Consumer Reports Buying Guide for Front Projection TV

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Front-projector TVs fill a movie sized niche, but they're probably not the best choice for everyday use.

For a truly movie-theaterlike experience, you can't beat a bright front projector paired with a screen that stretches 100 inches or more diagonally. That’s much larger than a plasma or rear-projection TV, with image quality that's just as good and prices that are comparable, starting around $1,000 for the least expensive high-definition (HD) projector designed for home-theater use.

But front projectors aren't the best choice for everyday viewing. They look best in a dark room, and they require a projection screen, some kind of sound system, and a TV tuner or cable/satellite receiver. They're also more complicated to set up for "permanent" installation. Like rear-projection sets, they have a bulb that needs replacing periodically.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

In years past, the only real choice for a big-screen home theater was a bulky CRT-based projector that cost several thousand dollars. But newer projectors are much more compact as they use LCD, DLP, or LCoS technology - the same display technologies used in rear-projection microdisplay TVs. Among the best-selling brands of home-theater projectors are BenQ, Epson, InFocus, Optoma, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sharp, and Sony.

Prices start around $1,000 for the least expensive 720p HD models; 1080p projectors start around $3,000 to $5,000.

Technically display devices rather than TVs (they don’t have built-in tuners), front projectors require a separate screen (or a smooth wall) as a display surface. You can vary the picture size from about 50 inches to about 200 inches (depending on the model) by moving the projector closer to the screen or farther back and using the zoom control. Consequently, you're not locked into a specific screen size as you are with every other type of TV. The images are best viewed in dark rooms, so you need to turn off lights or use blackout curtains on windows for daytime viewing.

To get TV programming, you must connect an external tuner, such as a cable or satellite box. For movies, you could hook up just a standard or high-definition DVD player. In either case, you generally have to provide speakers and an amplifier or receiver (or powered speakers), since most projectors don’t have built-in audio capability.

Several companies, including Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Optoma, offer "all in one" home-theater projectors that come with either an integrated or outboard DVD player and built-in speakers, as well as a screen. Since they're designed to be used with standard DVDs, they don’t offer HD resolutions, but they cost less ($800 to $1,300) than typical front projectors and they're easier to set up and use.

Front projectors can be placed on a table or other flat surface, then stored when not in use, or mounted to a ceiling for a more permanent installation. If you mount the projector, be sure to place it at the distance from the screen recommended by the manufacturer, angled to prevent the rectangular shape of the image from being distorted (called keystoning). Hiding cables and wiring behind walls or above the ceiling might require construction work.

Don't confuse home projectors with the cheaper data projectors designed for conference-room use. Those units, which sell for less than $1,000, often have lower resolution, which won't give you the detailed, high-def images most home viewers want. They also have less light output, which can result in washed-out looking images. Data projectors often lack typical TV features, such as aspect-ratio controls (including zoom or stretch) and common color controls.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Higher resolution indicates that a projector uses more pixels, or picture elements, to create images. That allows for sharper, finer detail. That is especially important with front projectors because the images are so large, magnifying the detail, or lack of it. The higher the resolution - 720p or even better, 1080p - the sharper and crisper the detail you'll see, and the less you'll observe the screen-door effect, which can take away from picture quality.

Distance from screen affects image size and brightness. To fill a 110-inch screen size, you’d typically place a projector 10 to 15 feet away. To project a 50-inch image on a wall, about half that distance would do. Recommended placement varies by model, so check the manufacturer specs.

If you tilt the projector up or down to raise or lower the projected image, the sides of the image will start to angle away from 90 degrees, turning what should be a rectangular shape into a trapezoid. A keystoning control compensates for that, but resolution can suffer, so avoid that correction if possible.

Some projectors have a lens-shift feature, which lets you move the image horizontally or vertically without having to move the projector itself. The non-optical, electronic shift adjustment available on most models typically allows for image movement while cutting off image on the edge. This feature is a big plus if you move your projector around a lot. It also helps for picture placement for installations in awkward locations.

The aspect-ratio controls known as stretch and zoom modes will adjust the image size to fill the screen better. This helps reduce or eliminate the dark bands that can appear above, below, or on the sides of the image. (The picture might be distorted or cut off a bit in the process of stretching and zooming.)

Most front projectors have composite-video, S-video, component-video, and VGA inputs. In addition, most HD-capable sets have a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) or High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI).

HOW TO CHOOSE

First make sure that a front projector is the right choice for your viewing needs, given the logistics involved. These devices have special requirements, but if you can deal with them, you can enjoy a high-quality, theater-like experience at a reasonable cost. Here’s what to consider in choosing among models:

Weigh the pros and cons of LCD and DLP projectors. In general, projectors using LCD technology have not been as good as DLP models at reproducing true black, but some LCD models do quite well. As with rear-projection TVs using DLP technology, you might experience a "rainbow effect" when watching a DLP front projector. This is a flash of color that might be visible mainly when you move your eyes across bright objects on a dark background. The rainbow effect isn't always obvious, but it can be annoying.

If you're concerned about this, take a video with high-contrast scenes to the store so that your family can determine whether it's a problem. All "single chip" DLP projectors (including all models in the Ratings online) are affected. The priciest DLP units - "three chip" models that use separate chips to produce red, green, and blue, rather than a color wheel - aren't subject to the rainbow effect.

See which model suits your room arrangement. Before buying a front projector and screen, figure out how you'll set up the room. The room dimensions and anticipated seating positions will influence what screen sizes are practical. Some projectors give you more flexibility in where you can place the projector to get a certain image size; see what the manufacturer recommends. Projectors with "short throw" lenses will allow you to place the projector closer to the screen; "long throw" lenses are designed for rooms where the projector needs to be placed at a fair distance from the screen. The larger the image you want, the more distance needed between the projector and screen, though the projector's zoom feature will provide some flexibility here.

Keep in mind that as the image from a projector gets larger, it also gets dimmer, and there’s less differentiation between light and dark areas - in other words, poorer contrast. In our tests, we found an image size of about 110 inches (measured diagonally, for a 16:9 wide-screen display) to be the sweet spot for impact and brightness.

Also consider where you'll sit to watch the TV. With a 110-inch screen and an HD image, the optimal viewing distance is about 14 feet.

Check the inputs. Consider where you'll place and connect the cable or satellite box that will serve as the TV tuner, a sound system, and probably a DVD player or recorder. If you want to use the projector for playing computer games, make sure it has a computer input.

Think about the screen. In our tests, we used a 110-inch screen that costs $400. It has a matte-white viewing surface 41⁄2 feet high by 8 feet wide. There are screens with more reflective finishes (called gain) designed to enhance brightness, but you might compromise the wider viewing angle of a matte screen. Other so-called dark screens are designed to enhance contrast by improving black-level performance, but they do reduce overall brightness levels.

Consider bulb life. Front projectors use a special bulb to create the light necessary to project an image onto screen. The bulbs have a claimed life expectancy of about 2,000 to 3,000 hours - shorter than the bulbs used in rear-projection TVs. You'll hit that point in about two years if the TV is turned on for four hours a day. Replacement bulbs cost about $350. Changing the bulb is fairly simple, but if you prefer to have a professional do it for you, figure on $200 or so for labor.

Copyright © 2003-2007 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

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