Empower yourself with the language of insiders. We decipher the arcane terms, epigrammatic abbreviations, and weird words used in the projector industry.

ANSI Lumens

Industry standard measurement of a projector's brightness. Depending on lamp, optics, and projector design, ANSI lumens range from 200 to 10,000 per projector.

Contrast Ratio

The contrast between the brightest white and the darkest black. Higher contrast ratios offer brighter colors and better details. Preferably, you'll want to choose a contrast ratio of at least 100:1.

DLP

Digital light processing. A relatively new and popular projection technology developed by Texas Instruments. DLP projectors tend to offer brighter and more continuous images than their LCD-based counterparts.

Document Camera

An added feature on some projectors, document cameras can project objects or other images not easily entered into a computer. They work on the same principle as overhead projectors with the functionality of LCDs.

F-number

Refers to the amount of brightness that a lens allows through to the screen. Ideally, the f-number should not deviate much from different zoom angles.

Image Size

The size of a projected image, usually measured diagonally. Make sure to test out the maximum image size for yourself, since manufacturer spec sheets can be rather subjective.

Polysilicon LCD

Projection technology which utilizes a three-layer LCD panel design. Three separate primary color panels that are used to produce the desired color.

Resolution

The number of screen pixels that can be displayed by the projector. Most units have a standard of 640x480 pixels or 800x600 pixels (VGA and SVGA, respectively). Higher resolution models are useful if you need to project more of a screen, such as a full layout of a document or drawing. Examples of higher resolutions are XGA (1024x768) and SXGA (1280x1024).

Native Resolution

The computer resolution that optimizes the projector resolution. When buying a projector you should always match the resolution of your notebook to the native resolution of a projector.

TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD

Projection technology which uses only one transparent panel of LCD cells.

Throw Distance

Also known as projection distance. The distance from projector to screen.

Video Standards

The type of video inputs an LCD projector can accept. Leading standards include NTSC, SECAM, and PAL, with NTSC being the North American video standard.