A super-sized TV or projector and screen: which to choose?
Which is the best option for you and your home? Take a look at our helpful guide to determine what suits your needs.
The good news is that Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) members can offer you a wide range of viewing options with various setups. From large-sized TVs to traditional projector and screen combinations, and the increasingly popular short-throw projection category, there's truly something for everyone and every budget. No single solution is ‘better’ than another. With assistance from one of our experienced members, you'll find the ideal option for you and your home. This is the great thing about home cinema: it is a system tailored specifically for you and your home.
Projector and Screen Combination
For a considerable time, the ‘best way’ to create a home cinema was by pairing a high-performance projector with a screen, similar to a commercial cinema. This remains often the preferred method, as it delivers very impressive results and is perhaps most suitable for the cinema ‘purist’ seeking the highest performance available. These systems are frequently installed in a room dedicated solely to entertainment. That is not to suggest these rooms cannot also be welcoming and enjoyable spaces when the system is not in use. A modern home cinema is often as focused on aesthetics and comfort as it is on providing high-quality audiovisual experiences for movies, sport, and gaming.
A projector and screen combination offers several performance benefits, such as using an ‘acoustically transparent’ projection screen, which allows audio to pass directly through it. This enables speakers to be placed directly behind the screen, aligning the audio closely with the images to ensure clear performance, especially for dialogue. However, these systems often require managing the amount of sunlight in the room to optimise performance. Recent advances have made this less of an issue, but some consideration remains advisable.
Super-Size Me!
A category that has grown significantly in recent years is the availability of very high-performance and large TV products. These include specialised products like the ‘Wall’ from Samsung, which use a modular system to create very large bespoke screens, up to 150 inches in some cases. More conventional TVs, which employ established single-screen methods, have also advanced and can offer some seriously high-performance big-screen options.
Choosing the ‘big TV’ option often means that the home cinema system can handle more sunlight, as these screens tend to be brighter than most projectors. This results in a wider range of rooms and situations suitable for this approach. The image quality of these products has improved greatly in recent years, and although many ‘purists’ would argue that projectors still have the advantage, there is much to appreciate about these devices. Audio needs to be carefully planned, as speakers cannot be placed behind the screens, but many owners value the versatility, high-quality images, and quick response times offered by this sector, which gamers especially enjoy.
Short-Throw Projectors
Offering a ‘third way’ for home cinema enthusiasts, this is another category that has grown significantly in recent years. This method employs clever technology to project an image onto a screen from very close range. This means that all the imaging equipment required to create the desired immersive experience can be stored at one end of the space, much like a TV setup.
This offers several advantages, including making it easier to fit this type of system in a wider variety of spaces than a conventional projector and screen. It is also often simpler to install. Furthermore, it can be integrated into attractive cabinetry that conceals the equipment, only revealing it when necessary. When needed, the screen rises from the cabinet while the projector activates, remaining hidden within the cabinetry, making it an appealing option for many.
Whatever option suits you and your family, one thing is certain: engage with one of the experienced members of the HCA, and you will be elevating your in-home entertainment experiences to a whole new level.
