Projectors & Screens in Home Theater

Should I choose a projector with a standard lamp, laser, or LED light source?

A projector with a standard lamp is good for occasional use, like a weekly family movie night. The lamp (or bulb) has a life of about 10,000 hours and it dims over time, so you'll need to replace it regularly. Laser projectors are ideal if you want a cinematic experience and have a dedicated home theater. It offers the brightest lumination of the three and lasts 20,000 to 30,000 hours so it is very low maintenance. An LED projector is also low maintenance, lasting 20,000 hours, and ideal if you're looking for a portable projector to take on the go or one that is a smaller size.

How do I know what resolution to get for a projector?

The four most common resolution options for projectors are, in order of picture quality, 720p HD, 1080p Full HD, 4K UHD, and 8K UHD. The 720p option provides twice the resolution of an analog TV and is usually the least expensive of the four. The 1080p option provides twice the clarity of 720p and great resolution on smaller screens. Projectors with 4K offer four times the resolution of 1080p and are good for all screen sizes. And 8K offers the most realistic resolution and is best for very large screens. The resolution you choose depends primarily on your screen size and budget.

How many lumens should I look for in a projector?

Lumens refer to brightness, so the more lumens a projector has, the brighter the picture will be. A home theater projector does not need a lot of lumens, so a minimum of 1,500 lumens is sufficient. If you have a lot of windows in your space, however, choose a minimum of 2,500 lumens. Also, make sure the color lumens are the same or higher than the white lumens so your pictures won't look dark or dull.