Projector - How to choose a projector?

Choosing a projector can depend on various factors, such as your budget, the intended use, room size and lighting conditions, and desired resolution. Here are some steps to guide you through the process:

Identify Your Needs: What will you use the projector for? Is it for home cinema, business presentations, gaming, or portable uses? Different projectors serve different purposes. For example, if you need a projector for work presentation, you need a bright projector that has good resolution to show the information on the image clearly. If you're a gamer, you may need a projector with a high refresh rate to minimize input lag.

Choose the Right Technology: The debate about whether LCD or DLP technology is not as important now. Both LCD and DLP are both as good as their counterpart, they both can display a nice clear image. The more important factor to consider is whether you need a lamp based projector or a Led or Laser projector - comparing the cost of investing in a LED or Laser projector, and the cost of saving money to replacement bulb over a long period. Buying a lamp based projector with a cheaper upstart cost and buying replacement lamp later on down the track.

Resolution: The resolution of a projector is critical to the image quality. Common resolutions include WXGA (1280 x 800), Full HD (1920 x 1080), and 4K (4096 x 2160). Higher resolutions are preferable for home theatre or if you're planning on projecting detailed image on a big screen. For 4K or Full Hd, it does not matter if you're projecting the minimal size of a screen i.e 50", as you would not see the difference if view from a distance.

Brightness: Measured in lumens, brightness is essential for the visibility of the image. A projector with a brightness of 3500 to 5000 lumens would be sufficient for a moderately lit small room, while a brightness of over 5500 lumens might be necessary for very bright small to medium sized rooms.

Contrast Ratio: The contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest and brightest areas of a picture. A higher contrast ratio allows for deeper blacks and more subtle color details.

Throw Distance: This is the distance between the projector and the screen. A long-throw projector is designed to be placed far from the screen, while a short-throw projector can be near the screen. The choice between the two depends on the size of your room.

Connectivity: Look for a projector with the input connections that match your devices, such as HDMI, USB, VGA, etc. Wireless connectivity might also be desirable for streaming content, nowadays, even the projector does not come with wirelessly built in. You can always get a 3rd party device to make it "smart" or wireless.

Lamp Life: Projectors use lamps that have a certain lifespan, often between 3,000 to 5,000 hours. Some projectors that are not so popular have lamps that are more expensive to replace, so consider the lamp life and replacement cost in your decision.

Sound: Some projectors have built-in speakers. While they cannot be compare to a dedicated speaker with amplifier. Most of them are sufficient for a small room filed with people. Some projectors have 10W or 2x 10W speakers that are extra loud, some home theatre model have dedicated build in soundbar with twitter and subwoofer.

Budget: Projectors range greatly in price, from under few hundred dollars to several thousands. Be sure to choose a projector that fits your budget but also meets your needs.

Brand Reputation (very important): Finally, consider the brand's reputation for quality and customer service. Check carefully about the manufacture's background and consider the warranty and customer support that comes with the projector. In last one or two years, there are a lot of new brand "pop" up from nowhere to the Australian market. Some of these manufacturers are not from an imaging visual industry background and do not have a track record in manufacturing projector, they may in fact manufacture other things than projector. Check the brand history and make sure the warranty repair is done in Australia (not sent overseas) We heard a lot of stories customer buying "good reviewed" projector brand and realised that when they claim warranty, the customer service is not based in Australia, and they have to pay expensive DHL to overseas to get it repaired.

All brand sold through My Projector such as Benq, Epson, NEC, Optoma, Panasonic, Sony and Viewsonic are reputable brand with over many many years in manufacturing projector and have customer service and repair center in Australia.

Remember, the more expensive or the brighter the projector does not mean the best projector for your situation. Please choose the best projector for your budget, specific needs and circumstances.