What is a Short Throw Projector?

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If you’re one of the people who ask “what is a short throw projector?”, you’ve come to the right place! Today, let’s get to know more about short throw projectors , their advantages, and some tips on how to find the best unit for your needs.

The short throw projector has gradually emerged as a staple home entertainment appliance and a useful business presentation tool. Regardless of your purpose for displaying images and videos, knowing the right kind of projector can make or break your entertainment experience.

Brief Background on the Short Throw Projector

A short throw projector allows images to be viewed in a much larger screen, thereby producing larger photo and video displays. Unlike a conventional TV that is encased within a frame (or also called a bezel), the projector’s display looks like a seamless screen floating in mid-air.

Using the projector requires two main components: the projector itself and a screen. Similarly, the short throw projector needs to be positioned a certain distance away from the screen in order to produce a specific size for any image.

How Does a Short Throw Projector Work?

Old TV projectors use CRT and LCD technology to project images. DLP or digital light processing projectors, on the other hand, work differently.

As the digital signal enters the projector from another device, the signal is decoded by an electronic circuit inside the projector. The lamp generates white light at the back of the projector. The light rotates rapidly rotating while generating either red, blue, or green light.

These three colors are generated by roughly 2 million tilting mirrors in a small digital micromirror device (DMD) chip. The mirrors revolve back and forth with the help of the electronic circuit that generates a pattern of red, blue, and green pixels to create a picture or image. The lens collects and focuses the light from the DMD chip and projects it onto the screen, and so the screen is able to magnify a TV image.

Here’s a short video to show the processes happening inside LCD and DLP projectors:

Kinds of Projectors Based on Throw

You may probably remember one or two projectors when you were still in school or currently at work. Most of the projectors in the market generally fall under one of three main types of projectors:

• Long throw projector
• Short throw projector
• Ultra-short throw projector

The term “throw” refers to the distance of the projector unit to the screen where the image is intended to be displayed. Some units require a considerable distance from the screen – such as long throw projectors. Meanwhile, a short throw projector or ultra-short throw projector needs a shorter distance.

Throw is the distance of the projector to the screen. [source]

A short throw projector makes use of lenses that allow displaying larger images at shorter distances. It has the ability to project a 100-inch image even at a distance of about 4 feet.

Types of Short Throw Projectors

The short throw projector is available in varying sizes, prices, and resolution. Here are some of the most common types of short throw projector:

HD

High-definition displays are designed to show better quality pictures. In its most basic definition, an HD short throw projector has the ability to display at least 480 scan lines on a single image.

1080p

This type of short throw projector is able to project clear pictures at 1920 x 1080p, which is considerably better than basic HD. When you play videos using a 1080p short throw projector, expect the imagery to be of a higher class of quality.

Laser

Laser projectors are said to be the projectors of the future. They provide brighter images, wider color spaces, and deeper black levels.

Additionally, this does not require lamp replacement, unlike conventional video projectors. As a result, this is a practical and convenient choice when planning to buy a short throw projector.

4K

A short throw projector with the capability to display 3480 x 1280p images belong to this category. In a standard 4K image, about 8.3 million pixels fill up the screen.

When compared to the 1080p, 4K video projectors display images that are more vivid. You will definitely have the impression that the images are real.

Advantages of Short Throw Projectors

The primary benefit of using a short throw projector is space. Using a long throw projector may need the screen to be at a distance of about 7 feet away in order to create a display of 60 inches. Given the distance that it needs, it is unlikely to be a choice for smaller homes or rooms.

The short throw projector, on the other hand, needs to be only 4 feet away from the screen to create the same size of images as those created by a long throw projector. Similarly, the short throw projector may be mounted on a shelf or installed on the ceiling, thereby eliminating the potential disruption of people’s silhouettes walking in front of the projector.

Another advantage is the unit size. Most short throw projectors are smaller in size than long throw variants. As a result, you need only a small tabletop space to mount the projector. Better yet, install it overhead!

Choosing the Best Short Throw Projector

Picking the right projector will not only fulfill your needs but also save you money from having to buy another one. Here are some of the factors that you need to consider before deciding to buy a short throw projector:

Picture Quality

This parameter is what most consumers are looking for. Regardless of the price, most people want a guarantee that they are paying for a good product. The images should be vivid, crystal-clear, and lifelike without distortion even when magnified.

Image Brightness

You need to find the right balance of brightness in your projector. An exceedingly high lumen rating may be good in some way, but small rooms don’t need that high lumen output

On the flip side, a short throw projector with ample lumen rating is perfect for huge venues such as conference halls. In these cases, 5000 lumens rating will produce images that can be clearly seen even at a distance.

Lens

Always check the lens to know how much you can magnify a projected image without distorting the display. Projector lenses may range from a standard zoom to a long zoom, as well as a fixed short focus that enables the projector to provide a vast range of sharpness levels.

Connectivity

The projector should be a versatile device, since it’s expected to project movies from a DVD player or display video games from your preferred gaming console. Projectors are also used for business presentations wherein you may need other devices such as your desktop computer or laptop in order to present it to a room full of people.

Look for a short throw projector that comes with HDMI connectors or USB ports to link it with necessary electronic devices.

Price

As a final decision factor, compare prices between a number of short throw projectors. Try to strike a perfect balance between cost and features, so that you can buy the optimum device to make your projected images outstanding without burning a huge hole in your wallet.

BUYING GUIDE: Find out which are the best short throw projectors in this page.

Now You Know What is a Short Throw Projector

Do you have a newfound appreciation for the beauty of using the best short throw projector? If you want to know more about the best short throw projector, feel free to browse through our articles or send us a query.

Through this article, we’re confident that you’ll be able to understand what is a short throw projector and how it can bring your presentations and viewing experience to a much higher quality.