To Zoom, or Not to Zoom...

More zoom = brighter picture and less contrast. Less zoom = less bright and more contrast. It depends on what you need. The HD1000U has plenty of light output for a dark room at that size, so minimum zoom or somewhere in between would probably be best for contrast.


The difference between minmum and maximum contrast may or may not be a noticeable difference to you. The only way for you to really tell is to try the same screen size with both maximum zoom and minmum zoom displaying the same images.

LCD projectors lose almost half their brightness from one end of the mounting range to the other because of the larger zoom lenses (ex 2.1:1). The mounting range with lenses like this can be up to 15ft difference from min to max distance. Naturally at 15ft further away the image will be less bright. Too close and it'll be brighter, but less contrast.


With DLPs this isn't an issue. The HD1000U being a DLP with a Zoom Lens ratio of only 1.2:1 you don't need to worry about it at all. The max and min range is generally only a few feet from min to max.


Ideally placing a projector away from it's max and min extremes and more in the center of it's zoom range is said to be preferable for best combination of brightness, contrast and image quality, so if it works in your case then great if not, mount it where you need it.


Joe