Projectors have changed a lot since they hit the home appliance market. These are no longer those expensive devices with no less expensive maintenance, which could only be used in the dark. Today, the projector allows you to view photos and videos, it can easily replace a TV or a personal computer screen. And the price of models that support Full HD resolution has caught up with the cost of 40-inch television receivers. It's time to take advantage of this technology and become the proud owner of a truly gigantic 300-inch home theater screen, which is about 7.62 meters.
Picture
The main parameter for choosing a projector is image quality. But how can this be done if the much-needed assessment of several models of an expensive device cannot be made due to the lack of a screening room?
You can evaluate the image quality of projectors by the following parameters:
- imaging technology;
- matrix size and resolution;
- contrast;
- brightness;
- focal length.
First of all, image quality dependsfrom projection technology. Three technologies are currently in use: DLP, LCD and LCOS.
DLP
DLP (Digital Light Processing) uses an array of angle-changing micromirrors that direct light into focusing lenses. Coloring a beam of light occurs in different ways. Some manufacturers use a rapidly spinning tricolor wheel. In this case, the eye sees alternating single-color images, which can affect some people, and also creates a rainbow effect that interferes with viewing. Others use three arrays of micromirrors for each color separately (3DLP technology). Projectors using 3DLP technology are among the best, but also the most expensive projectors.
LCD
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology uses three liquid crystal arrays to form the red, green and blue components of a video signal. The light flux of a metal halide lamp, passing through a prism or a sequence of dichroic filters that transmit one part of the spectrum and reflect the other, is divided into three components. Each is directed through its own LCD matrix, which, by changing the amount of light passing through each pixel, creates a single-color image. The combination of the three components produces a multicolor projection. Among the disadvantages of this technology is the low contrast of the image (due to the fact that the crystal in the closed state transmits light, and the bandwidth of the matrix does not exceed 7%).
LCOS
LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) is based on twoprevious ones. But the light does not pass through the liquid crystal matrix, but is reflected by liquid crystals on silicone. This results in a high-quality image without the disadvantages of DLP and LCD technologies. In addition, it becomes possible to increase the pixel density and achieve high image resolution. But the price of LCOS projectors is quite high, which still limits their use to cinemas and large presentation halls.
LED
LED technology (Light-Emitting Diode, light-emitting diode) uses one of the above technologies to create an image, with the difference that the light source here is an LED matrix. This eliminates the need to replace lamps and reduces energy consumption. The guaranteed service life of the LED matrix is 25,000 hours. The disadvantage is the low luminous flux, not exceeding 2000 lumens.
The laser projector is equipped with a group of primary color laser diodes. Less expensive are hybrid laser-LED projectors, which combine a blue diode laser, a green fluorescent element, and red LEDs to achieve high brightness.
Permission
Resolution is determined by the number of pixels. For a high-quality image, these parameters of the video projector and the source must match. You can play a signal with a different resolution, but the image will be distorted by compression algorithms.
Popular resolutions are 1280 x 768 WXGA, 1280 x 720 HD,1920 x 1080 Full HD, 1920 x 1200 WUXGA.
Brightness
Luminous flux is measured in lumens. Projectors with a brightness of 2000-3000 lumens are used in classrooms and small conference rooms. The luminous flux of 3000-4500 lumens is suitable for large conference halls. The brightness of the image in this case is sufficient so as not to darken the room. Ultra-bright projectors over 4500 lumens are used in concerts, nightclubs, churches, etc. The cheapest and smallest portable projectors with light output below 2000 lumens require total or partial darkening of the room.
Contrast
The ratio of the highest and lowest screen illumination is called the projector's contrast ratio. For example, a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 means that white is 10,000 times brighter than black. In a darkened room, the contrast is leveled by third-party light sources and is inferior in importance to the light flux of the projector.
Lens
Video projectors can be equipped with lenses with the ability to manually or automatically change the focal length. This is necessary to resize the image without moving the projector itself.
Also, the lens is characterized by the ratio of the distance to the screen to its size. Projectors come in long throw (2-8:1), standard throw (1-2), and short throw (less than 1).
LED Projector Features
- Indoor use requires dimming for maximum image clarity and brightness.
- Devices withluminous flux up to 300 lumens are designed for a screen width of 0.2 m, and more than 500 lumens - up to 3 m.
- Suitable for mobile home theater. Not a true replacement for metal halide projectors.
- Portability is achieved by the presence of an external power supply, the possibility of wireless connection.
- Models with high luminous flux have a high noise level, so they are suitable for use in public places.
- Energy consumption is minimal.
LED projector: overview of popular models
Every day, new models of LED projectors appear on the market. Below are only those LED projectors, reviews of which were positive. So let's get started.
The ViewSonic PLED-W800 Mini LED Projector is a pocket-size device designed for on-the-go business presentations. But, according to consumers, the power of the luminous flux allows it to be used at home.
California-based ViewSonic has been specializing in projection equipment since the late 1980s. A few years ago, she pioneered a new line of mini-LED projectors with the PLED-W500. The W200, W600 and W800 models are now in production.
The numbers in the model name correspond to the power of the light flux in lumens. On paper, a comparison with a metal halide output of more than 2000 lumens does not speak in favor of an LED projector, but in practice, judging by customer reviews, the device illuminates the screen brighter than expected. The portable device is capable of conductingPowerPoint presentations, giving an 80-inch HD 1280 x 720 image at a distance of 2.5 m with brightness that doesn't require room darkening. However, to watch movies, you will need to draw the curtains and turn on the Movie mode, which will give the image a more natural color. The compactness of the device required sacrificing a change in focal length. But there is a mount for mounting on a tripod. If the projector is tilted relative to the screen, the image will be automatically corrected.
ViewSonic Pro9000 is a hybrid laser-LED projector ideal for home theater applications. Beautiful colors provided by the DarkChip3 chip, Full HD high-definition images, 16,000 lumens of light output and a contrast of 100,000:1 are what the consumer especially likes. The projector is designed without lamps and filters, which reduces the cost of operating the device to almost zero.
LG PH550, PW1000, PW1500 are LED home projectors introduced in January 2016. Light output in lumens and resolution (H for 1280 x 720 and W for 1280 x 800) are indicated in the name of the device. The PH550 model is equipped with a 2.5-hour battery life, Bluetooth audio, wireless communication with Android OS devices. The PW1000 is also equipped with a digital TV tuner and is 3D compatible, and the brightness of the PW1500 speaks volumes.
Vivitek Qumi Q5 is a portable mini-LED projector with 1600 x 1200 resolution, 500 lumens brightness and 3D support. Screen size 30-90 inches (0.76-2.3m)at a distance of 1-3 m. There is also a built-in player, 4 GB memory, USB port, wireless connection, Internet browser and battery. Users praise excellent color reproduction, contrast, image quality, design and compactness, but some are dissatisfied with fan noise and insufficient volume of the device.
The Qumi line also includes LED projectors Q4, Q6, Q7 Lite, Q7 Plus. As the number increases, so does the brightness, which in the latest model reaches 1000 lumens. The contrast is 30,000:1, the resolution is 1280 x 800. The projector can be controlled using mobile devices running Android or iOS. There is keystone correction, lens shift in the horizontal and vertical direction, optical zoom.
Produces Vivitek Qumi projectors Taiwanese corporation Delta Electronics.
Optoma products
Optoma offers the following LED technology projectors.
ML750e is a compact and lightweight (less than 400g) machine. This is a portable LED projector designed for gaming, watching movies and presentations without using a PC; There is built-in memory and a slot for connecting a micro SD card. Resolution 1280 x 800, contrast ratio 15000:1, screen size 17-100 inches, throw distance 0.5-3.2m. Consumes 65W in working and 0.5W in standby mode. Users are very pleased with the ultra-mobility and versatility.
ML1500e features built-in media player, document viewer, stereo sound, wireless connectivity andmemory card. Resolution 1280 x 800, contrast ratio 20,000:1, screen size 17-100 inches, throw distance 0.5-3m. Consumes 145W.
HD91+ - 2nd generation LEDs, Full 3D 1080p image, optical zoom. Contrast 600,000:1, screen size 30-300 inches, throw distance 1.5-19m. Consumes 245W in bright mode and 150W in movie mode. There are no complaints from users.
Optoma is a global corporation headquartered in the US, Europe and Asia that manufactures projection and audio products for business, education and home use. Founded in 2002 in Shanghai, China.
Projectors from BenQ
BenQ launches GP30, GP3, GP20 portable LED projectors.
GP30 is a short throw (40 screen at 1m distance) LED multimedia projector with 900 lumens of light output. According to the manufacturer, it is distinguished by the presence of stereo sound with SRS HD, support for wireless content transfer technology MHL and WiDi. Models GP3 and GP20 have a brightness of 300 and 700 lumens, respectively. 1280 x 800 resolution, 100,000:1 contrast, +/-40° tilt correction. In 2014, Taiwan's BenQ became the world's top selling high-definition projector, with a total of more than 1 million models sold.
NEC NP-L102W is a 1000 lumen LED projector with 1 GB internal memory and up to 32 GB SD card slot, allowing you to leave your laptop at home and present from a flash drive. Built-in office viewerallows you to open MS Office files and PDF documents. The design does not use rotating filters, which, according to reviews, reduces noise and eliminates the need for maintenance. Resolution 1280 x 800, contrast 10,000:1. The Japanese company NEC Display Solutions, the manufacturer of this projector, has been in business for over 20 years.
Panasonic
In the Panasonic PT-RZ470U professional projector, the lamp has been replaced by a 3500 lumen LED laser system. 1920 x 1200 resolution, 20,000:1 contrast ratio, 40-300 screen size, 2.6-10m screen distance. Users say hybrid light source has higher color purity, and Digital Link system will enable HDMI transmission, uncompressed HD video, audio and commands over a single Cat5 cable up to 100m. Panasonic has been at the forefront of the projector industry since 1975. And it continues to hold a leading position to this day, having a projector brightness record of 9000 lumens and the first to introduce wireless technology into this type of device. Users are very pleased with the overall image quality of the new type of projector, but they say the contrast and color reproduction levels are still average.
New from Casio
Japanese company Casio, which pioneered the production of hybrid laser-LED projectors, offers affordable models XJ-V110W, XJ-V10X, XJ-V110W, XJ-F210WN, XJ-F100W, XJ-F20XN, XJ- F10X, the brightness of which reaches 3500 lumens. Contrast of new projectors 20000:1, tilt correction, wired or wireless connection tonetwork.
Acer
Acer also launches the K137i, K138ST, K335 portable LED projectors with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and 700, 800 and 1000 lumens, respectively. Contrast 10,000:1, screen size 17-100/25-100/30-100 inches, screen distance 0.6-3.2/0.4-1.7/0.9-3.0m, tilt correction + /-40°, support for PDF, MS Office formats, power consumption 75/80/135 W. Owner reviews are predominantly positive.
Chinese lanterns
It is impossible not to mention here that the market was flooded with cheap Chinese LED projectors, reviews of which are extremely unflattering. An example is the Digital Galaxy DG-757 and Fugetek FG-637. According to consumers, with the declared brightness of 2800 and 2000 lumens, the real one turned out to be less than 140 and 90 lumens, respectively. This, and the huge unevenness in brightness and sharpness, 20-year-old technology further confirms the proverb “the miser pays twice.”
