By Nancy Arlington
Home theater, although not a new concept, is beginning to grow greatly in the homes of many Americans. What once was so expensive only the richest of the rich could afford it, home theater prices have lessened to an amount that many middle class families can afford. Now you and I can enjoy the thrill of the theater right in the comforts of our own homes.
When choosing your display in the home theater, known to most as the television, many people are still opting for the tradition CRT models which are the box shaped televisions that we are all used to seeing on a regular basis. The plasma screen and LCD televisions are becoming more popular, but they are also cost prohibitive to many people. In order to get a more realistic theater experience, a home theater video projector is the best bet. If you are able to spend the money on a better television, the projector will make you much happier in the long run. When compared to size and quality, this option is really a better value than the larger plasma, LCD, or even CRT models. The projector can send the pictures to a screen that is much larger than any traditional television can offer.
When you think about a video projector, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is the big old metal machine with 2 film reels that you used to see in elementary school. Not only was the projector loud, but the sound quality as well as picture quality left something to be desired. This is simply no longer the case with video projectors. The technology has come a long way and the cost has gone down considerably. The quality, brightness, sharpness, and sound from the projector have improved vastly in the last five to ten years.
There are currently three different types of home theater video projectors, the CRT, LCD, and DLP.
CRT - Cathode Ray Tube - Most of the time, these are the projectors that are in real theaters. They are the old machines with red, blue and green lights. They have their advantages, such as long life and proven technology that has stood the test of time. These are the same type of projectors that your parents and maybe your grandparents used to watch movies from 50 Ð 60 years ago. Although their technology is older, they still provide good quality images that are crisp and sharp. Their major downfall is their weight and bulkiness. These machines are huge and tend to take up a projection room in themselves. They also tend to be less bright than the newer digital models.
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display - These projectors are somewhat more difficult to understand. They use LCD wafers (somewhat like a digital watch or clock) that let light pass through at different saturation levels. Since LCD is a common technology and is being increasingly developed and improved, the projectors are generally lightweight and easy to transport. They also are usually affordable models. The downside to the LCD home theater projector is its frequent use of bulbs. The lights in the projectors tend to go out much sooner than other models and have to be replaced often. Depending on the model of projector, a new bulb can cost several hundred dollars.
DLP - Digital Light Processing or Processor - These are the newest type on the market. They work in a similar way as the LCD except instead of lcd wafers, they use silicon chips called DMDs. These units are also very lightweight and brighter than either of the other two models mentioned in this article. Again, like the LCD, the bulb replacement cost is very high on these models, but the bulbs tend to last slightly longer in the DLP models.
This quick overview of the types of home theater video projectors should help you make the decision on the correct model for your home theater system. Make sure to do your homework before rushing out to buy any component of the home theater, any mistake could be a costly one.
Home theater, although not a new concept, is beginning to grow greatly in the homes of many Americans. What once was so expensive only the richest of the rich could afford it, home theater prices have lessened to an amount that many middle class families can afford. Now you and I can enjoy the thrill of the theater right in the comforts of our own homes.
When choosing your display in the home theater, known to most as the television, many people are still opting for the tradition CRT models which are the box shaped televisions that we are all used to seeing on a regular basis. The plasma screen and LCD televisions are becoming more popular, but they are also cost prohibitive to many people. In order to get a more realistic theater experience, a home theater video projector is the best bet. If you are able to spend the money on a better television, the projector will make you much happier in the long run. When compared to size and quality, this option is really a better value than the larger plasma, LCD, or even CRT models. The projector can send the pictures to a screen that is much larger than any traditional television can offer.
When you think about a video projector, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is the big old metal machine with 2 film reels that you used to see in elementary school. Not only was the projector loud, but the sound quality as well as picture quality left something to be desired. This is simply no longer the case with video projectors. The technology has come a long way and the cost has gone down considerably. The quality, brightness, sharpness, and sound from the projector have improved vastly in the last five to ten years.
There are currently three different types of home theater video projectors, the CRT, LCD, and DLP.
CRT - Cathode Ray Tube - Most of the time, these are the projectors that are in real theaters. They are the old machines with red, blue and green lights. They have their advantages, such as long life and proven technology that has stood the test of time. These are the same type of projectors that your parents and maybe your grandparents used to watch movies from 50 Ð 60 years ago. Although their technology is older, they still provide good quality images that are crisp and sharp. Their major downfall is their weight and bulkiness. These machines are huge and tend to take up a projection room in themselves. They also tend to be less bright than the newer digital models.
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display - These projectors are somewhat more difficult to understand. They use LCD wafers (somewhat like a digital watch or clock) that let light pass through at different saturation levels. Since LCD is a common technology and is being increasingly developed and improved, the projectors are generally lightweight and easy to transport. They also are usually affordable models. The downside to the LCD home theater projector is its frequent use of bulbs. The lights in the projectors tend to go out much sooner than other models and have to be replaced often. Depending on the model of projector, a new bulb can cost several hundred dollars.
DLP - Digital Light Processing or Processor - These are the newest type on the market. They work in a similar way as the LCD except instead of lcd wafers, they use silicon chips called DMDs. These units are also very lightweight and brighter than either of the other two models mentioned in this article. Again, like the LCD, the bulb replacement cost is very high on these models, but the bulbs tend to last slightly longer in the DLP models.
This quick overview of the types of home theater video projectors should help you make the decision on the correct model for your home theater system. Make sure to do your homework before rushing out to buy any component of the home theater, any mistake could be a costly one.
Post a Comment