How do you choose the best outdoor projector?
What do you need to know and look for to choose the video outdoor projectors?
Whatever the motivation for purchasing such item, not many people know how to choose the best outdoor projector for personal needs, being quite difficult to discern the information received in product descriptions, especially when you do not know notions of technology in this field.
Therefore, to help you, I will talk about how can you choose the best outdoor projectors depending on some important features!
How do you choose the best video projector?
Luminosity
The last thing you want from the projector image is to be too bright or too faded.
This mainly depends on the size of the room where you use the projector, the distance to the screen or wall and the brightness of the projector lamp (which is measured in lumens).
If the projector has a low lumen value (less than 1000) then you will have to use the projector in a small space because the distance at which you can view the images is not very large.
At values ??above 1500 lumens, the projector should work smoothly outside or even in a small cinema.
One with 2000 lumens can easily project the image even 6 meters away.
Even if you have a projector with a high brightness, you can use it in a smaller room such as the living room or living room of your home.
The image will be just as good even if the projector is only 2-3 meters away.
The most important thing to remember is to choose a projector with a brightness of at least 1000 lumens.
When using the video projector, make sure it is dark outside, or you have a dark room.
A stream of light coming in from the window or another room can cause headaches. As in the cinema, the darker the place, the better the viewing experience.
Visual features
They represent a set of parameters that mainly refers to the quality of the projected images.
In this category, we can list: contrast, resolution, aspect ratio, lamps.
Contrast is practically the difference between the lightest and the darkest projected colour, both considered in section (when joining with other shades does not affect their saturation or brightness by contrast simultaneously and successively).
You have two contrast options: static and native-dynamic.
Both are expressed in a report, with the mention that the figures may be higher in the case of dynamic contrast.
The not so good part about this option is that it can affect the final quality of the image, being sometimes considered too violent from a visual point of view.
Therefore, many technicians especially recommend static contrast.
The best video outdoor projectors have a standardized contrast ratio between 2000:1 and 15000:1.
If you design in a very dark room, bet on lower values.
You need to consider not only the fact that it is dark, but also the colours of objects or walls because all shades are perceived by the human eye as a reflection of light radiation.
The resolution reflects the quality of the projected image. Most video projectors on the market are made with native resolution, but programmed to support multiple types of data source resolution.
Therefore, the indicator reflects the number of pixels that can be displayed vertically and horizontally.
The higher the resolution values, the clearer and higher the quality of the image.
There are several categories: XGA (1024px768p), WXGA (1280px720p), Full HD (1920px1080p), HD Ready (1024px720p) etc.
When watching movies or games on the console, you can be satisfied with an HD Ready resolution.
For projections from widescreen data sources, an XGA resolution is required.
Aspect ratio is defined as the ratio between the two sides of the image.
In other words, when the aspect ratio of the data source differs from that of the outdoor projector, the image will be rendered with two black bars, where the ratio is not synchronized, leaving unused projection space and the image appearing reduced.
Surely you have encountered this problem on older TVs or various monitors, noticing the two black spaces on the side (or up/ down).
The respective indicator is rendered by a ratio, and the most popular values ??at present are 4: 3, 16: 9 and 21: 9.
Most manufacturers specify this parameter in the descriptions of the supplied products.
What about the lamps?
The average lifespan of an outdoor projector lamps is between 2000 and 400o hours.
For almost the entire duration of use, the image will remain good and bright, but, at the end of the lamp’s life, it will start to be weaker and weaker.
If you use the projector at full power very often, expect a lifespan of up to 2000 hours.
If you use the economy modes, the lamp will last up to 4000 hours.
A projector lamp will cost you a few hundred euro when it comes time to change it, depending on the model.
Some tips to increase the life of the lamp:
- Periodically clean the filters and dust vents.
- Do not obstruct the cooling fan.
- Keep the projector in open space during use.
- Do not turn off the projector as soon as it has been switched on, wait at least 5 minutes.
Portability
It is an aspect that depends not only on the dimensions and weight of the chosen product, but also on the mode of signal transmission.
From this point of view, the most appreciated will be a wireless video projector.
It is equipped with a factory LAN connection, which once activated, allows playback of data from other connected sources, without the need for a transmission cable.
However, it is good to pay some attention to the acquisition costs, and to the other technical characteristics, when you decide to buy something in this category.
For a conventional portable video projector, you only need a lightweight, adequate dimensions and a versatile interface, which includes HDMI, USB, VGA or even Audio In.
The best outdoor projectors
Panasonic PT-VZ470AJ
The brightness of 3100 Lumens and the contrast of 10000:1 will ensure a pleasant work experience, and by activating the Daylight View Lite function you no longer have to worry about the ambient light in the room.
The 28 dB, in ECO2 mode, are the guarantee of quiet presentations, all the attention being distributed to the information provided.
The PT-VZ470AJ video projector has a 2-watt audio speaker.
The Panasonic PT-VZ470AJ video projector lamp provides a lifespan of up to 8000 hours (in ECO2 mode).
BenQ W1210ST 1080p
SmartEco mode intelligently adjusts the lamp power to maximize energy savings but also provide the best contrast and brightness using exactly as much light as needed.
Lamps replaced at longer intervals and less frequent maintenance means lower maintenance costs with the help of LampSave mode.
Because they have an ultra-high contrast (the highest in the industry), BenQ projectors are designed to reproduce the finest detail.
Optoma W330
Add more depth to the image with a high contrast projector; with ultra-rich bright black and white, images and text appear clear and well defined.
“Eco plus” technology combines high contrast, improves lamp life and saves energy. You will enjoy very good colours in the next years, guaranteed by Optoma’s 5 years constant performance.
Optoma projectors incorporate BrilliantColor multi-colour processing technology.
Epson EB-S31
This LCD projector effortlessly displays bright images in vivid colours, rendering them accurately and clearly: it is ideal for presentations and moving images and is helped by the contrast ratio of 15000:1.
Wireless connectivity (optional) allows you to easily display content from several devices without being wired to the projector.
The EB-S31 has an eco-friendly setting, an automatic dimming function and an A/V stop timer.
Acer H6510BD outdoor projector
Acer H6510BD is a newer model of the manufacturer, which can benefit people who want to watch, at home, a movie on the big screen, a TV show or a video game.
Even 3D movies can be viewed if you have the necessary glasses. It works with 3000 lumens, the brightness being good even in less dark environments.
It also has 1080p resolution and 10000 contrast, offering exactly the visual performance you could want. It should be mentioned that it also incorporates two 2W speakers, being able to work without connection to an audio source.
Optoma HD144X outdoor projector
Optoma HD183X is a video projector with more than decent performance, which addresses the home cinema, business and education segments.
It supports a maximum resolution of 1080p and offers a contrast of 25000:1, resulting in vivid colours.
It has a 3200-lumen lamp, and the brightness can be adjusted to one of the 3 stages.
To save the life of the lamp (duration 10,000 hours), at night, you can set it to eco-design mode.
You will have realistic colours even if the walls in the room are not white, but coloured because the video projector is provided with a function of selecting the colour of the screen on which it is projected.
The accepted playback distance is between 1.06-7.67m, but you can calculate the optimal one, depending on the arrangement in the house, using the service on the main website of the manufacturer.
BENQ MS506
If you want to buy a good video outdoor projector, which you can use in class or at various presentations, but in which you do not invest an exaggerated amount, this business model can help you do your job.
It is, first of all, portable, weighing 1.8 kg, so you can carry it anywhere without too much effort.
You do not have to expect the image quality that a home cinema model offers.
However, it has a native resolution of 800 x 600, 13000:1 contrast and 3200 lumens, so the images will be clear, especially in a semi-dark room.
It also has eco use options, so you will save power, and the lamp life will also be extended from 4000 hours (normal use) to 10,000 hours (using the lamp save option).
Anker Nebula Capsule Max
This Anker Nebula Capsule Max is by far the coolest portable projector we’ve come across so far. It has wifi connectivity for your phone, around 4 hours battery life and is portable to carry around when you’re traveling.
It’s the best one for camping by far. We take a van around the country at least once a year when we’re blogging about Irish Tourism.
Some evenings we project it up against the van, sit in our blow up chairs and enjoy the experience.
FAQ about the best outdoor projectors
What you need to know before use?
If you have chosen a wireless product, you will not have too many hassles, but you probably gave more money than a classic one.
The good part is that the wireless ones have an integrated LAN connection, allowing you to project images and data from networked sources, without having to connect it to the data source via a cable.
The situation is different when we talk about classic, wired models. After choosing the type of surface on which you will play the images, you must decide the distance between the lens of the projection camera and the wall/screen (throw distance).
The larger it is, the bigger the images will be, but more blurred.
To make your job easier, manufacturers write (usually) on the product box or in instructions what is the maximum distance to use for satisfactory results.
What is the advantage of a video projector over a high definition TV?
First of all, the size of the image.
The image can be projected on a wall a few meters in size. A TV of similar size probably costs as much as a luxury car.
So, if you want to have a complete cinematic experience outdoor, a quality video projector is the perfect choice.
How to position outdoor projectors?
Most users prefer to put it behind the sofa or where they will look, so as not to be distracted by the light and noise of the fans.
Often, it is positioned on a shelf, a table, in a closet or even mounted on the ceiling.
How to set outdoor projectors?
To obtain a clear image you need to study a little the instructions for use, because each device will have its settings.
The important thing is to position the lens, which can be done automatically or manually.
AutoCorrect will stabilize the trapezoidal image in a rectangle by pressing the button mentioned in the instructions.
Manually, vertically align the image from the top and bottom, and horizontally distort the left or right.
In terms of additional settings, many models allow the lens to move within the device to improve image quality and give a uniform focus.
Similarly, you will have manual or motorized zoom settings, which centre the projected data at the desired resolution. Contrast and brightness can be adjusted later when you try the first movie.