Ultra short throw projectors have been tipped as the ultimate game changers, especially in an industry where people crave the big screen experience. These brilliant devices have been marketed as the TV killer mostly because they can deliver a massive image from a short distance. For many people looking to ditch their big screen TVs for a smaller box capable of generating a 100-inch image, you’re sure going to be intrigued by the unique proposition of an ultra-short throw projector screen.
Many sports and movie lovers crave the big screen experience. And to be honest, nothing is more exciting than watching your favorite sport or movie on a 120-inch screen in quality hi-def 4K right in your comfort zone.
But until a few years ago, big-screen enthusiasts were only limited to a flat-screen TV or a home theater projector. But guess what, things have changed significantly in the last couple of years. Today, leading brands like LG, Epson, and Samsung have started manufacturing Ultra Short Throw projectors. What’s especially unique about ultra short throw projectors is their compact flexibility and incredible screen size.
Thanks to overcoming the distance limitations and ambient lighting problems of conventional projectors, Ultra Short Throw projectors are becoming a worthy alternative to flat-screen televisions.
Before we jump into how ultra short throw projects work, let’s give you an overview of what they are. Let’s jump right in, shall we?
Ultra Short Throw Project: What is it?
Ultra Short Throw Projectors are uniquely designed for small spaces such as home theaters and living rooms. These devices use special lenses and mirrors to create conspicuous images on a screen or wall. Unlike your average projectors, ultra short throw projectors work from short distances. This makes them perfect for rooms where traditional projectors won’t fit.
Most traditional projectors require at least a 1-inch distance from the wall for every inch of diagonal screen size. This means for a 100-inch image; you’ll need at least 8 to 10 feet of space between the projector and screen for your setup to work nicely.
With an ultra-short laser projector screen, you can create the same size image from just a foot away. How cool can that be?
More importantly, ultra-short throw projectors don’t need a unique setup as they can be placed on a shelf or tabletop for optimal performance.
How does an ultra-short throw projector screen work?
Now that you know what a UST projector screen is, it’s time we take you through how it works.
As we mentioned right from the get-go, an ultra-short throw projector has special lenses that make it possible to project larger images from short distances. Unlike traditional projectors, which require 8 to 10 feet of space between screen and projector to work optimally, ultra-short throw projects feature powerful lenses capable of projecting conspicuous images from just a foot away.
Another thing we love about ultra short throw projector screens is that they don’t require too much brightness to get a screen that is bigger than an HDTV, home theater, or laptop screen. This unique proposition makes UST projectors gentle on the eyes and perfect for screenings in small spaces with fewer people.
Note: There are short-throw projectors that look a lot like traditional projectors, especially with their front-firing lenses. Unfortunately, there aren’t anything like UST projectors, and the reason is that they still require at least a few feet of throw distance between screen and projectors to cast large images, so don’t confuse them with Ultra Short Throw projectors.
UST projector screen: Setup considerations for the ultimate viewing experience
While it sounds like UST projectors are easier to set up, especially when compared with traditional projectors, the reality is that it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Despite their compact design, setting up UST projectors can be quite tricky.
To be honest with you, finding the right placement for your ultra short throw projector is crucial if you want to enjoy an amazing viewing experience. Here is the catch, every ultra short throw projector comes with predefined placement distances that you can’t tweak. To this end, we always recommend reading the manual that comes with your device to know the exact installation dimension.
Let’s assume you want to create a 100-inch image; you’ll need to ensure that your UST projector is installed at an exact distance from the wall or screen and below the height of the bottom of your screen.
If you have previously thought about placing your UST projector on top of your TV stand, that would be a wrong move as it would be too high.
What are the benefits of ultra-short throw projectors?
Having a traditional projector in a room filled with people, furniture and light can sometimes be inconvenient. The truth is the projector will have to be placed a few meters from the screen or wall, which means installing it in the heart of the room. Moreover, projectors generate a lot of heat and a cooling fan noise that can disturb your viewing sessions.
On the flip side, ultra-short throw projectors can be nicely set up close to the wall of your living room. You can even install UST projectors on a sideboard, far away from the seating area. This eliminates the issue of heat and noise that could negatively impact your viewing experience.
Another thing that is worth noting is that UST projectors limit throw distances, making it possible to produce crisp images and videos within a small space. With traditional projectors, you’ll have to place the projector 8 to 10 feet away from the screen, making images generated diluted by ambient light.
UST projectors are lauded for their high level of brightness. This boosts their performance, especially when used in living rooms.
The clamor for brightness has resulted in UST projects being fitted with top-notch laser light sources instead of the duller light solutions that come with traditional projectors. They deliver more unique propositions by fitting more practical laser light sources in UST projectors.
To start with, laser projectors outperform traditional projectors with lamps. While laser projectors can last up to 20 hours, you’ll typically get between 2000 and 5000 hours with lamp projectors. Also, an ultra-short throw laser projector screen retains brightness better than lamps.
One of the main goals of UST projectors is to replace TVs. To this end, many ultra short throw projectors are beginning to feature built-in smart TV features, including supporting video streaming platforms and spotting wi-fi technology.
Disadvantages of UST projectors
While UST projectors have been marketed as the holy grail of projectors, they have a few downsides worth mentioning.
Even though UST projectors feature brilliant functionalities, they are still a tad more expensive than many traditional projectors on the market. While a normal projector on the market will cost a few hundred dollars, you’ll spend between $3000 or more for a decent UST projector.
Let us also add that UST projectors are somewhat larger than many living room projectors on the market. But we doubt the size will ever be a problem, especially because you can install them in a more convenient location. Rather than placing your UST projector on a coffee table, you can have it mounted on a sideboard for better convenience.
Despite the massive improvement being made to UST projectors, there is no denying that some picture quality compromises and setup issues come with UST projectors. Getting the image from your ultra short throw projector to the exact place you want it can be tricky. Nevertheless, this isn’t a big deal if you’re simply projecting straight to the wall. However, the lack of zoom and optical image shifting features popular with UST projectors can make positioning tricky if you’re projecting to a screen.
Ultra short throw screen: How much does it cost?
As we reiterated earlier, ultra-short throw projectors are a tad expensive, especially when you compare them with regular projectors. On the low end, you could get an ultra short throw projector for $900. But if you want something more sophisticated, be ready to cough out at least $5000 for high-end ultra short throw projectors.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy an Ultra short throw projector?
This is one question we get asked regularly, and to be honest, it isn’t all that difficult. You can buy ultra short throw projectors directly from major retailers like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Best Buy. Also, you can buy directly from the manufacturers’ websites. So feel free to choose which option works best for you.
Do you need to have a special screen for your UST projector?
Well, the answer is no because you can project the images generated by UST projectors directly to the wall. So unless you prefer a screen, you don’t need to have a special screen for your UST projector. What you should be worried about when buying a UST projector is the size, portability, and aspect ratio.
Can I set up my UST projector alone?
While setting up a UST projector can be tricky, following the manufacturer’s manual will make your job easier. Alternatively, you can get a professional to do it if you’re not confident enough to do it yourself.
In a nutshell
Ultra short throw projectors are growing insanely popular and are tipped to be the ultimate TV killer, especially because they can deliver massive images from short distances. More so, they have a smaller footprint compared to TVs.
With UST projectors, you can kiss goodbye to burdensome big screens and say hello to a small box capable of delivering a 100-inch image from a short distance.
But while UST projectors are proving to be the ultimate game changer, they are a tad expensive. So put that into consideration before deciding if they are worth giving a try.
