Without a doubt, projectors are one of the most useful tools available for educators and businesses. Projectors allow us to easily share information with large groups of people and are available everywhere, from the classroom to the conference room. Projectors, as with most technologies, are plagued by a lot of technical jargon. This includes terms such as lumens, DLP LED, LCD and LED, as well phrases like short-throw.
We are a major supplier of projector technology to schools and businesses across the country. We want our customers to feel as confident about what they buy as we do with our pricing. This is why we have created this projector jargon buster to help you choose the right projector for you.
These are the main types of projectors:
There are three major competing technologies in projector technology. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. These are:
*DLP (Digital Light Processing).DLP projectors were first invented in the 80s. They rely on a DLP Chip, which is made up of more than 2 million small mirrors. Each mirror is less than one-fifth of a human hair. Each mirror can create a dark or light pixel by moving independently. The information is then passed to another chip via a spinning wheel. This can create as many as 25 trillion colours for the most advanced models. The image is then projected onto the screen through the lens.
This system has many advantages, including a lower maintenance cost than LCD projectors. It is also more reliable due to its sealed chip design and filter-free operation. DLP projectors don't work with zoom lenses and lens shift functions. This makes them more suitable for smaller screens.
*LCD (Light Crystal Display).To project images, LCD projectors use the same technology as smartphones, tablets, and TVs. The majority of LCD projectors are equipped with 3 LCD technology. This technology combines three liquid crystal displays to create your image. The projector starts with a white light source that emits a beam of light. The light from the source is then passed to three mirrors that are designed to reflect only a specific wavelength of light (red green or blue). The coloured light hits an LCD panel. This creates an electrical signal which tells the LCD how to arrange pixels on the display. The images are then combined in a prism to create one image.
LCD technology's main advantages are largely related to their cost. The LCD projectors are generally cheaper than DLP and LED counterparts, and they're also more efficient. They are also less sensitive to colour and motion issues. LCD displays have a lower ability to create black levels and a worse contrast performance.
*LED (Light Emitting Diode)The LED projectors are a replacement for the DLP projector's colour wheel and mirrors. They use LEDs in red, green and blue that shine directly onto the DMD chip. These LEDs then feed the lens to create the image.
LED projectors last longer than traditional projector lamps. They can be used continuously for 10,000 to 20,000 hours, which is up to 10x more than other lamps. An LED projector produces almost no heat and uses very little energy, so you will have lower running costs. LED projectors are more expensive than other technologies.
Another projector terminology:
You'll also come across other phrases in addition to the major projection types. Here are some of the most important ones:
-LumensA lumen is a measure of brightness. More lumens are equivalent to a brighter light (or image in the case projectors). A 100-watt bulb would produce approximately 1,600 lumens. Remember that projectors will perform better in ambient light conditions if they have higher lumen levels.
-Short-ThrowProjectors should be placed between 8-10 feet and the surface to which they are projecting. Not everyone has the space or ability to place a projector so far from their projecting surface. Short-throw projectors are the answer. These projectors use clever mirror arrays to produce large images with minimal run-up. They can be mounted either above or below the screen depending on the model.
-Widescreen: Widescreen projectors can throw an image in widescreen format (16/9). This allows you to see less letterboxing while watching videos, and has a resolution that is similar to your computer's.
-4/3A projector with a resolution of 4/3 cannot display an area that is almost 4/3. This is why interactive whiteboards and projector screens are so popular.
-Contrast RatioA contract ratio is simply the luminance of the most vivid colour (white) relative to the darkest (black) colour that the system can produce. An average contrast ratio is 13,000:1. The greater the difference between light and darkness, the higher the number.