Most modern portable multimedia projectors use either DLP or 3 LCD technology to project images. DLP stands for Digital Light Processing and is created by Texas Instruments. DLP basically uses millions of microscopic mirrors with each mirror representing a pixel to project an image. Each mirror can be activated and tilted towards the light source the light is then run through a red, green, or blue filter to finally produce a projected image.
LCD stands for liquid crystal display and is the older technology. LCD is composed of liquid crystal molecules between glass panels. As an electric current passes through the crystals, their angle and thus the amount of light passing through is changed. There are usually separate red, blue, and green panels and the images produced by LCD are usually very clean.
A projector with a single chip DLP engine requires less space which means smaller portable digital projectors. The micro pocket sized projectors all used DLP technology. With today’s trends of on the go miniature gadgets, it’s no wonder that DLP technology is becoming increasingly more popular compared to LCD.
However, as it is still relatively new, DLP projectors can be more expensive compared to LCD projectors. The tradeoff between cost and portability is one factor you must consider when choosing a portable digital projector.
