A large TV is massive and that’s a nice thing to have at home, if you love watching a lot of movies. A larger TV is even better but it can so often be so expensive. They are bound to get cheaper, but not quickly enough. A solution exists today. You can, if you wish, have a 100-inch or larger home theatre setup for the same price of a basic TV. A 100-inch TV can cost close to 10 lacs but the obvious solution, a projector costs a fraction of that price. Most of us hesitate from buying one, because of the fears of expensive bulb replacements for the element that generates the light in a projector. However, a projector is a great, cost-effective way to setup a large screen like you would see in a theatre. The only real limitation is the size of your room or the empty wall in it.
A large plain white wall is a good place to start with, but if you have patterns or darker colours, using a projection screen might be a good investment alongside the projector. They can be quite inexpensive. There are plenty of custom projector screen manufacturers who can make you for your wall. The screens can be rolled or installed permanently. You can do this for different locations in your house. Most people try to use projectors on plain walls and that’s fine too. The joy of using a projector is a lot to do with the sheer size of the display, that covers your peripheral vision. The experience is more immersive than on a television. It’s why most of us go to the cinema despite owning large TVs. With the recent COVID pandemic, that joy is taken away from us, and a home theatre setup might be just the fix we need.
Projectors don’t cost a lot, for the most part. There are some sweet spots as far as projectors go. If you want the best possible 4K projector, those can cost anywhere between a lac or more. Most projectors can be purchased for as little as Rs. 30,000, like the Benq GV1 that costs around Rs. 30,990*. The resolution isn’t much but it’s easy to put in a bag and carry it anywhere you go; it even has a built-in battery, so you don’t need pesky cables and adapters. It even behaves like a Bluetooth speaker.
Another question often asked is on how large the projected display can be. It could be as small as 50 inches across and as large as 300 inches across in most models. It really depends on the quality of the projector, the screen, and the size of your wall. Technically, most projectors can project very large screens, but you need to sit further away, or the loss in detail can be apparent, especially with cheaper models. Most basic home projectors are ideal for about a 100-inch display.
If you are looking at a thorough full HD projector, there are many more options starting with the BenQ TH585 that sells at around Rs. 64,989, and the more premium, BenQ W1210ST. The BenQ TK800M model is a great 4K projector that sells at around Rs. 159,000 if you’re willing to spend that much. For that kind of money, not only do you get detail, colours and quality, you also get that kind of performance on screen sizes as large as large as 300 inches. No TV at this price can compete with this kind of size.
Projectors have other benefits, and the biggest of which is being able to carry them around. We don’t mean, carry them outdoors but from one room to another. The same 100-inch screen that you might project in your living room, can also be setup in your bedroom. Once you have it figured out, you can easily go from one room to another, in minutes. It’s a good idea to figure out the ideal place to power your projector and align it on to a clear wall. You should also darken the room effectively with curtains, if you wish to watch movies during the day.
Projectors don’t always need to be placed far from the screen. There are short-throw models that can be placed quite close to a wall yet project a large image. Some projectors allow you to place them off the centre of the screen, but because they have correction features, they can reduce or eliminate the warped image that is typical in such odd setups. Projectors mounted on the ceiling typically must be placed upside down. Most projectors come with an invert image option that flips the image. Ceiling mounted projectors are common in meeting rooms in workplaces but also for home cinema setups. Most models are quite light so they can be ceiling-mounted without much work.
Reliance Digital is all about bringing comforts, convenience and entertainment to your life. We sell a few projectors that might be perfect for your living room, to replace your TV, or as a secondary display for your bedroom. We also recommend looking for a good pair of speakers, maybe a sound bar or a home theatre system to complete your home entertainment setup.
Note: Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the product page for the latest prices and availability.
