The image quality of DLP projectors in the $4,000-$7,000 range has become comparable enough to the image of CRT rear projection TVs that the advantage in size and scale far outweigh any of DLP's video shortcomings. The ability of home theater enthusiasts to truly bring the big screen home has finally become a viable option.

As prices continue to fall by up to 50% each year, and projector image quality increasing at the same time, many home theater enthusiasts may consider trading in their big CRT rear projection TVs with sizes upwards of 55-73 inches, for a DLP projector capable of screen sizes of 150 inches. With projectors, you stop measuring in inches and begin measuring in feet.

There are many skeptics out there about the image quality of images at that size, since when you get too close to a RPTV you can see the line structure on even the best made DVDs. Just take in a demo of the InFocus 5700 or 7200 and see for yourself that a 10 foot picture has surprisingly no line structure and really great image quality.

Be warned that after a demo, the sense of things to come may suddenly take you over. The gigantic image size projectors offer is finally available with great picture quality at decent prices. Even though a 55, 65, or 75 inch RPTV is huge and awesomely theatrical, a 10-foot screen just gives a sense of awe, depth, and scale that smaller screens simply cannot produce.

The Disadvantages
However, there are disadvantages in switching over to a projector-based home theater that you may want to know before making the switch. Most have to do with connection woes, but there are maintenance issues as well.

The True Cost
Most home theaters consist of a TV up front and center with speakers and gear surrounding it, thus when a new TV is purchased it just goes where the old one went, and really the price of the new TV is the only cost.

Projectors are a completely different setup. Your entire home theater's setup can change dramatically which can add up to another $1,000 or more to get everything setup for your new projector. The image size is definitely worth it; just plan accordingly so that your new addition to your home theater doesn't become a small money pit in setup costs.

Inputs
A projector simply won't have as many inputs as a normal TV. We're talking 1-2 inputs. The limited amount of inputs make having a receiver that has major video switching capabilities even more important. Otherwise you'll need to come up with connection switchers, or figure out an inventive wiring scheme. Even home theaters that only have two sources such as DVD and an HD/Sat/Cable box will have connection issues in all but the more expensive DLP projectors that offer a decent amount of input connections.

In all likelihood, many home theaters will have multiple video sources such as a VCR, Camcorder, DVD, Sat/Cable, HD box, and more. With projectors, inputs and cables can be big hurdles to overcome.

Cabling
Your equipment rack would ideally be in the back of the room with the projector, likely leaving you in need of all new speaker cables for your front speakers. If you don't put the rack in the back of the room you'll need long runs of video cables to the projector.

Speaker cable is generally much cheaper to buy than long runs of video cable, so placing the rack relatively close in proximity to the projector can save hundreds of dollars in video cable, perhaps thousands. Moving your equipment rack off the front wall removes the clutter that a rack produces, allowing for your audience to focus entirely on the movie instead of your gear.

Mounts
You'll need to be able to mount the projector or have a rack high enough for projecting onto your screen up front. This is where you don't want to go cheap either. The last thing you want is a $4000-$7000 unit falling to the floor. Mount kits are usually made available for any projector and should cost around $200. Just consider a mount as part of the cost of the projector... it's simply that important.

Screens
These can be the most expensive addition to a projectors cost. You can opt to go with an actual screen or painting a screen on the front wall with specific paints and colors that are appropriate to enjoy the proper image quality.

Screen prices start at around $1000, and can go much higher depending on options and automation. While the painted wall approach is by far the cheaper solution you will still need to mask the screen in a black surround to get the absolute best picture quality. The color and texture of your wall are all very important factors in determining the quality of picture you will get from your projector. There are paint guides available for do-it-yourselfers to get the right colors for your projection needs.

Light Control
Projectors have always been known for their very dim projecting brightness and the need for a pitch-black room. The good news is that the new DLP projectors are just simply bright, and are able to display a picture in a medium lit room. Granted everything will be washed out as more light is introduced into the room.

The important thing is to keep light off of the screen wall. Using a combination of shades and blinds can get a room dark enough for even daytime projection usage. With the new DLP projectors, you don't quite need a pitch-black room anymore, but the darker the better.

Remote Access
The only drawback to getting your system out of sight of the audience is that your access to use your remotes is lessened. You can usually fix this with a simple $100 remote extender solution that has a receiver up front that transmits you IR signals to another receiver located in front of wherever your system is located.

Nonetheless, it is something else you need to purchase unless you feel like pointing to the back of the room. In that case there is no extra cost.

The Design Up Front
While most home theaters' design up front usually consists of the wide array of components, shelving, racks and more, with a projector based home theater your front wall design can be really sparse if not void.

The good news is that besides where the screen is, this wall is relatively a blank canvas to make any level of elegance, or modern design you wish. The sky's the limit, and there are great home theater interior design magazines to draw inspiration from.

The Hours
The light bulb is perhaps the biggest shortcoming of DLP/LCD projectors. Most are rated at 2000-3000 hours usage which while a lot, can be used up quickly. If you average just 4 hours a day of TV/DVD viewing, that's 1,344 hours per year. Making bulb replacement necessary every 1.5-2 years at an average cost of $400. For a 2000 hour bulb the cost is $5 per hour of usage.

The bulbs are user replaceable and many projectors offer 20-50 hour warnings before they will no longer turn the bulb on when powered up.

If you think you won't use your projector as much because you don't want to use the hours up, you might want to consider a different video display type. After all, what good is a home theater is your reluctant to use it.

With the advent of LED lit DLP display devices the light bulb replacement issue will go away as LEDs last anywhere from 10,000 - 20,000 hours.

Summary
Don't let the setup intricacies of a projector push you away from experiencing the best possible home theater setup that truly brings a movie theater's immense screen size home. The scale and energy that movies can take a when viewed via projector is enough to make any home theater enthusiast giddy.

Prices will continue to plummet as greater competition and demand for projectors increase. It's only going to get more tempting to go with a projector-based home theater. Just be sure you know what you're getting into so you able to enjoy your projector in all of its full size glory.