A projector or image projector is an optical device that projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface, commonly a projection screen. Most projectors create an image by shining a light through a small transparent lens, but some newer types of projectors can project the image directly, by using lasers. A virtual retinal display, or retinal projector, is a projector that projects an image directly on the retina instead of using an external projection screen.

The most common type of projector used today is called a video projector. Video projectors are digital replacements for earlier types of projectors such as slide projectors and overhead projectors. These earlier types of projectors were mostly replaced with digital video projectors throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, but old analog projectors are still used at some places. The newest types of projectors are handheld projectors that use lasers or LEDs to project images. Their projections are hard to see if there is too much ambient light.

Movie theaters used a type of projector called a movie projector, nowadays mostly replaced with digital cinema video projectors.

DSI Solutions offer

DSI Solutions works from offices, classrooms and auditoriums right through to home cinema and camera clubs. Our team of qualified, certified AV Technicians are available to help you out professional installations of your projector screen and related cabling work.

Projectors and screens can be installed with the option to fully conceal them, providing a sleek, minimalized solution. Screens can be automated and controlled remotely, making them very easy to use.

Some of new projectors have laser light sources, which means there is no lamp that constantly needs changing, increasing their reliability and lifespan.

Different projector types

Projectors can be roughly divided into three categories, based on the type of input. Some of the listed projectors were capable of projecting several types of input. For instance: video projectors were basically developed for the projection of prerecorded moving images, but are regularly used for still images in PowerPoint presentations and can easily be connected to a video camera for real-time input. The magic lantern is best known for the projection of still images, but was capable of projecting moving images from mechanical slides since its invention and was probably at its peak of popularity when used in phantasmagoria shows to project moving images of ghosts.

Real-time

• Camera obscura
• Concave mirror
• Opaque projector
• Overhead projector
• Document camera

Still images

• slide projector
• magic lantern
• magic mirror
• steganographic mirror
• enlarger (not for direct viewing, but for the production of photographic prints)

Moving images

• movie projector
• video projector
• handheld projector
• virtual retinal display
• trotting horse lamp

AV Technicians are available to carry out professional installations of your projector screen and associated cabling.