How to Boost the Brightness of an LED Projector
By Steve Lander
Projectors that use light-emitting diodes instead of traditional high-pressure bulbs as their light source have a number of advantages. They tend to run cool and can be small. Their LED bulbs typically last 10,000 hours or more and are able to withstand the bumps and vibrations of travel. In exchange for these benefits, they have one significant drawback. LED projectors typically have much lower light output, or brightness, than comparably priced projectors using traditional lamp technologies. As such, maximizing their light output and minimizing competing light sources can be important.
Step 1
Cover as many windows as you can. Unless you are projecting at night, sunlight is a more powerful competitor for your projector's LED light source than you might realize.
Step 2
Turn off as many lights in the room as possible. At a minimum, turn off any light that reflect off of the screen. This will help make better use of the limited light output from your projector.
Step 3
Move the projector closer to the screen so that it generates a smaller image. LED projectors generate the same amount of light, regardless of the size of the screen. Smaller images will appear brighter since you are placing more light on each square inch of the image.
Step 4
Activate the projector's high-brightness mode. Some LED projectors require you to use the remote control or control panel buttons to enter their on-screen menu and select from a list of picture modes. Others have a dedicated button for the "Video Mode" or "Picture," that you can press to cycle through a number of picture modes. Generally speaking, "Bright," "Dynamic" and "Presentation" modes will give you greater light output. At the same time, turning off the projector's "Eco" or "Power Saver" modes will also increase lamp brightness.
Step 5
Install a high-gain screen. High-gain screens are made of special materials that focus the light that is projected and reflect it with higher brightness. The drawback to using a high-gain screen is that its benefits are only clear when viewed from a relatively narrow angle. People with a head-on view will receive a much better image than they would with a normal screen, while people who are off to the side will see a much dimmer image than they would with a normal screen.
References
Writer Bio
Steve Lander has been a writer since 1996, with experience in the fields of financial services, real estate and technology. His work has appeared in trade publications such as the "Minnesota Real Estate Journal" and "Minnesota Multi-Housing Association Advocate." Lander holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Columbia University.