3.

2 Input and output devices

» when the white light hits these mirrors, the reflected light has wavelengths
corresponding to red, green and blue light components
» these three different coloured light components pass through three LCD
screens (each screen is composed of thousands of tiny pixels which can either
block light or let it through; this produces a monochromatic image)...
» ... consequently, three different versions of the same image are now produced
– one is the whole image in different shades of red, one is the whole image
in different shades of green and one is the whole image in different shades of
blue
» these images are then re-combined using a special prism to produce a full
colour image
» finally, the image passes through the projector lens onto a screen.

light
mirror source

red
lens
component

LCD screens
image
dichromic
projected
mirrors
on to screen prism
green
component

blue
component

mirror

▲ Figure 3.38 LCD projector

Advantages and disadvantages of the two types of projector

▼ Table 3.5 Advantages and disadvantages of DLP and LCD projectors

Advantages Disadvantages
higher contrast ratios image tends to suffer from ‘shadows’ when
higher reliability/longevity showing a moving image
quieter running than LCD projector DLP do not have grey components in the image
Digital light uses a single DMD chip, which mean no issues
projector (DLP) lining up the images the colour definition is frequently not as good as
LCD projectors because the colour saturation is
smaller and lighter than LCD projector
not as good (colour saturation is the intensity of a
they are better suited to dusty or smoky colour)
atmospheres than LCD projectors
although improving, the contrast ratios are not as
give a sharper image than DLP projectors
good as DLPs
LCD projectors have a limited life (that is, the
have better colour saturation than DLP projectors
LCD projector longevity is not as good as DLPs)
more efficient in their use of energy than DLP since LCD panels are organic in nature, they tend
technology – consequently they generate less to degrade with time (screens turn yellow and the
heat colours are subsequently degraded over time)

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