impact of 16:9 native --> 4:3 screen ?

[Bastiaan]

Hi

Can someone please explain their experience, in layman words, when a 16:9 native projector is displaying a 4:3 image? Is there really a big loss in resolution and brightness?

I contacted a retailer who mentioned:

1920x1080 is 16:9 aspect ratio. That's kind of the entire point of that resolution. If you build around a 4:3 screen, then you will lose about 25% of your resolution and brightness off the sides of the screen, and may have issues with a source which thinks it's connected to a full 16:9 setup, when it's really only connected to a 4:3 setup. I would look to widen the screen a bit if you can and do 16:10 perhaps, with a 1280x800 projector.

Any thoughts?

[wbond]

I use the Optoma gt1080 which is 16x9 and force it to 4x3. I don't notice a difference really between the two. I'm projecting on a supertex screen so not sure if you could really tell anyways. As I understand it you still get better resolution with a 16x9 in 4x3 mode than a projector with less capability right off the bat.

[Bastiaan]

Thanks that sounds good

[aja]

The retailer is not really being up-front about "losing 25%" of the "resolution". All that you lose is the parts of the 16:9 projected image that are outside the 4:3 image that is of interest to you.

The 4:3 portion of the image that you choose to view is exactly the same resolution as the 16:9 image, there is just less image being viewed. In short, the 4:3 image is just as sharp as the 16:9.

Further, the "vertical lines of resolution" are very important in overall image clarity. The vertical dimension is the last part of the pixel count in 1920 x 1080. If you consider that he is suggesting that a 1280 x 800 is even close to being as good, image wise, as a 1920 x 1080, would you rather have 800 or 1080 lines of detail being projected?

[V8burble]

Just for clarity - wouldn't most 16:9 projectors "squash" the 16:9 image if forced to project 4:3 rather than losing part of the image?
This is what I plan on doing when I occasionally move my projector in future between 16:9 screen and 4:3 one.

[aja]

No! If you are getting a distorted image you are doing something wrong.

Look at the projector calculator on projectorcentral.com for any projector and select the different aspect ratios. The resultant diagram of the image will show exactly what part of the projected part of the image is retained and which is blacked out.

Think of it this way - if you want a "letter" sized piece of paper, and you have a "legal" sized paper, by cutting off the part of the legal paper you end up with the letter sized page. The part that is cut off isn't used. Same idea with choosing 4:3 with a native 16:9 projector. You end up not using part of the image (capability), not squeezing it into a smaller area.

[V8burble]

Hi Aja - I can't say I agree with what you're saying,.

See photos below - This is a native 16:9 projector displaying a 16:9 laptop screen in 4:3 ratio and in 16:9. I am not losing or cutting off the sides of laptop image, it's just resizing the laptop display into a 4:3 ratio meaning the image appears "squashed". For my use as a golf sim, this will make it perfectly usable as all the content/menus/icons will be displayed. If it cut off the edges it would make it unusable as key items would be missing.

Back to the original question, as for brightness - I can't see a major difference.

[aja]

Sorry... have you ever watched a movie where it states "formatted to fit your screen". In the pictures that you show the same picture in 4:3 and 16:9. But - the 4:3 picture is, as you point out - "squashed". Would you want to watch a movie this way?

I think you are complicating the issue because when you start TGC, it gives you the choice of what resolution you are going to project in. The software then tailors the projected image to achieve "formatted to fit your screen". The 4:3 version looks different than the 16:9 but neither looks distorted. That's why I say, if you are getting a distorted image, you are doing something wrong. You do have to take steps to be projecting the right image for the corresponding resolution.

[V8burble]

I get your point but with so many different setups I wanted to provide options for people - that's all.
It is complicated with multiple screens and mirroring.
If you have a mix of 16:9(typically laptop/TV/Monitor and 4:3 screens(likely your impact screen) then you have to compromise:-
a) Run TGC in 4:3, with no distortion, and have black bars down side on 16:9 displays
b) Run TGC in 16:9, with no distortion, and either lose edges of the image on 4:3 screens if you want the maximum height image or ii) squash/distort the image to fill the 4:3 screen or iii) move the projector to display the full 16:9 image, with no distortion, but leaving space at the top of your screen
Would I watch a movie with a squashed/distorted image? Only if you were coming over for movie night
But using golf sim is fine this way for me and my preferred compromise given a 16:9 display is my "primary" display for aiming/targeting etc.

Sorry if I've over complicated this - hopefully might be useful for someone else who was in my position a couple of months back dealing with the issue of mixed aspect ratios.

[markusallen@comcast.net]

So I am just setting up my BENQ 2150st projector with skytrak and a 9'x12' screen. I can change the computer display settings, the projector aspect ratio, and the TGC resolution. To get the best resolution and fill the 9'x12' screen completely, what settings should I select for each of these?

[jesseasi]

I just got my BenQ 2150ST projector. I have not yet set it up. But I have been struggling with just how I will do this. My impact screen is closer to 4:3 aspect ratio than it is 16:9. With this in mind I plan to send a signal to the project that is 1600 x 1200 (4:3) and deal with small black bars on my computer screen. I hope this is the right path. Once I get it going I will be happy to report back what works best. Beginning to wonder if I should have found a project that was 1600x1200 native.

[Osprey]

I like the reviews I've seen on this projector! Any updates on setting it up?