MOVING PICTURES

Portable projectors mean it’s easy to watch your movies anywhere. It’s enough to bring a tear to the eye

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It doesn’t seem so very long ago that, outside of your local multiplex, projectors were the sole reserve of either the super-rich or the super-eccentric. Then, slowly, as the hardware improved and prices eased, more and more people saw the advantages of using a projector for their home viewing.

These days, it is portable projectors that are making a splash, as manufacturers hit on new and ever more inventive ways of allowing us to watch our movies... well, pretty much anywhere. Kitchen, bedroom, holiday home - or even in the garden; just turn it on and beam it up.

Most portable projectors are relatively affordable and, as you can see on the opposite page, manufacturers are taking inventive and experimental approaches to design. Don't expect extensive spec from a portable projector but you can enjoy decent HD images, ease of operation and, in most cases, streaming smarts. For the best results you will need a screen too but, frankly, that's not essential.

For this round-up of models up to £900, we have assembled five of the leading contenders. Some require mains power while others have a battery built in. Want to project on to the ceiling? Try the BenQ GV31. Short on space? Maybe the ultra-short throw Optoma Photon Go is for you. Whatever your taste, we are confident you will find something to suit you here. And when you're packing for that weekend away, don't forget your handkerchief.

BenQ GV31

Home cinema hits the bedroom - even the bedroom ceiling

We have recently seen all kinds of weird and wonderful designs as manufacturers try to find new ways to cater for the 'movies anywhere' projector market. No convenience-focused projector we have seen, though, has looked quite like BenQ's GV31.