Projector Terminology for Beginners

By XGIMI Tech - 2022-08

Why it is Important to Know Projector Jargon

When shopping for a projector, you need to understand the various terminology associated with projectors. Projector terminology may confuse the average person, but understanding the basic terms when choosing or using a projector will help you establish an informed purchasing bias and sharpen your decision-making. 

A person that understands native resolution will favor a projector with 1080p FHD native resolution over another that supports 1080p content but has 720p native resolution because they know that the former is better suited to displaying 1080p FHD content.

This article will explore some of the essential projector verbiages and provide a brief description of these terms. Also, this writeup will recommend some XGIMI smart projectors that offer good value for money, courtesy of their high-performing features.

Noteworthy Projector Terminology to Know When Choosing a Projector

XGIMI Smart Projectors You May Love

Upgrade Your Knowledge of Projectors

Noteworthy Projector Terminology to Know When Choosing a Projector

Home Projector/Portable Projector/Outdoor Projector

Home projectors are particularly suited for indoor use, like in living rooms, home theater settings, or offices. They are generally heavier than portable projectors and need a nearby power source. Portable or outdoor projectors are optimized for outdoor use (during camping, on road trips, or in the backyard) with their compact size and a built-in battery, which means you can watch your desired content in the absence of a power source. 

Long Throw/Short Throw Projector

Long throw projectors cast images a longer distance from the screen. For instance, a typical long throw projector is placed seven or eight feet to produce an 80" screen display. Short throw projectors can produce a large display a short distance from the screen, sometimes less than twenty inches away in the case of ultra short throw projectors.

Throw Ratio/Throw Distance

The throw ratio of a projector refers to the relationship between its throw distance and the size of the image produced. Throw distance, or throw, is the distance between the projector lens and the screen on which it is projecting.

Read more about throw ratio here.

LED Light Source/Laser Light Source 

A LED light source utilizes individual LED lights for each primary color (red, green, blue) while a laser light source uses a single blue laser or individual lasers to create the primary colors in the RGB model.

Although they are both light sources, LED and lasers are different. Lasers travel in a straight line, while LED lights usually scatter. Thus, laser light sources are generally more focused than LED light sources, brighter, and have longer lifespans.

ANSI Lumens/LED Lumens /Light Source Lumens 

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) lumens is the amount of brightness of a projector's image. In contrast, light source lumens measure the brightness of the light from the projector's light source (lamp, LED, or laser). LED lumens measure the brightness of the LED light with respect to the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch (HK) effect. A projector with 300 ANSI lumens will have 5000 (300 ÷ 0.06) light source lumens, and 720 (300 × 2.4) LED lumens.

Color Temperature/Contrast

Color temperature in projectors involves color accuracy and ambiance, and it usually falls between warm, normal, and cool. The contrast ratio in projectors is the brightness ratio of an all-white image to that of an all-black image. Projectors with high contrast ratios will reveal more details when displaying dark images, while those with low contrast ratios will display blacks as dark grays, and you may miss some details. 

HDR

High dynamic range, abbreviated as HDR, refers to the ability of a projector to produce a dynamic range of colors wider than the standard, resulting in truer color shades, brighter whites, and darker blacks. With HDR, the colors look almost exactly like they would appear in real life, giving you more lifelike imagery that will leave you thinking you were in your favorite movie or TV show.

Native Resolution

Resolution is a feature that involves pixels (individual points of color) and image quality. The native resolution of a projector is the number of pixels in its projected image, and an example is the 4K resolution, expressed as 3840 × 2160. If a projector has a native 4K resolution, it can produce genuine displays of 4K movies and content compared to models that support 4K but not as their native resolution. 

If you are curious about resolution, please read related blog here.

Keystone Correction

Keystone correction is a feature that allows projectors to realign the distorted output image when the projector's position is not perpendicular to the horizontal center line of the screen. Sometimes, you may not get a perfectly shaped display on the screen during projection. With keystone correction, you can adjust the display dimensionally to get the desired rectangular shape. 

Zoom Lens 

A projector has an optics system with lenses that produce the image. A zoom lens is part of the projector's lens system that helps to enlarge or decrease the projected image, and it may be built-in or external.

XGIMI Smart Projectors You May Love

XGIMI Horizon Pro (4K Home Projector)

• 4K UHD/2200 ANSI Lumens: deliver a crystal-clear and luminous display perfect for indoor settings.
• Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology: simplifies setup and usability with:
  ○ Auto Focus: for a well-defined display at all times;
  ○ Auto Keystone Correction: for skewing the display to form a rectangular image from side projection;
  ○ Obstacle Avoidance: for resizing the projected image to avoid objects in the projection area;
  ○ Intelligent Screen Alignment: for rescaling the display to fit the dimensions of the projector screen.
• MEMC (60Hz): technology uses high refresh rates to deliver minimal image blurs in high-intensity visuals like action movies.
• Max 200-inch Screen: delivers your favorite content in large displays for comfortable viewing and is excellent for large audiences. 
• HDR10: delivers an extensive color depth which produces more accurate whites and blacks with high contrast ratios.
• Harman Kardon Sound: from dual built-in 8W speakers fills the living room and produces an immersive viewing experience. 
• X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine: improves image clarity and fidelity, producing lifelike and mesmerizing colors.
• Multiple Ports: including 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB 2.0, 1x LAN, and 1x Headphone, offer additional options for connecting to gaming consoles, TV sticks, etc. 
• Supports Chromecast Built-in: for screen mirroring Android and iOS devices with Bluetooth 5.0/WiFi compatibility. 
• Android TV™: gives you access to over 5000 apps, like YouTube and HBO Max, for watching your favorite movies and TV shows. 

XGIMI AURA (4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector)

• 4K UHD/2400 ANSI Lumens: deliver your favorite visuals in crystal-clear and beaming bright displays.
  
• Ultra Short Throw Technology (UST): gives you a 120” screen from just 11.7” away from any wall, saving space without compromising image size and quality. 
• X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine: enhances image clarity and color detail to produce clear and lifelike colors.
• Harman Kardon Sound: from four 15W speakers (two woofers and two tweeters) is rich, clear, and immersive, keeping you glued to the action.
• MEMC (60Hz): keeps your display free of any image trailing with low latency rates and image blurs. 
• Multiple Ports: including 3x HDMI 2.0, 3x USB 2.0, 1x LAN, and 1x Headphone (3.5mm), support the hassle-free connection of gaming consoles, hard drives, etc.
• Supports Chromecast Built-in: for mirroring smartphone and laptop screens and Bluetooth 5.0/WiFi compatibility for wireless streaming support.
• Android TV™: brings over 5000 apps, Prime Video and Disney+ to your screen whenever you want.

XGIMI Halo+ (1080p FHD Portable Projector)

• Built-in Battery: provides about 2.5 hours of video/5hrs of music on a single charge, enough power for a perfect outdoor movie night. 
• Max 200-inch Screen: ensures you can enjoy your favorite movies on a large display, emphasizing every detail and immersing you in the film. 
• HDR10: delivers a high contrast ratio and excellent color depth for true-to-life visuals. 
• MEMC (60Hz): uses super low latency rates to ensure little or no image blurs when watching fast-moving content like sports or gaming.
• 1080p Resolution/900 ANSI Lumens: ensure you can enjoy a bright and clear display outdoors. 
• Harman Kardon Sound: from twin built-in 5W speakers create an immersive viewing experience outdoors with professional high-fidelity sound, keeping distractions away.
• X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine: ensures you enjoy your favorite content outdoors in enhanced and lively colors for a truly engaging experience.
•  Intelligent Screen Adaption (ISA) Technology: delivers ease of use and setup through
  ○ Intelligent Screen Alignment: for an automatic fit-to-screen display within seconds;
  ○ Auto Focus: for a vivid and crisp image in seconds;
  ○ Auto Keystone Correction: for aligning the projected image to the screen vertically and horizontally;
  ○ Obstacle Avoidance: for rescaling the projected display to avoid objects within the projection area.
• Android TV™: gives you access to 5000+ apps and streaming services like Prime Video and HBO Max for your favorite conten
• Chromecast Built-in: streamlines Android, iOS, and laptop screen mirroring, and Bluetooth/WiFi compatibility facilitates additional wireless streaming options.

XGIMI Elfin (1080p Home Projector)

• 1080p FHD Resolution/800 ANSI Lumens: combine to deliver bright and well-defined images at all times.
• Max 200-inch Screen: delivers your favorite content with a cinema-like large screen experience.
• Harman Kardon: high-fidelity sound from dual built-in 3W speakers enhances the viewing experience for your favorite movies and shows.
• X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine: uses color revivification and clarity enhancement technology to produce rich and lively colors. 
• Intelligent Screen Adaption (ISA) Technology: brings ease of usability and setup with:
  ○ Auto Keystone Correction: that aligns the projection vertically and horizontally to produce excellent aspect ratios;
  ○ Intelligent Screen Alignment: automatically fits the projected image to your screen size;
  ○ Obstacle Avoidance: uses artificial intelligence to detect objects in the projection zone and resize the display to avoid them;
  ○ Auto Focus: delivers a vivid and smooth image after turning on the projector.
• Multiple Ports: like 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB 2.0, and 1x Headphone (3.5mm) streamline the connection of external devices like flash drives, TV sticks, etc.
• Supports Chromecast Built-in: for mirroring the screens of your Android or iOS devices and laptops with Bluetooth 5.0/WiFi compatibility. 
• Android TV™: puts 5000+ apps, including streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu, within your reach anytime. 

Upgrade Your Knowledge of Projectors

To be in a better and informed position when buying projectors, you need to have some in-depth knowledge of projector technology jargon. Apart from helping to drive informed buying decisions, knowing projector terminology helps you to understand what to expect from the product you buy.

XGIMI smart projectors HORIZON Pro, AURA, Halo+, and Elfin, are excellent projector choices that offer outstanding performance and good value for money. They have great sound and imaging features and technology that make them easy to set up and use. 

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