The experience of our support team shows that very few people understand projector (or “projection”) technology. For those who have not previously encountered this type of technology, it is difficult to navigate the huge assortment offered by stores and choose the best projector for specific purposes. In this article, we will cover the main types of projectors, as well as the most important projector and room characteristics that you should pay attention to when choosing a device.

Terms of Use

Projector screens can be divided into three classes according to the type of premises in which they are used.

The bulk of projectors are devices designed to work in offices, auditoriums and classrooms and other areas in which light is usually present . The task of such projectors is to produce a good image, regardless of artificial lighting. Of course, the light can be turned off, but the ability of projectors for offices and educational institutions to give high brightness has become a requirement. Such projectors are often referred to as “mobile” because they are fairly easy to carry from place to place. Also for similar purposes, devices are offered, classified by type ” projectors for education ” or ” projectors for business ”

The second type of projectors are home theater projectors , designed to operate with the lights off. Under these conditions, projectors do not require high brightness, but accurate color reproduction and a high level of contrast are highly visible and much appreciated.

The third class is installation projectors , which have very high brightness and large dimensions and weight. Such projectors are used in large rooms such as conference rooms, assembly and concert halls, as well as for outdoor installations. This type of projector is able to give you an image brightness that is far beyond the capabilities of conventional “office” projectors.

Perhaps this is a somewhat simplified view, but when choosing a projector, it is worth first of all to decide which of the above classes the projector you need belongs to. So, the first parameter that you should pay attention to is brightness.

Projector Brightness

In fact, the brightness of the image is largely dependent on the screen size and other factors, and not on the projector itself! Therefore, unlike TVs, it makes no sense to specify the brightness in the specifications of the projector. Brightness is replaced by luminous flux , a unit of projector light output measured in lumens (lm), although it is often referred to as “brightness” for simplicity. Specified brightness (luminous flux) is measured according to the ANSI method, that is, in the brightest mode of the projector and on a white screen. At the same time, projectors, as a rule, allow you to choose the image output mode , balancing between maximum brightness and the best color reproduction. Generally, there are three main modes:

Balance between brightness and contrast

If the projector is used at home or in an organization, but  in low light , then such a projector, as a rule, will need 2000-2400 Lm of maximum brightness. Under these conditions, the room is dark enough for the projector’s contrast to noticeably affect image quality, but there is still enough light that you won’t be able to tell the difference between the most expensive high-end projector and a $2,000 midrange projector. Therefore, for dimly lit rooms, you need a projector with good contrast, but not too high.

Image quality

We have already talked about color brightness. Figuratively speaking, it allows you to evaluate whether the white color is obtained from a mixture of bright red, green and blue, or whether this mixture is very diluted and you cannot count on bright colors. This is important information for the buyer, but it does not give an understanding of whether the colors are mixed in the correct proportions , etc. As a rule, there is no parameter in the specifications of the projector that would describe the color reproduction – this information can only be gleaned from reviews. Nevertheless, we list briefly the main points that these reviews pay attention to:

Installation and room parameters

Perhaps this is where the article should have started.

Projectors with a high throw ratio are called long throw . For example, at a ratio of 2.0:1, the projector will give you an image 2 meters wide from a distance of 4 meters. Are the walls long enough for you? Are there objects within 4 meters of the screen that make it difficult to install the projector in that location?

Projectors with a small throw ratio are considered short throw . For example, Epson refers to projectors with a throw ratio of 0.55:1 as short throw, while other manufacturers sometimes refer to projectors with a ratio of less than 1.5:1 as short throw.

Connectors and interfaces

The standard set of connectors on most projectors includes HDMI and VGA interfaces. Both allow you to receive a signal up to 1080p without problems. However, if you want to display 3D in Blu-ray 3D format, HDMI version 1.4 or higher is required.

In installation projectors, the HDBaseT interface is popular, allowing you to transmit video and other information over long distances using a cheap cat5 / 6 network cable.

Networking

By connecting the projector to the organization’s network, you can solve two problems: the first is to remotely control the projectors and monitor their status using special software. The second is to use the projector as a shared projector and transfer images to it via the network.

3D support

When displaying 3D from a computer, you need to be sure that the projector supports the stereo pair format that you are sending to it. Example formats are top-bottom, side-by-side, frame packing. To display 3D Blu-ray discs, an HDMI interface of version 1.4 or higher is required.

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Projector Maintenance Requirements

Finally, we will talk about such an important component of the projector as a dust filter. Many manufacturers claim that their projectors do not have filters that require cleaning and replacement, which means that there is no other consumable item. What they don’t mention is that having a dust filter helps prolong the life of the projector and avoid high repair costs. For comparison, DLP projectors can be cleaned of dust only in the service department for money, and anyone can clean the removable filter of a 3LCD projector at home. Filters should be cleaned at least once every three months.

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