Epson home projectors - put all the dots above i (part 1)
In the line of home projectors Epson will certainly find a model that will suit everyone, both in terms of functionality and budget. But how to determine which projector to choose? What is actually one projector is different from the other, except that "one is more expensive" and the other is "cheaper", and what is behind the numbers in the specifications and English words in the names of various technologies and additional functions?
If you want to understand the topic of home projectors, then you have come to the address. We will try to tell as much as possible about the main parameters of projectors and how to make the right choice.
In this post we will consider the main functionality, according to which projectors should be compared first of all.
First of all, we recall that some time ago we posted on Habré a post telling about Epson projection calculators . We recommend, if possible, to familiarize yourself with it, because, using our projection calculators, you can quickly figure out what image the projector that you selected on the advice of this post will give.
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The main question that arises for those who decide to choose a projector is “ how much brightness is needed? ". In total darkness, the luminous flux of more than 800 lumens from the projector is almost never required.
If a projector designed for dark rooms has a brightness of 2500 Lm, this in most cases means that it has different display modes that balance between maximum brightness and best image quality.
The more light in the room - the greater the need for brightness and the lower the requirements for color quality. Also, the larger the screen, the more important the high brightness. In general, 2500 lumens is enough for a 130-inch screen in a fairly lit room.
Of course, if possible, it is desirable to be able to darken the room as much as possible to obtain an image with maximum brightness and contrast.
Contrast characterizes the minimum brightness of the projector, i.e. how much it is able to block the light when displaying black, how black it turns out to be deep, dark. The definition of contrast is the ratio of the maximum brightness of the projector to the minimum. And, if two projectors have the same maximum brightness, then a more contrast one of them will give a deeper black color:
The second side of the contrast is the “black depth” on dark scenes, by itself. It is on dark scenes that the deep black level is most desirable and most noticeable. The standard for modern home projectors of almost all price categories is the presence of an automatic aperture that blocks part of the light on dark scenes, reducing the maximum brightness and improving the black level. At the same time, only black should become darker, while the remaining colors the projector proportionally enhances, leveling the effect of darkening.
Contrast consists of “static”, which the projector can present while simultaneously displaying bright and dark areas and “dynamic”, which is obtained with the help of a diaphragm. By combining both, you can increase the total contrast and black depth.
Static contrast is largely dependent on matrices. Epson LCD-matrix divided into standard and "C2 Fine". The latter are used in top-end Epson projectors, which are widely recognized for their advanced contrast levels and black depth. Budget models without C2 Fine will have less “static” contrast.
With regard to dynamic contrast, all Epson home projectors are equipped with an automatic aperture that allows you to improve the black level depending on the brightness of the displayed scene. The darker the scene, the stronger the diaphragm closes, reducing the luminous flux.
Simply put, high contrast is almost the main challenge for manufacturers of projectors and, in many respects, this parameter determines the class of the projector. High contrast projectors are often compared to a racing car, and the quality of darkening the room is compared to the road. If it is not possible to ensure the conditions of a home cinema (at least - a complete blackout of the room), then the need for the most expensive and contrasting projector is in doubt.
Speaking about dark scenes, it would not be superfluous to recall that all Epson projectors are built on the basis of a three-matrix technology, which guarantees the complete absence of the so-called “rainbow effect”, a color loop, which to some extent is present in one-matrix projectors and is best seen in the darkness.
Welcome to the most interesting section. First, let's define what determines the quality of the final image:
First of all, the projector must be able to display the correct neutral (colorless) colors: black, gray and white, so that they are neither “warm” nor “cold”, but 100% colorless (see note ).
By asking the projector to show “100% red”, “100% blue” and “100% green”, we get a triangle, inside which are all the colors that the projector is able to show. Even white is obtained by mixing these three primary colors. For example, the correct 100% green
Regarding the last point, it is worth noting that not all projectors' technologies work with the same color - many one-matrix projectors based on DLP technology may have colors that are correct in hue and saturation, but incorrect in brightness. This is due to the less efficient use of such luminous flux projectors, as a result of which, in order to achieve greater brightness, the black and white component is enhanced to the detriment of colors:
Well, and finally, if everything is in order with the color gamut, then the following condition is that the values ​​of the basic shades correspond to those provided by the broadcast standard (sRGB / Rec.709, etc.). If each shade is strictly in its place, a completely new dimension opens up when the picture literally comes to life - and you see it as the creators in Hollywood conceived it. Along with contrast, color rendering is the second key component of a quality (and expensive) image.
Sometimes, progress goes forward, leaving the standards of the film industry behind. Therefore, in a good way, modern high-end home projectors began to offer the user to activate various image enhancement systems. In terms of color standards, this is certainly a great liberty. But from the point of view of the viewer, this is a significant expansion of its capabilities, and for some films it is a new life. In any case, the owner of the projector decides whether or not to use these functions, and if so, in what mode of intensity. Here are the basic “remastered on the go” technologies used in Epson projectors:
It's simple. There are two main questions that we are constantly asked:
In this post, we went over the most important characteristics for home projectors. In the second part of the article, we will briefly go over each of Epson's home projectors, no longer dwelling on their decoding, and give specific recommendations on what tasks a particular projector is suitable for. Follow the news!
We remind you that you can figure out what picture you can get from a particular projector using one of our projection calculators .
Connoisseurs, of course, would argue that there is no such thing as “100% colorless white” because the white color is determined by the reference point, which we choose based on the colorimetric temperature of the light source. So, for example, light with a temperature of 4200 Kelvin will seem “warm” to us, and 9000 Kelvin - “cold”. In most cases, the light source with a temperature of 6500K is taken as the white point, since Most of the content that we watch on our TVs or projectors is prepared according to the standard and high definition standards sRGB / Rec.709 , in which the illuminant D65 is selected for the white point (that is, with a white temperature value of 6500K).
If you want to understand the topic of home projectors, then you have come to the address. We will try to tell as much as possible about the main parameters of projectors and how to make the right choice.
In this post we will consider the main functionality, according to which projectors should be compared first of all.
Firstly
First of all, we recall that some time ago we posted on Habré a post telling about Epson projection calculators . We recommend, if possible, to familiarize yourself with it, because, using our projection calculators, you can quickly figure out what image the projector that you selected on the advice of this post will give.
')
Brightness
The main question that arises for those who decide to choose a projector is “ how much brightness is needed? ". In total darkness, the luminous flux of more than 800 lumens from the projector is almost never required.
If a projector designed for dark rooms has a brightness of 2500 Lm, this in most cases means that it has different display modes that balance between maximum brightness and best image quality.
The more light in the room - the greater the need for brightness and the lower the requirements for color quality. Also, the larger the screen, the more important the high brightness. In general, 2500 lumens is enough for a 130-inch screen in a fairly lit room.
Of course, if possible, it is desirable to be able to darken the room as much as possible to obtain an image with maximum brightness and contrast.
Contrast
Contrast characterizes the minimum brightness of the projector, i.e. how much it is able to block the light when displaying black, how black it turns out to be deep, dark. The definition of contrast is the ratio of the maximum brightness of the projector to the minimum. And, if two projectors have the same maximum brightness, then a more contrast one of them will give a deeper black color:
The second side of the contrast is the “black depth” on dark scenes, by itself. It is on dark scenes that the deep black level is most desirable and most noticeable. The standard for modern home projectors of almost all price categories is the presence of an automatic aperture that blocks part of the light on dark scenes, reducing the maximum brightness and improving the black level. At the same time, only black should become darker, while the remaining colors the projector proportionally enhances, leveling the effect of darkening.
Contrast consists of “static”, which the projector can present while simultaneously displaying bright and dark areas and “dynamic”, which is obtained with the help of a diaphragm. By combining both, you can increase the total contrast and black depth.
Static contrast is largely dependent on matrices. Epson LCD-matrix divided into standard and "C2 Fine". The latter are used in top-end Epson projectors, which are widely recognized for their advanced contrast levels and black depth. Budget models without C2 Fine will have less “static” contrast.
With regard to dynamic contrast, all Epson home projectors are equipped with an automatic aperture that allows you to improve the black level depending on the brightness of the displayed scene. The darker the scene, the stronger the diaphragm closes, reducing the luminous flux.
Simply put, high contrast is almost the main challenge for manufacturers of projectors and, in many respects, this parameter determines the class of the projector. High contrast projectors are often compared to a racing car, and the quality of darkening the room is compared to the road. If it is not possible to ensure the conditions of a home cinema (at least - a complete blackout of the room), then the need for the most expensive and contrasting projector is in doubt.
Speaking about dark scenes, it would not be superfluous to recall that all Epson projectors are built on the basis of a three-matrix technology, which guarantees the complete absence of the so-called “rainbow effect”, a color loop, which to some extent is present in one-matrix projectors and is best seen in the darkness.
Color accuracy
Welcome to the most interesting section. First, let's define what determines the quality of the final image:
White balance
First of all, the projector must be able to display the correct neutral (colorless) colors: black, gray and white, so that they are neither “warm” nor “cold”, but 100% colorless (see note ).
Color gamut
By asking the projector to show “100% red”, “100% blue” and “100% green”, we get a triangle, inside which are all the colors that the projector is able to show. Even white is obtained by mixing these three primary colors. For example, the correct 100% green
- the shade should not be yellow or bluish (see note );
- saturation should not be faded or oversaturated
; - must have correct brightness compared to white
(see our post about projectors color brightness )
Regarding the last point, it is worth noting that not all projectors' technologies work with the same color - many one-matrix projectors based on DLP technology may have colors that are correct in hue and saturation, but incorrect in brightness. This is due to the less efficient use of such luminous flux projectors, as a result of which, in order to achieve greater brightness, the black and white component is enhanced to the detriment of colors:
Well, and finally, if everything is in order with the color gamut, then the following condition is that the values ​​of the basic shades correspond to those provided by the broadcast standard (sRGB / Rec.709, etc.). If each shade is strictly in its place, a completely new dimension opens up when the picture literally comes to life - and you see it as the creators in Hollywood conceived it. Along with contrast, color rendering is the second key component of a quality (and expensive) image.
Image Enhancements
Sometimes, progress goes forward, leaving the standards of the film industry behind. Therefore, in a good way, modern high-end home projectors began to offer the user to activate various image enhancement systems. In terms of color standards, this is certainly a great liberty. But from the point of view of the viewer, this is a significant expansion of its capabilities, and for some films it is a new life. In any case, the owner of the projector decides whether or not to use these functions, and if so, in what mode of intensity. Here are the basic “remastered on the go” technologies used in Epson projectors:
- Epson Cinema Filter - expands the color gamut, allowing you to enjoy the clearer, more saturated colors that you will find in nature, but rarely see on displays.
- Frame Interpolation - creates additional frames, smoothing movement in films shot at 24 frames per second, which allows you to achieve a greater sense of reality even when viewing black and white classics.
- Super Resolution - improves the clarity of small details, allowing you to get a higher resolution feel for material shot in standard resolution (i.e. not full HD).
Easy installation
It's simple. There are two main questions that we are constantly asked:
Is it possible to organically fit the projector into the room without resorting to a fixed installation? For example, I have a 130-inch screen on my wall, but I want to position the projector closer or farther from it.- No problem! Choose the projector with the highest zoom ratio, which allows you to change the size of the projected image without changing the position of the projector in space.
I want to position the projector to the right or left, above or below, without losing image quality.- At your service function "lens shift". In addition, many low-cost projectors offer a keystone correction of geometry, allowing the projector to be positioned at a vertical or horizontal angle to the screen.
Want to know everything!
In this post, we went over the most important characteristics for home projectors. In the second part of the article, we will briefly go over each of Epson's home projectors, no longer dwelling on their decoding, and give specific recommendations on what tasks a particular projector is suitable for. Follow the news!
We remind you that you can figure out what picture you can get from a particular projector using one of our projection calculators .
Note
Connoisseurs, of course, would argue that there is no such thing as “100% colorless white” because the white color is determined by the reference point, which we choose based on the colorimetric temperature of the light source. So, for example, light with a temperature of 4200 Kelvin will seem “warm” to us, and 9000 Kelvin - “cold”. In most cases, the light source with a temperature of 6500K is taken as the white point, since Most of the content that we watch on our TVs or projectors is prepared according to the standard and high definition standards sRGB / Rec.709 , in which the illuminant D65 is selected for the white point (that is, with a white temperature value of 6500K).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/374837/
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