Technology is reaching higher and higher with each day passing by, making the world run smoothly with innovations and discoveries. With the development of electronic devices, the life of humans has been made much more accessible. One object that still leaves people dumbstruck is the projector.
This device comes with extraordinary features and capabilities. Projectors are known for their ability to create images by shining light through a transparent and small lens and so occupied a huge market worldwide and is expected to reach USD 2131 Million by 2030 which includes all types of projectors.
What is a Projector? Define Projector
A projector is an output device that takes images generated by a computer or Blu-ray player and reproduces them through projection onto a screen, wall, or solid surface. In most cases, the surface on which the image is projected is large, flat, and lightly colored. Projectors can either produce still or moving images.
A man named David Hansen invented the first carousel slide projector on May 11, 1965. Gene Dolgoff invented the digital projector known today in 1984. Most projectors either use an HDMI cable or a VGA cable that receives input.
Types of Projectors
There are different types of projectors developed for different purposes depending on the needs of customers, their budget and considering other factors and each projector end goal is same, that is to project the image or video but the materials and technology used are different that you can check below for each type of projector.
1. DLP Projector:
DLP projectors are known as Digital Light Processing Projectors through which the light beams are passed with the help of color wheels, reflection mirrors, and a lens.
The DLP chip, also known as Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), differentiates DLP from Laser Projectors. Each mirror on a DLP chip is almost the size of a red blood cell. DLP projectors are known to be highly reliable, lightweight, and portable.
2. LCD Projector:
LCD projectors are popularly known as the modern replacements for Slide or Overhead projectors. LCD projectors display video and images on a projector screen and other flat surfaces. This type of projector generally produces fewer contrast outputs and requires filter maintenance.
The projector consists of a lamp, three liquid crystal panels, filters, and a prism necessary to produce the image on the screen. The projectors offer excellent quality color and are budget-friendly. They are commonly used for presentations, seminars, and meetings.
3. LED Projector:
LED projectors can be easily connected to devices like mobiles, laptops, and many more. The projectors are well equipped with LED light projections which ensure that the image or the video which is being projected is transparent with high-quality resolutions.LED projectors are high-quality projectors that use LED to project images and videos successfully.
One can operate them with a remote with an improved LED lamp life. The projectors are pretty portable and are ceiling mountable. Some advanced LED projectors come with a reduced noise fan which can reduce the noise by half.
4. LCOS Projector:
LCOS also stands for Liquid Crystal Technology on Silicon. This type of projector is a hybrid between DLP and LCD.
DLP projectors reflect light either into or away from the lens using tilting mirrors, whereas LCD projectors use liquid crystals on glass panels, modulating the amount of light passing through. LCOS projectors use the reflective technology of DLP and block the light using crystals like LCD.
Hence this combination produces whiter whites and deeper blacks. LCOS is a three-chip technology controlling light within the primary blue, green, and red channels.
As a result, LCOS projectors can deliver colors at the same time rather than using a spinning color wheel, like in the case of a DLP projector.
How a Projector Works: Principle and Mechanism
Principle:
Most projectors create a photo or a video onto a surface by projecting a bright light through a small lens. Some newer types of projectors can project images directly through lasers.
A digital rental display or retinal projector is a projector that projects a photo at once on the retina. It is used as a substitute for using an external projection screen.
Mechanism:
If you want to know about the projector’s mechanism, there is a lamp inside. This lamp is the source of luminous flux.
According to the principles of light projection, the flow is divided into three colors that are red, blue, and green, as it is passed through the optical system. After that, it enters the modulator, which creates a pixel structure.
The control unit receives signals from the image source and adjusts the direction of the modulating matrix. Following the principle of focusing, the lens collects streams of different colors, forming an image on the screen.
Applications of a Projector:
A projector can be used for various options. Some of the most common applications of the projectors are:
1. In Classrooms
Projectors are used in schooling areas to describe a particular topic to students and to make their concepts clearer with visuals.
With the introduction of projectors in classrooms, videos and photographs have become more enjoyable, and children can quickly learn in a fun manner. Further, images can be zoomed in and zoomed out to get a clear vision and search minor points.
2. In Companies
Projectors are also used in big companies, MNCs, and enterprises for meetings, presentations, and conferences.
3. At Home
Projectors are often used as home theatres, allowing you to see any movie or series on a massive display with a first-rate sound that will give you the feeling that you are staring at a live movie.
How to Use Projectors?
To use a projector first, you need to turn on the computer or video equipment that you want to use before you turn on the projector so that it can display the image source.
- First, remove the projector lens cover.
- After that, connect the power cord to the projector’s power inlet.
- Try to plug the power cord inside an electrical outlet. You will see the projector’s power light turning orange. This means that the projector receives power but has not yet turned on.
- You are then needed to press the power button on the projector. You can also use a remote control to turn on the projector.
- The projector will beep, and the power light flashes green as it warms up. The power light will stop flashing after five seconds and turn green.
Hence by doing as above, you can use projectors.
Advantages of Using Projectors
Some of the advantages of using projectors are as follows:
1. It gives a large picture size
Front projectors offer the largest viable photo size. One can use them to create a large display screen and experience a business film theatre in their own home.
A majority of projectors produce magnificent pictures at sizes of 90″ to 120″ diagonal. These pictures are more significant compared to flat screen TVs or rear-projection TVs.
2. Acts as an alternative for large screen televisions
A projector is a much cheaper option than television and acts as an alternative for a 60″ plasma TV. The picture offered by the projector is typically very bright, and projectors can be used with some of the room lights on.
3. Projectors are budget-friendly
Projectors can be a minor high-priced substitute for a big display screen video in your home. Most projectors are less steeply-priced than flat screen TVs or rear-projection TVs.
Due to the low price of many entry-level projectors, they are the least expensive way to get a considerable screen experience at home.
You might need to attach an additional speaker, yet the experience you get is much better than the price.
4. Saves space
A tiny projector usually set on a rear shelf, bookcase, or ceiling, takes up little space in the room. When it is not in use, it is hardly visible.
5. Projectors are easy to install
Projectors are lightweight and portable, and one can pull them out of the box, hook them up and get an image on the wall without any trouble.
Disadvantages of Using Projectors:
There are a few disadvantages of using a projector. They are listed below:
- A dark room is mainly required to use of a projector.
- Projectors also require maintenance regularly.
- Sometimes installation costs can be more as it depends on how you get it installed.
- Most of the projectors need a separate audio system for sound.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In an LCD TV projector, a very bright light is passed through a small LCD screen into a lens, which throws a highly magnified screen image onto the wall. The technology is sometimes called LCLV, also known as a liquid crystal light valve.
An overhead projector follows the same principle as a slide projector, in which a converging focusing lens projects light from an illuminated slide onto a projection screen where an actual image is formed.
A digital projection display system is a specialized computer display used to project an enlarged image on a movie screen. Such devices are popularly used in presentations.
A projector is undoubtedly an output device that takes images generated by a computer or Blu-ray player and reproduces them by projection onto a screen, wall, or any other solid surface. It receives input using an HDMI cable or VGA cable.
For a science project, you can make a projector using recycled materials. The steps are:
1. First, hold the lens or magnifying glass against one of the shorter sides of a box, after that, outline.
2. Then cut out the hole for the lens or magnifying glass using a craft knife safely. Try to cut the circle slightly more minor as compared to the outline.
3. Using a spare piece of cardboard, make a triangular stand for the phone by making two lengthwise folds and forming a triangular shape. Hold the stand using tape.
4. Hold the lens/magnifying glass inside the box and align it with the circular opening. If the lens has a flat surface on one side, the outwardly- curved surface must face outwards.
5. Keep the box in front of a plain white wall and turn off the lights. Play a video on the smartphone and hold it inside the box, facing it towards the projector’s lens.
6. Move the smartphone closer to and further away from the lens and check and mark the position which gives out the best image.
7. Align your smartphone stand to the marked position and tape it to the bottom of the box.
8. Please turn on the smartphone, so the image is formed upside down and keep it idle against the stand.
9. Look at the image on a plain wall. You can try moving the box closer to the wall or further away to change the image quality.
Hence, in these simple steps, you can make a projector for your science project.
A (Digital Projector(DLP) is best to watch movies on Netflix or Paramount, the best part is they support Dolby sound which is the best surround sound experience you can have.
Conclusion:
Hence these were all the types of Projectors and how they function. All the advantages and disadvantages of a projector have been discussed above. Hence a projector comes with both cons and pros.
If you are planning to buy a large television with a high-quality image and are low on budget, then a projector will be the best alternative. They are pretty easy on your pockets and will serve the function of television.
This is Samuel Tector, a full time DOP Artist and writer. My lifetime interests are in Movies & Music, completely into entertainment and I love to capture the greatest shots for Movies, Events, and Wildlife and recently started a brand called New Vision Theatres.
