The perfectly personal home theater may have a smorgasbord of irreplaceably iconic features, giving the room both a sense of style and character, but there is absolutely no dispute as to the crown jewel of any home theater. You may be very fond of the vintage poster collection that accents the back wall, but you won’t be subject to staring directly at it, sometimes for hours on end. The screen at which you stare is no doubt the most important decision you will make when setting up your home theater. The ongoing debate among home theater enthusiasts boils down to two basic preferences: the big screen television vs. the video projector.Projector’s Opening Arguments: When it comes to your home theater, shouldn’t your sanctuary stay true its namesake? After all, it’s not like people pay 7 a ticket to sit around a mere 60-inch screen, and that’s on the large side for big screen televisions. If you want to maintain a certain level of cinematic authenticity, a projector is the only logical solution. Connected to HD cable or HD satellite, a projector can still provide very satisfactory image quality, while expanding your viewing screen well beyond the proportions of any affordably sized television. Blu-ray and HD DVD discs also work wonders on the projector, so if you can’t make it to the movies, you won’t miss a thing.The Big Screen Rebuttal: Sure, the projector offers a larger image, but unless you are ready to shell out even more money on top-of-the-line HD technology, the quality of that image will suffer. Even with the most high-end equipment, you still aren’t likely to see the same immaculate image you can find on a wide variety of HD TV monitors. Furthermore, projector bulbs burn out far too fast for everyday use. If you want to watch more than a few hours a day, look forward to replacing them every year and half to two years, running you 200 to 400 each time.Conclusion: In the end, it comes down to the type of experience you’re hoping your home theater will provide. If you like to have all the guys over for a big game every now and then and blow them away with the biggest screen around, projector might be the route for you. For those looking to plop down after work and enjoy a couple hours on the tube, either by yourself or with a few friends, the big screen TV is a more suitable alternative.