How to Fit a Projector into your House?

Answer 1

Although flat screen TVs have continued to get better, bigger and cheaper, they are still no match for a Home Theater projector. Home theater projectors are extremely cost effective and make it very easy to achieve screen sizes well above 100” and a very film-like experience at a very reasonable price.

Step 1: Decide Where to Put the Projector

To get the best performance from a projector, having it in an area where light is controlled is key. A rule of thumb is that the darkest color that can be projected is the color of the screen—if the room is bright, the screen will be close to white, if dark, it will be black. This is why many people use a windowless basement room as a home theater. If a dark room is not available, try to find a projector with high light output and to find a screen which is optimized for rooms with some ambient light. Upgrading your drapery to have blackout capability and changing your lighting to offer downward pointing focused light can also help a great deal.

Step 2: Get a Projector and Screen

There are a number of choices available for projectors, and any well-known brand of projector will have a range of compelling options. Buy a home theater projector (as opposed to a business or gaming projector) which will be optimized to give a good picture with video sources, as opposed to doing a good job of projecting PowerPoint presentations, and which offers a resolution of either 1080p or 720p. Look for lens shift, which is a feature that allows for great flexibility in placing the projector by shifting where the image is to be projected. For screens, the key question is whether it should be fixed or drop down. Fixed screens offer better performance for less cost, but are impractical in a non-dedicated room.

Step 3: Set It Up

The best set up for home theater systems is to place the components in the back with the projector, and just run wires to the front for the speakers. This will not only allow for shorter cable runs for components, but it will also reduce visual clutter around the screen.

Step 4: Enjoy

Turn down the lights. Pop some popcorn. And enjoy your new home theater!