Home entertainment centers are enjoyed by millions of people. But the cost of a big screen TV might be beyond your reach if you’re living on a tight budget. Projectors, by comparison, are much more affordable, and just as versatile as a TV. This article will answer some common questions about projectors, so you can determine which projector will work best for you.
Why Would I Want a Projector?
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A projector can give you just as good of a home theater experience as a large LED screen at a fraction of the cost. Why pay several times more for a TV when you don’t have to? Moreover, projectors and portable. You can easily move them from room to room in your home, or even travel with them.
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What Can I Watch on a Projector?
Projectors can play virtually any kind of media you want just like your other devices and come n two main categories: Home theater and business.
Home theater projectors are designed with entertainment in mind and have a wide variety of inputs for virtually any device. You can enjoy sports, movies, TV shows, video games and more with an image size several times bigger than a television. In order to use a home theater projector you must be able to make the room it’s being used in as dark as possible.
Projectors made for business purposes are best for showing still photos of slides, charts, and graphs. They’re perfect for meetings, job training, presentations, etc. Since business projectors are often used in rooms with the lights on, they are designed to emit much brighter images than home theater projectors. They still can be used to play shows and movies, but you’re better off getting a home theater projector if entertainment is your only intended use.
What About Image Quality?
Image quality is largely determined by the specific technology that the projector uses. Unfortunately, the technology which produces the highest quality image is very expensive, so projectors like that will be much more than $100. Luckily, there are plenty of projectors that use less expensive technology without compromising on quality too much.
What is Screen Throw?
Screen throw lets the buyer know what distance from the screen the projector works best from. It will typically give you a number for both the far end and near end of the spectrum, but ideal image quality will be found when the distance is somewhere between the two numbers.
Decide which room you’re going to use your projector in the most and measure how far it is from the wall and where you’ll place your projector. That distance should be approximately the midway point between the high and low distances specified for your projector.
What About Screens?
A projector screen will allow you to enjoy the best picture quality. They are designed to reflect the light of the projector back at the viewer, making the images seem alive and brilliant. You could use a plain white wall, but using a screen works best.
Projector screens come in white and gray, with white being better for business purposes, and gray being better for entertainment. The sizes vary, but you can get projector screens much larger than most TVs without having to spend too much money. If you do decide to get a screen, be aware that it must have the same aspect ratio as your projector.
How Do I Clean My Projector?
Keeping your projector clean is necessary for optimal performance. To do so there are a few things you must know. Most importantly, make sure the unit is unplugged before cleaning. Do not clean right after use. Wait until it cools completely.
Remove dust with a vacuum cleaner or can of compressed air. If you must use water to clean the exterior of your projector, DO NOT allow any water to get inside the projector while cleaning. Only use a wet cloth if needed, and ring it out as much as possible before using. If something is stuck on the projector and water alone won’t work, use a small amount of mild soap, such as dish soap.
What About Cleaning the Lens?
To clean the lens, you’ll need to get a special lens cleaner made just for that purpose. Never use anything other than this cleaner, and definitely don’t use anything harsh such as alcohol. Add a little lens cleaner to a soft cloth, and wipe the lens in a circular fashion until clean.
Now that you know what to look for in a projector take a look at some of the ones listed below. There are several high quality makes and models to choose from so you’ll easily be able to find one that’s right for you.
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