In a front projection home theater system, the projection of the picture on your screen is done from the front side of the screen. Normally, it is the same type of projection that is done in the theater(s).Technically we can say that in a front projection system the viewer and the projector are on the same side of the screen. In a rear projection home theater system, the projection is done from behind the screen. Like in the early 90s we had projection TV from most of the brands. Technically in a rear projection system, the viewer and the projector are on the opposite side of the screen.To mention a few examples of front projection home theater – Plasma TV, LED TV, Cinema projectors.
Rear projection is almost obsolete now however to mention a few examples there are projection TV in the 90s by several company’s. It had a large screen and a projector behind it, however they were enclosed in a box and the projection was done on a phosphor screen. Other lively uses of rear projection is in the cinema, generally in the studio, we see many times in a movie that a background is artificially created with a screen behind the actors. In 90s all the Samsung HL series TV’s were projection based TVs starting with screen size of 50″.
Now, coming to which is the best option for you. Firstly, what are the features that you look out for when you are buying a projector or a large screen.
- Size of the screen
- Resolution (Clarity)
- Cost
We shall discuss all of the above in quite detail so that you may get an idea of which system is the best suited according to your needs.
1. Size of the Screen: This is the first and most crucial matter when you are buying a projector. You must know the exact size of the lens that is used in the projector and its maximum capacity in distance and size to project the picture. Each projector uses a lens which has a magnification level and a range up to which it can zoom your picture. Once maximum range is achieved, its performance will deteriorate. By increasing the length between the screen and the projector, you can change the size of your projected screen. The more far you go, the bigger picture you get.
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Front Projection In front projection, there is some scope to increase this space as the viewer and projector are on the same side. You can probably install the projector and the screen on opposite walls and enjoy the biggest screen size supported by your room. |
Rear Projection
In rear projection, since the viewer and projector are on opposite side, the distance between the screen and projector can be increased but not upto the level of the front projection. Second, you should remember that since the screen is between you and the projector, you also require some space to move around and most importantly, you need to maintain a distance from the screen to save your eyes. |
2. Resolution: This is the second most crucial thing to be considered while buying a projector. Today, we get all videos and TV channel formats which support FULL HD (1080i) resolution. We have already seen the comparison of HD (High definition) V/S SD (Standard definition). The HD video has more clarity and more sharpness compared to a normal SD video.
| In front projection, since the projection is done on the screen which is on your side, the screen will reflect a lot of light back, showing you high brightness and very high sharpness of the picture. Generally, a white colored screen is preferred to view the projected videos. | In rear projection, first you require a translucent white material, which means some light will escape through the screen and second, you will loose most of the sharpness and brightness from the picture. The picture will appear quite dull. |
3. Cost: Cost doesn’t matter when buying a projector, because once you like a projector you shall not see another projector probably, but with the new technologies already popping up in the market. A projector with all types of inputs (HDMI, USB, DSUB, etc.) should be preferred and second, check out for the DIVx codec on your (to be) projector. The DIVx should be HD so that you can play all video formats including the MKV, MOV, MP4 formats on your projector directly from a USB drive. Also, it should be noted that several companies sell the projector as ‘3D Ready’. There is a vast difference between a 3D ready product and a 3D product. 3D Ready means that the system can accept a 3D input if provided. But, a 3D projector can convert your normal 2D movies into 3D as well.
So, the next time when you buy a projector, be wise and choose the best. To conclude, front projection is better than rear projection.
