Paweł Koper
Until recently, the vision of a 100-inch television in our home was almost unrealistic. With the development of technology, models of this size are now generally available, and as a result, projectors have gained competition. Therefore, a real problem may be the decision of what to buy for our living room, 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 a projector and a television
One of the factors when choosing a device is the option of its installation. Installing a projector often requires intervention in the wall or ceiling, which is best considered during the room design, as this allows us to hide the cables. Cables running on the surface of the wall are not the most aesthetic solution. To use the projector, we also need a screen, which we must also install.
The television is ready to operate practically as soon as it's taken out of the box and 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 image quality. What does this statement imply? They are:
High brightness
Deep black
Rich color palette and their accurate reproduction
Good sharpness and detail of the image
Viewing angles
Image smoothness
Input lag
In our test, we will refer to the features indicated above and share our impressions with you. Remember that your feelings about the projector or television may differ since a different configuration of these devices can influence that.
Light from the matrix vs reflected light
First of all, we need to debunk the myth that the light reflected from the screen gives a different image than that generated by the matrix. We are used to televisions sometimes dazzling us with brightness, especially on store shelves, as well as with vibrant colors.
However, the fact is that after proper calibration, these two devices can provide a very cohesive image. In the picture below, are you able to distinguish the television from the projector?
It happens that in the post-production process, filmmakers alternately work on these devices, and often replicated features of the projector, such as darker images, blurring, or other color processing, are just a matter of configuration.
The equipment used in this comparison is the Hisense U7KQ, which is an LCD TV with Miniled technology, representing 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 around 18000 PLN.
Brightness Comparison - SDR
With the projection size reduced to 100 inches, which is the size of a television, the projector is capable of delivering 140 nits. This is more than enough to comfortably watch movies after dark, as you could see in the previous photo. Of course, we can set the flat screen in such a way as to generate higher brightness, but this does not favor cinematic conditions.
With regular video content, one can say that the devices are on par in this aspect.
However, this 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 the projector. This is due to the limitations of lamp or laser power, and there is no device on the market that could compete with the television.
Even when buying a projector for 50,000 PLN with a glossy screen, we can achieve around 200 nits, and such results can be delivered by TVs for just a few hundred PLN.
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 images below.
Hisense can generate an average of around 1000 nits, so the gap is enormous.
Short throw projectors, such as the Hisense Laser TV supporting HDR and Dolby Vision, or other high-end models, correctly display such content, but the translation to image quality is minimal due to limited brightness.
Brightness in the Day
When watching in external light, brightness is key. 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 lower all the blinds and are left with only the 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 a television, even with all the blinds open, 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 much higher, and in such lighting conditions, the projector cannot cope.
Contrast Comparison
In dark scenes, the projector performs quite well. The JVC RS540 has been the best contrast projector for many years and still has no competitor surpassing its result of 16000:1.
The problem occurs in mixed scenes when reflected light comes back onto the screen and illuminates its blackness.
An important issue is to properly adapt the room to the level of light. Even in our testing laboratory, which is a fully blacked-out room, the contrast will decrease, for example in the scenes below.
In the case of televisions, the impact of the environment on contrast is completely overlooked, although they may have varying efficiency depending on the technology used. A cheaper television without Mini-Led backlighting, for example, the TCL P745, would lose in the overall account against our JVC projector. However, models with OLED panels or high-end Mini-Leds would literally crush this one, as well as any other projector.
Of course, there are projectors like the Christie Dolby Cinema worth several million zlotys, but we're probably not planning such a budget for building our home theater.
Considering cheaper DLP projectors, like Optoma, or portable ones like the Samsung The Freestyle or solutions from Xiaomi, they have contrast that is 10 times lower than our JVC RS540, so they would have been eliminated right from the start in this confrontation.
Contrast Comparison in Light
Watching content on a projector in a lit room gives us terrible contrast. See below how the light source falling on the screen reduces the quality.
As you can see from our test, with increasing illumination of 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 create dedicated rooms or install tight window shades that must be closed before the screening. This is the only permanent solution.
Screen manufacturers want to help us with this issue and are creating special ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screens, which literally means rejecting ambient light. One of the most effective ones is the one included with the previously mentioned Hisense Laser TV projector. This comes with certain consequences. The image structure shimmers, and the center is noticeably brighter than the edges. Even with such an improved screen, the problem of image quality decline with room illumination is not eliminated, but only diminished.
Color Reproduction
In terms of color reproduction, the JVCRS540 and Hisense U7KQ perform quite decently. They deliver a wide color palette, which allows for a natural image when using the Filmmaker mode or ideally after performing professional calibration, where we achieve an image free from color distortions.
In the case of cheaper projectors and televisions, they often are not able to reproduce such a wide range of colors to display strong, vivid colors.
The subject of colors is an essential 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 overly saturated, "candy-like" colors, and even start to resemble a painting on canvas. This was the idea behind Samsung's The Frame line, where after calibration, our television can serve as a work of art ;)
Sharpness and resolution
In this competition, the television easily wins. In its case, sharpness is always visible, while with projectors it is somewhat worse. When we purchase a model with a native 4K converter (about 20,000 PLN), the limiting factor remains the sharpness of the lens. By increasing the budget, we can find a device with a picture as sharp as a razor, e.g., the JVC RS4100, but it can at most only match the television in this category.
Below you see in the first photo a screen displayed on the television 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, sports, perspectives
When using the console, there is no clear advantage between devices. We can only point out that input lag on projectors is often twice as high - 10 ms vs 20 ms with a 4K 120Hz signal. However, in everyday use, we shouldn't 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 technologies, so motion blur shouldn't bother us.
The situation changes for the better for projectors when we talk about viewing angles. Despite using a screen made of shiny fabric, or simply of poor quality, the angles will still be more visible than on LCD TVs. OLED TVs can compete with projectors, but for now, they do not come in such large sizes.
Summary of Comparisons
Considering all the pros and cons, one can confidently say that the television has nearly won in every aspect over the projector. So, where do so many buyers of these devices come from, and why do we, one might say “critics,” use such equipment? The answer is quite simple, and I'm sure you know it too. It’s simply about size.
If we are looking for a 130" screen, or even a 150", then the world of projectors invites us.
In the event that we have a considerable 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 sizes will appear on the market, but projectors will always want to be a few centimeters bigger. One day this race will have to end, but does that mean the end for these devices? Not necessarily, because they have advantages that will win over new users.
First of all, they can be easily transported, project an image outdoors, and after the projection, hide them in a backpack, like Samsung The Freestyle.
Secondly, we can mount the projector so it doesn’t spoil the look of our living room, and its retractable screen can be hidden in the ceiling. A television, especially one that is 100 inches, is simply a black spot on the wall, which is not an aesthetic solution.
Thirdly, a projector is associated with the smell of freshly popped popcorn, preparation, and anticipation of the show. It has that “magical” atmosphere that will always be an inseparable element of this solution.
What to choose?
Definitely, purely technical reasons indicate that if we have a dilemma when choosing between a 100-inch television and a projector, we recommend the former. The issue of rituality while watching may be less significant, but our sessions could last from dawn to dusk, regardless of the brightness in the room.
