So you have decided to purchase a home theater system. You know what you want and how much you're willing to spend. Have you given much thought to some of the basics? Certainly the centerpoint of any home theater set up is the television.

After all, it's what you're going to be looking at. The television needs to fit in with the surrounding confines. Have you thought about what size television you want? Will it fit your home theater room nicely? Considerations like these must be uppermost in your mind because depending on the size of your room, the television must be the appropriate size to fit within the dimensions of your home theater.

Home Theater Buying Tips

When looking for a good home theater television, people take all sorts of factors into account. It is important to look at the quality of the television’s picture, the color sharpness, and some of the other options available to you to see how the television fits into your theater vision overall.

If the contrast on a television is too much in one direction or the other, it may be something you need to address before you make a purchase.

Flat screen, LCD, flat panel plasma televisions and regular tube televisions are all on the market today as options for your home theater system’s television set. Familiarize yourself with these options and the pros and cons of each of them.

You should be able to gather a good amount of information to enable you to comparison shop between the types of televisions and the brand names of television to find the best fit for what your theater section calls for.

Custom Home Theater

If you've long wished you could enjoy cinema-style entertainment right from the comfort of your own home then setting up a home theater system is not really that difficult and it can be extremely cost effective. Quality audio and visual presentation all at the control of your fingertips.

Custom home theater is becoming more and more popular and the best thing is it's becoming a lot more affordable. With digital audio home theater sound to compliment your favorite movie or sporting event, home theater is taken to a whole new level.

Enjoy Your Very Own Home Movie Theater

People are getting very particular about their own home movie theater. With technology moving forward at warp speed levels, consumers are cashing in on some great home movie theater deals. Home theater audio quality has to be heard to be believed these days while home theater accessory choice is better than ever.

So what is the best home theater system on the market. Bose home theater is hard to beat and very popular but some due diligence on your part needs to be performed . The best place to start undoubtedly is online, that's why you are here.

Here's a tip; before you head to your home movie theater outlet, learn as much about home theater as you can. When you're mixing it with a salesperson, you'll earn a little more respect if you can talk home theater at their level. And let me tell you, more chance of getting a better deal.

One of the problems you run into when you're on a budget and not really up to speed with the home theater language you could put yourself at the mercy of a savvy salesperson. The last thing you want to do is spend money on stuff you don't really need and don't blame the salesperson, they are simply doing their job.

	FAVI Entertainment RioHD-LED-3T Home Theater Projector Sale Price: $325.00
	The RioHD-LED-3T home theater projector by FAVI is the first true home theater entertainment from Favi. It features an HDMI output with a native resolution of 800x600. The LED lamp life can go 30,000 hours (about 20 years of use assuming 4 hours per day)...

	Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705 HD 720p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Sale Price: Too low to display
	EPSON PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Home theater projector

	HDMI Video Theater Projector for Wii, ps3, Xbox, DVD, Notebook Sale Price: $234.99
	Great cost/performance ratio for home theaters, video games (PS2, PS3, Xbox, wii, etc.), Education & Business purposes. Features Remote Control, VGA Cable for PC or laptops, Multiple Connections includes HDMI/VGA & more, LCD Technology: 3...

	Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey) Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Optoma HD20 brings a new level of flexibility to your High-Definition home theater/multi-media experience. With true 1080p resolution, the HD20 delivers excellent color saturation and subtle details for superior image quality...

	Optoma HD66 2500ANSI Lumens 4000:1 3D-Ready DLP Home Theater Projector - White Sale Price: Too low to display
	Optoma's HD66, 3D-Ready home theater projector delivers the future! Breathtaking and bold, the Optoma HD66 hometheater projector provides stunningly beautiful widescreen viewing. The 3D-Ready HD66 adds a whole new demension to the gaming and home theater experience-and delivers more dynamic learning in education and training applications...

	Vivitek D950HD 3000 Lumen 1080p Data and Home Theater Projector Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Vivitek D950HD is a native 1080p data projector that features impressive color reproduction, amazing performance and effortless integration. The ideal crossover projector, it blurs the barrier between the home and office...

	Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3010e, Full HD 1080p, 2D and 3D Home Theater Projector with Integrated Speakers and Wireless HD (V11H450020) Sale Price: $1,699.00
	Epson PowerLite 3010e 3D Ready LCD Projector - 1080p - HDTV - 16:9 V11H450020 Projectors

	ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p DLP Home Theatre Projector Sale Price: $799.99
	The Pro8200 is an advanced high brightness DLP installation projector which includes BrilliantColor tech-nology to produce more vibrant colors. The Pro8200 delivers 2000 lumens with a 1920 x 1080 (1080p) native resolution, allowing it to shine in virtually any lighting situation...

	Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3010, Full HD 1080p, 2D and 3D Home Theater Projector with Integrated Speakers (V11H421020) Sale Price: Too low to display
	3D-ready, HD Home Theater Projectorwith Integrated Speakers.Bring the power of 3D right to your living room with thePowerLite Home Cinema 3010. Immerse yourself ineye-popping 3D adventures, 2200 lumens color and white light output, full HD, 1080p performance and a remarkable contrast ratio of up to 40,000:1...

	Viewsonic PRO8100 Full HD 1080p Home Theater Projector
	The Precision Pro8100 Home Theater projector features state of-the-art engineering to provide optimal video clarity. With full 1080p HD resolution using a C2FINE liquid crystal panel and a Silicon Optix Reon-VX high-performance video processor with HQV (Hollywood Quality Video) for stunning HD movies, videos, and TV...

of the factors you need to consider before purchasing a home theater projector? Your initial investment will more than likely provide you with many years of good service but how do you choose if you have little experience?

Here are some of the main qualities to look for in a projector for home theater use:

- brightness
- quality of the image
- easy to operate or in other words...user friendly

Image Is Everything

A good image can mean the difference between enjoying your home theater experience or thinking perhaps you should have remained in the lounge room. Quality image can fluctuste simply through what you display through the projector. A low quality signal, for example, will likely produce a low quality picture through the projector.

It is important that a good model of DVD player or source video player is purchased and put into place so that the resolution and picture quality will mesh properly with your projector’s quality.

How Are Your Brightness Levels?

If you built your home theater room from scratch or refurbished an existing room and did it correctly you would have given plenty of thought to where the TV screen would be positioned; or where the projector would be positioned. Why? Well, brightness levels should have been given strong consideration.

Home theater projector models can measure anywhere from 700-2000 ANSI lumens or even more. Your designated projector spot will affect your projector purchase to some degree. Natural light is good but too much can be a home theater enthusiast's nightmare.

Understand How To Use Your Projector

Let's face it, when it comes to technical issues most of us will struggle. However, operating home appliances is normally a breeze. Your home theater projector should be a breeze to operate. How can you make sure of this other than studying the operating manual. Well, give yourself a good chance by looking for these following things:

- user friendly menus and interface
- ability to select color changes easily and change between HDTV and other versions quickly
- a user friendly remote control

Pretty simple must haves but you don't want to be doing a course in home theater projector use. A mass of confusing buttons might be a good fit for the techie type but if simply getting enjoyment from your projector is all you want, then just keep it simple.

	ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p DLP Home Theatre Projector Sale Price: $799.99
	The Pro8200 is an advanced high brightness DLP installation projector which includes BrilliantColor tech-nology to produce more vibrant colors. The Pro8200 delivers 2000 lumens with a 1920 x 1080 (1080p) native resolution, allowing it to shine in virtually any lighting situation...

	HDMI Video Theater Projector for Wii, ps3, Xbox, DVD, Notebook Sale Price: $234.99
	Great cost/performance ratio for home theaters, video games (PS2, PS3, Xbox, wii, etc.), Education & Business purposes. Features Remote Control, VGA Cable for PC or laptops, Multiple Connections includes HDMI/VGA & more, LCD Technology: 3...

	Uncle Milton Star Theatre Pro Sale Price: $80.76
	The Star Theater Pro is a sleek, portable projector that projects an exciting map of the night sky directly onto your ceiling or wall. This optical star projection system comes with two discs, a Starfield disc and an Earth/Moon/Sun disc, that can be easily inserted into the spherical projector unit to give you a crystal-clear display of cosmic scenery...

	InFocus X2 Multimedia DLP Projector
	Amazon.com Product Description If you're in the market for a cost-effective digital projector that can shine during your workdays for presentations or classroom use and moonlight on weekends as part of your home theater experience, you'll want to take a close look at the InFocus X2 Multimedia DLP Projector...

	Movie Projection Screen Manual Pull Down Film Projector Home Theatre HDTV 84X84" Sale Price: $74.98
	This is a Brand New Manual pull down projection screen. This screen is great for Home, Office or school presentation situations. equipped with ceiling and wall mount brackets for different mounting applications...

Vanco 120614X Custom Two-Piece Bulk Cable Wall Plate (Single, White) Sale Price: $1.75

Custom Two-Piece Bulk Cable Wall Plates feature a removable design to accommodate areas where space is limited. General Information-Manufacturer-Vanco International, Inc:General Information-Manufacturer Part Number-120614X:General Information-Manufacturer Website Address-vanco1:General Information-Brand Name-Vanco: General Information-Product Name-Bulk Cable 1-Gang Faceplate: General Information-Package Type-Bulk: General Information-Product Type-Faceplate: Technical Information-Mount Type-Wall Mount: Technical Information-Features- Removable Design to Accommodate Areas where Space is Limited Unique Wall Plate Design Provides for Easier Installation Designed to Fit Single Standard Electrical J-Box Accommodates HDMI, DVI and VGA Cables Hole Diameter Approximately 1-1/2" x 1-1/4" :

	Outdoor Entertainment Gear OS115 Indoor/Outdoor Movie Theater Screen Sale Price: $199.99
	If your need a larger movie screen, but need a screen that is light weight and portable, the Big Screen 115 is the ticket.

	Your Ultimate Guide to Home Theater Systems!
	Are you bored with how you normally view television or movies? Maybe it’s the image quality that is unappealing. Or, maybe the sound is awful, even if you turn up the volume on your television set. Perhaps it’s a combination of these things along with a small, outdated TV...

InstallerNet Overhead Projector Basic InstallCard Sale Price: $499.99

With this InstallCard a professional installer will come to your home to install your pre-purchased projector mounting bracket to your standard wood, drywall or masonry ceiling Install your pre-purchased fixed mount projection screen to your standard wood, drywall or masonry wall Secure and align your projector on the bracket connect up to 3 video components (like HD cable box, DVD player, gaming system, etc) to your projector conceal audio/video wires within the wall/ceiling or hide with paintable molding make sure all of your components are working properly show you how to use your new system

	Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey) Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Optoma HD20 brings a new level of flexibility to your High-Definition home theater/multi-media experience. With true 1080p resolution, the HD20 delivers excellent color saturation and subtle details for superior image quality...

I want to get a home theater projector. How many lumens is sufficient in high lighting areas?

I need as much general information about the low end projectors. It doesnt have to be a great picture, I think im more concerned with saving a buck.

Projectors are not practical in a high lit area. But, if you are going to install one, then you need 2000 lumens minimum. For a normal home theater with low or controlled lighting, then you can go with a 1000-1500 lumen projector.

For a high lit area, I would really recommend a flat panel TV like a LCD or plasma TV.

	Optoma HD66 2500ANSI Lumens 4000:1 3D-Ready DLP Home Theater Projector - White Sale Price: Too low to display
	Optoma's HD66, 3D-Ready home theater projector delivers the future! Breathtaking and bold, the Optoma HD66 hometheater projector provides stunningly beautiful widescreen viewing. The 3D-Ready HD66 adds a whole new demension to the gaming and home theater experience-and delivers more dynamic learning in education and training applications...

	Vivitek D950HD 3000 Lumen 1080p Data and Home Theater Projector Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Vivitek D950HD is a native 1080p data projector that features impressive color reproduction, amazing performance and effortless integration. The ideal crossover projector, it blurs the barrier between the home and office...

	Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705 HD 720p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Sale Price: Too low to display
	EPSON PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Home theater projector

	Vivitek H1081 2000 Lumen 1080p Home Theater Projector Black Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Vivitek H1081 is a high-performance digital projector that integrates perfectly into any home theater installation. With native 1080p resolution, the H1081 delivers brilliant and amazing digital images with full-color saturation...

	ViewSonic PJD5123 SVGA DLP Projector 120Hz/3D Ready, 2700 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR Sale Price: Too low to display
	ViewSonic's PJD5123 is a high-performance SVGA 800x600 DLP projector with 2,700 ANSI lumens and 3000:1 contrast. This projector supports PC and HD video signals and projects clear, bright images in most lighting conditions...

	Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3010e, Full HD 1080p, 2D and 3D Home Theater Projector with Integrated Speakers and Wireless HD (V11H450020) Sale Price: $1,699.00
	Epson PowerLite 3010e 3D Ready LCD Projector - 1080p - HDTV - 16:9 V11H450020 Projectors

	ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p DLP Home Theatre Projector Sale Price: $799.99
	The Pro8200 is an advanced high brightness DLP installation projector which includes BrilliantColor tech-nology to produce more vibrant colors. The Pro8200 delivers 2000 lumens with a 1920 x 1080 (1080p) native resolution, allowing it to shine in virtually any lighting situation...

	Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey) Sale Price: Too low to display
	The Optoma HD20 brings a new level of flexibility to your High-Definition home theater/multi-media experience. With true 1080p resolution, the HD20 delivers excellent color saturation and subtle details for superior image quality...

	Acer X1161P 3D-DLP Projector Sale Price: $309.99
	The Acer X1161 P 3D-DLP Projector provides highly detailed text and images with 2500 ANSI Lumens brightness, 4000:1 contrast ratio and native SVGA resolution. Color performance is enhanced on any surface, even colored walls, thanks to Acer Color-Boost II+ technology...

	ViewSonic PJD6531w WXGA Wide DLP Projector -120Hz/3D Ready, 3000 Lumens, 3200:1 DCR, HDMI Sale Price: Too low to display
	The PJD6531w is an advanced 120Hz/3D ready DLP projector which includes BrilliantColor technology to produce more vibrant colors, while the high brightness and contrast ratios make this projector shine in virtually any lighting situation...

what is the best way to do a home theater?

I would like to set up a home theater and I dont know much about projectors so I was wondering would it be better to buy a 1080p 42 inch television for $800 or for about that I can get a 1080p Projector with 1500-2000 lumens for about that which would be about 80 inch for where i will put it. so my question i guess is is the quility of an HD projector as good as an LCD Television? and how mant lumens should a projector have? I dont know what a lumen is other than its the brightness)

Projectors need a light controlled room. That meaning lights that can dim and heavy curtains on windows that block out sunlight. If you don't have that then LCD or Plasma is the way to go. They are a lot more visible in a bright room and maintain their contrast and black levels. Projectors in a fully lit room don't look the greatest.

To gauge how bright you need your projector to be you first need to know how much ambient light you will have/want in the room. No matter what though, sunlight shining on the screen will make it unwatchable. Even moderate sunlight int he room has a tendency to wash out the screen.

1500-2000 lumens is pretty bright for a home theater projector. In actual fact though at the maximum brightness they don't look too good. The colors are not as accurate and the contrast ratio and black levels are very reduced. Most "theater light modes" on projectors (gives best quality) are between 300 and 400 lumens. So to get the best picture the lights need to be pretty dim and there can't be too much ambient light.

I have a 1400 lumen projector (the Epson 550) and a 92" white laminate screen. I can have my recessed lights at 25% in theater mode and still have an adequate image. It looks much better when it's totally dark or when lights are at 10% however.

The size of screen depends on how close you want to sit to the screen. They say that 1.5X the screen width is the ideal seat position. So a 42" screen (36" wide) you would sit about 4.5 feet back. On an 80" projection screen you would sit back about 9 feet. Any closer and it would feel like sitting in the front row of a theater (neck strain).

A quality projector in a good room is a very pleasing experience. If you like watching movies and love a big screen then nothing beats a projector for the look and feel of a real movie theater.

	HDMI Video Theater Projector for Wii, ps3, Xbox, DVD, Notebook Sale Price: $234.99
	Great cost/performance ratio for home theaters, video games (PS2, PS3, Xbox, wii, etc.), Education & Business purposes. Features Remote Control, VGA Cable for PC or laptops, Multiple Connections includes HDMI/VGA & more, LCD Technology: 3...

	Advanced HD Port ready LCD Projector,1080i Resolution HDMI input,Playstation, Xbox, DVD, cable/satellite tv Sale Price: $206.99
	Advanced HD Port ready LCD Projector,1080i Resolution HDMI input,Playstation, Xbox, DVD, cable/satellite

	LCD Video Projector (Includes HDMI Cable & Extra Bulb) Great for DVD, Wii, XBox, Playstation Sale Price: $257.99
	This high quality projector is your ideal solution for any home theater, video game system, computer or laptop!

	Link Depot HDMI to HDMI Cable (25 feet) Sale Price: $4.18
	This Link Depot HDMI Cable connects easily to your HDMI TV, LCD projector, DVD player, or set-top box. This cable features gold-plated connectors for a long, corrosion-free life. Its generous length gives you the freedom to place components right where you need them...

	AmazonBasics HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters) Sale Price: $7.99
	The AmazonBasics HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable connects your DVI-equipped computer, or any other device with a DVI connection, to your home theater or any other device that utilizes an HDMI connection. You can also use it to connect source devices with an HDMI connection, like Blu-Ray, PlayStation 3, or Xbox 360, to a DVI-equipped monitor or television set...

	ViewSonic PJD5123 SVGA DLP Projector 120Hz/3D Ready, 2700 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR Sale Price: Too low to display
	ViewSonic's PJD5123 is a high-performance SVGA 800x600 DLP projector with 2,700 ANSI lumens and 3000:1 contrast. This projector supports PC and HD video signals and projects clear, bright images in most lighting conditions...

	Mini Displayport to VGA Cable Adapter for Apple Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, and Mac Mini Sale Price: $6.48
	The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort used by Apple. It is used in revisions of the MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro notebooks, iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro desktops and also the 24-inch Apple Cinema Display...

	Premium 6ft VGA Male to 3-RCA Component Video Male cable Sale Price: $0.58
	Premium 6ft VGA Male to 3-RCA Component Video Male cable

	Microvision SHOWWX+ HDMI Laser Pico Projector (AA0123600-020) Sale Price: $369.00
	Break freefrom the huddle 2011 MicroVision, Inc.\All rights reserved. iPhone, iPad, iPod, MacBook are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.\Privacy statement. SitemapOther registered trademarks are property of their respective owners...

	Acer X1161P 3D-DLP Projector Sale Price: $309.99
	The Acer X1161 P 3D-DLP Projector provides highly detailed text and images with 2500 ANSI Lumens brightness, 4000:1 contrast ratio and native SVGA resolution. Color performance is enhanced on any surface, even colored walls, thanks to Acer Color-Boost II+ technology...

When you are setting up your home theater you need to decide on what is the best way for you to watch. Many people would not have anything other than a projector as it adds to the cinema theme as well as giving you a very good image as big as you want. But many others do not want to deal with projectors and screens and would rather have the convenience of a TV style screen that you just turn on and play the DVD in as you would in any other room but on a bigger screen.

If you are using a projector then it is a good idea to make sure that your room has good thick curtains so that you can block the light from the room. As the image is produced through a projected light then it is best to use a projector in a fairly dark room. With some of the latest projectors they have a light sensor so that if the light is too bright for the image then it brightens the light to make it stronger. You also have to set up a projector for the movie and put up the screen. But it does give you a really good sense of being at the cinema as well as a really good, large picture that is very high quality.

There are some really good plasma screens around now and the cost is dropping. But you still get the sense that you are watching TV. Although if you put it on the wall then it is a lot more like a real screen. Plasmas have an advantage over projectors if you have a small room, as they did not need any space to project an image. Although plasma TV does not have the same movie theater aspect to it as a projector does it is very easy to use and does give you a very good image.

If you want ease of use and a great quality picture and are happy either to have a smaller screen, or you are able to pay for a very big one, then plasma might be best for you. But a projector can give you a really good quality image that is as big as you want and there are some very good projectors that are very cheap. But you also have to set up the screen as well as the projector whenever you want to see a movie. But whatever you choose it is always worth trying it out in the store so that you can see which is the best for you.

For additional money saving information regarding home theater projectors, home theater components and home theater systems visit ShoppingForHomeTheaterSystems.com located at http://www.shoppingforhometheatersystems.com

Would a HDMI to VGA cable used on a up-converting dvd player still deliver the upconverted quality?

The VGA input is on a 1080 compatible projector.

Only if the device that converts HDMI to VGA is HDCP compliant.

This screen may be a little small for 120 people, 40 x 40 is a little less than 3 1/2 feet by 3 1/2 feet or 40 inches is about 4 to 6 inches wider than the front door of your house.

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-71in (Max White) Sale Price: $58.58
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 4:3 Aspect Ratio-100in (Max White) Sale Price: Too low to display
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	60"x60" Tripod Projector Projection Screen 85" Diagonal Sale Price: $48.99
	This Brand New 60" X 60" projection screen features a durable Matte White surface. Matt White surface is the most versatile screen surface and the premier choice when ambient light is controllable. It evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area while colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue.

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-99in (Max White) Sale Price: $77.17
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-99in (Max White) Sale Price: $85.35
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-85in (Max White) Sale Price: Too low to display
	MODEL- T85UWS1 VENDOR- ELITESCREENS FEATURES- 85" (4:3) Tripod Portable- Black case Simple Screen Height Adjustment 3 Angle Projection Screen Keystone Adjustment Assures Square Projection Picture. Standard Black Masking Borders - Increases Focus Point and Picture Contrast Ratio...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-136in (Max White) Sale Price: Too low to display
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 4:3 Aspect Ratio-120in (Max White) Sale Price: $194.70
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-71" Sale Price: Too low to display
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Screen, Max White 1.1 Gain, 113" Inch Diagonal, 1:1 Aspect Ratio Sale Price: $99.99
	Elite Tripod Portable pull up front projection screen is ideal for indoor and outdoor presentations. Its rugged traditional construction will withstand the rigors of daily usage while its adjustable locking ring provides ease in it adjustable height settings...

If you are putting together a home theater system and have already purchased a projector, you are now ready to buy a screen. While a variety of screens are out on the market to choose from, they can be classified into three basic categories.

Fixed Screen

The first choice is to install a fixed screen in your home entertainment room. The advantage of this type of screen is that because it is fixed on the wall, it can cover the wires and cables. To install it, stretch the screen on the wall and use fasteners to keep it in place. If you have speakers, you can put those on the side or behind the screen.

Tripod Screen

One of the benefits of a tripod screen is its portability. You can take it down after use, fold it up, and put it wherever you would like. However, the screen is going to be a lot smaller than a typical projector screen, but will also be less expensive as well. Tripod screens are ideal more for temporary situations such as meetings or presentations, but not necessarily for home entertainment.

Retractable Screen

A retractable screen is the other option you can choose to go with your home theater projector. You can choose to hang it on your wall or from your ceiling. When you aren't using a retractable screen, you can either manually or electronically retract it. This is a more expensive option, but is ideal if you don't want the screen to be seen while not in use or don't have a lot of space in the room.

Read More

If you haven't bought a home theater projector yet, find out what to look for at:

hdhometheaterprojector.com

	Epson EX5210 XGA 3LCD Business Projector, 2800 Lumens, HDMI, USB, 5.1 lbs Sale Price: $449.99
	Break Through to The Next Level. The EPSON EX5210 breaks the mold for portable business projectors, delivering spectacular image quality and ease of use. The ultra-bright 2800 lumens of color/white light output, sharp XGA resolution and 3LCD, 3-chip technology transform presentations into brilliant masterpieces with precise detail and true-to-life color...

	Epson VS Series VS210 3LCD Business Projector, 2600 Lumens, SVGA, USB Sale Price: Too low to display
	Easy. Bright. Affordable. The EPSON VS210 delivers brightness and versatility, ata truly amazing price. With Epson's user-friendly control features like USB Plug 'n Play instant setup and automatic vertical image correction, setting up your presentation has never been easier...

	Epson EX3210 SVGA 3LCD Business Projector, 2800 Lumens, VGA, USB, 5.1 lbs Sale Price: $399.99
	Spectacular Presentations Made Easier. The easy-to-use EPSON EX3210 delivers exceptional performance and versatility. With Epson's intuitive control features like USB Plug 'n Play instant setup and our new, breakthrough horizontal image correction with convenient, easy-slide control, setting up your presentation has never been easier...

	Epson EX7210 WXGA 3LCD Widescreen Business Projector, 2800 Lumens, 16:10, HDMI, USB, 5.1 lbs Sale Price: $599.99
	Easily Realize Your Ultimate Potential. The EPSON EX7210 delivers the ultimate in HD performance for compelling presentations. A breathtaking widescreen,16:10 format produces 30% more image area than lower resolution projectors, while 3LCD technology and 2800 lumens of color/white light output create brilliant color and razor-sharp detail that's sure to captivate any audience...

	Apollo 410 Watt Overhead Projector Lamp, 82 Volt Output (VA-FXL-6) Sale Price: $8.79
	If it needs to be seen, it needs Apollo presentation products. Classrooms, conference rooms, or factory floors, anywhere there's a need for an overhead projector, there's an Apollo model that's right for the job...

	Epson VS Series VS310 3LCD Business Projector, 2600 Lumens, XGA, USB Sale Price: Too low to display
	Brilliant Quality at an Amazing Value. The EPSON VS310 breaks the mold for affordable business projectors. With amazing image quality, 2600lumens of color/white light output, 3LCD, 3-chip technology and easy-to-use features, the VS310 ensures brilliant presentations with precise detail and true-to-life color...

	ViewSonic PJD5123 SVGA DLP Projector 120Hz/3D Ready, 2700 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR Sale Price: Too low to display
	ViewSonic's PJD5123 is a high-performance SVGA 800x600 DLP projector with 2,700 ANSI lumens and 3000:1 contrast. This projector supports PC and HD video signals and projects clear, bright images in most lighting conditions...

	FAVI RioHD-LED-2 Mini Projector Sale Price: $199.95
	LED projector as featured by PC Magazine. The RioHD-LED-2 by FAVI Entertainment offers the perfect balance in performance and affordability for business professionals, educators, gamers and home theater enthusiasts alike...

	HP Notebook Projection Companion - Portable Projector Sale Price: $188.00
	HP WT431AA DLP Projector WT431AA#ABA Projectors

	Apollo Horizon 2 Overhead Projector, 15 x 14 x 27 Inches, Open Head (V16000M) Sale Price: $113.75
	If it needs to be seen, it needs Apollo presentation products. Classrooms, conference rooms, or factory floors, anywhere there's a need for an overhead projector, there's an Apollo model that's right for the job...

There are three types of projector technologies available on the market. DLP (Digital Light Processing) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) are the most widely available technologies, whilst LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) is a more recent technology that is becoming more popular.

DLP and LCD have few differences. DLP projectors are subject to the ‘rainbow effect’. This is due to the colour wheel they use to generate an image. This effect means that a very small amount of people will see flashes of solid colour. Faster colour wheels have reduced this substantially. DLP projectors can be a little awkward about where they are placed relative to the screen. LCD projectors are easier to place but also come with their own difficulties. LCD can suffer from ‘screen door effect’, the images sometimes look as though you are looking through a mesh panel. Experts tend to prefer DLP projectors as the black levels and contrast give a better cinematic picture but LCD projectors have a small price advantage.

The other type of Office Projector is LCoS. This is a newer technology than either DLP or LCD and is becoming increasingly popular. The LCoS technology has neither ‘rainbow effect’ nor ‘screen door effect’ and gives outstanding picture quality. However, it does tend to be more expensive than either DLP or LCD.

Another thing to look at is the resolution of the digital projector. SVGA (800p x 600p) and XGA (1024p x 768p) are the most popular. The XGA gives better, sharper text and graphics. SVGA is still available and cheaper than XGA and would give perfectly adequate pictures for the usual PowerPoint presentation. With the increase in wide screen laptops, the resolutions that fit them have changed. WVGA resolution (854p x 480p) matches that of DVD movies. There are other resolutions of similar size that come under the umbrella of WVGA. Many widescreen business projectors have WXGA resolution that matches many 14-15inch laptops. SXGA+ matches the larger computer screens and laptops over 17 inches.

Brightness is measured in lumens and basically, the larger the room the more lumens are required. Contrast ratio for most graphics and text is fine at 400:1 but for movies needs to be more than 1000:1.

Lamps can be quite expensive and they do need to be replaced periodically. Not surprisingly the lamps are rarely covered under the warranty for more than 90 days.

Portability of your Office Projector is something to be considered. Projectors generally weigh about 2-3 pounds but can go up to around 10 pounds.

About the Author:

Zenostore.co.uk is a leading electronics retailer stocking over 6,500 products. For electronics, Zenostore - Online Shopping as You’d Expect………….
Tom Jacobsen is a writer for www.zenostore.co.uk and has worked in the electronics industry for many years.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What type of Office Projector?

If I am on a budget, is a 480p home theater projector acceptable for now? and upgrade in a few years?

I am looking to get a home theater projector, but I don't want to spend more than 600. Preferably 5.

I think you are saving $200-$300 in the short term and spending $600-$800 more in the long term (by essentially buying two systems in a relatively short period of time.)

If you have credit, most major retailers offer 1-3 years interest free financing. While I do not normally recommend people finance a purchase like this in your situation it seems like a better solution than to buy two systems and spend more money in the long run.

---------------

That being said - in terms of quality on the 480 (the heart of your question)... by using regular DVD's you won't gain much (if anything) by having a higher resolution system. Only very high end DVD players will really translate the standard DVD up to your HD in a noticeable way, and even then there is very little they can do anyway.

If you do not plan to get an Xbox360 or PS3 there is not a huge advantage quality wise on going to the higher resolution. If, however, you are going to be watching HDTV and sports, then you really should get at least a 720 now and not waste time or money on the 480.

If you intend to use your computer with that big-screen HDTV, get the LCD.

Plasmas are not good for displaying still images for extended periods of time (which a computer tends to do). If a still image is left on a plasma screen for a period of time, the image will get burnt permanently into the screen. An LCD does not suffer from this problem.

Get the 42" LCD HDTV, and hook it up with a DVI-to-HDMI or a standard HDMI cable, if your vid card has a DVI or HDMI port respectively.

Besides, the LCD you are considering has higher resolution (1920x1080) than the Plasma (1366x768). Higher resolution is nicer for a big screen.

I use a 52" LCD HDTV as a computer monitor myself: http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/armchairaviator/computer/IMG_0880c.jpg

	BenQ MX511 DLP 3D Ready Black XGA Projector Sale Price: $419.99
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	BenQ MX501 3D Ready DLP Projector - 1080p - 4:3 9H.J5377.13A 326

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Sharp Electronics Products - Multimedia Projector, 3D Ready, 2500 Ansi Lumens, White - Sold as 1 EA - XGA Multimedia Projector features BrilliantColor DLP technology with DLP Link for high-quality 3D projection when used with compatible 3D field sequential content and active shutter 3D glasses (sold separately) that support the DLP Link system. Projector offers 3D support with 60Hz and 120Hz XGA (1024 x 768) and SVGA (800 x 600) sources. When 3D projection is not in use, the PG-D2500X offers ful Sale Price: $703.04

Sharp Electronics Products - Multimedia Projector, 3D Ready, 2500 Ansi Lumens, White - Sold as 1 EAXGA Multimedia Projector features BrilliantColor DLP technology with DLP Link for high-quality 3D projection when used with compatible 3D field sequential content and active shutter 3D glasses (sold separately) that support the DLP Link system...

	ViewSonic PJD6221 XGA DLP Projector -120Hz/3D Ready, 2700 Lumens, 2800:1 DCR Sale Price: Too low to display
	The PJD6221 is a DLP® powerhouse that delivers sharp and bright images for virtually any environment. It’s 3D ready with support for up to 120Hz frame rates. BrilliantColor™ technology produces more vibrant colors, while the high brightness and contrast ratio make this projector shine in the classroom or meeting room...

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	Optoma EP726s DLP, 2300 Lumen, XGA Multimedia Data Projector Sale Price: $419.00
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	ViewSonic PJD5223 XGA DLP Projector - 2700 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR, 120Hz/3D Ready, Speaker Sale Price: Too low to display
	ViewSonic’s PJD5223 DLP projector is ideal for use in the office or on the campus. It delivers amazingly clear images with 2700 ANSI lumens, 3000:1 contrast ratio and XGA 1024x768 native solution. The projector is packed with features like multiple PC and video inputs, 120Hz/3D-ready for any PC-based 3D applications, supporting HD 1080p video signal and integrated speaker for multimedia...

Projector is a media equipment that zooms in a picture for a bigger output and projects it to a screen. The standard projector's picture resolution is 800 by 600 pixels. These machines weigh 4 to 6 pounds on the average. Most of these types of equipment is retractable and can be placed on a bag for easier carrying. The brightness of the projector varies as well as their contrast level. The range of brightness is 1300 to 1500 lumens. The projectors as of these moments are used as domestic projectors at home.

Projectors come in handy in large gatherings needing some sort of visual presentation. The projected enlarged images make it very easy even for those people far from the screen to see clearly what is being illustrated.

The very common projectors used widely in schools, homes and offices are the video, LDC and DLP projectors. They differ basically in the type of screen. Projectors are composed of different types. The most common ones are a desktop, overhead, slide, home theater, installation and opaque projectors.

Desktop projectors are handy and portable. It is small that it can fit your desktop. It is complete with pertinent features of a good quality projector despite its portable size. The lenses are easy to change anytime you want. It is capable of zooming images at high resolutions. When you wish to buy one, it will be very useful to choose a model with high audio definition also.

An overhead projector is popularly used at home and in offices. These are used in the presentation of reports or subject discussion. The slides used in this projector are a transparent slide.

Slide projectors are the very popular among all types of projectors. This has been used for many decades now. These projectors projects photographic slides. There were latest version of this type of projector that comes with pop-up screen that makes viewing instant and portable.

Home theater projectors are digital units which can be used to connect to any audiovisual units. These are very portable for your home use. This projector comes in a set with S-video, connectors and speakers. The speakers are both component and built in. It gives a feeling of watching a movie in the public theaters right in the comforts of your homes.

Installation projectors are used for a large venue. Any images can be projected up to 25 ft with this kind of projectors. These projectors are used in conference halls, auditoriums and museums. Installation projectors have very high zooming capabilities, interchangeable lens capabilities, high resolution reproduction, a quiet cooling fan, convenient tilting features, onscreen display, quality stereo speakers, a remote control, and a mouse.

Opaque projectors are considered the oldest type. This device is very helpful to an artist. It projects a silhouetted image to a screen where the artist can trace the outline onto his canvas.

The zoopraxiscope is the very first form of projector that came out in the market. After this, many different forms have been produced up to the time where latest technologies have come out. Newer technologies enabled the production of portable and handy projecting devices.

Projectors have been a big help in schools and businesses. Lectures and business presentations have been given a newer and brighter color. Projectors help make more animated presentations that keep the audience attuned to what is going on. Giving visual presentations have been made very much easier and livelier. Home viewing took a notch higher that rivals public viewing in the theaters.

Multimedia presentations can be done by lightweight projectors. All government agencies can have easy briefing and information presentation through the projector. Even the church authorities have used the projectors for conveying the word of the Lord. Projectors have really important uses in our day to day life.

For more information on Proxima Projectors and XGA Projectors please visit our website.

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	Premium 30 foot gold HDMI male/male cable.

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Universal HDTV Cable Connection Kit - 8 Cables for Audio & Video for any HDTV, Home Theater & More - HDMI, DVI, S-Video, Component, Toslink Sale Price: $24.49

The Universal HDTV Connectivity Cable Kit by Abacus24-7. The perfect complement to your new HDTV, The Universal HDTV Connectivity Kit brings vivid picture quality and digital surround-sound clarity. Not sure what cables you need? Want some back up cables for any changes made to your home theater? This kit offers everything you need to set up your HDTV with any numbe rof other devices including DVD players, Blu-Ray players, Cable or Satellite boxes, 5...

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	Samsung HTD4500 HTIB 5.1 CH 2D Blu-Ray 1000-Watts Home Theater System Sale Price: Too low to display
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	Samsung Electronics HT-D550 Home Theater System Sale Price: $160.00
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Optical audio connection to home theater receiver?

My new Toshiba HDTV has an Optical Audio Out to carry the audio to my receiver. My older Sony home theater receiver has an Optical jack labeled "Video 2 In". I'm assuming that I can connect these two to take get the surround sound from off-air HDTV broadcast signals that I'm receiving on the Toshiba using an antenna. Can anyone verify that for me?

Yes, that should work...as long as the Video 2 in is in fact an optical jack. You would just need to set your receiver to the Video 2 setting in order to listen to the broadcast when you turn on your receiver. As far as surround sound, the broadcast that you're getting from the off-air antenna needs to be broadcast in 5.1, 6.1 etc. and your receiver needs to also be capable of producing it. But overall, you should be good to go.

The new Panasonic PT-AE4000U 1080p Home Theater Projector Video - Replaces PT-AE3000U

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	HP WT431AA DLP Projector WT431AA#ABA Projectors

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	Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen, 1:1 Aspect Ratio-71in (Max White) Sale Price: $58.58
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A digital projector is a device that connects to a computer or like devise via cabling to enable the computer monitor display to be enlarged and projected onto a screen. The standard digital projector connects via a VGA lead direct to your computer or uses component video cables, (red, green and blue plugs) to connect to your DVD player, HDTV, set top box or video camera. However to be safe always make sure to double check the projector has the right outputs to connect to the devise or devises you wish to connect it to. Features of a quality digital projector should include:

Digital Projectors - Resolution

Digital projector resolution refers to the pixel density of the image to be projected. A digital projector has two resolutions, the natural resolution and maximum resolution. The natural resolution is the standard pixel size of the projected image; the maximum resolution is the maximum capability of the projector. Typically a digital projector should be able to accept resolutions of 800x600, 1024x768 or 1280x1024, however it is not the size of the resolution the digital projector can accept which is important, but rather the native resolution of the projector. The higher the native resolution of the projector the greater the colour quality, or should I say color density of the projected image.

Digital Projectors - Lumens

Lumens refer to the brightness of the projected image. Simply put the higher the lumens the brighter the projection. Brightness ratings, measured in lumens, are typically lower for home theatre models than for office models. Room size and screen size/distance will also affect the need for more or less lumens. A projector may have a great Lumens rating, but if the contrast ratio is low, you image will look washed out. For low-ambient or true lights-out productions, you may find that a 1000 to 1500 lumens rating is sufficient. If you need a very bright projector (3000 lumens or more), an LCD projector is probably your best choice. The lowest lumen projectors today start at about 700 lumens and go up to a jaw-dropping 15,000 lumens. A good rule of thumb is that it is always better to err on the side of too many lumens than too few.

Digital Projectors - Throw Distance

Throw distance refers to the maximum distance your digital projector can be positioned away from the screen before image resolution, luminosity and therefore image quality are affected. The greater the throw distance, the larger the size of the projected image on the screen. Digital projector throw distance is an important key feature if you are planning to use the projector in a large room or outdoor environment, however for the home user todays basic digital projector has more than sufficient throw distance to meet the needs of your home movie theatre.

Digital Projectors - Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio between the width and height of the projected image. There are three standard aspect ratios settings that you should ensure your digital projector projects these are: 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. Having a digital projector which has aspect ratio options are important as different media are delivered in different aspect ratios. For example standard video is delivered with an aspect ratio of (4:3), while HDTV uses a (16:9) format. If your digital projector had a locked aspect ratio of (4:3) you would not be able to experience in full, the visual experience of wide screen movies or images. With more and more digital media including cable and online TV networks adopting the (16:9) format this is something to definitely check.

Display Features - fixed keystone correction and lens shift functions

To ensure you can maximize the quality of the digitally projected image on your presentation screen ensure that the digital projector has fixed keystone correction and a lens shift function. Fixed keystone correction shoots the image higher than the lens so the projector itself doesn't block the viewers line of sight. Similarly the lens shift function allows you to shift the image up and down and left and right. A handy tool for making fine-tuning the position of your projected image on the screen.

If you are considering buying a digital projector remember the key features to look for are high native resolution, high luminosity and a suitable throw distance for the environment you intend to use the projector in.

For more helpful advice about choosing the right digital projector for your needs or for more information about digital projector lamps and accessories click here

Chris Hopkins is an event specialist with several years experience using digital projectors both in the commercial environment for seminars, conferences and concerts and in the home for personal viewing pleasure.

What is better: Digital projector or rear-projection TV?

I want to build a home theater in my basement, the room will have no windows and be completely dark. For around $3000 what would be better a rear-projection television or a digital projector? And are the ones that I find at that price on Newegg.com and stuff any good? What kind of characteristics should I look for on a home theater projector? i.e. resolution, brightness, etc. I would like it to display at approximately 60-70 inches. Thanks

If you only have about 3K to spend then your only option is a rear projection TV. Try a new microdisplay like Sony's KDFE60XS955 for about 3199.99, or if you can spend more try Mitsubishis 1080p WD62628 for arround 3699.99.

Alot of people will advise you to go with a projector, and that would be the best choice, but for a decent system it would cost at least twice as much as a DLP. Forgot about office projectors for about $1500-$2000, they will be totally unsatisfactory. A good projector will run you about $3000, like Sony's new VPLHS51A. Then, you will need to buy a screen. One I would recommend would cost around $1500, but less expensive ones can be found for around half that. Now, you need to look into accessories (cabling) and sound. Any sound system will cost at least $500 with cables, and a decent one will run $1500+ when your all said and done, so your looking about $6K for a setup that will not even match the quality of a DLP.

I usually don't recommend projectors for any budget unless your going 92in+. As far as I'm concerned, your only option is a rear projection DLP.