Want to watch movies on the big screen but don’t want to leave your couch? A home theater projector set up might be the solution you’re looking for.

With recent improvements in home theater technology, getting a high-quality picture in the comfort of your living room has never been easier.

If you’re worried about the difficulty of a home theater projector set up, don’t be. The process is easier than you think, and you don’t have to be a trained technician to do it well.

With a few tools and a little know-how, you could be up and running in no time.

Keep reading for some quick and easy tips on home theater projector set up.

Getting started–what you’ll need for your home theater projector set up

Before you get started, you’re going to need a projector. I know it sounds pretty obvious, but choosing a projector is the first step in the process.

Once you have your hardware picked out, you’ll only need a few hand tools to get your home theater projector set up. At the minimum, you’ll probably need:

• A screwdriver
• Drill
• Adjustable wrench
• Level

Also, be sure to check the instructions for your projector and mount for the manufacturer’s requirements.

Where to put the most important piece–the screen

Once you’ve picked a projector, it’s time to find a good place for the screen.

There are obviously some size considerations to take into account when selecting a location for a projector screen. It’s not quite as easy as picking a spot for your TV.

Most rooms are only going to provide you with one or two walls suitable for screen placement, so picking a wall is probably not a tough choice. But if you can, try to avoid a wall with a lot of direct light, as the light could wash out your picture.

One element you do need to consider is how far up the wall should you place the screen. Somewhere between 24 and 36 inches from the floor is typically a good distance. The installation instructions for your screen may also provide placement guidelines.

by James

See full story at htpreviews.com

Buying a home projector sounds easy at first: You get a screen, you get a projector, you aim it at the screen – and presto, theater-like movie time! But reality quickly teaches us that home projectors are very cool, but also a little complicated. They don’t follow the same rules as TV screens, and they have extra features to consider and choose between.

So before jumping in, here are six of the most important things to note when looking for the absolute best home theater projector.

1. High Resolution: Resolution is a little trickier with projectors, because they use a variety of methods when it comes to video production. However, you can generally count on the resolution that you see in the specs, as long as the image is sized properly. Try not to get anything that falls below full HD (1080p). There are some projectors – a growing corner of the market – that are offering 4K resolution as well, but these will be much more expensive.

2. Lamp: The lamp, unsurprisingly, is one of the most important features in a home projector. First, it defines how bright your image will be based on the number of lumens. The more lumens, the clearer and more realistic the image tends to be – a couple thousand lumens, at least, will be needed during the day time. Also pay attention to the lamp life: The lamp will lose brightness throughout its life, but the lamp life spec shows how long it takes to reach half its original brightness – you may decide to replace it before then to maintain image quality. It typically costs a few hundred dollars to replace a lamp.

3. Sizing: Most home projectors give you an option to size your image to fit your screen or your desired size. Even simple models have suggestions on how far away (throw distance) you need to place the projector to get images of a certain quality or size. That’s very handy to know, but because you need to match the sizing of your projector with how much space you have. In other words, think very carefully about how large an image you want, and do a lot of measuring of the room where you are installing the projector – before you buy. Use this calculator to make an informed decision.

4. Quiet: Not many homeowners think about the noise levels of their projector until it’s too late. A projector that has been on for a while can be quite loud due to fan noise. When you’re trying to watch a movie, that can become distracting and annoying. Some projectors are far better at containing their noise than others, so research this before you buy.

5. Contrast: Contrast is a very difficult spec to quantify, because it can work in many different ways and there’s no set standard to measure it. However, it’s very important for top projector quality. You want your projector to produce bright whites and dark blacks to help make the image look realistic and not like – well, a projection. Some projectors have different contrast modes for different light levels as well.

6. Connections: This is a basic but vital part of the best projector experience – you need connections that match the content devices that you use. A very popular option is wireless HDMI, which means you don’t have to worry about dragging cables across the room and can use all your HDMI devices. However, this also tends to be one of the most expensive connections. If you want to save money, go with a wired connection but make sure it matches your devices. HDMI remains a good bet here.

By Andru Edwards

Read more at www.gearlive.com