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Ultra Short Throw Projector Screens – Complete Guide

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Ultra Short Throw or UST Projector Screens require much more consideration than standard matte screens. Ultra short throw screens need to have:

  1. Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) and specifically Ceiling Light Rejection (CLR)
  2. Low Screen Gain,
  3. High Viewing Angle
  4. Appropriate Screen Size for the room

In this article, we go into the details of specifications related to screens for Ultra Short Throw Projectors.

What is an Ultra Short Throw Projector?

Standard or Long throw projectors are placed a substantial distance from the screen on which the image is projected. These projectors require a distance of at least 8 feet to produce a large image.

Short throw projectors provide the advantage that they can be placed closer to the screen down to 3 feet to produce the same size of image, requiring less room to perform their function.

A further category of projectors carrying more advanced lenses is the Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector. They can be placed almost right in front of the screen – only a few inches away to produce considerably large-sized images. UST projectors throw the image in an upward direction and the ability to sit in such close proximity to the screen gives them the advantage that they can be placed in smaller rooms.

But the compactness of the UST projection setup means much more than just space advantage. The feature makes them an excellent replacement for TVs. Considering they can cater to screen sizes larger than 100 inches and allow the possibility of achieving variable image sizes, they are serious contenders for the living room TV space.

How well do UST projectors perform?

Besides image size, UST projectors do not lag behind in image quality. They are some of the best in terms of performance.

As far as resolution goes, they offer great resolution even up to the 4K level.

They function well in normal ambient lights because the image brightness is less affected by external light due to the close positioning of the projector. This together with an Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen makes projection quality top-notch, once again, making UST projectors some of the likeliest TV replacements on the market.

What lets UST projectors down is mainly the price factor. The tech comes at a hefty cost and requires a special screen to complete the setup. The redeeming factors are that compared to long throw projectors, cable costs are lower because of the lower lengths required and the absence of the cost of installing long lengths of cable. Also fixed mounting costs such as ceiling or wall mounting are avoided since the projector is just placed at the screen itself.

What is an ultra short throw projector screen?

We’ve discussed the quality of the UST projector above, but the picture is not complete (forgive the pun). A projector may have all the great specifications we want but it’s only as good as what the screen can provide. The picture quality game is a combo performance by the projector and screen duo.

Are projector screens necessary? With long throw projectors, you might project on a clear wall and only get some image deterioration. But ultra short throw projectors cannot work well at all with walls. Any imperfection or bump in the wall is magnified because of the projection angle. It’s like a setting sun casting long shadows. You will instead need a suitable ultra short throw projection screen.

What is an ultra short throw projector screen? While standard projectors can use standard screens, the video quality with UST projectors can only reach its peak with a type of screen called Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) Screens.

Standard matte white screens reflect not only the projected image to the viewer but also any overhead light or ceiling light. The result is that these screens will produce a washed-out image compared to the sharper images on an ALR screen. The ALR screen achieves this through an optical surface technology and special screen materials that direct any ceiling light that falls on the screen away from the viewer but reflects light from the projector light toward him.

Because ceiling light reduction is crucial for UST projector screens, Ceiling Light Rejecting (CLR) screens are a type of ALR screen for UST projectors and are the preferred type of screen.

What this does to the image quality is make it more vibrant. The excellent color saturation is miles ahead of any standard screen. Even in the presence of ambient light, the black levels will be deeper and darker so the contrast ratio is improved.

What ALR screen specifications to look out for

When looking for an ALR screen for UST projectors, the most important specifications to consider are

  1. the screen gain,
  2. the viewing angle
  3. the screen size.

The gain is a measure of how much light the screen reflects. The higher the gain, the brighter the image will be.

A gain value of 1.0 implies the screen reflects light at the same brightness at which it falls upon the screen. A gain higher than 1.0 means the reflected light is brighter than the original light. A gain lower than 1.0 implies light is absorbed by the screen material and the reflected light is less bright than the original light.

For standard projector screens, the gain is typically between 1.0 and 2.0. But not so for ultra short throw projectors. These already provide enough brightness because they sit so close to the screen. In their case, we aim to reduce the brightness of lights from sources other than the projector. For UST screens, we target a lower screen gain of less than one. Therefore, you will find ultra short throw screens with gains from 0.4 to 0.6 for your UST projector.

The viewing angle is the angle at which the screen can be viewed without losing any brightness. In other words, if you are outside the viewing angle, the gain reduces significantly. The viewing angle is typically between 160 and 180 degrees which provides for wide viewing.

The size of the screen should be large enough to fit your projector, and should also be suitable for the room in which it will be used. The big screen experience counts.

Ultra short throw ALR screens are typically available in sizes of 80 inches to 120 inches. They can even go up to 150 inches but this is less advisable as the image spread is so large that the brightness is less than ideal.

A point to note is that the screen size refers to the length of the diagonal across the screen. Therefore, a 120 UST ALR screen will be sized with a 120 inch length diagonally from one corner of the screen to the opposite corner. Also, screens are normally available with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Installation Considerations for your UST Screen

Fixed frame screens are installed on the wall. Ceiling-hung screens are also available. They provide an advantage of a longer lifespan since the sensitive ALR screen material does not get damaged during frequent roll-in or roll-out of a retractable system.

Drop-down screens and Floor-rising screens are retractable and offer a very clean set-up. With electrical or motorized screens, convenience and an additional wow-factor is obtained for some.

With the larger screen sizes, consideration also needs to be given to the height of the screen installation. The upward viewing angle with high screens will make it uncomfortable to watch videos over extended periods of time. A rule of thumb is to have the lower third of the screen at the viewing height which is normally between 3 to 4 feet.

Conclusion

We’ve gone through in detail with the specifications you need to consider for UST ALR screens. These are different from specs for screens with other projectors. Armed with this knowledge, you are now all set up to make the right purchase for a super viewing experience.

Short throw vs Long throw projectors – Which One do you need?

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The short throw vs long throw projector – not a matter that can be left to the toss of a coin.

This is one of many important questions to resolve before deciding on the projector you wish to buy. The wrong choice may mean that the new projector of your choice cannot be used in your room at all. And considering you spent a good deal of money, this will be heartbreaking.

In this article, we discuss the difference between long throw and short throw projectors, how they differ in purpose-of-use and what you need to check about your available space before you select the projector you should buy.

What is Throw Distance on a Projector?

The Throw distance is the distance between the projector and the screen. It is in fact the distance the light of the projected image travels from the lens of the projector to the projector screen.

What is the Throw Ratio?

The throw ratio is the ratio of the projector’s “throw distance” to the “width (horizontal length) of the image” it projects on the screen. This is a better specification than throw ratio alone because it provides you with a relationship between the screen size you can use with a given throw ratio of a particular projector.

For example, for a projector with a throw ratio of 2:1, the projected image width will be half the length of the distance between projector and screen. In numbers, one can say that for every 2 feet of distance of the projector from the screen, the image will be 1 foot wide. so if the projector is placed 10 feet away from the screen, the image will be 5 feet across.

Throw Ratio and Projector Position

The throw ratio can be looked at in two ways to derive any benefit from them:

  1. To achieve the same image width or size, long throw projectors with large throw ratios need to be placed at a greater distance from the screen than short throw projectors with lower throw ratios. A 2:1 projector will have to be placed 10 feet away from the projection surface to achieve an image 5 feet across. A 1.5:1 projector will have to be placed 7.5 feet away (5 multiplied by 1.5) to obtain the same size of image.
  2. For the same throw distance or position of the projector from the screen, long throw projectors will produce a smaller image on the screen than short throw projectors with lower throw ratios. Once again, a 2:1 projector placed 10 feet away will project an image 5 feet wide. A 1.5:1 projector placed 10 feet away from the screen will project an image 6.7 feet wide (10 divided by 1.5).

Long throw projectors have a high projector ratio and are placed at a substantial distance from the screen. Short throw projectors with low throw ratios, however, provide the advantage that they can be placed closer to the screen and need less room to perform their function. A further category is the ultra short throw projectors with such a small throw ratio that they can be placed almost right in front of the screen.

So what does this mean for your projector purchase decision?

Determine the projector throw ratio you need by taking appropriate measurements of the screen you wish to buy and where you want to place the projector.

For example, if you want to use a 120-inch size screen, you need to determine the width of the screen from the manufacturer’s notes. Remember, screens are specified mostly (but not always) by the diagonal length of the screen and the width of a screen depends upon the diagonal length and the screen aspect ratio.

A 120-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9 will have a screen or image width of 106 inches. If you plan to place your projector 12 feet (ie 144 inches) away from the screen, you will need to get a projector with a throw ratio of 144 divided by 106, ie 1.35:1.

Throw Ratios of Projectors

Long throw projectors, also referred to as Standard throw projectors, have a throw ratio of around 2:1 down to around 1:1. They can have a throw distance of 5 feet to 30 feet. They are suitable for large venues such as conference halls down to your home theatre.

In case your room is much smaller, you will need to consider a short throw model which can have a throw ratio of 0.5:1 to 1:1. Throw distance can vary from 2.5 feet to 5 feet.

Ultra-short throw projectors can provide throws lower than 0.5:1 and sit in front of the screen less than 2.5 feet away.

Projector throw ratios are not fixed. Every projector has a range of throw ratios. Additionally, zoom lenses are available that can be bought separately to allow further magnification of an image.

Long Throw, Short Throw, and Ultra-Short Throw Compared

Long throw projectors have the advantage that they can display very large images. So you can use them in large venues or even outdoors and you can get highly decent images from a long throw projector costing that is reasonably priced. To keep the projector out of the way, you will need to spend on ceiling or wall mounting and the lengthier cables.

So what is the difference between short throw and long throw projectors? All the above considerations can be made accordingly for short throw projectors. They are suitable for living rooms and smaller spaces with equally good quality at a reasonable price slightly higher than long throw projectors. Cables are less lengthier and you may place them in front of the screen on a table or mount them on the ceiling or wall. Shadows on the screen due to movement are less of an issue than with long throw projectors.

The fact that ultra short throw projectors can be placed so close to a wall or screen, means they not only take up the least area but still produce a large, bright image. They provide the neatest setup that looks high-end and also tend to be very bright, with some models outputting over 10,000 lumens. This means that they can easily work in well-lit rooms or even outdoors.

Since the projector sits right at the wall, movement by people in the room will not cast shadows on the screen. the ultrashort throw projector can become an ideal replacement for the living room TV. The close proximity also allows for shorter cables, lowering accessory costs. Mounting equipment is also not necessary because the projector sits on a table in front of the screen.

Where there are pros, there are bound to be cons. The low throw ratio technology comes at a hefty price compared to the long throw and short throw versions.

Conclusion

Your choice of short throw vs long throw projectors depends mainly upon the screen size you wish to adopt and the room available to you. There are further advantages and disadvantages to each, so you will also need to make your final decision based on your budget.

Projector Buying Guide 2022 – Specs Explained In Simplest Terms

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Our Projector Buyer’s Guide will help you understand the really important specifications so that you make the right choice for your projector. These important specs are Projector Resolution, Projector Brightness, Contrast Ratio, Aspect Ratio, Throw Ratio, Zoom, Keystone Correction, and Connectivity Features. Your final choice of projector also depends upon the settings, ambiance, and scenarios in which you plan to use it.

A Projector Buying Guide for You

You’re in the market to buy a projector.

But as soon as you start looking around you are bombarded with a load full of terminologies. There are so many units of measurement, you can’t decide what combination of specs is right for you.

Are you going to make a projector purchase that costs you an arm and a leg and then regret what you bought for the rest of your life? Or are you going to buckle down to a cheaper option… and then regret what you bought for the rest of your life?

So, to be well versed in all projector features, let’s take a detailed dive into each of the specifications.

1) Projector Resolution — 1080p vs 4K vs 8K

Resolution indicates how sharp the projected image is.

At higher resolution numbers, there will be more pixels in the length and width of a picture (or the screen) and the image will be sharper. Lower resolution results in fewer pixels in the same length and width (or same screen) and the image is comparatively blurry or pixelated.

Resolution Numbers

So what do the resolution specification numbers mean? A 1080p resolution will have 1080 pixels in the “height” of the image. 4K resolutions crank up the number of pixels to 4096 in the “width” of the same image.

Reread the previous two sentences!

For 1080p specification, I referred to the height of the image, while for 4K specification I related the number to the width.

Yes, everybody is out there to confuse you! But to “un-confuse” you (the dictionary says that isn’t even a word.. but we know you understand what we mean), we’ve put down a table below listing resolution terminologies and how they translate into the number of pixels.

As you move down the table, the resolution improves. Also, we’ve restricted ourselves to HD projector resolutions (High-Definition projectors) and higher. In this day and age, the lower resolutions are not worth it for choosing the right projector.

Resolution Image Width x height (in pixels)

  • HD 720p (or HD ready) 1280 x 720 pixels.
  • WXGA 1280 x 800 pixels.
  • SXGA 1280 x 1024 pixels.
  • HD 1080p (or Full HD) 1920 x 1080 pixels.
  • WUXGA 1980 x 1200 pixels.
  • UHD 3840 x 2160 pixels.
  • 4K:  4096 x 2160 pixels.
  • 8K: 7680 × 4320 pixels.

(What!!? … Are there 8K projectors? Yes…and very expensive too!)

Expense

Well.. while high resolution is a desirable feature due to the reasons mentioned above, in some cases lower resolution may not really be a bad thing. It may be the case that they serve your use well…. and save you money in more ways than one. One is the expense of the higher resolution projector itself. Additionally, in situations where you are streaming content, a higher resolution will require high data usage and higher internet charges.

Spacing and Screen Size

Also, do you have enough room and spacing to make your viewing experience enjoyable? If you are sitting at a distance from the screen, you won’t notice the pixelation with the lower resolutions. But sitting too close to a low-resolution image, the pixilation will be annoying. For that, you need to get higher resolution projectors.

The room and spacing also tie in with the size of the screen. Larger images or larger screens will need higher picture resolutions if you want to enjoy picture quality. You can sit closer to the screen without noticing any pixelation.

There is a rule of thumb for viewing distance. For 1080 resolutions you need to sit a minimum distance away from the screen equivalent to “3 times the height of the image”. For 4K you can reduce the multiple to 1.5 times. (As a side note, while these are minimum seating distances, maximum seating distances for good viewability are normally recommended as 5 times the height of the image).

Projector Use

Finally, how do you want to use your projector? Below are our recommendations based on the “Resolution spec” vs “Use” scenarios. Nothing is written in stone, but these recommendations will give you a good guide for your final selection.

HD 720p, WXGA & SXGA Business/education use— cable tv

HD 1080p Business/education use (pushing it to the extent that one should carefully consider whether the intended office/education use really requires this resolution)—-, cable tv—–, Home theater—-Sports—– Gaming

WUXGA Home theater—-Sports—– Gaming

UHD & 4K:  Home theater—-Gaming. Blu-ray Movies. Slowly with time, more 4K content is now available and whatever is available is awesome. It is at this resolution that projectors beat TVs in image wow-ness

8K: Not really for home or office use. Probably better catered for large screen advertisers. In the future certainly, but currently, you won’t find much video content at all at this resolution for your personal or office needs, certainly not for the price.

So finally, is the decision going to revolve around 1080 vs 4k projectors for you? You should consider how you want to use your projector, your room, screen size, and budget, and then finalize the required resolution spec.

2) Projector Brightness – How Many Lumens for a Projector?

Projector brightness refers to the light intensity that the projector throws out.

It should be high enough so that the projector beams sufficient light for it to travel the distance to the projector screen, fight off ambient light on the way and provide enough light intensity on the screen. Too little light intensity on the projector screen and the image will appear washed out.

Brands use various units to quantify projector brightness. Most use Lumens as a measure while some quote brightness in ANSI Lumens. ANSI lumens are a standardized brightness measure. If quoted by manufacturers, they would be an excellent brightness comparison gauge.

The Lumens figures, however, are not determined through a standard methodology. But, unfortunately, almost all manufacturers provide the lumens figures only. So there is not much choice for customers when comparing various projectors.

ANSI lumens vs lumens – what do you do when you have different measurement units? A rule of thumb for estimating ANSI lumens is to divide the lumens figure by 25. This is by no means accurate but gives you some idea.

How bright should a projector be? To help you make the right choice, here’s a useful guide presented in lumens units (simply because this is what you’ll find in the market):

  • Indoor use with low (lights out and windows covered) to normal ambient light – minimum 1500 Lumens
  • Indoor use with normal to high ambient light – minimum 3000 Lumens
  • Outdoor use in daylight – minimum 4000 Lumens. However, the minimum number will increase the greater the distance between projector and screen, as in very large outdoor venues.

Be cautioned! We’ve spoken about how good higher brightness is. But very high levels of brightness will reduce color accuracy. And the glare will give you a headache. At the same time, lower lumen levels improve the contrast ratio of the projected image. Life is always a balancing act.

3) Projector Contrast Ratio – Is it a black & white matter?

The contrast ratio measures how black the blacks are and how white the whites are.

High contrast ratios are more important as the blacks need to be deeper making the image sharper. This is opposed to how much the black is tending toward gray.

In the dark, contrast ratios are more noticeable as part of the viewing experience. For outdoor use, in the daylight, the contrast ratio specs are no longer helpful. There is just too much interference by ambient light.

Unfortunately, manufacturers declare unrealistic numbers which you cannot verify before buying. So it is not a number you can pre-decide or evaluate a projector upon.

For information completeness, you will still need to know what is a good contrast ratio in projectors. Dark rooms will need a contrast ratio of 2,000:1 for good performance. Normal-lit rooms having a contrast ratio of 8,000:1 are good enough. The higher the contrast ratio, the better. As far as manufacturer statements go, you will be able to find contrast ratio claims of 50,000:1.

4) Aspect Ratio – the Long and Short of it

Aspect ratio is the ratio of the width of the projected image to its length.

It doesn’t change with screen distance from the projector. HD resolution and higher projectors provide a 16:9 aspect ratio which is suitable as an all-purpose aspect ratio for cable, movies, sports, and gaming.

Movies, however, are generally filmed in a wider format of 2.4:1 so that you will have black boxes above and below the image when you use a 16:9 projector. Projectors with a 2.4:1 aspect ratio are also available.

Nowadays, you can find multi-aspect ratio projectors on the market, but remember the maximum width of the image will be restricted by your screen dimensions.

5) Throw Ratio, Zoom, and Projector Screen Size

A projector needs to be placed some distance from the screen so that a large enough image is projected. The closer the projector is to the screen, the smaller the image will be.

Inversely, if you already have, for example, a home theatre screen size in mind, you need to know whether the projector you are considering will give you the full image size with the spacing available to you.

Because you may be restricted in how far away you can place the projector, you need to determine the projector throw ratio which is the ratio of “the distance of the projector from the screen (throw distance)” to “the width of the image projected”.

With a projector throw ratio of 2:1, the projected image width will be half the length of the distance between projector and screen. The higher the throw ratio, the farther the projector needs to be placed away from the screen to fill the screen.

Standard projectors, also referred to as long throw projectors, have a throw ratio of around 1.2:1 down to around 1:1.

In case your room is too small, you will need to consider short-throw or ultra-short throw projectors (with throw ratio going down to 0.3:1). The lower throw ratio, however, comes at a price.

Based on the projector’s throw ratio, room available, and the screen size you desire, you can easily determine whether a projector is suitable for your needs.

For a projector fixed in location, some correction for increasing image size can also be achieved if the projector lens has zoom capability.

Lens zoom capabilities are usually available in projectors available in the market or you can purchase an additional lens. With such capabilities, you can double the size of the image compared to default without having to move your projector farther away from the screen.

7) Projector Mounting, Lens Shift, and Keystone Correction

You will not place your projector at a position identically parallel to the center of the screen.

The projector, if placed on a projector stand on the floor, will be positioned at a height approximately corresponding to the bottom of the screen. The image is projected upwards to the screen.

Alternatively, you might want to install the projector on the ceiling with a projector ceiling mount. The image is projected downwards.

It is also possible that the projector is mounted on a side wall. The image is projected sideways.

In all cases, after mounting the projector, the image will have to be adjusted in two ways,

  1. The projection image may fall partially outside the screen. To solve this, you should have a projector with horizontal and vertical lens shift capability. This will allow you to move the image onto the projector screen digitally without moving the projector itself.
  2. Because the projector is throwing the image at an angle, the image falling on the screen will not be rectangular but will be trapezoidal. This means the side of the image nearer the projector will be smaller in length than the side of the image farther away from the projector. Keystone correction in projectors, that have the capability, adjusts the image digitally so that it is a perfect rectangle.

In summary, while most projectors will have lens shift and keystone correction, check the availability of these features before finalizing your choice. Also, make sure they have both horizontal and vertical lens shift features. sometimes manufacturers only provide one.

Keep in mind, that ceiling and wall-mounted projectors are fixed projectors making throw ratio, zoom capability and lens shift important features to have. Projectors placed on a stand or tabletop have the advantage that they can be conveniently moved when required to adjust the image or to other locations.

8) Connectivity Features

For wired connections, use a projector with HDMI connection capability as opposed to older connection options like VGA.

You will also find that USB connection ports on a projector. This will provide convenience for use with USB drives which may contain video, pictures, or presentations for business use.

You might also want capabilities for Wi-Fi or other wireless connection from laptop or iPhone. So look out for these options if you believe this is the desired specification.

9) Projector Speakers

You will need to purchase separate speakers for your projector if you want any sort of sound volume or quality. Very important in most uses, especially with home cinema. The case for built-in speakers may only be made for portable projectors used in small rooms.

10) Projector Technology

Projector Imaging Chip

Projectors are designed with different types of technologies based on the chips that digitally produce the image.

Most popular are DLP (Digital Light Processing) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projectors. Each one has advantages over the other. But the difference in advantages is not too great. At the end of the day, don’t spend too much time choosing between DLP or LCD projector.

Light Emitting Source

The light emitting source is another part of the projector that can be based on various technologies.

Projectors using lamps are dominant in the market because they are relatively cheap. At the same time, they provide all image qualities up to the highest level. However, their brightness performance reduces with time and, generally, after 4,000 hours of use, the lamp will need to be replaced. That’s another expense. Because of the lamp, they heat up more than the other options mentioned below.

Projectors that use laser technology provide better color accuracy and, because the beam is concentrated and less diffused, they have better brightness performance. Laser projectors are comparatively energy efficient. Their lifespan is another advantage averaging up to 20,000 hours – very high compared to lamps – and with little brightness decline with time.

LED light sources are used where the lumens required are low, such as with pocket projectors. They are the most energy efficient and longest-lasting compared to other light emitting types.

Which is better LED or laser or lamp? LED projectors are for smaller devices. For normal usage, while we would recommend laser projectors over a lamp, for somewhat better image quality at lower energy and maintenance cost, either way is not a deal-breaker.

10) Types of Projectors

A particular type of projector may have some functionality that is useful for your scenario. We have already mentioned some throughout this article. But it may be helpful to list them together,

  • Home Theater Projectors: Projectors for home entertainment are best used in low light conditions where image quality is enhanced. These are long throw projectors so they can serve larger screens.
  • Short Throw and Ultra Short Throw projectors: Their use is important when there is not enough room available for the projector to produce a large enough image.
  • Portable Projectors: You want to go camping? Or do you travel a lot for office purposes and need to give presentations to clients? Portable projectors are the best solution here. They have internal batteries which can last for three hours or even slightly more. Image quality can be pretty good.
  • Pocket projectors: Also called Pico projectors. These are small enough to be held in the palm of your hand. Projector features are limited. They will not give you very good image quality. They won’t have sound and they’re not at all suitable for videos. They do have use because of their ease of portability and in art.

Conclusion

We’ve done a comprehensive and easy-to-understand overview of important or best projector specifications and functionalities. We are sure that this Projector Buyer Guide will save you time in deciding what to look for in projectors and will give you peace of mind that you’ll be making the right choice – whether you are looking for a projector for your home or office use, movies or gaming.