Getting to Know the Types of Projector
To choose the right projector for the job, we first need to know the types. Let's get to know LCD, DLP, LCOS and Laser projectors.
Today projectors are used for many purposes, whether for home entertainment or for presenting in meetings. To choose a projector that suits the job, we first need to get to know each type of projector so that we understand how it works.
LCD Projector
The LCD projector is a popular projector used both for presentations and as a home theater system for home entertainment. The component that produces the image light in this type of projector is the lamp. An LCD projector works by shining light from the lamp through three color panels — red, green and blue, known as RGB — which are combined into an image and then passed through the lens, projecting the light onto the screen. This produces an image that looks complete and natural.
DLP Projector
The DLP projector is another highly popular type because it is just as versatile as the LCD type, and it also uses a lamp like the LCD projector. It works using an imaging chip called a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device), which shines white light through a spinning color wheel onto a large number of tiny reflective mirrors, then to the projection lens to form the image cast onto the screen. The resulting image has a resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels.
LCOS Projector
The LCOS projector combines the strengths of the LCD and DLP systems. It works by reflecting light from all three color panels (Red, Green, Blue), using reflection off a Liquid Crystal layer instead of reflection off the mirrors on a DMD chip. Because the Liquid Crystal layer consists of a very large number of pixels, it delivers higher image quality than either LCD or DLP. The LCOS projector is also very popular for use in home theater systems.
Laser Projector
The Laser projector is a new projector innovation that uses a laser as the light source instead of the lamp used in ordinary projectors, giving it good brightness and a far longer service life than a conventional lamp. The Laser projector can be combined with the technologies of the three projector types above, so its operating principle is the same as theirs. In the future, Laser projectors will quickly replace some types of projector, because they deliver better brightness and image resolution.