The Details

Projectors are replacing traditional televisions in more and more houses across the country. Why? A few factors account for this trend. The days of wire clusters and ultra bulky projectors is fading into distant memory. The newest projectors are equipped with a slew of wireless connectivity options, making them viable competitors of smart TVs.

But the real reason is that projectors provide an equally vivid and high definition image as TVs on a larger screen at a fraction of the price. You can get a 100 inch image on a 1080p full HD projector for less than a $1000. If you can even find a TV that size it will cost well into the thousands.

But not all 1080p projectors are made the same. Contrast ratio, lumen count (measure of brightness), and refresh rate all factor in to viewing experience. Finally, consider the size of your projection screen and the amount of space in your room. Ultra short throw projectors can cast a full HD image from inches away from the wall, but sacrifice brightness and contrast ratio.

Finally, rest assured that 1080p (1920 x 1080 native resolution) doesn’t suffer any signficant loss in picture quality over the much pricier 4k resolution projectors if your screen is going to be 100 inches or less. If you plan on going larger and have deep pockets, then 4k models might be worth a look.

Best 1080p Projector For Bright Rooms: Epson Home Cinema 1440

The Epson Home Cinema 1440 1080p definitively lays the misconception that projectors need cave-like darkness to rival LCDTV contrast to rest. That’s not the case with this  thing. Far from it. It has a staggering 4400 lumens and uses 3LCD projectors to create vibrantly colored Full HD 1080p with rich contrast. Want to watch a 2pm NFL game on a 100 inch screen? Done. Want to watch Netflix while your spouse prepares dinner in the next room? They can leave the lights on, it’s won’t interrupt your viewing.

But the Home Cinema 1440 can cast in True HD up to 300 inches, making it a great option for both home theaters and outdoor movie nights for a larger audience. Sure, if you want to get up to the full 300″ potential of this beast you will need the darkness, but it works even if there is ambient light from the odd streetlight or neon sign flickering nearby.

Besides its blinding brightness, the Epson 1440 really excels in image quality. It offers 3x Higher Color Brightness than other projectors in its class, casting vivid images worthy of the movie theater. Convenient color mode optimizes color, turning animated movies into a feast of bright hues and dramas into sharp shades of dark.

The 1440 is an MHL device, allowing easy connectivity for Roku and Chromecast streaming. It lacks Bluetooth functionality, which is a major knock against it if you rely on it. The other major downside is that it lacks lens shift, which means you have to place the projector dead center from where you want the image cast. It does include keystone correction, although it is not the most intuitive keystone alignment out there.

The Best Short Throw 1080p Projector: Optoma EH200ST

The Optoma EH200ST shines even in rooms that are both cramped and well-lit. This short throw projector calls on 3000 lumens to cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet, making it ideal for big city apartments that just never seem to get as dark as you want.

For less than $1000 you get a powerful true-to-life colors and crystal clear full HD graphics. Unlike other 1080p projectors that falter on dark blacks, the EH200ST has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, bringing low-light images and text onto your screen in crisp resolution. And with all digital connectivity, the EH300ST has a low latency and fast response time, making it ideal projector for gaming.

The projector can cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet away, 200 inch image from 7.3 feet away, and 300 inch from 20 feet away. Get 3D image at any distance and connect your wireless devices via MHL.

The post The Best 1080p Projectors appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Projectors have moved out of the movie theater and into your apartment living room. Once the domain of houses with large media rooms, the new generation of short throw and ultra short throw projectors only need a few feet (or in some cases inches) to cast true HD image of up to 100 inches. Short throw projectors also include a host of wireless options and functionalities, making them an ideal way to eliminate claustrophobia-inducing clutter in small spaces.

So what do you need to know before you invest in a short throw projector? First, consider your needs. If you are really tight on space (say, living in a studio apartment in Tokyo or NYC) go with an ultra short throw projector. These devices can cast an image the size of widescreen TV from half a foot and a full 100 inches from just 2 feet away.

This is a niche category without too many options yet, and it lags behind other classes of projector in terms of lumen count, which determines image brightness. Black out curtains reduce ambient light and can make them a viable option for most apartment owners.

Short throw projectors deliver more value, but usually require at least 3 feet to obtain full image size. They are brighter and more affordable, but do take up more space.

Best Overall Ultra Short Throw Projector: LG PF1000U

This recent offering from LG is the first quality ultra short throw projector that is at a price point affordable to most consumers. While it isn’t as bright as most standard home theater projectors, the PF1000U shines with a great design that can turn any reasonably dark room into a home theater.

Let’s start with the biggest strength of this projector: you can put it anywhere. It is about the size of a large shoe box and weighs less than 5 lbs. Just connect it to the power source and it is ready to go. It casts a 100″ screen when placed 15″ away from the wall. Move it as close as 5″ from the wall to get a 60 inch screen.

The PF1000U comes with an internal speaker, which is nice to have if you are in between sound systems, but you’ll want to sync up speakers via Bluetooth. It does have smart functionality, so expect access to the usual streaming suspects like Netflix and Hulu. There isn’t an app store, though, so you should get a Roku. Otherwise connect via Bluetooth, DLNA, Miracast, WiDi or through one of the 2 HDMI ports.

So how about picture quality and brightness? The PF1000U bright at 1000 lumens, but not as bright as standard home theater projectors at a similar pricepoint. Still, you don’t need a short throw projector to reach the same lumen count because it is less affected by ambient light at the short distance. The bulb lasts an impressive 30,000 hours.

It reaches 1920 x 1080 full HD at 100″ with a contrast ratio of 150,000:1. The LED bulb excels at delivering sharp, vivid colors. It falters on darker hues, so Game of Thrones and horror movies look a little washed out on dark scenes. The other major complaint is that the fan runs on the loud side. It’s not loud enough to be an issue for most people, but if you demand whisper quiet performance from your technology you will be irked by this.

Best Short Throw Projector: Optoma EH200ST

If your room is small and not particularly dark, you’ll do well with the  Optoma EH200ST. This short throw projector can cast a 100″ image from 3.5 feet away and delivers a bright 3000 lumens.

The DLP short-throw lens delivers ideal white and black contrast with a high native contrast ratio of 20,000: 1. It also performs well with colors. The EH200ST comes with BrilliantColor Technology which offers 6-color processing to create vibrant colors on the screen. It has full HD at 1080p and VESA 3D capability.

The EH200ST is a little bulkier than LG’s short-throw offering, but with dimensions of 4 x 12.4 x 8.8 you can still tuck it away in small rooms. You connect your devices via wireless connectivity, which works with laptops, smart phones, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, game consoles, and many other digital devices. Back ports include a USB mini-B, 2 HDMI ports, or a 12V out.

The post The Best Projectors for Small Rooms (Ultra Short Throw Projectors) appeared first on Reactual.

• The best micro projector currently available is the iCODIS CB-300 Pico Projector. This two pounds device is high portable yet it produces impressive video and sound. It delivers 1800 lumens projection and Android functionality with built-in speakers.
• The most portable micro projector that is still worth considering is the Coocheer Pocket Projector.

The Details: Micro Projectors

Micro projectors, also known as pico projectors or pocket projectors, have benefited from recent advancements in LED technology. When they first appeared on the market, pico projectors were a neat parlor trick but ultimately useless in all but the most ideal conditions. Lumen count and contrast have since increased, leading to clearer picture quality and larger projection sizes.

Micro projectors are ideal for work presentations and impromptu movie nights, but be realistic in your expectations before purchasing one. Many micro projectors do not come with built in speakers or HD video quality. These tend to be cheaper and smaller, fine for casting an Excel spreadsheet but useless if your goal is to play video games in the dorm room. I’ve found that a high lumen count is the single most important factor to consider when choosing a micro projector. Without enough brightness, its utility is seriously limited. Other factors to keep in mind include whether the projector requires an external power source, screen resolution, portability and audio.

A Micro Projector That’s Quite Bright: The iCodis CB-300

No matter what you want need your micro projector to do, iCODIS CB-300 can handle it. Not only is it among the brightest micro projectors currently available at 1800 lumens, it features a slew of smart features that make your life easier.

It has Bluetooth connectivity, a Micro HDMI port, 2 USB ports, and a mini USB port. It has a 6000 mAh internal battery that can last for 2 hours, and a 12V plug for an external power source if you require longer performance.

CB-300 acts a lot like a tablet or smart TV, thanks to Android OS 4.4 powered by built in CPU. You can watch videos from Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu directly from the projector, a unique and incredibly convenient feature.

Best of all, your movies will play in HD. The CB-300 is a 720p projector that can play 1080p files and has as a 16:9 screen ratio. It can focus up to 18 yards, but is better at closer. The screen display gets to around an impressive 75.”

Apple users have reported some difficulty streaming through the HDMI. Also, the device is a very portable 2lbs and 5″ by 5,” but it is not exactly pocket sized.

The Most Portable Micro Projector

If you need a micro projector that is truly pocket sized, go for Coocheer’s DLP Projector. While some micro projectors are as small as coins, they are worthless for projecting an image worth seeing. Coocheer gives you a respectable 100-200 lumens using an Android 4.4 OS in an ultra-thin design that will fit in your (large) pocket. It also has a built in 5000mAh rechargeable battery.

The post The Best Micro Projectors Of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

AirPlay is Apple’s proprietary protocol for wirelessly streaming audio and video across a network. Compatible devices act as either a sender or receiver. With this innovative system, you can effortlessly transmit your music, videos or screen content wirelessly from a sending device and display it on a receiving device. No more need for a jumble of HDMI, USB, VGA wires to get something from one screen on to another.

There have been various implementations of Apple AirPlay since it was first introduced as AirTunes in 2004. Now, for the full AirPlay feature set, it is recommended that you stream content from an Apple device running iOS 4.3 (or later) or OSX Mountain Lion 10.8 (or later).

Your receiving device will also need to support AirPlay. The list of supporting devices is now huge, including popular devices such as Apple TV, Apple Airport Express, a wealth of speaker docks from suppliers like Bose, Sony and Philips, computers running AirPlay receiver software (like AirServer or Reflector) and Bluetooth devices that support A2DP.

Note that because not all third-party receivers implement Apple’s DRM encryption, some media, such as iTunes Store’s own rights-protected music (Apple’s own “FairPlay” encryption), YouTube and Netflix, cannot stream to those devices or software. On Apple TV starting with firmware 6.0, the “FairPlay” encryption scheme is enforced and sending devices not supporting it cannot be used.

Some receiving devices require the sending device to be running newer operating system revisions such as iOS 7.0 – be sure to check the specified operating system requirements of the sending device before you purchase an AirPlay receiving device.

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The Details

Consumers can choose between LCD and LED monitors for their computing needs. LCD monitors, which have been around longer, use a fluorescent panel, twisting crystal lights, and cold cathode technology to illuminate a computer screen. The cold cathode releases electrons that turn into ultraviolet light to make CFL backlighting.

LED monitors use light diodes- instead of cold-cathode and fluorescent technology- to brighten a computer monitor. LED monitors offer better color quality, clarity, and have faster refresh rates, which is good for gamers. They are also the green option, as they use less energy than LCD models.

Dell’s 34 inch UltraSharp U3415W is the best LED monitor on the market right now, with a panoramic view on an ultra-wide curved screen that boasts a cinematic WQHD 3440 x 1440 resolution. Its 10-bit panel operates with 1.07 billion colors, which give a full Adobe RGB gamut.

The large monitor is ideal for multi-tasking. It offers Picture by Picture and Picture in Picture features to maximize potential on its wide screen.It can display content from two separate PCs via USB 3.0 upstream ports so there’s no need for two monitors. You can comfortably fit all of your work from two different devices on the UltraSharp if you have the desk space.

The UltraSharp also features dual 9W integrated speakers to compliment its crystal-clear picture. It comes on a height-adjustable stand that can swivel and tilt, or it can be mounted on the via the standard VESA attachment on its back.

True to LED form, the UltraSharp is made with eco-conscious materials to meet environmental standards and to conserve energy.

Another Option

The UltraSharp’s main competition for the LED monitor crown is the Samsung S34E790C 34-Inch Curved WQHD Cinema Wide Professional LED Monitor. Samsung’s monitor has a 3440 x 1440 resolution and is available for around $800.

The post The Best Large LED Monitor appeared first on Reactual.