How I recreated the cinema experience at home with this projector

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The multiplex may be closed and James Bond on hiatus, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy blockbuster cinema at home.

A video projector can enable you to watch movies well over 100-inches wide, creating an impressive big-screen experience to rival your local theatre.

I’ve recently watched new blockbusters like Wonder Woman 1984 and Soul in all their wall-sized glory, and I really don’t feel I’m missing out on the big-screen experience at all. There’s something uniquely immersive and exciting about a humongous projected image in the lounge.

The good news is the latest generation of video projectors are surprisingly easy to live with. You no longer need to sacrifice a room to create a dedicated home theatre.

I achieved the cinema effect using a clear white wall and an all-in-one Ultra Short Throw projector. The best part was only a minor bit of furniture moving was required.

The Ultra Short Throw (UST) models are a different breed. Unlike traditional beamers, UST's do not need a room’s width to work, instead you can park them right by the wall.

The Optoma CinemaX P2 ticks all the boxes. It has a high performance 40W sound system built-in, plus it is rated at 40W, it has real cinematic clout.

Just connect a TV box or Blu-ray player, or simply plug in a Fire TV or Roku streaming stick to watch Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video - no wires, no faff.

Buy it: Optoma CinemaX P2 – UHZ60UST | £2,989 from Amazon

Placed on the floor, a metre from the skirting, I was able to film my entire wall with a bright, sharp, colourful image. It actually took me longer to prep the popcorn than it did to get the projector set up. The only caveat is you’ll need a clear white wall, as patterned wallpaper is definitely not your friend.

The Optoma model is 4K capable, so images are super crisp, and it uses a bright laser light engine, which makes colourful animation look sensational. This laser light engine is rated for 20,000 hours use, so that’s quite a few movies covered. At £2,989, it admittedly isn’t cheap, but you may never feel the need to go to the cinema again.

You don’t have to spend quite so much for that genuine cinema at home experience. A traditional HD projector, like the Epson EH-TW740, sells for a more reasonable £600 but you need 3m from lens to screen to create a cinema-sized image. It also has a built in sound system, but it’s weedy at 2W, so best to run a stereo cable from the projector to a soundbar or stereo system.

Buy it: EPSON EH-TW740 Full HD Home Cinema Projector | £599.99 from Currys

You can even enjoy movies out on the patio with the £630 Viewsonic M2, a fun portable with a decent Harman Kardon speaker system. The M2 will work off the mains or a USB power bank. Just pop up a screen and watch al fresco.

Buy it: Viewsonic M2 | £637.19 from Amazon

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