Immersive experiences are a driving force in today’s world of entertainment and we will continue to see them pop up around the globe. Moreover, many of the installations are becoming even more sophisticated and demanding. The need for compact, bright, and higher resolution projection at a cost-effective price is on the rise as the experiential market continues to grow and production teams look for the right technology to make installations even more immersive; from small, intimate settings to large-scale immersive experiences. 

Projection plays a key role in creating immersive installations by providing a cost-effective display solution that can keep up with the creative team’s vision for more realism and interactivity, with the ability to scale and adapt to ever challenging project requirements. As powerful tools that contribute significantly to the overall impact of immersive experiences, it is important for projection technology to evolve with this market.

There are many key features that users look for when choosing a projector, such as brightness, lens options, portability, and cost. But a few visual elements have become increasingly important within the immersive space. In situations with a larger display size where pixel density is important, or if the audience is very close to the display, the demand for projectors that can deliver vibrant colors and beyond HD video resolution for more detail is on the rise.

Although most projectors are 1080p or WUXGA, there is an increasing selection of projectors that provide 4K UHD resolution on-screen. The higher resolution options provide notably sharper images and even finer details, especially in larger installations where the audience is up close to the projected walls and HD resolution lacks the pixel density to render a faithful reproduction of the content. Additionally, as 4K content has become more prevalent, having a projector with the ability to reproduce this content as intended future-proofs the system so users can leverage the highest resolution content available. 

Playing a vital role in immersive experiences is the combination of higher resolution and 3-chip technology such as 3-chip 3LCD and 3 chip DLP. Ensuring a wide color gamut and excellent color accuracy is imperative for enhancing the realism behind a display and delivering the content the way the creative team intended it to be seen. In 3-chip projectors, each primary color (red, green and blue) has its own dedicated chip, allowing for full time color on the display surface. Three-chip technology also eliminates the “rainbow effect” where viewers are distracted by flashes of color due to 1 chip technologies projection of sequential color. The more realistic and detailed the content, the more captivated and engaged viewers will be, leading to an enjoyable and memorable experience.

The increased demand for higher resolution projection will only grow as immersive projects become more complex and elaborate. Large-scale architectural projection and immersive spaces continue to take over city streets, parks, museums, schools, and more — both inside and outdoors — and to ensure these experiencing are providing something new and exciting each time, the creative teams behind them will be tasked with outdoing the previous experience. As this experiential world evolves and becomes more enhanced each time, so does the technology powering it, including projection. Built to meet a range of display needs and deliver the detail, brightness and color accuracy required to provide complete immersion and a sense of realism, projectors are well-equipped to help drive the immersive experience industry forward. 

 

About the Author: Ramzi Shakra is the senior product manager for the commercial and high brightness projector lines at Epson America, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Shakra brings strong technical knowledge and key insight into technology-centered industries and enjoys collaborating with like-minded creative individuals to bring exciting and highly functional products to the market.