For years, the projector was something you associated with the office boardroom or a high school classroom — a humming, dust-prone machine that needed total darkness to work.
These days, that same word sparks an entirely different image: a Netflix session splashed across a lounge wall, a rugby match filling a backyard screen, or a gaming night that feels closer to IMAX than PlayStation.
Across South Africa, the big screen is coming home — and quietly transforming the way we watch, stream and play.
According to a 2025 Epson survey, nearly a third of South Africans have already swapped their main TV time for projectors, while 57% still cling to the traditional flat screen. That’s a striking shift in just a few years, driven by falling prices, better tech and the rise of streaming culture.
For many households, the projector has gone from novelty to necessity — a practical way to recreate the cinema experience without leaving the house (or paying R200 for popcorn).
“People still think of those old-school projectors that needed a dark room and a bulb replacement every few months,” says Madiba Mashao, sales director at Feelive, a local company that’s been championing affordable home projectors.
“We’re working hard to change those perceptions. Smart projectors are the new way of consuming content, just like social media changed how we get our news.”
Feelive, which distributes brands like Etoe and HTPNEO, is betting that the next big wave of South African home entertainment will be projected, not mounted. The company focuses on entry- to mid-range devices — models bright enough for daylight use, compact enough for small spaces and, crucially, built with local challenges in mind.
“Picture and sound quality are everything,” Mashao says. “Our projectors deliver high ANSI lumens and strong built-in speakers, but we also include Bluetooth and auxiliary ports so customers can connect to better sound if they want to.
“And of course, we have to think about load-shedding. South Africans won’t compromise on quality, but they also want options that make sense in real-world conditions.”
That local pragmatism seems to be paying off. Inthe Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, South Africa is one of the key markets driving projector demand.
Industry analysts estimate the MEA segment is growing at over 5% a year, outpacing global averages. While TVs remain the default in most homes, the appeal of a wall-sized image — without the massive price tag of a 250cm television — is hard to ignore.
Globally, the shift is part of a much bigger story. In North America, more than half of households now use projectors in some capacity, from backyard movie nights to full-blown home cinemas.
In Asia, especially South Korea and China, projectors have gone mainstream thanks to compact “ultra-short-throw” designs that sit right against the wall and beam out 4K images as bright as any OLED screen. South Africa’s uptake may be smaller in scale, but the enthusiasm is unmistakable.
Part of that momentum is practical. As Mashao points out, “Replacing a stolen TV isn’t cheap, and projectors are becoming a safer, more flexible option.” The country’s economic pressures and the steady closure of local cinemas have also nudged people toward home setups.
With the price of a good projector now less than that of a mid-range TV, it’s a compelling alternative — especially when you can move it from your lounge to the patio to the bedroom.
At the same time, the technology itself has caught up with what viewers expect. The old problems — dim lamps, short lifespans and fan noise — have largely disappeared. LED and laser light sources can last 20,000 hours or more.
Smart projectors now come loaded with Netflix, Showmax, and YouTube apps out of the box. Some models even have built-in batteries, allowing impromptu outdoor screenings during power cuts — a particularly South African feature request if ever there was one.
Globally, demand for Android-based smart projectors has jumped more than 60% in the past few years, mirroring South Africans’ growing appetite for flexible, connected tech.
The same applies to gaming. Low-latency projectors are giving console players a new reason to go big, and that “wow” factor is translating into sales.
Feelive sees opportunity not only in selling devices but also in supporting them.
“We offer after-sales service, setup help and even installations for homes, schools and offices,” says Mashao. “Our warranty covers factory faults, and we keep supporting customers even after it expires. The goal is to make projectors easy and accessible for everyone.”
It’s a strategy that also differentiates local firms from global e-commerce platforms that simply ship boxes.
Looking ahead, Mashao estimates that within the next three to five years, about 30% to 35% of South African households could own a projector for home entertainment. That might sound ambitious, but the numbers tell their own story. The combination of affordability, streaming culture and an appetite for big-screen experiences has created a perfect storm.
“Once people realise a projector can do everything a smart TV can — and more — it’ll be impossible to deny that it offers a better experience,” Mashao says. “Everyone deserves a big screen.”
