Home theaters are all the rage these days and large displays and surround sound can revolutionize your viewing experience. What is more, it is even possible to turn your living room into the next best thing to a movie theater.

While large LCD TVs offer a great viewing experience, nothing can match a real projector to bring movies and TV to life. Projectors, also called multimedia projectors or home theater projectors, have been around for decades. However, it is only in the last few years that projectors have become affordable for the average consumer.

In addition, video projectors have become lighter and smaller, and picture quality and brightness has improved significantly. Quality projectors are available for well below the one thousand dollar mark, but you can pay thousands of dollars for more expensive models.

Buying a projector can be big investment so you need to know exactly what you want. There are 2 major varieties of projectors - Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Digital Light Processing (DLP).

Liquid Crystal Display projectors - Liquid Crystal Display projectors are the older of the 2 technologies, but they remain popular and are inexpensive. They have good brightness and color, and are a popular choice for presentations.

DLP projectors - Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors have become more popular with domestic users because they are more suited for movies and TV. They are often smaller and lightweight, though they also cost more.

When shopping around for a video projector it is wise to have a firm grasp of the jargon and have a fair idea of what features you require.

Resolution - The chief reason for owning a video projector is so you can have a large, cinema-like display in your home. But bear in mind that big displays require high resolutions. The smallest resolution you should consider is 1280x720. If you need a genuine high-definition projector, 1920x1080 is what you need, but they are pricier.

Brightness - This is arguably the most essential feature on any projector. That said, it is also important to find a projector that is not too bright. A lot depends on the brightness of your room.

Contrast - Any home video projector needs to provide good contrast for cinematic quality. Also, a decent high-contrast gray screen will help.

Versatility - Your projector should be capable of connecting to a wide range of media, including TV receivers, DVD/BluRay players and computers so you can watch the shows you want, when you want.

Jim is a freelance writer with over 15 years writing experience. Jim is presently consulting as a freelance writer for many well-known b2b portals and is considered the local guru on multimedia projectors. Take the time to visit our great website for more information on Projectors and Multimedia Projectors.