What Is A Short Throw Projector and How Does It Work?

Short throw projectors are a new breed of devices that are changing the way you used to place your projector far behind your sitting area. You might have noticed this unique feature when you went to buy a projector for home theater setup, and you might have wondered about it. Nowadays almost every projector is coming with short-throw projection capability which is letting users to the projector from a short distance. It is acting as a boon to many people who had to move their projector to the large room just to correctly project their content on the screen.

Projection technology of today’s generation is improving day by day, but not all of them are getting applicable to all ranges of the projector. As we all know every new feature raves up the price by a large margin but unlike the short throw feature. According to reports, it has increased by a mere small percentage, and that is why it is becoming among all range. The best part is that if you buy a projector under $100 or $200 (Read our guide on $200 projector), you are highly likely to get a projector with short-throw projection.

Related Article: How to Automatically Setup Multiple Projectors at a Time

Now, you might be wondering:

What is a short-throw projector?

Then, let’s talk about the short-throw projector and what is meant by that word.

Short Throw Projector or Projection

If you are perplexed with the query “What is a short-throw projector,” then we have all the answers to your query. Basically, a short-throw projector is a projector with short throw capability which depicts that it can project images from a short distance. Technically small throw ratio denotes the low distance of the screen from the projector. Most of the standard projectors come with a 1.5:1 throw ratio but short throw projectors come with a ratio around 0.38:1 and it often ranges up to 1.4:1. These projectors are suitable for people who don’t have to have a lot of space to spare for projection in their room.

[Check our guide on Galaxy Star Projectors here]

A lens with a short-throw ratio possesses the capability to display large visual frames from small distances without any image spill and blurry visual quality. You will often find many potent projectors with the ability to produce an image of 100-inch size from just 4 feet away. However, some projectors nowadays have an ultra-short throw ratio and can project a 100-inch image from only 2 feet away. But this kind of exclusive feature comes with a hefty price tag, and you will mostly find them in projectors costing more than $500. The short-throw lenses are designed to break the monotony of old projection distance and allow you to enjoy a movie without worrying about space.

Previously people used to face issues regarding the requirement for ample space so that they can properly projector the content on the giant screen. In today’s world, there is numerous population in every country and homes are getting smaller day by day. So it was becoming problematic for people to install projectors in their room as they are not finding appropriate space. Keeping this in mind fact, companies are embedding their projector with short throw distance so that people won’t have any while using the projector for home entertainment. Moreover, the short-throw is quite better than the standard throw and ultra-short throw because it gives the maximum size as well as zooming capability.

Basically, manufacturers use the high-quality lens in a short throw projector so that it can gain clarity from a short distance. However, some manufacturers utilize a chipset that engulfs the image with geometry correction which diminishes any kind of damage in the picture. Although it increases the cost of purchase, in the future, it cuts a lot of expenses. Top manufacturers are trying their hands in new technology so that they can cut down the extra cost and implement them in projectors. The price increases by a large margin when projectors come with ultra-short throw projection because manufacturers utilize highly sophisticated lenses.

The education sector and modern buyers are driving the short throw projector market!

Am I right?

You might be baffled by hearing that most of the modern buyers and education market is currently inclined towards short throw projectors. But this is a fact, and according to experts most of the education institution market are opting for a projector with short-throw projection rather than standard throw projection. The most crucial reason behind this monopoly is the budget price tag and low-cost installation process along with the easy setup. Safety is another factor that is making short-throw projectors popular because it minimizes the chances of hazard from long cables.

Common Uses:

As we have already discussed short throw projectors have a lot of usages, and they are similar to regular projectors but with an added advantage. However, it is commonly used in specific areas which include offices, schools, city apartments, booths at fairs, churches, etc. If you go by the statistics, most of the offices are now utilize a projector with short throw capability as they can provide a clear image from a small distance. Moreover, presenters won’t have to worry about shadows which happen when someone passes from the front of the projector. You will find them a lot in trade show booths as representatives have to squeeze their setup in a small area.

Nowadays most of the people with mid-sized apartments are shifting to short throw projectors because they won’t have to arrange space for a projector. Moreover, they can easily enjoy their entertainment session without getting bugged by long cables every time they try to move. Schools, colleges, and churches now heavily use this kind of projector even though they have significant areas of spare. The installation and integration process is quite easy and cost-effective which is making more agreeable.  You will be surprised that people nowadays are using a backyard projector (Read our article of the best 10 projectors for outdoor movies) with short throw capability and because they won’t have to use large extensions.

As we all know every feature comes with advantages and flaws as it is not possible for every attribute to be perfect. Likewise, the short-throw projection also carries specific good parts and bad parts.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of short-throw projectors:

Advantages:

• First and foremost, it allows you to watch clear visuals by placing the projector a few feet away from the screen.
• It doesn’t dazzle your eyes with shiny lights from the lens which often affects the health of the eye.
• The presence of the rainbow effect is almost minimal as the projection rays won’t have to travel a considerable distance to produce an image on the screen.
• The chances of obstruction of the image are close to null because they are kept at 3 or 4 feet away so hardly anyone would pass from the front area of the lens.
• Due to minimal distance between screen and lens, there won’t be any distracting shadows popping up on the projector’s screen.
• It can achieve a highly bright image with immense clarity from low lumens number which is not possible when using a standard projector.
• It curbs down all the heat exhaustion and ambiance ado while you watch a movie which ultimately engages the whole crowd for a long time.
• Due to the close proximity, the chances of any hotspots on the projector screen is quite low.
• The installation process is quite simple, and it is almost similar to plug and play because you won’t have to consider a lot of factors before its placement.
• It minimizes the cost as you won’t have to spend a lot of money on buying extension cables especially for HDMI which is very costly.

Disadvantages:

• The fans often create a good amount of noise as it stays close to your vicinity and you are likely to get distracted when they are placed in small rooms.
• The placement flexibility is quite less, and you won’t have a massive zoom range to project the video content from a considerable distance.
• The installation process needs some tweaking in offset which might be problematic for some users.
• They are slightly expensive than the usual projector which might affect the budget of the buyers.

The Bottom Line

Short throw projector is currently the most demanded feature out in the market, and everyone is drooling over this innovative attribute. Short throw projection allows you to project your favorite content from a short distance thus alleviating the issue regarding space in the small room. Not every buyer possesses a large room for their entertainment purpose, so this feature acts as a blessing in disguise to provide entertainment even in the tiniest place. The best part of this projector is that it gives flawless visual quality without any hotspot on the projector screen.

Everyone loves to enjoy a movie theater-like experience in their home without worrying about long cables and people passing in front of the projector. A short throw projector eliminates all this ado and allows you to enjoy a big-screen experience.  Whether you mount in-ceiling or table, you won’t have to shell out a large chunk of money on the installation process instead it gives you the freedom to buy speakers with extra money. Short throw projectors come with a lot of advantages making it one of the highly appreciated features in the market.