You want a big screen experience without leaving the couch. With a home projector, you can do just that. There is reason to call these devices “home theater”. Turn an empty wall or separate screen into a cinema. But buying a box is only half the job. You need to know which specifications are really important. If you are using an existing TV as a base station or display intermediary, you need to know how to connect it.
First, look at the hardware. Don’t just buy the cheapest option. Check the numbers.
Resolution
This is the number of pixels. Left and right. From top to bottom. The higher the number of pixels, the sharper the image. If clarity is important to you, the higher the resolution, the better.
Contrast
This determines how the colors look different. High contrast reveals subtle details in shadows and highlights. Low contrast makes everything look washed out.
Brightness (Lumen Output)
In the original text this is called “light resolution”. It is actually measured in lumens. This determines the brightness of the image. If the living room has a window. If you watch a movie during the day. Requires high brightness. Otherwise, the image will disappear in the ambient light.
Connecting the Gear
When you own a projector, you have several options. projected onto the wall. Or use the TV. If you want to use the TV as a secondary display or as part of a setup, you need special cables. The old-fashioned method requires two different cables. Requires a VGA cable for video. There is also an audio cable for sound.
Here is a step-by-step process to legacy connection.
- Unplug everything. Safety first. If possible, avoid hot-plug these old connections.
- **Connect the VGA cable. ** Insert the oblong end to the VGA port on the back of the projector.
- **Connect to TV. ** Plug one end of the VGA cable to the back of the TV. This carries the video signal.
- Handle the audio. Connect the dual plug of the audio cable to the audio output of the TV.
- **Complete the audio loop. ** Connect one plug to the audio input of the projector. The projector must play sound through its own speakers or an external system.
- **Turn on the power. ** Connect the power cord of the projector to the device. Then plug the other end into a wall outlet.
Wait. Does your TV accept the projector’s video input? Most modern TVs do that. But if you want to know how to connect a projector to a TV and get the best quality, you need to look beyond VGA.
Modern Connection Methods
Older manuals talked about separating VGA and audio. It’s boring. HDMI supports both. Transfer high-definition video and multi-channel audio with a single cable. When you ask What is the best cable for connecting a projector to a TV, the answer is almost always HDMI.
- HDMI: Standard. Plug one end to the projector’s HDMI input. Plug one end to the HDMI input of the TV. You may need to switch your TV to the correct input source.
- VGA/S-Video: These are old options. A separate audio cable is required. The resolution is lower. These are mainly seen in old projectors and old TVs.
Can I watch regular TV with a projector?
Yes. You can watch regular TV broadcasts with the projector. Just connect the signal source. If you have a cable box. Or a streaming stick. Or a satellite receiver. Connect your device to the projector.
But what if you want to mirror your TV? Some projectors have an HDMI input that can be connected directly to the tuner. Other settings require the TV output to be routed through the projector.
The key is
