Is Saving Space With A Short- Throw Projector

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TechDecisions Expert Series Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? Many tech decision-making professionals might not fully understand the benefits of short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors. Even more so, they might not realize in which of their applications they can overcome a video display challenge using the innovative technology. This article outlines the benefits of short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors, highlighting the differences, and breaks down applications in which they may make sense. After a reading it, tech decision makers will understand if these types of projection solutions can help their organizations function better. Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? © 2014 EH Publishing Is Saving Space with a ShortThrow Projector For Me? Breaking down applications in which investing in a shortthrow or ultra-short-throw projectors pays dividends. by TechDecisions Staff W HILE THERE IS A PROJECTOR APPROPRIATE for every video presentation scenario, it can sometimes be challenging to figure out which one is right for your unique needs. Not every application requires a traditional business or large-venue projector that may be ceiling- or wall-mounted in the back of a room or propped on a table. In small spaces, that type of project solution can become cumbersome. The short-throw WX4240N can be wall mounted above the whiteboard or used portably by placing on a cart or desk, for instance, and can produce a 61-inch to 140-inch diagonal image while placed only 24 to 58 inches from the screen. In more intimate settings – think conference rooms, huddle rooms, classrooms – short-throw projectors or ultra-short-throw projectors make more sense. These devices are made specifically for applications where the distance from the projector to the projection screen must be, or ideally ought to be, short. If space is tight, consider these handy projectors. Meanwhile, for those who stand in front of a projector screen or whiteboard for long periods of time each day, short- and ultra-short-throw projectors are an excellent choice. Short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors remove shadows and glare issues from the equation entirely because they can be mounted or placed very close to the screen. While a conventional projector needs to be placed 10 to 20 feet away from its projection screen, a short-throw projector such as Ricoh’s WX4240 can produce a 61-inch to 140-inch diagonal image while placed only 24 to 58 inches from the screen. Meanwhile, an ultra-short-throw projector such as Ricoh’s WX4141N can be placed 4.6 inches from a screen and product a 48-inch diagonal image or 9.6 inches away to produce up to 80 inches diagonally. For all intents and purposes, all barriers between the projector light and the screen are removed from the equation. For short-throw projectors, this is accomplished by using a wide-angle lens that shines down at a sharp angle. The distance between the lens and the screen is typically as low as two feet or so. Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? 1 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? Where short-throws use a wide angle lens, ultra-short-throws use a curved mirror. You can tell the difference between the two categories from the “throw ratio” specification, which is the distance from the projector to the screen divided by the width of the projected image. Most sources identify an ultra-short-throw projector as one with a throw ratio of 0.38 or lower. For a short-throw projector, the throw ratio range is 0.38 to 0.75. Traditional projectors offer throw ratios in the 1.5 to 3.5 throw ratio range. So if a short-throw projector has a throw ratio of 0.5, and you want to project a 60-inch wide image, the projector should be placed 30 inches from the screen. That’s just 2.5 feet from the screen, mounted from the ceiling if you’d like. However, the easiest way to determine throw distance and the projector type you need is by using an online projector throw distance calculator or simulator. Many projector manufacturers offer these on their sites. Most short-throw or ultra-short-throw projectors are based on Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, which is lit by a replacement lamp. There are more models becoming available that use lightemitting diode (LED) technology, lasers or a combination of the two, to provide longer-lasting light and greater energy-efficiency. Many short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors offer interactive features. Using a special pen, presenters and viewers gain the ability to annotate what’s on the screen from anywhere in the room. This takes the concept of the whiteboard to new heights. Some of these projectors are even 3D-capabile. Many offer support for tablets and smartphones. Another variable is audio. Many short-throws and ultrashort-throws come with built-in speakers and amplifiers. Ricoh’s WX4141N is a networking 3,300-lumen ultra-short-throw projector, capable of displaying a 48-inch-diagonal image when placed less than five inches from a wall or screen and only 9.6 inches from a wall delivers a brilliant 80-inch WXGA 1280-x-800 picture. n 6.6 lbs. n Can be mounted below or above the screen n Ideal for conference rooms, offices, small-to-midsize meeting spaces, classrooms, trade shows, stores, restaurants and hotels n HDMI input n VGA input n Video and Audio input n Optional stand n The Ni version transforms displays into interactive whiteboards with built-in Ricoh PJ Interactive software n Remote screen sharing n Add notes to presentation via digital pen. The biggest consideration, of course, is whether or not a short-throw or ultra-short-throw projector is right for you and your scenario. We’ve leaned on projector manufacturer Ricoh to offer thoughts on how these solutions might benefit tech decision makers in various scenarios: Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? 2 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? K-12 – Classrooms tend to have a lot of people moving around, a lot of hands waving and a short-throw or an ultra-short-throw projector minimizes the risk of shadows during a lesson. Meanwhile, having the projector mounted only a couple of feet from the screen reduces the risk of it being touched or damaged by students. It also keeps the light out of the teacher’s eyes while presenting. From Ricoh: The short-throw (WX4240N) can be wall mounted above the whiteboard or used portably by placing on a cart or desk. An ultra-short-throw (WX4141N) can also be wall mounted above the whiteboard or placed on a cadenza, in a stand or on a cart; it's very lightweight, portable and perfect for moving around. The WX4141N provides for quick setups and can be easily stored away in its carrying bag when not being used. The network models can be used wirelessly when tied into the network, avoiding any cables to trip over. The ultra-short-projector is positioned so close to the whiteboard that the teacher will never come between the projector and the wall, avoiding and shadows or bright lights in the teacher’s eyes. This also gets the projector away from the kids so nobody is getting hot air blown on them from the cooling fan. The Ricoh DLP projectors also allow for 3D projection (with the use of the optional 3D glasses), which could be powerful teaching tool in the classroom. Higher Education – For the same reasons that short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors are beneficial in K-12 classrooms, they can make a big impact in universities’ smaller classrooms and meeting spaces as well. From Ricoh: Both short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors are great in small meeting spaces. It gets the projector off the meeting room table and places it close to the screen while still creating a large image. This provides the students with more table space and no cable clutter. Courtrooms – A flexible environment can be important in a courtroom setting, so scenarios in which a shortthrow projector is available on a mobile cart can allow for quickly planned presentations. From Ricoh: Both the short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors come with carry bags, are small, lightweight and portable, making them very convenient to quickly set up and also to store. The Ricoh models even come with a 10-foot AC cord making it easier to reach that outlet. Using an ultrashort-throw projector in a courtroom would be much more convenient for the lawyers walking around presenting their cases. They never step into the light, so there are no shadows on the screen and no bright lights in their eyes to distract them. The WX4141N offers 3300lm, making it bright enough to view without having to turn off all the lights in the courtroom. Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? 3 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? Corporate Huddle Rooms – Companies are increasingly turning to open-office environments with more small collaboration spaces or huddle rooms. Short-throw projectors lend themselves to these tight quarters. From Ricoh: In the huddle rooms (small meeting rooms for four to six people) that are becoming so popular in today’s office environments, conventional projectors don’t work well due to the smaller space and short throw distance to the screen. Here, short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors really shine. Instead of having a projector positioned 10 to 20 feet away from the screen a short-throw can be 2 feet away and project a large image for all to view. No more cable clutter or hot air blowing on participants. No more shadows from the presenter. Houses of Worship – Churches’ needs for projectors go well beyond that of the worship space. While projectors are used during many services, they’re also used in church offices. Houses of worship, therefore, have myriad needs for projection and short-throw or ultra-short-throw projectors can solve many church challenges. From Ricoh: Many houses of worship provide their parishioners with meeting spaces for various activities. These spaces can vary greatly in size. When the room is small and a conventional projector just won’t work, a short-throw or ultra-short-throw can be the perfect solution. Being small, portable and bright make them the perfect solution for a quick setup and easy storage. Sometimes the placement of a projector is difficult in a very large space like a church. Larger projectors with interchangeable lenses can solve the problem but at a high cost. In some cases a short-throw projector may be a good alternate solution when cost is a consideration. Instead of placing a large projector 60 feet away a short-throw may be able to provide the image size needed from just a few feet away. Of course, correct brightness must always be considered based on the amount of light in the room. Command and Control – In military portable command centers, short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors can provide critical solutions because they’re are easy to set up and lightweight. From Ricoh: Large widescreen images are needed in many military command centers for various tracking and monitoring applications. Multiple ultra-short-throw projectors combined with edge-blending software can be used to create extremely wide images in a small space. The WX4141N can be positioned above or below the screen depending on the space and needs of the installation. This flexible design makes the setup and tear-down very quick and easy. Two WX4141N can create a 12-footwwide image and three can go as wide as 18 feet. The screen can also be curved making the viewing much easier. Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? 4 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? So depending on a tech decision maker’s application needs, a short-throw or ultra-short-throw projector may be just the right solution. The space-saving and practical benefits of the technology at least make it worth weighing the considerations outlined in this article. For more information and to calculate a room’s projection needs, visit ricoh.com/projector/simulator. n Tech Decisions Expert Series • October 2014 Is Saving Space with a Short-Throw Projector For Me? 5