Projector instead of TV: what you need to know about projectors
18.2.2020
Translation: machine translated
With projectors, you get more picture for less money than with TVs. If you want to reach 100 inches or more, you will have to spend a low five-figure sum on a TV set. By contrast, you can get a high-end projector for this screen diagonal for a mid four-figure sum.
It's not uncommon for a projector to have its own speakers, but it's still worth planning to buy a sound system, especially for home cinema. To get a good projector image even in light-flooded living rooms, you also need a screen, but for now we'll focus on the projector.
DLP or LCD
There are currently two technologies, DLP and LCD, that projectors use to project an image onto the wall. Projectors with DLP technology use a colour wheel and a DMD chip. This means that a beam of light passes through a colour wheel where it is dyed. The light beam then hits a chip that generates the image. From the chip, the light passes through the projection lens to the screen. The abbreviation DLP stands for "Digital Light Processing", while DMD stands for "Digital Mirror Device".
Conventional LCD projectors have three LCD panels. They generate the image that is later projected onto the screen. Each LCD panel generates the image for one of the three primary colours: red, green and blue.
Luca Fontana has explained the functions, advantages and disadvantages of the two technologies in detail:
In the end, he doesn't want to decide whether DLP or LCD is better. But he does have a rule of thumb, which is not a law carved in stone.
- DLP projectors have better contrast values, better colour reproduction and better response times without trailing effects than LCD projectors due to the dark blacks.
- This is why they are generally better suited for your home cinema with fast action movies, games or sports programmes.
- LCD projectors, on the other hand, have more differentiated grey tones, which makes numbers, letters and digits easier to read.
- This makes them ideal for offices or meeting rooms, where there is often no real darkening and projectors need to be particularly bright.
Would you like more insights into the inner workings of a projector and an explanation of how it works?
Resolution and brightness
Currently, most models have a full HD or even lower resolution. 4K or UHD models are now not uncommon. In terms of screen diagonal, projectors from around 85-inch screen diagonals upwards are only more expensive than UHD TVs at first glance: in relation to how large the displayed projector image is and how expensive a UHD TV with 85 inches or more would be, even high-priced projectors could almost be described as "bargains".
The brightness with which a projector shines also has an effect on the price. This is measured in lumens. In your light-flooded living room, you naturally need a higher brightness than in the furnished basement or if you also want to draw the curtains during the day. The difference between 500 and 5000 lumens is immediately noticeable.
When purchasing a projector, you also need to bear in mind that not every model uses long-lasting LEDs or laser modules and that the projector lamps have a life expectancy of 2000 to 4000 hours. With three hours of use per day, this is still enough for two to four years, but you will probably have to buy a replacement part for several hundred euros or francs sooner than for a television.
Projectors for different purposes
It's worth choosing your new projector according to its main use. As described above, for example, DLP models are the better choice for home cinema and LCD projectors are better if you tend to view texts and tables on the wall - in the office, for example.
Projectors for home cinema
DLP technology stands for darker blacks and more beautiful colour reproduction in the home cinema. You should also consider the appropriate connection options for a sound system. When choosing between Full HD or UHD resolution, you should ask yourself what your main sources of moving images will be in the coming years. If you only stream linear television, Full HD should be sufficient. If you mainly watch Netflix or Prime Video and sometimes throw in a UHD Blu-ray, a UHD resolution is worthwhile.
But even if you don't have UHD source material, a UHD projector will upscale lower-resolution images to UHD resolution. With the usual screen diagonals of 85 inches upwards for projectors, the image is only razor-sharp if you choose a model with UHD resolution.
Projector for gaming
Gaming is not just about good colour reproduction. Short response times and a high refresh rate are at least as important.
Kurzdistanz-Beamer
(Ultra) short-throw projectors with their special lenses are designed to be placed directly in front of the wall they are projecting onto. Their minimum distance is minimal and you can use them in rooms that are too small for other projectors or are unsuitable for other reasons. And nobody can stand in front of the image either.
Portable projectors to go
In order for a projector to be suitable for you to take with you, it is usually smaller and lighter than stationary models. Some portable models even have a rechargeable battery. However, you will have to make do with lower resolutions and less bright lamps than with larger projectors; they are not suitable for stationary use.
Projectors for office, school and university
This is about projectors whose strength is a sharp, high-contrast image with clear contours. After all, it's more about being able to read texts well and recognise the contents of tables - and not about how impressive an explosion looks in the latest Michael Bay film.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
