Picture on the wall

A theatre at home is a great idea. But not a pragmatic one. The costs of setting one up is prohibitive. Plus, it takes up a lot of domestic space. So what should movie lovers do? Get projectors that give as immersive an experience at a fraction of the cost. With portable, short-throw projectors that don't require cavernous rooms to throw decent images on the wall, your humble room can metamorphose into your very own personal movieplex. The author lists the best out there

Sony VPL-HW50ES
If the shelves in your room are choc-a-bloc with 3D content and your idea of watching a movie is to lean back on your La-Z Boy with a drink in hand, this projector will make sure that you don't miss the Platinum Lounge.The projector bundles in two 3D glasses and has two HDMI inputs, a D-sub connector as well as a component input as well as a LAN slot. The projector excels at playing 3D Blu-ray content and is the perfect foil to your PS3, if you also use your console as a Blu-ray player. Of course, you'll need a great sound system for a good audio experience. This is a great projector at this price for 3D content, but would including four pairs of 3D glasses in the pack have hurt?

Price: Rs 279,900

Benq GP 10
This is the one for you if you need a projector for home pleasures and to carry along for office presentations. This compact, 1.5 kg device comes in its own carrying case which is almost the size of a shaving kit. The GP 10 is a short-throw projector and accepts inputs from your PC, game console (via HDMI), as well as the video output of a DVD player. A nice touch is the sliding lens cover. The pictures are crisp and the output from a DVD is good. You can also slip in a pendrive and play your media files. There's also a slot for an SD card. The speaker output is good for presentations and viewing a DVD film, but for something louder, its better to connect the audio output to an amplifier.

Price: Rs 60,000

Epson EH-TW8100
This is for movies with loads of special effects. The TW8100 upscales 2D content to 3D and the movie watching experience is quite good provided the 2D content has a resolution of at least 720p. Watching a DVD of Avatar after upscaling adds another dimension to your room. The bundled 3D glasses are light and won't bother you even if you wear them for extended periods. The TW8100 bundles in the usual connectors - two HDMI inputs, a component input, a composite video in and an RGB in. The bundled remote is backlit, so selecting a source in the dark is no problem. It lacks a USB port, and needs to be connected to a surround sound system for an immersive movie/gaming experience.

Price: Rs 166,199

Viewsonic Pro 8200
If you're planning to buy a big TV for the den, don't. Get this projector instead. The Pro 8200 bundles in a plethora of connectivity options - composite, component, HDMI, S-video and the popular VGA connector for PCs. The projector bundles in two HDMI inputs, so connecting to your DTH box or your console is no problem. Try gaming on this projector and you'll never want to go back to your old screen. The projector also supports 3D, but you'll need to buy 3D glasses separately. The only grouse is that it doesn't offer USB connectivity for pendrives, Still, this is a good contender for all those who want to enjoy gaming on the big screen.

Price: Rs 89,000