But the 880 also had the worst black level and one of the worst contrast ratios of any projector weve measured, so movieseven in bright sceneslooked flatter and more washed out. The Epson LS11000 4K laser projector delivers a big, beautiful image and has most of the features you need. Sure. And for gamers, we like the TH685Ps better complement of features: 4K HDR signal input, 120 Hz refresh rate, better built-in speakers, and slightly short throw ratio and higher zoom for easier image placement. To judge color accuracy, we compare the projectors performance with reference standards set by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). Like the HD39HDR, it accepts a 4K signal (downconverting it to 1080p), supports HDR10 playback, and has a 120 Hz refresh rate and low input lag for gaming. Our focus here is on projectors that are bright enough to produce a well-saturated image on a large screen (84 inches or bigger), so you can get a true cinema-like experience. For objective tests, we use Portrait Displayss Calman software, an Xrite i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer, and a DVDO iScan Duo test pattern generator to measure each projectors contrast ratio, light output, and color and color-temperature accuracy. Color temperature basically refers to the projectors color of white: Does the entire image look more blue or red? Here are some questions to ask before you begin your search. The exposed connection panel has only a single HDMI input and a 3.5 mm analog audio output. Pretty much all the projectors weve tested have digital keystone correction to help deal with this problem, but using it can reduce image detail. In a direct comparison with the Home Cinema 2250, we found that the Home Cinema 2200 had a greenish push to the color temperature and a higher black level, resulting in lower contrast. She has been a writer, editor, and reviewer in the consumer electronics industry for 20 years, and previously served as the executive editor of Home Theater Magazine and the managing editor of HomeTheaterReview.com. projectors excelvan The Viewsonic PX701-4K is one of the few 4K DLP options currently available under $1,000, and its a decent overall performer, delivering a crisp, bright 4K picture. This 1080p DLP projector is very bright and easy to set up. No projector in this price range has a great contrast ratio, but some are certainly better than others. A low contrast ratio means the image is more washed-out, usually with more gray-looking blacks. It wasnt as bright as the HT2050A, and its overall contrast wasnt as goodbut its black level was better than that of many of the other projectors we tested, without the use of a dynamic lamp or iris mode. In the better-looking picture modes like Cinema and Sports, this projector is only modestly brighter than the HT2050A, and it has performance issues that make it a poor choice for movie-watching in a dark room (mediocre contrast, color, and black-level performance, plus noticeable light spill around the edges of the screen). Weve added a short video of our top pick in action. The powered USB port is useful for providing power to a streaming stick so you dont have to run a power cable to that add-on. Some manufacturers of LED-based projectors will state their brightness output in LED lumens instead of ANSI lumens in order to give a higher number. Vankyo offers a number of sub-$300 LCD projectors, similar to the models from Yaber and Fangor that we tested. The arrangement demands that you use an AV receiver or HDMI switcher to connect more than one source. Many cheap projectors are too dim to use with a large screen. It also has two adjustable feet and a height lever. The connection panel also includes a component input, a composite input, a PC input, an RS-232 port, a 3.5 mm analog audio output, and a standard USB Type-A port. The BenQ TH585P 1080p DLP projector is the lower-priced sibling of the TH685P we discuss in Other good budget projectors under $1,000. Epsons EF-100 was the companys first mini LCD projector. Our screen is an 84-inch, 1.1-gain EliteScreens MaxWhite 2. You can read about the difference between ANSI lumens and LED lumens here. Yabers Pro V7 is another low-priced 1080p LCD projector sold primarily through Amazon. If the projector is not directly in line with the screen, it can produce the keystone effect, which makes the image look more trapezoidal than rectangular. By comparison, the HT2150ST can sit two-thirds of the way closer, 36 to 43 inches from the screen. With most of them, the main sacrifice is brightness. The newer 880X is basically the same projector packaged with an Android TV stick and a carrying case. Projectors can be tricky to set up, so we looked for models that offer zoom, lens shifting, and other features to help you position the image. Most traditional lamp-based projectors that we test for this guide have a stated brightness above 2,000 ANSI lumens, but their real-world output is lessalbeit still much brighter than that of projectors of the past. The Home Cinema 2250s contrast came closer to the HT2050As than anything else we tested, and its black level was better than that of the older Home Cinema 2150 and 2100 (our previous runner-up pick), so its image looked more saturated and rich in a dark room. They also have built-in speakers, so its not mandatory that you add an external audio system (though we recommend that you do). The majority of sub-$1,000 projectors use single-chip DLP technology, in which they reflect light off one microchip with millions of individual mirrors and then feed the light through a spinning color wheel to create colors. If youre looking for a projector to use primarily in a dim to dark room and the HT2050A is unavailable, this model is a good choice. Were always looking for home theater projectors priced under $600 that wed be comfortable recommending as a budget budget projector for movie-watching, and you can see some of the models weve tested in our competition section. (Epson has actually sued a number of companies to address this issue.). Business projectors are cheaper and sometimes brighter, but thats because they emphasize colors that appear brighter on screen in order to compete with sunlight coming through office windows, not the colors that produce the best image for movies. Generally we tell people to go with Normal or Warm settings, but in this projector we found the Cool setting to offer the most neutral color temperature, with just a bit of a bluish-green push in brighter scenes. If you often watch movies with the room lights on or youre sensitive to DLP rainbows, the Epson Home Cinema 2250 LCD projector is a great alternative. The BenQ HT2050A has the best contrast ratio in its price class, as well as realistic color, great detail, and a robust connection panel. Light output: A projectors light output (usually listed in ANSI lumens) determines not only how bright the image is but also how large an image you can create (image brightness decreases as the image size increases). The difference in black level was especially noticeable when we set this model side by side with the competition. Theres also no physical lens shift or zoom to help position the image on your screen. 709 color gamut (so it cant render the full color space used for HDTV).

Generally you need to place a projector about 100 inches away from the screen to cast a 100-inch image, but a lens with zoom adjustment gives you some flexibility in the projection distanceand a higher zoom equals more flexibility. The HT2050A supports 3D playback, but the glasses are sold separately. The V630 is one of the companys higher-performance models, and after reading this thorough comparison with the BenQ TH585 (the older version of the TH585P) on ProjectorReviews.com, we decided not to test it. The HT2050As colors measured more accurately against all HDTV standards than those of the other DLP projectors we tested. Lens shift is far preferable to digital keystone correction, which robs you of actual screen space by reducing the number of active pixels contributing to the image (it also adds artifacts such as jagged edges and potentially other types of visual noise). In our most recent test of the HT2050A, when we measured the light output on an 84-inch screen, it produced 1,461 lumens (76.8 foot-lamberts) in the Cinema picture mode at normal lamp brightness and 1,002 lumens (52.7 fL) in the eco lamp mode. Lots of projectors are bright, and they perform well for everyday TV watching and gaming. Plus, it reproduces much less of the HD color gamut than other DLP projectors weve tested, like the newer BenQ TH685P. Technically, the only available connection options are a single HDMI input and a 3.5 mm audio output, which is quite limited. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). The 1.3x zoom gives you some wiggle room in how close to the screen you can place the unit, while the vertical lens shift allows you to avoid the keystone effect. If youre interested in spending more and want to create a dedicated home theater setup, check out our guide to the best 4K projector. BenQ estimates the lamp life as lasting between 3,500 and 7,000 hours depending on the mode. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. This LCD projector delivers solid image contrast and high brightness, so its a good choice for a brighter viewing space. The lens creates some color fringing that you might notice, and the colors are not as accurate or vivid as those of the BenQ HT2050A, but the HT2150ST still produces a good picture.

In addition to letting it work in more spaces, this models ability to sit that close to the wall or screen means people are less likely to walk in front of the lens and cast a shadow on the screen. 709 color gamut as the BenQ can (91% versus 95%), but its color points and color temperature are a little more accurate out of the box, in the Natural picture mode. A projectors most important performance attribute is its contrast ratio, which is the difference between the brightest part of the image and the darkest. Some projectors (like the BenQ HT2050A) have a faster-spinning 6x color wheel (as opposed to a 4x one), which makes the rainbows harder to see. This projector is very bright, but its measured contrast is lower than our picks, and its not as color-accurate. But for gaming with some room lights on, the Living Room and Game picture modes offer respectable performance. Plus theres no optical zoom or lens shift and only one HDMI input, and the fan noise is loud at maximum brightness. Otherwise, youll appreciate the additional flexibility and brightness of the picks in this guide. Learn more. The BenQ HT2150ST uses a short-throw lens, so you can place it much closer to your screen or wall than usual and still get a large image. But the effect can annoy a small percentage of video watchers. As with most budget projectors we tested, this model has a Bright picture mode thats even brighter (88.2 fL), but it produces a very green color temperature and highly inaccurate color, which together make it basically unwatchable.

When you initially set up this projector, it walks you through the Android TV sign-in process. The built-in speaker cant play very loud, but this projector has built-in Bluetooth, as well as HDMI ARC, optical digital, and analog audio outputs to send audio to an external sound system. This 1080p LCD projector provides great light output and solid contrast, and it delivers an accurate image without much adjustment required. Not everyone can see these rainbows, and most people who can see them dont find them bothersome. Being able to set up a 100-inch display without needing a lot of space allows you to get a giant picture where you typically cant. Budget home theater projectors can reside in a permanent ceiling mount in a home theater, but theyre small enough that you could just set one on a stool, coffee table, or chair in the living room. The better projectors allow you to physically shift the lens vertically and/or horizontally to place the image more precisely. The $800 TH685P has a claimed light output of 3,500 lumens; we measured a maximum of 2,812 lumens in the Bright picture mode, but that mode is highly inaccurate and looks pretty bad. If a display has accurate color, that means everything you see appears more realistic and naturaland more like what the filmmakers intended. In terms of fan noise, its one of the quietest projectors weve tested. It puts out more light than the PX727HD, but its color accuracy, black level, and contrast are all worse. But to accomplish that setup, youll need control over the lighting environmentexcess light will hurt the black levels, negating any performance gainsas well as the ability to mount that high-end projector on your ceiling to take full advantage of its features and functions. But the black level and contrast are not as good as our picks, so movies look so somewhat flat by comparison. Generally, we recommend at least 1,000 ANSI lumens for a 100-inch screen, which disqualifies pretty much all of the cheap mini/pico projectors and portable projectors that use LED light sources instead of traditional lamps. But a good home theater projector that you use primarily for watching movies in a dim or dark room needs to strike a balance between brightness and black level. The HT2050As biggest drawback is that its single-DLP-chip design can produce a visible rainbow effect for some viewers, but most people either cant see it or wont be bothered by it. The Home Cinema 2250 doesnt run the Android TV OS directly; rather, Epson includes a standalone Android TV dongle, connected via HDMI and hidden in a compartment on the back panel. The BenQ HT2050A needs to sit 100 to 130 inches from your screen to produce a 100-inch image. We prefer a brightness of at least 1,000 ANSI lumens for a 100-inch screen. Since numbers dont reveal the whole picture, we also do qualitative comparison testing by placing projectors next to each other and sending them the same signal using an HDMI splitter. But if youre willing to forgive the color problems, its a watchable image for the occasional movie night, and it comes with features like Bluetooth audio output and Wi-Fi screen mirroring. This model is one of the few traditional projectors to support Bluetooth audio output and Android TV integration, the latter of which is convenient but not as seamless as it could be. How to Pick the Right Projector for Your Viewing Needs, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), this thorough comparison with the BenQ TH585 (the older version of the TH585P) on ProjectorReviews.com, The Best Portable Mini Projector for Movies, Everything You Need to Watch 4K HDR Movies. I was formerly the video editor and primary TV and projector tester for HomeTheaterReview.com, and previously contributed display coverage to Home Theater Magazine, Electronic House, and other publications. If you want to use a drop-down projection screen, the BenQ HT2050A is the most affordable projector weve seen with a 12-volt trigger output; when connected to this BenQ projector with a common 3.5 mm cable, the screen will drop down when the projector is on and then go back up when the projector is off, simplifying setup. The remote is a completely different design from the traditional Epson remote, combining the standard Android TV functions with projector controls for the menu, input switching, and keystone correction. Second, you can enable Bluetooth audio output through either the projectors menu or the Android TV interfacebut if you go through Android TV, the remotes volume buttons dont control the integrated speaker. What about even cheaper projector recommendations? A professional calibrator could adjust the advanced RGB controls to give you an even more accurate image, but that would cost you another $300 or moreand we dont think its necessary. The HT2050A uses a 240-watt lamp to create the light you see on screen. In our tests, colors looked rich and natural, and the picture was clean and detailed. The HT2050As real strength is that, even with all that brightness, it still renders a respectably dark black level for a budget projector, resulting in the best contrast. These lamps gradually dim and need to be replaced. If youre short on space, the BenQ HT2150ST can produce a larger image from a shorter distance. Its color accuracy and detail are excellent, but the contrast and black level arent as good as the lamp-based BenQ and Epson picks for movie-watching. The resulting image can be very sharp, but the Achilles heel of many inexpensive single-chip DLP projectors is an artifact called the rainbow effect, in which bright objects on a dark background (such as street lights zooming by during a night scene) carry a rainbow trail. On the one hand, its one of the brightest projectors weve tested for this guide, measuring 3,160 lumens in the Dynamic picture mode and 2,276 lumens in the Game picture mode, which is also very color-accurate. You can remove it if you dont want to use it. Setup features: A front-projection system can be trickier to set up than a TV, since you have to adjust it to project a precise size and shape onto your screen. We tested the BenQ TH685P, which has a 120 Hz refresh rate, low input lag (listed at 8.3 ms for 120 Hz), and support for HDR10 and 4K signal input (downscaled to 1080p). But some projectors in this price range do include these features, which is a nice perk. Resolution: A projector must have at least a full HD (19201080) resolution for us to consider it for this guide because that allows for a big, detailed image with no chance of visible pixels. Compared with the HT2050A, the HT2150STs main drawback is that the lens isnt as good in pure image quality. The newer EF11 and EF12 (which adds Android TV) have a 1080p resolution but are less bright (a claimed 1,000 lumens). Some projectors cant produce fully saturated colors, and they create yellows and reds that look dull next to the results from those projectors that can. The 1080p image consistently looked a bit soft and unfocused, no matter how much we fiddled with the manual focus dial. The Home Cinema 2250 and its sibling, the Home Cinema 2200, are the first traditional home theater projectors weve tested to integrate an Android TV player with voice search (via a microphone in the remote), which is a plus if you like Android TV but may be a minus if you dont. Most manufacturers stated light specs dont correlate with real-world performance, at least not in the more accurate picture modes that people actually use. The Warm setting was too warm, and the Normal setting resulted in less accurate color and a noticeably green push in bright scenes. This 1080p projector provides a variety of inputs and is easy to set up thanks to a flexible lens that has both zoom and vertical shift. LCD projectors can often deliver better color brightness than DLP models can, and theres no rainbow effect for you to worry about, but they can suffer from color fringing (where you can see different color elements outlining sharp lines) because aligning the three panels perfectly is nearly impossible.

And the ones weve tested feel pretty cheaply built, so longevity is a concern. If you want a big-screen front-projector experience in your home but need to spend less than the cost of a refrigerator, the BenQ HT2050A is the best projector available for less than $1,000. Epson even includes a second, dedicated Android TV remote in the package in case you want to use the Android TV dongle with a different video display. The Fangor F-405 is a sub-$300 LCD projector sold almost exclusively through Amazon. When its time to buy a lamp, you should always do so directly from the company when possible, as third-party lamps can be of dubious qualityand if they damage your projector, the warranty wont cover it. We still dont recommend this mode for regular use, but for the occasional gaming or sports event in the middle of the day, itll work okay. I have over a decade of experience reviewing TVs, projectors, and other video devices. We have a separate guide for smaller, battery-powered portable projectors, which can be a good replacement for a midsize TV but lack the brightness to produce a 100-inch-plus image. However, weve found quirks here that we havent encountered in projectors that fully integrate the Android TV OS. The BenQ HT2050A has both digital and analog video inputs, an RS-232 control port, and a 12-volt trigger, which is rare for models in this price range. And it has only 1.1x zoom and a single HDMI input. This omission is generally fine for movie-watching, but gamers and sports enthusiasts may want to check out the affordable gaming projectors listed in Other good budget projectors under $1,000especially if you mostly watch those types of content with the room lights on.

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