How to choose a projector that can turn to the window to the wall for the TikTok Fake Window Challenge
To the window to the wall: If you use TikTok, you’ve probably seen the Fake to the window to the wall Challenge, which is the latest thing to do. It’s not a traditional “challenge”—you don’t have to dump a bucket of ice water on your head, for example—and it’s not very original, since people have been doing this for years.
Still, it’s a fun way to use a projector and a blank wall—may be one next to your bed, so you can curl up and watch the scene, or near your dining table, to make a romantic evening more interesting.
But the projector part is why this is going viral right now: People who use TikTok say this can be done with very cheap models. People tell you that you can turn your To the window to the wall into a big, beautiful picture window for about $60. Outside that window, you can see live images of a tropical beach, a rainforest, and a mountain landscape.
How to find a good “window” projector
If fake windows ” to the window to the wall ” and maybe some fun Halloween effects are your main goals, you don’t need an expensive 4K projector. In fact, higher resolution is very important when watching movies and TV shows, but it’s not the most important thing here.
I looked at this Tropical Storm Window in many different resolutions, from 4K to 720p. Was there a difference? Yes, but it wasn’t much. Because the image itself doesn’t change much; it’s like you’re projecting a slightly animated painting. Just being able to see what it is is enough. It doesn’t have to be as sharp as a knife.
So, make sure you get a projector with at least a 720p resolution. (Make sure to also read my story about how some sellers use questionable methods to advertise projector resolution.)
Brightness and keystone are two other important things to look out for. The first part can be hard because many cheap projectors have lumen ratings of 3,000 or 4,000 which don’t mean anything. Geoff Morrison of CNET put together a list of six things you should know about projectors. “This specification is not good in a lot of ways. For one, there is no agreed-upon way to measure lumens other than the ANSI lumen. What’s 3,000 to one company might be 3,500 to another. “
Good news: you don’t need a super-bright model for the TikTok Fake Window Challenge if you follow the rules to the letter. This is because these windows are usually for viewing at night when the lights are out. Even a cheap projector should be bright enough to do the job in a dark room To the window to the wall.
Ah, but where will you put that projector? Also, that can be hard, which is why the keystone is so important: If you can’t point the projector straight on at the right height, the image will be tilted, which will ruin the effect. With the keystone controls, you can fix a tilted image, like if your projector is off to the side or on the floor to the window to the wall.
But many cheap projectors don’t have these controls, and some only have vertical or horizontal controls, when ideally you want both. At the very least, figure out where the unit will go so you know what changes you’ll need to make.
Where you can get “windows”
In a word, on YouTube, If you search for “fake windows,” and to the window to the wall you’ll find a lot of great games, many of which can be played for hours. Okay, but how do you get those videos to the projector? If it doesn’t have built-in streaming capabilities, which most cheap models don’t, you might be able to connect your phone or tablet and then mirror the YouTube app. You could also plug in your favorite streaming stick. For example, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite costs only $30, but it’s often on sale for even less.
In the same way, the Roku Express can be bought for $30 or less.
If you have a YouTube Premium account, you can download fake-window, and to the window to the wall videos to a PC and then copy them to a flash drive or memory card. You don’t have to worry about streaming if you put that into the projector.
There are three Fake Window Challenge projectors you should think about:
First, let me say that cheap projectors are just that: cheap. They won’t be very clear or bright, and you may not be able to put them in many places (owing to the aforementioned keystone issues). If you want to set up a home theatre, you shouldn’t buy one of these.
But what about fake windows? Or maybe a kid’s-room movie night? These will do, sure. Here are the things I think are good, better, and best.
BC Master Aukey
As simple projectors go, this one does a pretty good job. It has a native 720p resolution, a vertical keystone control (though it only goes up to 15 degrees), and a price that makes you want to buy it right away: $70, less $10 if you clip the on-page coupon I’m seeing at the time I’m writing this.
Even cooler, check out the page’s “special offers” section: If you buy both of these items, you can get a free 100-inch projector screen.
Apeman LC450P
The stylish model from Apeman has a native 1080p resolution and two speakers, which is impressive given how cheap it is. Just as impressive is that the keystone can be adjusted vertically by a full 50 degrees. So, if you wanted to park it on the floor just under your bed, for example, it could still project to the window to the wall.
But there’s no Wi-Fi, so you’ll have to bring your own stream. Even though it has a handle like a lunchbox, the projector isn’t really portable because it doesn’t have a battery built in.
Over 350 buyers gave the LC450P an average score of 4.6 stars. It costs $160 right now, but if you have a coupon for $40 off, you can get it for $120. That makes this one of the best deals I’ve seen on a 1080p projector.
Dbpower RD828
If you can afford it, this is the one you should get. It doesn’t come with any apps, but it does have Wi-Fi, so you can connect your phone or tablet to it and easily mirror YouTube.
That’s a great benefit, but the news here is that “4D” keystone correction is being supported. That means you can manually change all four corners of the image, giving you a lot more options for where to place the projector. It could be high up, low down, or off to the side.
This is a fairly new model, so not many people have reviewed it yet. It costs $240 right now, but there is a coupon on the page for $30 off. However, it used to cost $200, so you may want to wait until that price is reinstated or until you can get a better deal.