When you want the most immersive video experience possible, but you don’t want the price tag of a large screen TV, the solution is a home theater projector. These two models display a full 1080p image on the wall or screen of your choosing. You can use them to watch Blu-Ray movies, play games, or simply share your desktop image. Let’s look at them both to see which is the best for you.
ViewSonic PRO7827HD 1080p HDMI RGBRGB Rec.709 Lens Shift Home Theater Projector
ViewSonic’s PRO7827HD projector casts a screen size of 220-inches diagonal when it’s placed 20 feet away. That’s a big picture! If you place it 12 feet away, it shrinks the image down to 120-inches. But you won’t have to totally dim the lights in the room because it has a 100,000:1 contrast ratio.
Not only is it powerful, the PRO7827HD has Rec. 709 Color Accuracy so things look true to life on-screen. If the colors aren’t to your liking, you have access to ISF Certified Color Calibration tools in the menu.
You can connect the PRO7827HD to Mac or Windows computers, Blu-Ray or DVD players, game consoles like the PS4 or Xbox, AppleTV, Chromecast, and Amazon FireTV. It has RCA, HDMI, USB, and MHL connectivity which allows you to stream from a smartphone or tablet, too. Basically, this projector is great for a wide variety of tasks, from showing films to playing games to sharing a slideshow of photos or a computer desktop.
If you don’t want to use the 3.5mm audio jack to run sound out to an external system, you can enjoy sound from the built-in 10W speaker. It’s powerful enough to project well in an average-sized room.
In conclusion, the only thing you can’t do with the ViewSonic PRO7827HD is enjoy a 3D video experience. For that, you’ll need the BenQ HT2050 described below.
More features of the ViewSonic PRO7827HD home theater projector:
- 1.1~1.5 throw ratio and 4.2 – 46.9 ft. throw distance
- Maximum screen size is 300-inches
- Expected lamp life expectancy is 6500 hours in ECO mode
- Comes with power cable, VGA cable, remote control & batteries, ViewSonic Wizard CD, and cable management cover
- Projector housing is dust-resistant
- 3-year limited warranty on the projector, 1-year warranty on the lamp, plus one year of free Express Exchange Service
BenQ HT2050 HT2050 DLP 3D Projector 2200L 1080P 15K:1 HDMI USB 7.27LBS HDTV Comp
While the BenQ HT2050 has some features in common with the ViewSonic, it can do one thing the ViewSonic cannot. It’s a 3D projector, so you can enjoy both 3D games and movies in your home theater.
It’s also a full HD 1080p projector like the ViewSonic PRO7827HD. You can watch Blu-Ray movies at full resolution. And the 15,000:1 contrast ratio with the 2200 lumens of brightness make the image on-screen look crisp and clear.
There is a built-in 10W mono speaker so you don’t need an external amplifier to listen to audio from a movie or game. But you can run sound out to another speaker with the 3.5mm jack. The projector itself runs quietly at only 29dB so it doesn’t interfere with your home theater experience.
The input ports include composite RCA, VGA, HDMI, and USB so you can connect a PC, DVD player, or gaming console. Unfortunately, there is no MHL connectivity like there is on the ViewSonic projector.
More features of the BenQ HT2050 DLP 3D projector:
- Throw ratio 1.15:1 to 1.50:1; maximum screen size is 234 inches
- Expected lamp life expectancy is 6000 hours in ECO mode
- Supports closed captioning
- 1-year parts and labor warranty, plus 500 hours of lamp life
- 3D glasses sold separately
- Compatible with BenQ’s wireless kit
Recommendation
If you want to enjoy 3D films and games, you’ll need the BenQ HT2050 projector. While it doesn’t have MHL connectivity, it has a maximum screen size of 234-inches diagonal for immersive viewing. Just remember to order 3D glasses as well.
If you want MHL connectivity to stream from a smartphone or tablet, you’ll want the ViewSonic PRO7827HD projector. While it doesn’t have the capability to show 3D films or games, it has full 1080p resolution and a bright, high-contrast image.
Click here to purchase ViewSonic PRO7827HD on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase BenQ HT2050 on Amazon.com!