STACK #224 June 2023

TECH FEATURE

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PROJECTOR TYPES • DLP (Digital Light Processing) projectors use micro mirrors and a spinning colour wheel to create an image. They are compact and deliver a high quality picture with minimal motion blur. Good for gaming and general use.

HD for a crystal clear picture and perfect colour reproduction that’s comparable to the best 4K TVs. A projector with a high contrast ratio – the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of a picture – will bring out the best in HDR content. Picture perfection Most projectors feature image adjustment tools to keep the picture rectangular and properly aligned, even if the projector isn’t perfectly centred on the screen. Lens Shift allows you to move the image left, right, up, and down until it looks just right, while Keystone Correction can adjust an image that appears angled. Auto Screen Fit will set the screen size, keystone and focus for you, and Optical Zoom lets you adjust the lens to control picture size. Sound selection Most projectors have built-in speakers, which is convenient if you opt for a portable model to use anywhere. But when you’re watching a blockbuster movie on a 100”+ screen in a home theatre or lounge room, you’ll want a huge and immersive soundscape to match the visuals. Make sure the projector has an HDMI port so that you can connect a soundbar for extra sonic punch. Smart connections Many projectors offer the functionality of a smart TV, including access to the major streaming apps, a built-in TV tuner, voice assistants, and the option to control compatible smart home devices. They also support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with USB connectivity for playback from a flash or hard drive, and HDMI ports to connect external devices like a games console, 4K Blu-ray player, laptop, or soundbar.

DYK?

Super 8 film projectors were popular during the 1960s and ‘70s, bringing big screen viewing to homes – from footage of family holidays and

‘home movies’, to edited highlights of Hollywood blockbusters.

• LCD projectors use three liquid crystal panels to beam a bright image with high colour accuracy and deep blacks. Good for home theatres and business use.

• LED (Light Emitting Diode) projectors can be DLP or LCD. LEDs are used in portable and short throw projectors, deliver high brightness and colour, and have a long life. Good for on-the-go use and short-distance projection.

• LASER projectors use a laser to create light instead of a lamp, and have a long lifespan. They are extremely bright with high colour accuracy and true blacks. Good for large rooms, home theatres, and viewing HDR content.

The bright stuff Perhaps the most important thing to look for when choosing a projector is its brightness level. The more well lit the room, the brighter a projector needs to be.

P rojector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens, and the higher the lumen count, the brighter the picture will be. 2000 ANSI lumens or less is fine for very dark rooms like a dedicated home theatre, while 2000–3000 is recommended for a standard lounge room, daytime viewing, and use outdoors. Factors that can affect a projector’s brightness include the size of the screen, the distance between the projector and the screen/wall, and the use of specialised picture modes like Filmmaker, Movie, and Sports. Using an Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screen can

DYK?

Introduced in the 1950s, slide projectors popularised social gatherings to view holiday snaps housed in small cardboard frames (slides) that could be beamed and upsized onto a screen or wall.

considerably boost picture

brightness, and you can always tweak the levels in the settings.

32 JUNE 2023

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