We’ve reached the end of our Understanding Projector Technology blog series. We have just a handful of relevant factors left, so we’re bundling the rest into this final post. Of course, if there’s anything we haven’t covered that you need to know, the Experience Audio Videoteam is always just a message or phone call away!
We have three minor factors left to discuss: throw distance, zoom and keystone.
Throw Distance
Throw distance, or throw ratio, is a measurement of how far from the screen your projector will need to be to produce the right size image. This is a tricky measurement to explain and to understand. But if you’re going to mount your projector somewhere permanent, it’s essential to get it right.
Typical projectors need a healthy amount of space to throw the right size image. Short-throw and long-throw projectors are available as well, perfect for small conference rooms and large auditoriums, respectively.
Make sure to work with an expert installer to ensure you have the proper throw distance/ratio.
Zoom
Zoom is an important feature for on-the-go projectors. If you’re going to be setting up your projector in a wide range of spaces, you may end up in a situation where your projection is far too small, yet you can’t move the projector back.
In this situation, you want the ability to adjust the image size with lens zoom. The measurement describes how large an image you can get. A projector with 2.0x zoom can produce an image twice as large as the default size.
Keystone
If you’ve ever seen a projection that was wonky, narrower on one side and wider on the other, you’ve seen a situation where keystoning was needed. If you’re unable to project square on, your image will be off kilter. Keystoning the image allows you to digitally compensate for the distortion. This is another feature that’s most useful in mobile setups.