You get a new projector and quickly realize that using it against a white wall or hanging up a sheet of white fabric gives very disappointing results. Most available options are targeted at audiophiles with deep pockets who're looking for the ultimate home-entertainment solution, and they require custom installation and so on.

There are cheaper, premade office-type ones (about $300), but the look and size might not be right for your space. You could get a special paint to put onto the wall, but that'd involve convincing your missus that a great, white patch on the wall is necessary. And that it really does match her scatter cushions.

How to Do It

Start with a piece of black-out cloth about three by two metres at a fabric shop. To make the roll-down mechanism, take a length of white PVC gutter downpipe (about 10cm diameter, so it will be quick to roll up), wrap the fabric once around it and sew it by hand along the length. It needs to be pulled tight along the pipe to stop wrinkles; put glue or concealed duct tape on each end to hold it. The fabric should be evenly supported across the whole length of the top.

Do this by rolling it once around a wooden baton and screw that into the wall. The fabric is strong enough for you to leave the edges as they are. To hold it rolled up, fashion a hook out of thick wire and sew a loop into the top of the screen.

What to Look Out For

LCD or DLP

As with the plasma versus LCD TV debate, in the world of projectors, liquid crystal display (LCD) vies for supremacy with digital light processing (DLP) technologies. DLP usually wins on video image quality, while LCDs run cooler and quieter - fan noise and heat generated can be a major downside of projectors versus televisions.

Resolution

As with flat-screen TVs, high definition is becoming entry level. Choose between 720p (1280 x 720) and 1080p (1920 x 1080) when you're hooking up game consoles like the Xbox or playing Blu-Ray discs. Lower resolution such as DVD-quality (480p) means you lose definition quicker as you size up the projected image.

Brightness

The so-called ‘ANSI lumens' number determines how well you'll be able to see images when there's a lot of ambient light. Under 1000 and, unless you draw the curtains or wait for nightfall, you'll find the image too faint. Consider the projector's primary use and where it will stand most of the time. Gamers will likely need it to be brighter, while those in for late-night screenings in the dark needn't worry.

Aspect Ratio

For HD sources including game consoles and wide-screen broadcasts choose a native aspect ratio of 16:9 similar to HDTVs. 4:3 ratio projectors can also be adjusted to wide-screen.

Lamp Life

Most projectors lamps have a half-life (the period before it burns half as bright) of between 2000 to 4000 hours. Replacement prices vary greatly, but it is in the hundreds-of-dollars category. Take this cost into account if the projector is going to replace your primary television.

Contrast

Some high-end projectors are already coming out with contrast ratios of 75 000:1, which today's TVs can't even hope to match. Quoted figures can be manipulated, but usually the higher the better.

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