Is a projector better than a TV for your eyes?

Is a projector better than a TV for your eyes? The short answer to the question is Yes.

Let’s come to the reasons behind why a projector is better than a TV set. The main reason is the light coming directly from a source or indirectly.

But you should also consider other factors as well before investing in a good projector.

Let’s discuss this & other phenomena which make projectors better for your eyes than a TV.

Source of light

Reflected VS Emitted Light.

Let’s take a simple example of emitted light. The TV processes the audio and video signals and gives us the output in the form of beams of electrons and emitted light using a Cathode Ray Tube or CRT.

This emitted light travels directly from the screen to our eyes which is much more harmful to our eyes.

On the other hand in a projector, a beam of light travels to the screen and we use our eyes to see the reflected image on the screen.

The strain is quite less when compared to exposure to the direct emitted light.

Due to this, the Blue light Damage is also contained which brings us to our second point.

Blue light damage

So what is Blue light?

Bluelight is a part of the visible light spectrum which vibrates between the range of 380-500 nanometers.

So basically you can say that our Sun is the largest producer of natural Blue light or any other light for that instance.

Apart from being natural, we also have artificial sources of blue light that can harm our eyes.

It can be generated by a number of devices such as smartphones, LEDs, Flat screen TVs, computer monitors, and even CFL bulbs or any other kind of fluorescent light.

What’s more interesting is that excessive artificial blue light can harm your eyes, known as blue light damage.

This blue light damage is more in a TV as the image is directly emitted but in the case of a projector, the light does not travel directly to your eyes.

Instead, it reaches as reflected light, hence the blue light damage is minimal as compared to a TV set.

Brightness

TV-

Tv’s are quite bright and you can also adjust the brightness easily from a remote as per your need.

Projector-

The brightness of a projector is not so much when it is compared to television. Their brightness depends upon the bulb they have inside but all of them do not guarantee a great viewing experience in ambient lighting.

Screen size

The bigger the image is the less our eyes have to stress over the picture to see.

Projectors generally produce a screen size bigger than 80” whereas the normal size TV which is found in most households is less than 70”.

Large image size reduces eye strain and reading subtitles during a movie or a TV show becomes easier.

Contrast Ratio

When it comes to Contrast Ratio Television wins for HDR (High Dynamic Range) videos.

Modern projectors can accept HDR videos but if we do a live comparison projectors’ aren’t bright as television.

Projectors also do not contain any contrast ratio and you shouldn’t expect a great HDR from a Projector.

The best and brightest projectors you can find are still a fraction of the brightness of a midrange television. Although brightness is not everything contrast ratio. But the output of television is much better.

Resolution

Modern Televisions have made a leap from 1080P (full HD; 1920X1080 pixels) to 4K(UHD; 3840X2160 pixels.

Whereas in the case of projectors most of them can accept a 4K video feed but have an actual resolution of 1080P only.

So here also Television wins in comparison to a projector.

Which causes less eye strain – Projector or TV?

The brightness and contrast of a projector are lower than a TV and that is why a projector causes less eye strain.

Our recommendation is if you experience headaches and eye strain while watching TV then you should probably go with the latest projectors which give you a better viewing experience

Some other factors when deciding to choose between a TV and a Projector.

Maintenance

TV- For the most part modern Televisions are maintenance-free. The LED display almost does not require any service cost. But if you break the screen accidentally this would cost you a fortune. The screen is almost 70% of the total cost of the entire TV.

Projector- Projectors on the contrary uses lamps that tend to eventually burn out. There is also a worry of dust getting inside the projector. You can go with a projector with a laser light source.

They might cost you a bit more but will last longer.

Installation and Space

TV- A TV once installed is generally immovable and takes a fixed amount of space. Installation is also easy. The space taken by TV is also less as the screen size is less and it’s just embossed on the wall a few inches atop.

Projector- Installation can be a bit tricky part. Not everyone can do it. It can be a ceiling mount, wall mount, or even a portable one.

Sound quality

Almost all televisions come with in-built speakers, and they are more than enough for day-to-day TV viewing. You can also enhance your sound experience using a surround sound system or a soundbar.

Modern Projectors come with internal speakers but their quality but, they are not so great.

In order for a projector’s sound to match with a TV, you will need some extra speakers.

Portability

TV- Once a Tv is installed on a wall mount it becomes difficult to port it to another place as you have to drill some holes in the wall which is not a feasible solution.

Projectors- If you have a portable projector with you, then you can easily take your home theatre with you anywhere you want. But this is also not the case with all projectors. You will need a setup of projector screen as well for the picture.

Cost

The cost of a TV is generally higher than a projector and the reason is very simple.

You are getting a lot of functionalities such as better brightness/contrast control and a good in-built sound system in a TV which is difficult to find in a projector.

Final Verdict – When it comes to functionality, general usage, convenience, and multifunctionality a TV is tough to beat.

Projectors have a fixed brightness which is measured in lumens.

If you decide to buy a projector then go with a 2000 or lower lumens for a dark room and for brighter rooms with ambient light select a projector with higher lumen power.

Remember, don’t buy a high brightness projector thinking that it will work in any situation and lightning. If you use a high brightness projector in a darker room, you will get a washed-out image and you will probably get a headache.

The projector technology is trying to catch up with TV but we can’t call it a tie yet.

TVs are easier to use and everyone nowadays knows how they work, while a projector is terribly complicated to operate.

is projector better than tv for eyes