Paweł Koper
Not long ago, the idea of having a 100-inch television in our home seemed almost unreal. With the advancement of technology, models in this size are now widely available, and as a result, projectors have gained competition. Therefore, a real dilemma could be deciding what to buy for our lounge, a 100-inch television or a projector?
We will try to answer this question by comparing the Hisense U7KQ and the JVC RS540 with an Adeo screen.
Installation of the projector and the television
One of the factors when choosing a device is the option of its installation. Installing a projector often requires alterations to the wall or ceiling, which is best considered during the room's design, as this allows us to hide the wires. Exposed cables running along the wall are not a very aesthetically pleasing solution. To use a projector, a screen is also needed, which we must mount as well.
The television is ready to use practically straight out of the box and can simply be placed on its factory stand. Optionally, we can mount it on the wall, but this is not required to be able to use it.
Image Quality
When choosing a particular device, we are mainly interested in the quality of the image. What does this statement mean? It refers to:
High brightness
Deep blacks
Rich colour palette and accurate reproduction
Good sharpness and detail of the image
Viewing angles
Image smoothness
Input lag
In our test, we will refer to the features mentioned above and share our impressions with you. Remember that your feelings about the projector or television may vary, as different configurations of these devices can affect this.
Light from the matrix vs reflected light
First of all, we need to debunk the myth that light reflected from a screen delivers a different image than that generated by the panel. We're used to TVs sometimes being blindingly bright, especially on retail shelves, as well as having vivid colours.
However, the fact is that with proper calibration, both devices can produce a very consistent image. Can you tell the difference between a television and a projector in the picture below?
It happens that in the post-production process, filmmakers work interchangeably on these devices, and often replicated features of the projector, such as a darker image, blurriness or other colour processing, are just a matter of configuration.
The equipment used in this comparison is the Hisense U7KQ, an LCD TV with Miniled technology, a representative of the premium segment. The JVC RS540 projector is connected to a white, matte Adeo fabric. This JVC is a model from a few years ago, but there is still no better successor at this price. Both devices are currently oscillating around 18,000 PLN.
Brightness Comparison - SDR
With the projection size reduced to 100 inches, which is the size of a TV, the projector is able to deliver 140 nits. That's more than enough to comfortably watch movies after dark, as you could see in the previous image. Of course, we can set the flat screen in such a way that it generates higher brightness, but that doesn't favour cinematic conditions.
With regular video content, it can be stated that the devices draw even in this aspect.
This, however, changes with HDR content.
Brightness Comparison - HDR
In HDR content, whether it's a movie, series, or game, as well as regular HDR or Dolby Vision, the television definitely wins in brightness compared to a projector. This is due to the limitations of lamp or laser power, and there is no device on the market that can compete with a television.
Even when buying a projector for 50,000 zł with a glossy screen, we can achieve around 200 nits, and such a result can be delivered by TVs for just a few hundred zł.
Brightness in HDR mode is never too much, as it not only raises it across the entire screen, which enhances individual effects, as seen in the photos below.
Hisense can generate an average of around 1000 nits, so the gap is immense.
Short throw projectors, such as Hisense Laser TV supporting HDR and Dolby Vision, or other high-end models, display such content correctly, but the translation to image quality is minimal due to limited brightness.
Brightness in Daylight
When watching in outside light, brightness is a key issue. 140 nits in our JVC, or even 200 nits in the aforementioned Hisense Laser TV, allows for comfortable viewing only in very little sunlit rooms. How can we define such a room? If we close all the blinds and are left with only upper windows, we will still be able to comfortably use the projector. The situation changes when we let more light into the room, then the image becomes less visible.
In the case of the television, even with all the blinds opened, the picture looks much better. The difference in the number of nits generated by the devices is definitely noticeable. Despite possible reflections of light on the screen, the viewing comfort is significantly higher, and in such lighting conditions, the projector simply can't cope.
Contrast Comparison
In dark scenes, the projector holds up quite well. The JVC RS540 has been the projector with the best contrast for many years and still has no competitor surpassing its 16000:1 result.
The problem occurs in mixed scenes when the reflected light comes back on the screen and illuminates its blackness.
An important issue is appropriately adapting the room to the level of light. Even in our test laboratory, which is a fully blacked-out room, contrast will decrease, for example in the scenes below.
In the case of TVs, the impact of the environment on contrast is completely overlooked, although they can have varying performance depending on the technology used. A cheaper TV without Mini-Led backlighting, e.g., TCL P745, would lose overall compared to our JVC projector. However, models with OLED panels or high-end Mini-Leds would literally crush this and any other projector.
There are obviously projectors like Christie Dolby Cinema worth several million złotys, but we probably aren't planning such a budget for building our home cinema.
Considering cheaper DLP projectors, like Optoma, or portable ones such as Samsung The Freestyle or solutions from Xiaomi, they have contrast 10 times lower than our JVC RS540, so they would be out of the running right from the start in this confrontation.
Contrast Comparison Under Light
Watching content on a projector in a well-lit room gives us terrible contrast. See below how the light source hitting the screen diminishes the quality.
As you can see from our test, with increasing illumination in the room, the image significantly loses quality. The conclusion is that to speak of any projection quality, the room must be fully isolated from light. For this purpose, our clients designate dedicated rooms or install tight window shades that need to be closed before the screening. This is the only permanent solution.
Screen manufacturers want to help us in this regard and are creating special ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screens, which literally means rejecting ambient light. One of the most effective is the one included with the aforementioned Hisense Laser TV projector. This comes with certain consequences. The structure of the image shimmers, and the centre is noticeably brighter than the edges. Even with such an improved screen, the problem of quality loss in the image with room illumination is not eliminated, only reduced.
Colour reproduction
In terms of colour reproduction, the JVCRS540 and Hisense U7KQ perform similarly quite well. They provide a wide colour palette, which allows for a natural image when the Filmmaker mode is activated or, ideally, after a professional calibration, where we achieve an image with accurate colour representation.
In the case of cheaper projectors and televisions, they often cannot reproduce such a wide range of colours to display strong, vibrant hues.
The subject of colours is a crucial component of image quality and is heavily dependent on the configuration and calibration of the equipment. After making the appropriate adjustments, it may stop displaying oversaturated, "candy" colours and even start to resemble a painting on a canvas. This was the intention behind Samsung creating the The Frame line, where after calibration our television can serve as a work of art ;)
Sharpness and resolution
In this competition, the TV easily takes the win. In its case, sharpness is always evident, while projectors fare a little worse. When we purchase a model with a native 4K converter (around 20,000 PLN), the limiting factor is still the sharpness of the lens. By increasing the budget, we can find a device with an image sharp as a razor, like the JVC RS4100, but it can only, at best, match a TV in this category.
Below you can see in the first image a screen displayed on the TV, and in the second an image from the JVC RS540. The advantage of Hisense is visible, but we must mention that our JVC is not a native projector.
Games, sport, perspectives
When using a console, there is no clear advantage between devices. We can only note that the input lag on projectors is often twice as high - 10 ms vs 20 ms with a 4K 120Hz signal. However, with everyday use, we should not feel differences in these values.
When watching sports content, there is no gap between devices, as most of them operate at 120Hz and are equipped with motion smoothing, so motion blur should not bother us.
The situation improves for projectors when we talk about viewing angles. Despite using a screen made from glossy fabric or simply of poor quality, the angles will still be more visible than on LCD televisions. The competition for projectors may be OLED televisions, but for now, they are not available in such large sizes.
Summary of Comparisons
Considering all the pros and cons, it can be confidently said that the television has won almost every aspect over the projector. So why are there so many buyers of these devices and why do we, one could say "critics", use such equipment? The answer is quite simple and you probably know it too. It’s simply about size.
If we are looking for a 130" screen, or even a 150", the world of projectors invites us in.
In the case that we have a substantial amount of cash, we can choose, for example, the TCL X955 with a diagonal of 115 inches, but that’s where the options end.
The development of technology suggests that soon models with larger screen sizes will appear on the market, but projectors will always want to be a few centimetres bigger. One day this race will have to come to an end, but does that mean the end for these devices? Not necessarily, as they have advantages that will continue to attract new users.
Firstly, they can be easily transported, display images outdoors, and after the projection, can be packed away into a backpack, like the Samsung The Freestyle.
Secondly, we can mount the projector so it doesn’t spoil the look of our lounge, and hide its retractable screen in the ceiling. A television, especially one 100 inches in size, is simply a black spot on the wall, which isn’t an aesthetically pleasing solution.
Thirdly, a projector reminds us of the smell of freshly popped popcorn, preparations, and the anticipation of the show. It has that "magical" atmosphere, which will always be an inseparable element of this solution.
What to choose?
Technical considerations definitely indicate that if we have a dilemma choosing between a 100-inch television and a projector, we recommend the former. The issue of ritual when watching may be less significant, but our sessions can last from dawn to dusk, regardless of the brightness in the room.
