How to Choose a Home Theater Projector

Did you know that TV Specialists was the very 1st in Utah to show a home video projector in the 1970s? Additionally, we were the 1st and currently largest projector dealer in Utah – and one of the largest in the United States!

Whether it be an Optoma projector, a BenQ projector, or a projector by another brand such as Epson, Sony, JVC, Panasonic, and Runco, we have an impressively wide line-up of video projectors to select from – so we can provide you with unsurpassed image quality, input flexibility, portability, or whatever else you are looking for in a home theater projector.

We offer, and are experienced and knowledgeable with 4K resolution projectors, LCD projectors, DLP projectors, LCoS/SXRD projectors, D-ILA projectors, and more. We not only understand the various projector technologies, but all of the other factors that should go in to selecting the projector that is right for you – not just the specs.

The visual display is a huge part of any custom home theater or TV display. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the basics of the technologies and the different factors that need to be considered when selecting the right video projector for your home theater. Some may be tempted to choose a projector based solely on the technology used and its various specifications. However, specs can be deceiving – especially if they are not understood properly. The best way to interpret the technology and specs is to see live side-by-side comparisons.

Here’s a few of the technology terms you might hear:

LCOS

Liquid Crystal on Silicon

• Developed by IBM
• Competitor to DLP
• Higher contrast
• Improved white balance

SXRD

Silicon X-TAL Reflective Display

• Developed by Sony
• Competitor to DLP
• Higher contrast
• Improved white balance

4K Resolution Does Matter If…

Hybrid Solid-State

LED/Laser Hybrid

• Solid state
• Lower maintenance
• Longer-life (20,000 hours or more)
• Consumes less power
• Higher brightness
• Quick turn on/off
• Runs cooler

Which Technology is Best?

The answer truly depends upon your individual needs. Ambient light, the size of the desired image, distance to screen, projector screen type, and other considerations such as budget, should all be considered when considering which technology is best for you.

Other things to Consider

Lamps

If cost is important to you, then lamp life and the cost of a replacement lamp should be considered. While Lamp life has increased over the years, where it used to be only 1,000-2,000 hours on average, it is now generally between 2,000-4,000 hours. The cost of a replacement lamp can be expensive – anywhere between $250 to $10,000 for large venue projectors.

Warranties do not usually cover lamp life. Lamps generally have their own warranty of around 90 hours. Generally, if a lamp is bad, it will usually fail within that time frame.

Now, with the new LED projectors, replacing a lamp becomes obsolete with a life of up to 20,000 hour sand more. Additionally, a laser home theater projector has two to three times the brightness of an LED projector and does not require lamps or filter replacements. Because of this, both LED projectors and laser projectors, along with hybrid projectors of both LED and laser technology, allow for longer life and less or zero maintenance!

Warranty

Most projectors come with either a one, two, or a three year warranty. As a reminder, these warranties usually do not cover the lamp life. Different manufacturers offer different warranty programs. Some warranties will replace your projector, within 24-48 hours, if it fails within the warranty time while others will provide a temporary video projector if your projector is in need of a repair. Other warranty features may be available. Additionally, some manufacturers will offer extended warranties at an additional cost.

Regardless, rest assured that should the need arise, TV Specialists is authorized to service, provide a temporary projector, or replace your projector if it is under warranty.

Our Recommendation

Each projector has its own strengths and weaknesses depending on the application used and the environment it will be placed in. Because of this, our recommendation would be to come to our showroom, speak to one of our specialists, and discover for yourself which home theater projector is right for you. Not only will our salesmen help you understand the technology and features available, but they can show you live comparisons, of the same image, with different projectors, at the same time – so you can make the ultimate judgment for yourself.