is the best one for us. If you have already decided to buy a projector, we recommend you visit the comparison of tvlovers with the best quality-price projectors. The factors that differentiate the projector models are the following:
- Compatibility: If it is compatible with mobiles, tablets, computers, Chromecasts, consoles, it allows you to play in one SD card or USB ... The more connectivity options, the more uses we can give it and more comforts we will have by not having to pass everything through our computer. Being compatible with a USB hard drive means that we can comfortably spend our movies and series there and that the projector does not depend on being near our PC.
- Lumens: The unit by which the luminosity of a light source is calculated.
- Maximum projection size: ¿The maximum size that we can project and at the same time have a sharp and focused image. Some projectors are more intended for almost professional use, and others for home use. We will have to calculate the size of the surface with a tape measure using as reference the diagonal that joins two opposite corners of the surface. For example, many projectors go up to 200 inches, which is five meters across.
- Distortion correction: If the surface to be projected is slightly inclined, we can manually deform the image so that it has the appropriate proportions.
- Connections: Through which ports and connections we can connect the image source to the projector. Virtually all have an HDMI input, and some still have VGA. The connection via Wifi is being established little by little like a Chromecast
- Integrated Speakers: Important, because to see a movie or series, you have to be able to listen to it. Some projectors have built-in speakers, but many do not support Dolby Surround or are of insufficient quality. We may need to purchase a separate soundbar.
- Lamp Life: A projector lamp deteriorates with use. Of the models presented by TVLovers, the lamp with the least useful life is that of the Xiaomi Mijia, which has 30 hours of life, but that is almost three and a half years of useful life. Unless the use that we are going to give it is extremely intense and continuous, this factor will not be so important for a home user when buying a projector.
- What accessories will we have to buy: As we already said, depending on the projector or our projection area, we will have to add to the budget some speakers or a sound bar, and a projection screen.
