Projector Specs Glossary

ANSI Lumens

The industry-standard measurement of projector brightness, tested under controlled conditions defined by the American National Standards Institute. Higher numbers mean brighter images.

Example: "3,000 ANSI lumens" - bright enough for living rooms with some ambient light.

LED Lumens / Light Source Lumens

A non-standard brightness measurement that measures the light source output, not the projected image. Often 2-3x higher than ANSI lumens. Common in budget projector marketing.

Warning: "10,000 LED lumens" may only equal 3,000-4,000 ANSI lumens.

Color Light Output (CLO)

Measures brightness of colored content specifically. Some projectors have high white brightness but lower color brightness, resulting in muted colors. Look for CLO equal to white lumens.

Example: A projector with 3,000 white lumens but only 1,500 color lumens will show washed-out colors.

Foot-Lamberts (fL)

A measure of light reflected from the screen surface, accounting for screen size and gain. Cinema standard is 14-16 fL. Useful for comparing actual perceived brightness.

Native Resolution

The actual physical pixel count of the projector's imaging chip. This is the true resolution capability and what matters most when evaluating image clarity.

Example: "Native 1920x1080" means the chip has exactly 2,073,600 physical pixels.

Pixel Shifting (e-Shift, XPR)

Technology that rapidly shifts pixels to create apparent higher resolution. A 1080p chip shifting pixels can simulate 4K resolution. Quality varies by implementation.

Example: Texas Instruments XPR technology shifts pixels 4x to display 8.3 million pixels from a 2.7M chip.

4K UHD

Resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels (8.3 million total), four times 1080p. The consumer 4K standard. Often achieved through pixel-shifting in affordable projectors.

True 4K / Native 4K

Refers to projectors with chips containing 8.3+ million physical pixels without pixel shifting. Found in premium Sony SXRD and JVC D-ILA projectors.

Aspect Ratio

The ratio of image width to height. 16:9 is standard for HDTV/4K content. 2.35:1 is cinemascope/widescreen movies. 4:3 is classic TV format.

Throw Ratio

The ratio of projection distance to screen width. Calculated as: distance ÷ screen width. Lower ratios mean shorter throw distances for the same screen size.

Example: A 1.5:1 ratio means 15 feet of distance creates a 10-foot wide image. Learn more

Short Throw

Projectors with throw ratios between 0.4:1 and 1.0:1. Can project a 100" image from 3-8 feet away. Ideal for small rooms and gaming.

Ultra Short Throw (UST)

Projectors with throw ratios under 0.4:1, typically 0.2:1 or less. Project from inches away, sitting directly below the screen. Also called "laser TVs."

Lens Shift

Optical adjustment that moves the projected image up/down or left/right without affecting image quality. Allows off-center placement without keystone distortion.

Example: "±60% vertical, ±25% horizontal lens shift" - significant placement flexibility.

Keystone Correction

Digital adjustment that corrects trapezoidal distortion when projecting at an angle. Reduces effective resolution and should be used minimally.

Zoom Ratio

The range of optical zoom available. A 2x zoom means the projector can double the image size from minimum to maximum zoom without moving the projector.

Example: "1.3-2.8:1 throw ratio" indicates a 2.15x zoom range.

Contrast Ratio

The ratio between the brightest white and darkest black a projector can display. Higher contrast means deeper blacks and more image depth. Native contrast is more meaningful than dynamic contrast.

Example: "1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast" vs "3,000:1 native contrast" - the native number is more useful.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Technology that expands the range of brightness and colors for more realistic images. Common formats: HDR10 (standard), HDR10+ (dynamic metadata), Dolby Vision (premium), HLG (broadcast).

Color Gamut

The range of colors a projector can display. Common standards: Rec.709 (HDTV), DCI-P3 (cinema), Rec.2020 (UHD). Wider gamuts display more vibrant, accurate colors.

Input Lag

The delay between a signal entering the projector and appearing on screen. Critical for gaming. Under 20ms is good; under 10ms is excellent.

Example: "16ms input lag in game mode" - suitable for casual gaming.

Refresh Rate

How many times per second the image updates. 60Hz is standard; 120Hz is smoother for gaming and sports. Some projectors support 240Hz at lower resolutions.

Rainbow Effect (RBE)

A visual artifact unique to single-chip DLP projectors where brief flashes of red, green, and blue are visible, especially in high-contrast scenes. Some people are more sensitive than others.

HDMI 2.1

The latest HDMI standard supporting 4K/120Hz, 8K/60Hz, VRR (variable refresh rate), and ALLM (auto low latency mode). Important for next-gen gaming consoles.

eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)

Allows high-quality audio formats (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X) to pass from the projector to a soundbar or AV receiver through HDMI.

USB-C / USB Power Delivery

Modern connection that can carry video, audio, and power. Some portable projectors can run entirely from USB-C power banks.

Screen Mirroring / Miracast / AirPlay

Wireless protocols for displaying mobile device or computer screens. Quality and latency vary; wired connections are more reliable for gaming.

DLP (Digital Light Processing)

Projection technology using millions of tiny mirrors on a chip. Produces sharp images with excellent motion handling. Single-chip DLP may show rainbow effect.

3LCD

Technology using three LCD panels (red, green, blue) to create the image. No rainbow effect, excellent color brightness, but may have visible pixel grid ("screen door effect").

LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon)

Premium technology combining LCD and reflective benefits. Includes Sony SXRD and JVC D-ILA. Excellent contrast and smooth images, but typically more expensive.

Laser Light Source

Uses laser diodes instead of traditional lamps. Benefits: 20,000+ hour lifespan, consistent brightness over life, instant on/off, wider color gamut.

Lamp Life

Expected hours of use before lamp brightness drops to 50% of original. Typical UHP lamps: 3,000-15,000 hours. Laser/LED: 20,000-30,000 hours.

ALR Screen (Ambient Light Rejecting)

Special screen material that rejects light from certain angles (typically overhead) while accepting light from the projector. Essential for bright room and UST installations.

Screen Gain

A measurement of how much a screen reflects light compared to a standard white surface (gain 1.0). Higher gain = brighter image but narrower viewing angle.

Example: A 1.3 gain screen appears 30% brighter than a 1.0 gain screen.