I want to get a home theater projector. How many lumens is sufficient in high lighting areas?

Question

I need as much general information about the low end projectors. It doesnt have to be a great picture, I think im more concerned with saving a buck.

Answer 1

Projectors are not practical in a high lit area. But, if you are going to install one, then you need 2000 lumens minimum. For a normal home theater with low or controlled lighting, then you can go with a 1000-1500 lumen projector.

For a high lit area, I would really recommend a flat panel TV like a LCD or plasma TV.

Answer 2

As stated before, ideally you'd want to use a home theater projector in an area without a large amount of ambient light. However, if this is something that you don't have a lot of control over, I'd suggest using a projector with at least a lumen count of 2000 or more (but I'd highly recommend something with 2500 or even 3000). With projectors, you are really going to see a big price different with the higher lumen output, so if you are truly looking to save a little money, I'd suggest maybe going with a lower-end projector (something with a lumen count of 900-1800), and opting to try to control the lighting situation with dimmer switches or heavy drapes. The cost difference between a high end projector which can range from $3K to $10K, and purchasing a good projector for right around $1K and getting some curtains, is huge.

Answer 3

LCD projectors don't really have a low-end since the technology for even lower quality performance isn't much different then the high-end, with exceptions to component specifications and resolution features.
No Projector of any quality can perform in high light environments, since the very projection of the light source is the display. Consider reconfiguring the light sources of the environment of the projectors usage then trying to compensate with the projector to the environment, you will find that much more economical.

Answer 4

I would think about 20 lumens per square foot ought to do it.