Front projection requires two keys parts to function: a projector responsible for making an image, and a screen that reflects it for the audience. While dealing with two separate pieces often makes people uncomfortable, especially if they are not technologically-inclined, projectors are actually very simple to install and use. Here are a few key advantages of these media players and why you may consider replacing your LCD flat-panel television and invest in a projector instead
Size
This is possibly the most obvious reason people choose projectors over flat-screen televisions. For those who truly want the “movie theater” experience, what better way to fully enjoy a movie than on a screen that makes the actors appears larger than life? For example, on a screen that is 12 feet in length, in a typical 16×9 movie mode, a headshot could mean a 4-foot-tall head. With movies that take you to other worlds, for instance, you may actually feel that you are there with the actors because the screen fills your entire field of view, allowing you to truly absorb the movie.
On a smaller LCD television, even if it is 50 inches or bigger, you may not be able to see each individual detail, even at 1080p. If your sofa or seating area is at the average nine-foot distance, your eyes simply cannot resolve the image. However, if you increase that size four times to 200 inches, you will be able to see every grain of grass, blade of sand, pore and whisker in that film. A projector screen can be as large as 300-inches diagonally, whereas an average television screen ranges from 13- to 80-inches diagonally. Additionally, you often have the option to adjust a projector’s screen size; a television is a fixed size.
While some people may not like 4K or “ultra HD” resolution for high-definition televisions, the same cannot be said of projectors. The extremely large image benefits tremendously from a higher resolution. While you will most likely see pixilation at nine feet on a 150-inch screen, such is not the case with 4K resolution.
Easier on the Eyes
You may mistakenly believe that having a bigger screen hurts your eyes. The bigger the image, the more data your eyes need to process, correct? The truth is, while the screen size is larger when using a projector, it also fills a larger percentage of your visual field. Additionally, a projector screen is also not as bright as an LCD television, making watching a large screen that much more enjoyable. They are more like movie theaters, often producing between five and 30 to 40 foot-lamberts. An LED LCD television can produce three times that amount or more.
Space
If you choose to mount the projector on the ceiling, the screen simply hangs up against the wall. Some people go the extra mile and install a retractable screen where the screen glides up and disappears into the ceiling. While many people have the ability to mount flat-screen televisions, many do not; the televisions are surprisingly heavy. There is always the fear that the television will come off of the wall and smash onto the floor. With a projector, the screen is light and there is little possibility of it breaking unless you stick something through it.
Shipping
Projectors are easier, cheaper and safer to transport than flat-screens; consider them to be movie theaters with handles, if you will. They typically weigh between five and 20 lbs. On the other hand, flat-screens are fragile and may be more expensive to ship. If you have not yet completed your home theater systemand are considering having your media device shipped, this may be a key point to consider.
Life Span
Finally, the last advantage of projectors is that while they have a shorter lamp life, you can replace the lamp more than once. The average lifespan of a projector lamp is typically 5,000 hours and costs roughly $200 to $400 to replace. On the other hand, while televisions have a half-life, the time it takes for a bulb to fade to half of its original brightness, of about 100,000 hours, it is often more difficult to replace these lamps. When thinking about overall value by cost per viewing inch, projectors are the way to go.
