The short-throw video projector can take place on a coffee table in front of the players, and even be taken for game sessions with friends, or mounted on a support on the ceiling.
A standard focal length video games projector must be placed at least 3 or 4 meters away from the screen to obtain an image of approximately 1.5 to 2 meters of base. In this case, we prefer a fixed installation on the ceiling. Practical, some ceiling projector mounts have a quick attachment system that makes it easy to clip and unclip the projector to take it with you.
LCD or DLP video projector
These two technologies now offer a very satisfactory display quality, with bright and well-contrasted images. DLP video projection technology, however, produces slightly softer and natural images, with slightly higher contrast. Some spectators find that LCD technology presents a somewhat computer-like rendering. As for the rainbow effect of DLP video projectors to which some people are more sensitive than others, it is today greatly reduced, if not eliminated, by the use of colorimetric wheels with 6 segments to replace the 3-segment wheels still used on some entry-level models.
Brightness and contrast
The brightness of the video projector, expressed in ANSI lumens, is decisive for a projection in the middle of the day when the room is only immersed in semi-darkness. A bright video projector is also an asset to obtain a very large image without losing brightness.
The contrast ratio designates the difference in value that the video projector can produce when it displays a completely black image and a completely white image. It is expressed by an XXXX: 1 ratio. This value is important because it determines the ability of the projector to produce shade between total black and the brightest white. A low contrast ratio thus results in a lack of subtlety and detail in the images, due to a limited number of gradations to go from black to white. Conversely, a high contrast ratio allows the video projector to display more shades in all areas of the image, with more visible details, in dark areas as in bright areas. Ideal for flushing out an adversary camouflaged in the darkness of a hangar,
- For video game and home theater use, it is recommended to make the room as dark as possible in order to optimize the contrast and obtain a better color definition. It is thus possible to favor a video projector with high contrast without having to focus on the value of the brightness which is then less critical.
For the image as for the sound, the physical characteristics of the room have an influence on the result obtained an untreated living room tends to reduce the real contrast of the image. The walls surrounding the screen in a living room are generally light in color and reflect part of the light towards the projection screen, which reduces the perceived contrast. In an entirely white room which induces a reduced contrast, it is therefore preferable not to have a too-bright video projector. To take advantage of the best projectors, we prefer as much as possible a dark environment around the screen. It is obviously easier to implement in a dedicated room, in which the walls and the ceiling adopt a dark and mat finish, as in professional cinemas. But a simple dark curtain deployed behind the screen during projection can significantly improve the final contrast in a living room.
