There used to be a time when a home theater was a reserved experience for only the most wealthy - those who could afford private reels of movies and who had the space to dedicate an entire room to the effort. Now, home theater projector models have become more and more affordable, providing a new option for watching not only movies, but also regular television, cable and even computer presentations.

Deciding to turn a room into a home theater is a big decision, but one that can pay off for those who are seriously into entertainment. Nothing other than an actual movie theater can compare to a home theater that's properly set up. Surround sound, good seating, a huge screen and other amenities can make this room a home's centerpiece.

With this in mind, many people choose to go for projectors for their home theaters. The reasons behind the choice are many, but are most certainly not limited to the fact the screen can be huge. Up to 300 inches of huge, in fact.

When choosing a projector, a consumer will quickly find out the options are staggering. In general, there are two types of projector systems. The first is LCD, which means it operates using three crystal display devices and a series of mirrors and lenses. The second is DLP, which uses a silicon chip instead of three LDCs. These projectors have become very compact and lightweight, providing buyers the ability to conceal them in out of the way locations. The screens themselves can be very thin and placed directly on a wall. This saves the space a big-screen television will take up.

The basic advantages to projector over television include:

Portability. A projector can be taken anywhere.

Picture size. With many offering great visibility on screens up to 300 inches, this can't be beat by a regular television.

Bright image. New technology has enabled the use of projectors in bright rooms. Even if the lights are on, the image should still be clear and crisp.

Movie theater experience. These screens really help bring the theater experience home.

When choosing a home theater projection system, the most important things to look for are quality, guarantees and formatting sizes. Since most people who shop for projectors want the real theater experience in their home, the widescreen or 16:9 format is the most sought after. This is the format that's meant for HDTV and it comes in three basic resolutions - 854x480, 1025x576 and 1280x720. These are more commonly known as 480p, 576p and 720p.

When dealing with modern technology, any of the resolutions should provide some incredible viewing opportunities. Since DVDs generally only provide 480 lines of resolution, the lower setting should work fine. The other options do provide for great viewing as well, especially when you'll be sitting closer to the screen. Detail on the higher resolutions doesn't break up as much when viewed from a closer distance.

No matter the projector make or model you end up with, remember a home theater is an investment in some quality movie watching. A room set up correctly can become the primary spot for family living.