From an outdoor summer cinema, to the ultimate gaming setup, having a projector at home is a fantastic way to level up your watching experience. At Comet, we have an excellent range of projectors for you to choose from.
Not sure what you’re looking for? As always, we have your back, with a brief insight into the key projector features you need to keep an eye on.
The first thing you need to think about when you’re choosing a projector is the throw distance (a.k.a. throw ratio).
Now before you yeet your projector out of the window, the throw ratio refers to the distance between the projector and screen and is essential for understanding how to set up your projector within a space.
To work out the throw ratio of your projector, you need to divide the distance from lens to screen (D) by the width of the image (W).
For example, let’s say your projector is six feet from the screen, and your image is three feet in width. If D = 6, and W = 3, you do the following: 6 ÷ 3 = 2. So, this type of projector would have a throw ratio of two.
Fortunately, the majority of projector sellers have already done the maths for you (yay!), which means you simply need to be on the lookout for the labels ‘standard throw’, ‘short throw’, and ‘ultra-short throw (UST)’.
Most standard throw projectors are more suited to larger home theatres, where they can be put at the back of the room – like an actual cinema. Or, bring back the drive-in theatre to your home with a portable projector.
But, if you’re looking for a more cosy set up, or don’t have a lot of space to spare, a UST or short throw projector is perfect. With throw distances ranging from 0.4 to 1, you’ll be able to make the most of every inch.
If your tech shows an image, resolution should always be a factor in your decision-making. Resolution refers to the image clarity and sharpness, and is decided by the number of pixels your tech can show at any one time. More pixels = higher quality images. Simple.
What’s less simple is the way projectors reference their resolution. So, we’ve put together a brief cheat sheet to make things clearer.
Make sure you never miss a plot point with a high resolution projector for your next murder mystery marathon.
Choose from a range of connections, from HDMI, to USB and mini-USB, for plenty of source flexibility. Why not hook up your laptop or PC to a new projector for hours of intense gaming from the comfort of your sofa? With a bigger surface area than a simple screen, projectors are perfect for multiplayer games like Mario Kart – so no more blaming the screen for falling off Rainbow Road.
Sick of wires trailing around your home? Choose a portable projector with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capabilities to make it even easier to watch what you want, where you want.
Alongside resolution, projectors also have a variety of light sources and brightnesses that will contribute to your viewing experience. But, once again, there are a lot of acronyms and specific terms to wade through. So, allow us to shed some light on the topic, with our quick and easy guide.
You should also be aware of something called ANSI lumens. These are a measure of how strong the light source in your projector is, which in turn dictates how bright the resulting image will be. More lumens mean a brighter image, which is especially necessary if there is a lot of ambient light in your surroundings.
For pitch black home cinemas, you can get away with a lower lumen level, around 1300. However, if you have a little light creeping in, you’ll want at least 2000–3500 to ensure you’re getting the best image quality you can. Watching horror movies with the curtains open? Look for projectors with 4000 lumens for the optimal experience (if you dare).
Need more convincing to pick up a new projector? How about taking advantage of our stellar express deliveryoptions to get your order straight to your door when you need it?
And, don’t forget, we have some excellent flexible financing orders to bring your home cinema dreams into reality. Choose Pay in 3 at the checkout to split your order into three interest-free instalments. Or, use PayPal Credit to spread the costs for easy payments.
Not sure what you’re looking for? As always, we have your back, with a brief insight into the key projector features you need to keep an eye on.
Throw distance
The first thing you need to think about when you’re choosing a projector is the throw distance (a.k.a. throw ratio).
Now before you yeet your projector out of the window, the throw ratio refers to the distance between the projector and screen and is essential for understanding how to set up your projector within a space.
To work out the throw ratio of your projector, you need to divide the distance from lens to screen (D) by the width of the image (W).
For example, let’s say your projector is six feet from the screen, and your image is three feet in width. If D = 6, and W = 3, you do the following: 6 ÷ 3 = 2. So, this type of projector would have a throw ratio of two.
Fortunately, the majority of projector sellers have already done the maths for you (yay!), which means you simply need to be on the lookout for the labels ‘standard throw’, ‘short throw’, and ‘ultra-short throw (UST)’.
Most standard throw projectors are more suited to larger home theatres, where they can be put at the back of the room – like an actual cinema. Or, bring back the drive-in theatre to your home with a portable projector.
But, if you’re looking for a more cosy set up, or don’t have a lot of space to spare, a UST or short throw projector is perfect. With throw distances ranging from 0.4 to 1, you’ll be able to make the most of every inch.
Resolution
If your tech shows an image, resolution should always be a factor in your decision-making. Resolution refers to the image clarity and sharpness, and is decided by the number of pixels your tech can show at any one time. More pixels = higher quality images. Simple.
What’s less simple is the way projectors reference their resolution. So, we’ve put together a brief cheat sheet to make things clearer.
- SVGA – super video graphics array has a resolution of 800 x 600.
- XGA – this stands for extended graphics array, and has a resolution of 1024 x 768.
- WXGA – the widescreen version of above, WXGA has 1280 x 800 pixels.
- WVGA– standing for wide video graphics array, this type of projector has a height of 480 pixels, and a width of 800 or more.
- 720p – 720p is more commonly known as HD, and has a resolution of 1280 x 720.
- 1080p – a step up from 720p, 1080p has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This can also be called Full HD.
- 2160p – up another level, 2160p is more commonly called 4k resolution, and has a pixel count of 3840 x 2160.
Make sure you never miss a plot point with a high resolution projector for your next murder mystery marathon.
Connectivity
Choose from a range of connections, from HDMI, to USB and mini-USB, for plenty of source flexibility. Why not hook up your laptop or PC to a new projector for hours of intense gaming from the comfort of your sofa? With a bigger surface area than a simple screen, projectors are perfect for multiplayer games like Mario Kart – so no more blaming the screen for falling off Rainbow Road.
Sick of wires trailing around your home? Choose a portable projector with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capabilities to make it even easier to watch what you want, where you want.
Illumination
Alongside resolution, projectors also have a variety of light sources and brightnesses that will contribute to your viewing experience. But, once again, there are a lot of acronyms and specific terms to wade through. So, allow us to shed some light on the topic, with our quick and easy guide.
- LED – LED stands for light emitting diode, and is one of the most common forms of illumination for technology. LED projectors are reliable, affordable, and have excellent colour contrast.
- DLP – DLP, or digital light processing, beam light through several various lenses to create an image. They’re ideal for portable projectors, because this tech is lightweight and reliable.
- DMD – A digital micromirror device is a chip made of hundreds of thousands of tiny mirrors to reflect light and project an image.
You should also be aware of something called ANSI lumens. These are a measure of how strong the light source in your projector is, which in turn dictates how bright the resulting image will be. More lumens mean a brighter image, which is especially necessary if there is a lot of ambient light in your surroundings.
For pitch black home cinemas, you can get away with a lower lumen level, around 1300. However, if you have a little light creeping in, you’ll want at least 2000–3500 to ensure you’re getting the best image quality you can. Watching horror movies with the curtains open? Look for projectors with 4000 lumens for the optimal experience (if you dare).
See the big picture with Comet
Need more convincing to pick up a new projector? How about taking advantage of our stellar express deliveryoptions to get your order straight to your door when you need it?
And, don’t forget, we have some excellent flexible financing orders to bring your home cinema dreams into reality. Choose Pay in 3 at the checkout to split your order into three interest-free instalments. Or, use PayPal Credit to spread the costs for easy payments.
