Step 2 of 5

Get a Projector

Cheap and good enough to start.

You don't need a fancy projector to start. For a single spot, an $80–200 model is plenty — plenty of people start with even less. Save the big-budget gear for once you're hooked.

The one spec that matters: brightness

Brightness is measured in lumens, and it's the thing that decides whether your show looks crisp or washed out. For a small spot in a fairly dark yard, somewhere around 2,000+ lumens is a fine starting point. You only need more if you're fighting streetlights or covering a big surface.

What to ignore

Inflated lumen numbers. Cheap boxes love to advertise huge "LED lumens." Take big claims with a grain of salt and read a few reviews.
4K / high resolution. The content for holiday shows is low-res anyway. Don't pay extra for sharpness you won't use.

Worth checking: does the projector play video straight off a USB stick? If so, you may not need to buy anything else to play your content — more on that in Step 3.

Optional: want to confirm a projector will fill your exact spot from where you can place it? The projector calculator does the math. Totally optional — most people just point it and adjust.