TVs vs projectors: How they are different

If you’re planning on building the ultimate home theatre experience for yourself, you have a couple of options for the display: TV or projector. While a good TV might be the obvious choice for most people, putting in the effort to convert a room into a mini home theatre of sorts might be the better option. Here’s what you need to know…

TVs vs projectors: Why TV setup is more convenient

Televisions are easily the most convenient option, which is part of the reason why they’re so popular. You simply buy a TV that fits your budget and size requirements, set it up on your TV stand, and you’re done. Minimal consideration needs to be put into placement and lighting.

A projector, on the other hand, projects light onto a reflective screen. That screen not only reflects the light from the projector, but also the light from every other light source in the room, including sunlight, lamps, and more. To properly set up a projector, you need a completely blacked out room with no light source emitting light in the direction of the screen.

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You can use some projectors in brighter environments, but the image you see will not be accurate, especially the colours. The quality of the screen you’re using will also have an impact on what you’re seeing.

TVs vs projectors: Image quality and size

Objectively, the image from a good TV is far superior to that from a projector. This is simply because LCD and OLED panels have much more control over light output and colour. A projected image is dependent on the reflectivity and colour of the screen.

That said, we’ve all been to the theatres at some point and are fully aware that projected images can look stunning. However, to achieve that stunning image quality from a projector, one would need all three: a high-quality screen (that costs a lot), a blacked-out room, and a powerful projector.

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Once you invest all that money into setting up a proper projection environment, that’s when you start to appreciate the true advantage of a projector. Most TVs are available in 65 inches or less, with their prices going up exponentially with size beyond that. If you’re looking for a 100-inch screen or larger, be prepared to mortgage your house.

A decent projector, on the other hand, can project a 100-inch with minimal effort, and can go much larger depending on the space available.

TVs vs projectors: Value for money

If you care about convenience and image quality, cheaper projectors just don’t make sense. A top-of-the-line OLED TV can be had for under a lakh, while an above-average projector can cost upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh. Good projectors, the kind that can rival IMAX screens, can cost well in excess of Rs 3 lakh.

You can buy a cheap projector if you have no room for a TV or want something that can convert any wall into a display, but you’ll be doing so at the cost of image quality and resolution. That trade-off is worth it to some.

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The bottom line is just this. For home use, TVs are superior to projectors by almost every metric. Projectors only start to come into their own when you invest a lot of money into both the projector itself and the setup that helps the projector perform at its best. If you’re in a position to invest that much money, a projector can offer a true, theatre-like experience that even the most exorbitantly priced TV will struggle to match.