Specifying Home Cinema Projectors

Choosing Home Cinema Projectors For Cinema Rooms

There are a huge array of home cinema projectors available so how do we choose which model to install in our home cinema and home theater rooms? We have a number of criteria which we evaluate when proposing a projector for a home cinema install:

• Budget – Broadly speaking the more expensive the projector the higher the resolution, the better the contrast and the brighter the picture. All these elements are important factors to be considered.
• Size – If the projector is to be installed in a “shared space” such as a living room then room aesthetics play a more important role in the decision than in a dedicated room.
• Amount of light in the room – A dedicated home cinema will have excellent ways to manage the light levels in the room, something which is harder to achieve in a living room for example. The lighter the room the brighter the projector needs to be.
• Manufacturer support – As a custom installer who values their reputation we need solid and reliable manufacturer support. In case of issues we need to know we can get spare parts and technical support quickly and easily.

The above factors mean we have a small group of manufacturers we work with, choosing different models from their ranges to suit the requirements of individual projects. Some of our favourites are detailed below:

Value: The JVC range of projectors provide great “bang for buck” – 4K video and a bright picture combine with a fairly large sized projector which works well for dedicated cinema rooms or living rooms where we can hide the projector away on a Future Automation Projector lift.

Small Foot Print: The SIM2 Nero is a very stylish and small projector. The projector itself doesn’t output a picture quite as bright as the JVC and it isn’t as flexible to set up but it looks good and does therefore make it in to some of our living room installations.

Mid Price Point: The Sony range of projectors excel in the mid price point – stunningly bright projectors with 4K upscaling ensure a great picture and they have lots of configuration options which allows some flexibility in positioning etc. These are great for mid priced dedicated cinema rooms (or living spaces where we hide the projector away).

High End: There are a few players in this arena but our favourite has to be the Digital Projection range of projectors – from an entry point just above the above Sony to projectors costing as much as houses this manufacturer has all bases covered. Ultra bright 4K images allow the projector to be used in areas with higher than normal natural light and fill huge projector screens.
One of the most important elements to any cinema projector installation – regardless of cost – is calibration. Setting the projector up correctly ensures the best possible picture in the installed environment. For our cheaper projectors we perform calibration in house and the more expensive projectors benefit from full manufacturer calibration on site, this is a fantastic way to add value to a project.