Home Cinema Projector Buying Guide

Learn about all the essential selection criteria before buying a good projector for home cinema in this buying guide.

How to find a suitable home cinema projector

We explain to you in a compact and understandable way which screen and which surround system is best suited to your home cinema. For the quickest start to home cinema enjoyment!

Content

Home cinema complete: projector, screen & surround system

A classic home cinema system consists of three components: a projector , a projection screen and a surround system, including an AV receiver, for bombastic cinema sound. If these are chosen appropriately, then each individual home cinema component can be a little cheaper. However, we advise against buying the cheapest models. Rather, buy tested devices from renowned manufacturers.

What a good home cinema projector can do

If you want to buy a home cinema projector, pay particular attention to the following quality features of a home cinema projector. A good balance between these features will ensure good quality home cinema projection.

Various home cinemas with screens, projector and sound system

Suitable room for home cinema

The room layout and the room size play an important role in home cinema. These two factors determine which projector, which type of screen and which home cinema system setup is most suitable.

This is what you should consider:

Room darkening

In principle, you should always darken a home cinema room. If this is only possible to a limited extent or not at all, then a projector must have correspondingly high brightness values. Note: The brighter the projector, the lower the contrast.

Space for screen

Depending on the type of screen, you will need some space on the wall or ceiling for mounting the screen. Make sure you have a solid surface for mounting the screen.

Space for surround speakers

You also need space to install your surround system. Especially if you want to install a larger number of surround speakers. The speakers should not be covered by the screen.

Projection distance

Depending on the type of projector, you may need more or less distance between the projection surface and the projector. Our projection surface calculator helps you to determine this distance.

Brightness

As simple as it sounds: the brighter the picture, the better you can see it in a bright environment. However, the contrast suffers as a result. Here it is important to find the optimal middle ground for the respective room, as a picture that is too bright quickly looks dull. A projector with high brightness therefore only offers average contrast values.

The brightness of projectors is specified in ANSI lumens. Brightness values in the four-digit range are sufficient for home cinema. Home cinema fun can begin from 1,500 lumens.

However, we recommend projectors with higher lumen values: from around 2,000 lumens, you will get a good home cinema picture even in less darkened rooms.

Brightness rating	ANSI lumens
good	from approx. 1,500
very good	from approx. 2,000

Tip:

If possible, always darken your home cinema room! This enhances the picture quality and contributes to the home cinema atmosphere.

Contrast

Contrast is the visually perceived difference between the light and dark areas of an image. In relation to projectors, this refers to brightness contrast . A film scene or an image, such as a photograph, appears more exciting the higher this contrast is. This is why contrast is an important quality feature of a projection image.

Contrast is given as a ratio. For example, the contrast indicated as 1,000:1 means that the difference between the darkest point and the brightest point is one thousand units.

Projectors with HDR compatibility now provide a particularly high contrast range. HDR (High Dynamic Range) ensures a high contrast gradation, which not only has a positive effect on the black level, but also on the colour representation.

In truth, the manufacturer's specifications on the contrast of a projector are inaccurate. For example, you often see in the data sheets that 3LCD projectors tend to have a lower contrast than DLP projectors. Do not be misled by this, but follow the information in the table below! They apply to all home cinema projectors with the proven projector technologies.

Home cinema projector class	Contrast
Entry level	from approx. 20,000:1
Middle class	from approx. 80,000:1
Upper class	from approx. 500,000:1

Image resolution

Image resolution is also popularly known as image sharpness. And indeed, pictures with higher resolution appear sharper than those with lower. As a result, we see more image details and nuances, which is what really excites us, true cineastes.

However, chasing the highest possible resolution should not be the highest priority. Even with WXGA resolution (1,280 x 800) of a projector you get a detailed home cinema image. However, we recommend a projector with Full HD resolution or higher. This image resolution is part of the image quality standard and thus offers very good image detail.

The grand masters of image sharpness are undoubtedly 4K projectors. They shine with outstanding image sharpness and an unbelievable wealth of detail. 4K projectors come in two resolutions: 3,840 x 2,160 and 4,096 x 2,160. The latter is referred to as the "true" 4K resolution, although in reality there is a barely perceptible difference between the two.

The image format is closely related to the image resolution. For example, a Full HD projector projects in 16:9 format, while a WXGA projector brings the image to 16:10 format. You will find a suitable projection screen for every image format.

Image resolution	Picture format
Full HD 1,920 x 1,080	16:9
WXGA 1,280 x 800	16:10
4K (UHD) 3,840 x 2,169	16:9
4K 4,096 x 2,160	16:9

The right screen for your home cinema

When choosing a suitable screen, you should pay attention to the following screen properties:

Front or rear projection

Projection screens are available for both front and rear projection. For home cinema, screens for front projection are best suited. Rear projection screens require a lot of space. That is why they are used more in the business sector.

Screen type

A distinction can be made between stationary and mobile screens. Stationary screens are permanently mounted, while mobile screens can be easily transported from one location to another and quickly set up there. For home cinema, we recommend a stationary screen.

Gain factor

Gain factor or luminance factor is a measure of the reflectivity of a screen. The higher the gain value, the more a screen reflects the light projected onto it. As a result, the image gains in brightness, but the viewing angle becomes smaller as the values increase. For home cinema, screens with gain values between 1.0 and 1.2 gain are best suited.

Screen format

The typical home cinema screen format is 16:9. Most Hollywood films were shot in 16:9 format and therefore fit optimally on projection screens with this aspect ratio. In addition, the popular Full HD image resolution has this aspect ratio. Of course, you can project onto other screen formats such as 16:10, 4:3 or 1:1. In this case, however, part of the screen surface remains unused. However, it is advisable to use a screen that is true to the projector format so that the black border frames the image.

Screen operation

Depending on the model, screens can either be rolled out and rolled in by hand or by a built-in motor. Motorised screens are usually more expensive, but offer the best convenience. Inexpensive alternatives are, for example, roller screens that are operated manually.

Our screen recommendations

Tip:

If possible, always darken your home cinema room! This enhances the picture quality and contributes to the home cinema atmosphere.

Ultra-short-throw projector: fast home cinema without a screen

Set up the projector, switch it on, align it, and you're done: that's how quickly you can get started with your home cinema if you use an ultra-short-throw projector. These projectors are usually compact, lightweight and easy to set up. And above all, they project an image with a diagonal of up to 2 metres from a very short distance (a few centimetres!). Directly onto a free, white wall surface. No screen necessary!

Top 5 Home Cinema Short Distance Projectors 2024

The best projection technology for home cinema: LCD or DLP?

Two projection technologies dominate the home cinema market: DLP and LCD. About 80 per cent of home cinema projectors use either DLP or LCD. The remaining 20 per cent listen to projection technologies such as LCoS, SXRD and D-ILA.

The biggest difference between LCD and DLP: LCD flatters the eye with stunning colour representation, while DLP delivers intense, high-contrast images.

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display

LCD uses liquid crystal panels to produce images. Individual pixels of the panels are darkened or brightened via electronic control. One LCD panel is used for each basic colour (red, green, blue). One of the best-known LCD projector manufacturers is the Japanese company Epson.

very good colour representation
very good colour fidelity
Strong brightness

DLP - Digital Light Processing

DLP is a projection technique in which the projection image is created with the help of micro mirrors. The mirrors are arranged in the so-called DMD chip (Digital Mirroring Device). Each individual mirror is electronically controlled and projects one pixel at a time. Colour is provided by a rapidly rotating colour wheel placed in front of the projector lamp. The best-known manufacturer of DLP projectors is Acer.

deep black levels
very sharp images
rich colours

Buy a home cinema projector with LED or lamp?

A mercury lamp is used as the light source in most home cinema projectors. These lamps are powerful and achieve high ANSI lumen values. However, the use of mercury is a cause for concern, as it permanently harms the environment. In addition, conventional projector lamps have a relatively short life of about 5,000 to 6,000 operating hours. After that, projector lamps must be replaced.

In contrast to conventional lamp projectors, there are projectors with LED panels for light generation. They are more energy-efficient than lamp projectors, have a service life of around 20,000 operating hours and do not harm the environment. The biggest disadvantage of home cinema projectors with LEDs, however, is their weak light output and limited choice compared to lamp projectors.

If you darken your home cinema room sufficiently, an LED projector can also be a convincing home cinema projector.

Laser projectors are fast becoming the standard though, these have the ability to combine the high brightness you can achieve from a mercury lamp and the long life expectancy of an LED light source.

What is a suitable home cinema system?

A good home cinema system is another important part of a home cinema. After all, it is the room-filling sound that ensures that you are literally immersed in the film action.

A classic home cinema system consists of an AV receiver, several surround speakers and a subwoofer for powerful bass sound. Most home cinema fans use a 5.1 Dolby Surround system in their home cinema room.

Somewhat more demanding, but also much more exciting, are 7.1 and 11.2 surround systems. This is where the surround sound comes into its own best. Provided you have an appropriately large home cinema room to install additional surround speakers and an AV receiver that supports additional sound channels.

If you want to experience true three-dimensional sound, we recommend modern AV receivers with 3D audio format support(Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro 3D). In combination with Atmos-compatible speakers or ceiling speakers, you can then expand your surround system to include sound from above.

The most important home cinema projector connections

The HDMI connection is also tried and tested for multimedia. This digitally transmits picture and sound in a quality suitable for home cinema (also 3D in Full HD). If your home cinema projector has such a connection, you can use any HDMI-equipped playback device such as a Blu-ray player or DVD player.

4K projectors use an HDMI 2.0 connection. HDMI 2.0a and higher support HDR signals. Connections such as DVI-I or VGA are also often part of the standard connections of a projector. They are rather unsuitable for home cinema because they only transmit image data, do not transmit copy protection and are inferior to the HDMI connection in terms of image quality.

Tip:

If possible, always darken your home cinema room! This enhances the picture quality and contributes to the home cinema atmosphere.

Projector features for home cinema

Each projector has a different set-up of features. Depending on whether you want to use a projector in the office or in a home cinema, different features are important. Special features for home cinema projectors significantly improve your home cinema experience. We will briefly introduce you to these features:

Interframe calculation (frame interpolation)

For lovers of action films and explosive Hollywood flicks, interframe calculation is a must. projectors with frame interpolation recalculate the frame rate during fast scenes and add recalculated images if necessary. This makes film scenes appear more fluid.

3D capability

If you want to enjoy 3D films in your home cinema, then your new home cinema projector should of course be 3D capable. Make sure that the projector is not only 3D ready, but can also process the 3D signal via HDMI.

LensShift

Lens Shift allows you to optimally align the projection image without distortion. The vertical lens shift used in most projectors allows the image to be shifted vertically. More expensive home cinema projector models often have an additional horizontal lens shift, which also allows the image to be shifted horizontally. Both features are extremely practical: they give you more leeway for positioning the projector.

HDR compatibility (High Dynamic Range)

Some modern home cinema projectors are HDR compatible. In combination with playback devices that support an extended contrast range, you get a significantly higher-contrast and thus also more detailed home cinema picture. So far, however, HDR compatibility is only reserved for 4K projectors.

Rec. 2020 Compatibility

Rec. 2020 is a recommended standard that defines quality characteristics of high-resolution UHD formats. Similar to HDR compatibility, content from devices that also comply with the Rec. 2020 standard can be reproduced in a significantly higher picture quality.

Home Cinema Projector Accessories

These accessories are not compulsory, but they add the finishing touch to your home cinema.

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Tobias Berg and Oliver Stenzel - contact persons in Purchasing and Sales - write on glass pane

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Home Cinema Projector Buying Guide

How to find a suitable home cinema projector

Home cinema complete: projector, screen & surround system

What a good home cinema projector can do

Suitable room for home cinema

Room darkening

Space for screen

Space for surround speakers

Projection distance

Brightness

Contrast

Image resolution

The right screen for your home cinema

Front or rear projection

Screen type

Gain factor

Screen format

Screen operation

Our screen recommendations

Ultra-short-throw projector: fast home cinema without a screen

Top 5 Home Cinema Short Distance Projectors 2024

The best projection technology for home cinema: LCD or DLP?

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display

DLP - Digital Light Processing

Buy a home cinema projector with LED or lamp?

What is a suitable home cinema system?

The most important home cinema projector connections

Projector features for home cinema

Interframe calculation (frame interpolation)

3D capability

LensShift

HDR compatibility (High Dynamic Range)

Rec. 2020 Compatibility

Home Cinema Projector Accessories

Popcorn machines

3D glasses

Projector ceiling mounts

Wireless HDMI Sets

This might also interest you

Projector buying guide

Connecting the projector correctly

Screen buying advice

Projection area calculator