Multi-Use Projectors - 'Black Bars' or 'Letterboxing' 4:3 projectors can also display widescreen images however, and can also be a good choice for home theater use. Home theater enthusiasts tend to prefer 16:9 aspect ratios because they are closer to original 35mm film format.
This is because widescreen DVD and HDTV signals are broadcast or encoded in the 16:9 format. Home TheaterĪ 16:9 native aspect ratio is designed primarily for home theater use. Currently the most common aspect ratio in projectors is 4:3, which is the same as most televisions and computer monitors. Think of the chip as a miniature version of the image you will see on your screen. That means that the chip (or panel) inside the projector is shaped in the specified 4:3, 5:4 or 16:9 proportions. What is 'native aspect ratio?'īecause a projector is a "fixed resolution" display device, they have what is called a "native aspect ratio." The most common aspect ratios for projectors are 4:3, 5:4 and 16:9. The native aspect ratio is usually listed first, followed by other aspect ratios the projector can output. These are the aspect ratios which the projector can display. The vast majority of current projector models can display 16.7 million colors. This is the number of colors the projector is able to display. For a more consistent image, look for projectors with 85% or better. A higher uniformity percentage means better consistency of brightness throughout your image. Uniformity is the percentage of brightness carried from corner to corner of your image.
Full On/Off contrast will always be a larger number than ANSI contrast for the same projector. When comparing the contrast ratio of projectors make sure you are comparing the same type of contrast. The average light output from the white rectangles is divided by the average light output of the black rectangles to determine the ANSI contrast ratio. ANSI contrast is measured with a pattern of 16 alternating black and white rectangles. Full On/Off contrast measures the ratio of the light output from an entirely white image (full on) versus the light output from an entirely black image (full off). Note: There are two methods of calculating contrast ratio used by projector manufacturers. Contrast ratios typically range from 400:1 to as high as 3000:1. Higher contrast ratios make for deeper blacks richer colors. * ANSI = American National Standards InstituteĬontrast is the ratio of whitest to blackest area within an image. Note: The type of technology (active matrix TFT LCD, Poly-Silicon LCD with micro lens array, DLP chip set), contrast ratio, and other factors can also affect the appearance of brightness. The brightness you need depends on several factors, including image size, audience size, and amount of ambient light.Ĭlick here for suggested lumens for business applications » Click here for more about lumens suggested for home use » Projector brightness is measured in ANSI* lumens. Not sure which resolution you need? Click for more » More pixels per unit of area produce a higher resolution and create crisper images. For example, an SVGA projector is 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high.
Resolution is the number of pixels that make up an image.