Everything You Need to Know About Home Theater Projectors

One thing that often differentiates professional home theaters from DIY ones is the projector-and-screen combination. Though there are often projectors available at local retail stores, clients usually opt for the simpler home-theater-in-a-box options. That’s because projectors are difficult to install, and it can be challenging to find the right one for your San Antonio, TX home. In this blog, we answer some common projector-related questions we encounter during our custom home theater installations.

SEE MORE: How to Design a Custom Theater System 

How Bright Does My Projector Have to Be?

This will depend on the amount of ambient lighting in the room. Typically, home theater projectors range from 1000 to 3000 lumens. When you're working with a dedicated theater where ambient light is under control, there's no reason to go beyond 1500 lumens and often 1000 is more than enough. If your projector is too bright, you may end up with washed out images on the screen. 

Should You Buy an Ultra 4K HD Projector?

With more 4K content available every day—especially most Blu-ray releases—many clients are embracing the new technology. Manufacturers like Sony are coming out with new models that bring true 4K resolution to your private theater. Sterling Home Technologies can help you find the right 4K products so you can enjoy ultra-realistic, dynamic images in your home theater. 

Where Should I Install My Projector?

With most custom home theater installations, we recommend keeping a traditional setup with the projector in the back of the room. If your theater is in an unusually long basement or den, you may have to invest in a long-throw or brighter projector to make it work. If having a projector in the back is not feasible, there are a couple of solutions for that.

Sony also offers short-throw projectors that can be placed just a few feet from the screen. You can also enhance your video quality with rear-projection. In this scenario, the projector is kept in a dark enclosure behind the screen. This is an ideal setup for rooms with ambient lighting, since the projector’s signal will make it directly to the screen without being affected by the light. 

Do I Need a Special Screen for My Projector?

A common mistake people make is splurging on a fancy new projector then using a cheap screen. This will put a lot of your projector's great features to waste. We partner with Screen Innovations for our custom home theater installations. They offer a wide array of models and sizes including special screens designed to reject ambient lighting. 

For short-throw and rear-projection, you need specialized screens. When it comes to short-throw projection, the screens are designed only to absorb light coming from below. With rear-projection, the screen needs to let light through rather than just absorb it. 

Are you ready to upgrade your movie-watching experience with a high-performance projector? Reach out to us for a custom home theater installation by calling (210) 858-6954 or by filling out this online contact form.