LCD or DLP What’s the Projector for Me?
Deciding on the right projector is not as easy as it used to be. Especially with all the features and specifications to compare, also not to mention the great number of digital projectors and technologies on the market today. You can see an example of this just by researching the latest Infocus LCD Projector. We will learn about two important yet easy parameters in this post; they are projector panel type (LCD or DLP) and brightness. Knowledge is always a good thing, and we hope that learning about these two parameters will allow you to make the most informed buying decision about your next digital projector.
Projector Brightness
One of the most fundamental projector qualities is it’s brightness. This parameter interacts the most with your projection location, thus the location should be a major consideration in your projector choice and determining the amount of lumens (units of brightness) needed. Also related to brightness and projection environment is adjustability (projection angle and distance), when using portable compact projectors on the go this can be important. Generally, brighter projectors that can put out a higher amount of lumens tend to be more expensive. The following are some rough guidelines for recommended projector brightness levels in lumens. Remember these are only loose guidelines. As technology advances, brighter projectors will be cheaper and the standards will move upwards.
• 3000 + ANSI is used for special outdoor occasions like big concert projections, retro drive-thru theaters or other applications.
• 1800 to 3000 ANSI is mainly used for educational applications like in big classrooms or auditorium meetings. It can also be used for convenient home entertainment viewing and enjoyment, especially when you’re not satisfied with just your TV and want your collection of DVDs to be projected well.
• 1000 to 1800 ANSI is suitable for simple presentations, especially in business applications like meetings, personal projects or brief overviews. It can be suitable for entertainment purposes, but be prepared to consider getting a bigger resolution.
Projector Technology Type
LCD and DLP are currently the dominant projector panel technologies. LCD is currently used more widely now. LCD Infocus Projector panel technology may cost slightly less than DLP panels. Projectors that use LCD panel technology are also known to produce deeper color saturation and generally seem to be capable of greater brightness levels.
DLP technology projectors seem to be in a similar or slightly higher price range, but they are typically able to produce images with higher contrast ratios and deeper, darker black levels than LCD projectors. DLP is also known to give a more film like experience and thus is very popular for home theater or cinema use. Some say DLP is more durable when it comes to long-lasting performance compared to the standard LCD. Be sure to view some of the actual specifications of a typical DLP unit like the DLP Video Projector to see how the specs you just learned about add up in actual projector models.