7 Must-Know Things Before You Buy A Home Projector in Singapore
Home projectors are increasingly in demand nowadays due to more people staying home. All the long boring nights can be transformed into exciting and immersive ones, simply by a home cinema projector that can project a huge screen on the wall so that you can enjoy a full-blown theatre-like experience in the comfort of your own house.
To help you to choose the best home projector, we have compiled 7 things you absolutely need to know before buying a home projector - so that you can get the best bang for your buck.
Projector Resolution
Resolution in a projector means the number of pixels it has. The more pixels, the better the image quality and the more cash you’ll have to pay. This shows more details in image projection.
1280x720- 720p is the most frequently bought projector resolutions. Good for non-fussy users. Although cheap, it is not too clear when you cast from a distance. Mainly found in pocket projectors, mini projectors and portable projectors where resolution isn't really the stong point of the device.
1920x1080- 1080p resolution projectors will display all 1080i signals and 1080p signals. It is best for playing Blu-Ray discs & its native formats without any problem of scaling. It is simply one of the detailed and clearest resolutions available now - and is the industry standard. Projectors around this resolution typically cost S$600-S$1,000+ usually.
4K UHD - This is the most expensive resolution available. This is 4x sharper than the resolution of 1080p pixel, supporting up to 3840x2160 or 4096x2160. However, they are usually disproportionately overpriced ($5,000) in the current market as they serve a very niche type of buyers. Also, who needs such a high resolution when most content are not even in 4k?
Get a 1080p projector, FHD, for a home projector as it will be massively projected on the wall - and you don't want a 720p resolution as it will be a very blurred image. A 4K projector is way too expensive too.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect Ratio is the proportion of the width to the height with the screen or image. 1080p projectors are usually used for 16:9 aspect ratios, whereas 800 x 600 are good for 4:3 displays.
Just note that getting a projector which does not support both aspect ratios (only one) might be a headache as a mismatch in aspect ratio of projector and content will result in irregular images.
E.g. Casting a 16:9 image using a 4:3 home projector. The image will be vertical & have ugly space at the top and bottom.
So, get a projector that can support both 16:9 and 4:3 in order to be able to play all content properly.
Laser vs Lamp
As the topic says, there are two types of projectors. One is a laser light that projects images through and the other displays images through a lamplight.
Both of these are equally great and display picture with almost the same quality and clarity. They also have equal brightness levels.
As laser light is too expensive, and often used on highly overpriced projectors, lamp projectors have taken over the market with a better price-performance value.
Since lamp projectors are much more affordable while performing almost as well, home owners should opt for a lamp projector instead.
Lumens (Brightness)
Brightness is an essential factor in choosing a good projector. With low lumens, for eg, 1000-3000, it will look washed out and dull in the day, and in dark, it will not be as vibrant. Color contrast and vividness will be affected.
While 1500-3000 Lumens is the industry standard for home theaters, always try to opt for one that has higher lumens. A range between 5000-7000 is ideal for a home projector. Do note that the higher the lumens, the more expensive it is!
Contrast Ratio
To experience the picture in full vividness and all its glory, you need to have a projector with a high contrast level.
This makes sure that the colors in the image are well-balanced to ensure a good quality of the display.
Higher contrast shows deeper colors in both black and white. This provides a more contrasting feel to the color, giving it richness. Even if the brightness is excellent but the contrast is off, it will lead to a washed image display.
For displaying in a dark room, 1500:1 is the bare minimum. A good contrast ratio to have is anything above 3000:1.
Throw Ratio
This ratio is the proportion of distance between the projector and the screen needed to display the projected screen. E.g. The throw ratio of 1.5 to 1 shows an image 1 foot wide when it is placed 1.5 feet away.
Best recommendation is to get a short throw projector as it allows you to use it in smaller rooms. The shorter the throw distance, the lesser distance needed between the projector and the screen to project a large screen.
Imaging System
Home projectors mostly come with three types of image systems .
- DLP (Digital Light Processing)
- LED/LCD (Liquid Emitting Diode/Liquid Crystal Display)
- LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicone)
Most businesses, schools and commercial shops commonly use the DLP image system as it is a technology which has been used for decades. Even though it is commonly used, it is considered a dated technology. On the other hand LCoS, the latest technology, produces the best color and image quality, but is insanely expensive and only available on super high-end models costing up to thousands.
LED/LCD displays are thus considered the market and industry standard for home projectors, as it offers the best price-point and quality image.
Hence, for homeowners, you should opt for LED/LCD projectors as it provides the best value, while providing almost the same performance as DLP.
Too Long, Didn’t Read (TLDR)
In summary, home projectors are increasingly in demand nowadays due to more people staying home.
Given the so many specs to consider, it can be very confusing as you might be overpaying for specs that you do not need.
That is why LUMOS created our best-value flagship projector: AURO, a home-theater with 1080p Resolution, 6000 Lumens, 4000:1 Contrast Ratio, LED, short throw, lamp projector which supports 16:9 & 4:3 aspect ratios. Best of every aspect.
It is only S$299 where most big brands 1080p resolution projectors are easily around $600 -$1000.
With Netflix & Youtube apps available on our Smart Projector version, which is WIFI enabled, this is truly like bringing the cinema home.
AURO gives you the cinematic experience at best-value prices.
