Q. I have been thinking of building a Home Theater in my Man Cave, but I was wondering if I should get a projector with a big wall screen or just a big-screen TV.  I hear a projector doesn’t offer as good a picture as a regular TV because the picture is not as sharp. Is that true?– Richie, Pittsburgh.

I have used a Sony 1080p projector in my Home Theater for five years now and I am very happy with its performance. The picture is just as sharp as any non-projector TV I’ve ever own — and nothing beats watching your favorite movie or sports team on a 100-inch wall screen.

See today’s best-selling Home Theater projectors!

However, there are few things to keep in mind when buying a ‘Home Theater’ projector.

One, you want to make sure the projector will be in a room that is completely dark or very close to completely dark. You’ll find that the picture on most projectors will look washed out if there’s even moderate light in the room.

That doesn’t mean the room can’t have windows — you can use blackout curtains to keep the light out if necessary.

Two, the Home Theater projector comes with a lamp which can last somewhere between 2,00 and 4,000 hours of viewing. Once the lamp goes out, you will have to replace it and that can cost $200-400. (Don’t panic. 2,000-4,000 hours is more than you think; I didn’t have to replace my projector’s initial lamp for six years.)

Also, once the lamp begins to reach its maximum number of hours, you’ll find that the brightness will start to decline a bit.

Other than two cautionary notes, I would highly recommend buying a projector for your Home Theater.

The TV Answer Man web site is supported solely from your purchases from Amazon.com. We urge you to buy something now using this link. Every purchase helps. Many thanks. 

And if you have a question for the TV Answer Man, send it to: swann@tvpredictions.com