On the quest to find the perfect screen to recreate the cinematic experience at home, it comes down to the battle of the giants. What’s best for a home cinema, a projector or a large TV? There isn’t a concrete, objective answer to this question. Your circumstances, available resources, tastes, personal preferences and intended use play a large role.
Our guide aims to help you make an informed decision about how to watch your favourite films, TV shows, sporting events and more by considering the cost, size, technical quality and more of TVs vs projectors.
Reading this guide will bring you one step closer to the home cinema experience of your dreams. So roll out the red carpet, get comfortable and read on to view expert analysis and recommendations on the projectors and TVs that could be the centrepiece of your new front room theatre.
Table of contents
● Pros & cons of projectors
● Pros & cons of TVs
● Best room set-up for projectors & TVs
● 2024’s best projectors
● 2024’s best TVs
● Home cinema at Peter Tyson
Pros & cons of projectors
If you're coming in blind, there's no reason to worry. We're here to take you through all the pros and cons so you can clearly judge what suits you best. Projectors have burst onto the scene as more people look to create their own home cinema, but are they the right option for your space?
Pros
● Size - If space isn't an issue and you're trying to create an authentic cinema experience from home, projectors that can display over 100" of footage on a backdrop or screen are an ideal fit.
● Versatility - Screen your favourite movies and shows however and where you want. Simply place your projector at an appropriate distance from the screen, and you're ready.
● Up-front cost - The budget is most people's primary motivator when selecting what they need for their home cinema. Replicating a projector's scale with a TV would cost significantly more.
● Immersion - Using a projector helps you recreate the feeling of waiting in your seat at the cinema, eager to see the newest blockbuster. You can enhance this feeling further with the right sound system.
Cons
● Display size - If having the biggest possible screen is important in recreating the feel of the cinema at home, TVs will limit you compared to projectors.
● Cost - Large TV screens are available, but due to the high image quality they come at a significantly higher cost than projectors of a similar, and often larger, size.
● Movement - A big plus for projectors is their portability. If you want to move location for a movie night, that’s more than doable. For example, if you're redecorating, TVs can cause more of a hassle to move around the room or house.
Best room set-up for projectors & TVs
Your set-up dictates how and where you’ll enjoy hours of entertainment in your new home cinema. You can make your home cinema set-up as grand or simple as possible. It’s all down to personal preference. The foundation for your area will be set by the screen you choose, as you’ll need to build the rest of the space around it using speakers, furniture and decoration.
If you’re new to projectors, they can seem complicated and tricky to set up. In reality, once you’ve chosen the right location, projectors are incredibly simple. For first-time use, it may take slightly longer as you get used to adjusting the keystone and positioning, but once that’s sorted, you’re good to go! Use our graphic below to gauge how far you should sit from your projector screen.
TVs are also easy to set up. All you need to do is pick the appropriate space and place it appropriately. For home cinema projectors and TVs, you ideally want central furniture, so the audio is balanced and you have the best viewing angle.
Decorate the room as you see fit. Hang framed posters of your favourite films or install mood lighting that matches the screen to heighten your immersion. The world is your oyster when creating your perfect home entertainment space.
2024’s best TVs
We have a deep-rooted passion for all things home entertainment. Helping our customers find the right model, set-up, and overall experience is why we do what we do. So, to give you that extra bit of help, we’ve enlisted Rob Woolley, a member of our expert team, to take you through his favourite current TV models.
Panasonic 43” LED W60 Series
“One of my favourite things about the W60 is the new Freely feature. It's pretty new and lets you watch all the main free-to-view channels without needing a TV aerial—just streaming. The TV guide looks like the usual one we're all familiar with, so you just pick your programme, and you're set.
Many entry-level TVs have those "bird feet" stands on the edges, which can be a bit annoying when you want to place the TV on furniture. But with the W60, Panasonic has gone for a centrally placed base, so it fits nicely in most pieces of furniture or on a flat surface, such as a countertop.
As for picture quality, it's solid for the price. It looks great and does the job well when you're watching it head-on. The colours shift slightly when viewing from an angle, but no more than other TVs in its range. For a price of £300 - £500, it's definitely competitive.”
TCL 50” Mini LED C8 Series
“I’ll be honest—I didn’t have a lot of expectations for this model, but I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I mean wildly wrong! TCL is usually seen as a good value brand rather than a leader in picture quality, but I have to say, the image on this TV blew me away. The black levels are unbelievably good for the price! Dare I even say it comes close to OLED-level performance not in every way, but the black levels are very close, especially when you’re streaming from a solid source like Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime.
The user interface is quick, smooth, and easy to navigate—no annoying lag. Honestly, it’s faster than some of the bigger brands’ models.”
LG G Series 55” OLED TV
“While I’m already a fan of LG TVs (I have one at home; I wish it were this model!), if mine broke today, this would be my replacement. It’s not the highest priciest option out there, nor the cheapest, but I genuinely believe it has everything you could want in a TV.
One thing that stands out for me is the picture quality. With just a few small tweaks in the picture settings—something anyone can manage thanks to LG’s straightforward menu—you can get a stunning display. Pair it with a good streaming service like Amazon Prime or Apple TV+, and the viewing experience becomes truly exceptional.
In my opinion, and I know some might disagree, this is hands-down the best 55” TV you can get right now.”
Hisense 100E7NQTUK Pro
“If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room just for movies or gaming, this is the set to go for! Why mess around with a VR headset when you could have a massive 100” screen to fully immerse yourself? And if you add a home cinema kit, even better.
Gone are the days when huge TVs meant poor picture quality. The Hisense 100E7NQTUK is like having a projector-sized TV in your room, with all the convenience of a regular TV, because that’s exactly what it is!
It’s big, bright, packed with all the modern gaming features you’d want, and affordable. What’s not to love?”
Home cinema at Peter Tyson
At Peter Tyson, we’re committed to helping you create the home cinema of your dreams. Whether that’s through expert advice, recommendations, or presenting all the relevant facts and insights into what makes a great home cinema screen, we have you covered.
To make the first step in building your space, browse our home cinema collection at Peter Tyson. Discover extensive collections of projectors and TVs so you can find the perfect screen for your set-up. Explore near-endless audio options, including soundbars, AV receivers, and power amps, that enhance your experience and help you get lost in the wonders of film and entertainment.
Browse our range today and begin your home cinema journey with Peter Tyson.
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