Projector | The Photography Shack

Are you feeling a little in the dark about buying your home projector? Perhaps the notion of "aspect ratio" never crossed your mind and you have no idea what’s currently available in terms of contrast or resolution. Never fear, movie-lover!

Here we’ll discuss everything you need to know to get started selecting that perfect video projection system so you and the kids can enjoy countless family movie nights in the privacy and comfort of your own home theater. Why deal with the hassle of $8 popcorn, $40 tickets for a family of four, sticky floors, uncomfortable seats and disruptive movie talkers, when you can have it all without ever leaving home?

The Shape Of The Video Image Is The Aspect Ratio

One point to consider when looking at projectors is what aspect ratio do you want? "Aspect ratio" refers to the shape of the video image. For instance, most TV sets have aspect ratios of 4:3 (4 units wide, 3 units high), whereas HDTV standard models have an aspect ration of 16:9 (16 units wide, 9 units high).

If you view a lot of classic films or DVD TV series, then a 4:3 configuration may be preferable to you; it’s easy to shrink a larger picture down, with black borders to account for any discrepancies. However, most home theater projectors are being marketed in the 16:9 ratio. If you watch a lot of HDTV or wide screen DVD, then a 16:9 ratio makes sense.

Good Resolution With An Image To Fit The Screen

The one drawback is that viewing 4:3 content on this massive unit will make the display look tiny and even if you stretch the frame to fit the screen, the resolution won’t be as good. There is yet a third choice for wide screen movie aficionados; the 2.35:1. For instance, Lord of the Rings, Tombstone and Star Wars are all set wider than 16:9.

A "constant image height" setup can stretch the image out to its ideal size, although you will need to purchase a 16:9 digital projector along with an expensive anamorphic lens to accomplish this task.

The Lowest Resolution

Subsequently, you must consider what resolution you’d like for your projector. The lowest resolution found on theater projectors today is 854 x 480, which is also the least expensive unit on the market. If you just watch DVDs and regular non-HD television and you want a basic unit for a lower price, then the picture quality may not be different from what you usually experience with your regular TV.

The most popular home theater projector resolution today is the 1280 x 720, which can display HDTV and Blu Ray disc movies perfectly. Additionally, this model can be found for under $1,000, making it a great deal for the money. If you suspect you might be hooking your computer up to the projector on occasion, then the hybrid 1280 x 768 is a good buy, which is ideal for data projector functions; the only drawback is that 16:9 movies may require small black bars at the top and bottom of the image to mask the extra space traditionally used by your computer.

High-End Format On The Market

The most high-end format on the market is the 1920 x 1080, which doesn’t require any scaling and gives you the sharpest picture, with virtually no pixel shape visible.

Perhaps you’re wondering how much it’ll cost to get your projector system set up. For less than $1,000, you can still find some incredible theater projectors, particularly the 720p models. For $1,000 to $4,000, you’ll have a wider selection of 720p models and you can also get one of the highly touted LCD projectors.

You can definitely pay more than $4,000 for your video projection with a near-flawless 1080p if you so choose. Keep in mind you’ll also spend around $300 to $400 for every 2,000-hour lamp and you’ll also need a $1,500+ screen. Despite these costs, many consumers take the "Go big or go home" approach, installing only the best equipment for their home movie enjoyment.

More Projector Facts....

What was the first type of projector?
The very first type of projector was known as the "magic lantern" and was used to project images onto a wall. The very first mention of this magic lantern was by Giovanni Battista della Porta in 1558. In 1671 there were references found dating back to the mid sixteenth century of people using an oil lamp that had a lens. Images were painted on glass plates and would be projected onto an area where the images could be seen.

As technology began to improve, optics began to refine the pictures and their images. A huge boost to projectors came when photography was invented. The slides of these pictures were far more readily available than the hand painted images found on glass pictures. In fact a series of these pictures would be put together to form a sort of story, like as in a motion picture.

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