Projector Review

Introduction to Projectors

Prices on many high-definition digital projectors -- once the realm of only the most expensive home-theater setups -- have fallen to the point where they are now a practical alternative to other types of big-screen TVs. Good quality mainstream high-definition (HD) digital projectors cost about as much as good quality plasma or LCD HD sets. (See our reports on plasma TV and LCD TV for more on those technologies.) However, since digital projectors are capable of producing images of more than 100 inches (measured diagonally), they deliver far more picture for the money. Of course, to complete a home theater you'll need an audio system and a screen (a white wall can work in a pinch).

This report focuses on widescreen HD-capable projectors, with enough resolution to display high-definition signals from a cable box, satellite receiver or high-definition DVD player. Lower-resolution projectors are also available. These are best for business presentations and watching the occasional DVD because their resolution is too low to do justice to HDTV. Most are not widescreen models. These are covered in our separate report on business projectors.

For this update, we found lots of helpful projector reviews. The reviews at ProjectorReviews.com go on for pages and are packed with tons of technical information. ProjectorCentral.com does a similarly excellent job. CNet.com also does a great job, but reviews fewer projectors overall. Sound & Vision magazine, Playback magazine, Home Theater magazine and Ultimate AV magazine also publish a smaller number of detailed home-theater projector reviews. Consumer Reports, on the other hand, tests many projectors -- but there is no discussion of its ratings except for a few short paragraphs on its recommended picks.

In the past, we've generally found that video projectors based on DLP technology (digital light processing) were a preferred choice for their balance of performance and price, despite some serious shortcomings of their own, such as limited installation options. If you glance through our ConsumerSearch Fast Answers this time around, as well as our Consensus Chart of what reviewers feel are the best video projectors, you'll see a startling shift in the balance of power. Notably, LCD projectors, formerly considered a budget choice, have moved to the head of the class. Price, indeed, is one reason. Another is that LCD technology for video projectors has improved to the point where image differences are small to non-existent, except for extreme high-end projectors. Because of that, experts now largely prefer LCD projectors for budget and mid-range home theaters.

We've split our television reviews into five separate reports; this one focuses on digital home-theater projectors. This technology produces the largest image at the lowest cost, but requires good control over room lighting as well as an external tuner or other video source (such as a DVD player or cable box), and an audio system. While a white wall will do in a pinch, you'll need to budget extra for a screen. Projectors can throw an image that's 100 inches or more (measured diagonally) -- much larger than the 42 or 50 inches typical of a plasma TV.

Of course, you'll need a pretty big room, and there are other setup issues. For a permanent installation, it's best to place the projector on a high shelf or drop a shelf from the ceiling. You can place it on a coffee table as well, but consider that people and pets might sometimes block the image. Plus, you'll need to run cords to your speakers and cable box or satellite receiver. You'll also need to replace the projector's lamp in about 3,000 hours at a cost of $250 or more.