1. What type of wall space are you working with?

2. What type of room will it be in? (ie. Lots of windows, low level of light etc)

3. Will you be displaying the image on a screen or wall?

4. Are you aware of the hidden costs (separate audio system, replacement bulbs etc)

5. Would you be willing to double your budget for better quality?



Number 1 and 2 are the most important when considering going the projector route. You can have a $3000 projector but if it's in a small room with no wall space and has lots of ambient light washing out the image it'll be a wasted purchase.


You can find those cheap China made no name projectors for under $200 or so on eBay but the "you get what you pay for" mantra applies there. Me personally I value picture quality and longevity and for a couple hundred more you can get a decent projector depending on your wall space and room. Many people aren't aware of the costs that goes along with home theater projectors. What may seem like a good deal initially can get pretty pricey when you factor in the cost of the display screen, surround sound, and the replacement bulbs that can run a few hundred all by themselves. You will definitely need to make sure you have an audio set up as most projectors don't emit sound and the ones that do only project low quality sound. There's no fun in having a nice protection set up and not being able to hear anything. Be sure to keep this in mind.


Is there any reason why you're going the projector route vs the HD/LED/ULED TV? Nowadays a pretty decent TV can be had for around $500 bucks.


For starters here's a beginner's guide. I'd advise you to go thru it first to determine your needs and it'll point you in the right direction.

<a class="bbc_url" href='http://www.projectorcentral.com/home_theater_projector_buyers_guide.htm'>http://www.projectorcentral.com/home_theater_projector_buyers_guide.htm</a>

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