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This is one of the most important parts of Home theater components.
Of Course, you need top-of-the-notch visuals of any movie or TV show to Get the most out of it.
That’s why Specialized displays for home theater give you the stunning visuals that your eyes crave.
But at this point, you may be thinking, ok What to choose between the projector and TV?
At A Glance: As a general rule of thumb, if you love high contrast ratio and low maintenance then go for a TV but if you love the bigger screen size, lower cost per inch, and fine portability then go for a projector.
Home theater shifts the entertainment experience from a typical screen to a more robust and larger screen.
Keep reading. We will discuss these two types of displays in detail with all the qualities and terminologies. So you should be clear about what to choose for your taste. Don’t forget to read the poll results that I have conducted in a Facebook group. You will know what others are using.
TV Vs Projector (Head-on Comparison)
| Features | Projector Ratings | TV Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 7.5/10 | 10/10 |
| Cost per Inch | 10/10 | 6/10 |
| Resolution | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Contrast Ratio | 8/10 | 10/10 |
| Sound Quality | 3/10 | 10/10 |
| Maintenance | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Convenience | 4/10 | 10/10 |
| Portability | 10/10 | 1/10 |
Which one is the brightest?
In brightness, the clear winner is the TV. Because TV screens emit light by themselves and the projector light reflects from the screen to the eyes.
That’s why when there is little light present in the room, the projector’s image colors are washed out. But the TV’s image can be seen flawlessly in ambient light rooms too.
The presence of light has very little effect on the TV image colors.
How much does each one Cost Per Inch?
You can get a bigger image on a projector at less cost. Almost every projector under $100 can give you a nice picture at 120 inches, and it can be extended to 150 inches as well, but the colors will be a little washed out.
But buying a TV of 80 Inches will cost you at least $4000. That’s why in this feature the projector is the winner because it costs less per inch than the TV.
Which one has a better resolution?
In the resolution feature, the TV is a winner because 8K TVs are coming to the market, and we are still stuck in the native and not native 4K resolution in the projector.
Also, many brands claim that their projector is 4K but upon investigation, I figured out that their projector is only providing pixel shifting from 1080p to 4K. This type of projector is not native 4K.
That’s why finding true 4K in projectors is still a hustle to do, while in TV nowadays you can get 8K too.
Which one provides a better Contrast Ratio?
The contrast ratio is the difference between the bright and black areas of the image. The deeper the black, the better the picture quality.
TV is the winner here because you can have a better contrast ratio. With ambient light in the present still, the image colors don’t wash out.
But with less light presence, the projector colors will wash out because the blacks are not deeper than much to hold the color.
That’s why the TV is the winner here.
Which One has better speakers & sound quality?
The speaker quality both in the TV and projector is not good. I always recommend a separate speaker system. (Read my review guide about the best speakers here. I have reviewed the top 7.)
But when comparing only two of them. Then the sound quality in TV is superior to the projector.
The TV sound can be heard easily, while you can miss little audio in the fan noise of the projector.
Here the TV is the winner.
Which can be maintained with less hustle?
The projector comes with a maintenance hustle. You need to keep the projector filter clean always and change the bulb after the lamp life is finished.
But with a TV, you don’t need maintenance. You just have to install it, and you are good to go with it.
In the maintenance feature, the TV is the clear winner.
Which one is more convenient to use?
The projector is not very convenient. You need to mount it and then adjust the picture on the screen.
Also, you need a longer HDMI cable and little more wire management than the TV.
With a TV, you just have to place it on a table and a shorter HDMI is required, and you don’t have to worry about wire management. Because you can tuck the wires in the same cabinet on which the TV is placed.
Here the TV is a winner in the convenience feature.
Which one provides more flexible portability?
The projector is very portable. You can easily carry it from one room to another or outdoors.
Nebula has created a projector that can be brought to the camping tour too because it is very small.
I have reviewed that projector in this review guide. I have reviewed the top 7 under $1000.
Final Verdict (What to choose?)
- If you’re the kind of person that enjoys gaming and watching movies Then go with a good quality TV, but if you love family gatherings and watching movies with your family then the projector is better for you.
- Also, if you are a fan of the smart software interface that will let you open streaming services easily, then TV is good because a lot of smart TVs provide this feature without Roku or fire stick. But if you still want to go with a projector, then you can buy a Roku for your projector.
What Will You Choose For the Home Theater Display? Projector Or TV? (FB Poll)
| Options | Stats |
|---|---|
| Projector | 83% |
| TV | 17% |
FAQs
Are 4K projectors better than TVs?
Fewer projectors have modern technologies in them and due to those technologies, the 4K projectors are better than the TVs.
Like, Sony has a smart chip that creates a better 4K image. But that cost a lot more than TV.
Are projectors better than TVs for your eyes?
The TV emits light directly at you and the projector image is just a reflection from the wall and the TV is brighter than the projector. That’s why the projector is better for the eyes.
If you are conscious about your eye health, then the projector is better for you.
Are projectors more reliable than TVs?
They are more reliable when mounted to the ceiling because pets and kids can’t reach them. While pets and in some cases kids can reach the TV screen. They can damage it.
There is a funny clip on the internet in which a little baseball fan buries a half-baseball bat on a flat TV screen.
Helpful Resources For The FAQs To Read More
- This was my opinion, read more about this from this Viewsonic guide about eye health. (Resource for the second answer)
