Projector Tuning

Why tune professional projectors ?

Modern professional projectors with more light output are becoming more and more interesting for home cinema applications.

On the one hand, this “trend” is due to ever-increasing screen widths, on the other hand, the expanded content specification (4k UHD HDR ; gaming, etc.) require brighter images in principle. The normal “norm”, in the area of large cinema, offers brightness around 16 ftL. With 3D, only about 4 ftL remains on average. 16 ftL corresponds to approx. 48 nit brightness. In order to achieve a heightened movie experience with much more realism and to experience the associated higher color space (P3 ; BT 2020) in its full glory + punch, a significantly higher light output is required.

So we are talking about light outputs of about 50 – 80 nit for the SDR color space and about 100 – 150 nit for the HDR color space. If the projector or the LED Vidowall can then implement even higher contrast values, even higher brightness values (approx. 50 – 100%) are feasible or useful, which in the end lead to a further image improvement and immersion. As a result, a 2000 lumen projector with the required brightness can no longer optimally illuminate a 300 cm wide screen. In this example, a maximum of approx. 125 nit results, which will further reduce the brightness due to further calibrations, other throw ratio distances and also possibly color filters. In addition, no further reserves remain in the laser or lamp brightness in long-term operation.

If we turn the whole thing around, the projector (including reserves) would have to have at least 4000 lumens to deliver the required image quality.

And from this point of the decision it makes more sense in the long run to look around for suitable professional projectors or other image systems. Especially if a larger screen width is planned at the beginning of the installation. The maximum achievable color space, which the latest RGB 3 chip DLP laser projectors in particular can achieve, is often a decisive factor in the purchase decision. Not only in this area, these devices outperform their “consumer colleagues” and you simply have to see this color splendor, in connection with the increased brightness, “live” once.

By definition, contrast describes the ratio between maximum light and maximum dark. There is also the distinction between native and dynamic contrast.

Correspondingly high-quality professional projectors, such as the devices from Christie digital, for example, already offer some optimizations in the basic equipment to increase the maximum native contrast. However, to come close to the contrast range of the best “consumer” projectors, it is necessary to make further optimizations in the area of contrast enhancement.

Here the ARLED Edition offers some improvements and helps you to find the right product for your individual application.

Talk to us about the possibilities, we will advise you comprehensively and can also show you some models in comparison.