One of the most common issues that projector owners encounter is image disruptions caused by the keystone effect. What is the keystone effect? Imagine setting up your brand new projector in the living room, you’ve thought of almost everything, the movie you want to watch, the HDMI cable that connects your laptop and projector - even the popcorn! You power your projector and find your image to be distorted and angled, your projector and wall screen hopelessly misaligned.
This issue is caused by the keystone effect, and if you are looking to learn more about keystoning so you can avoid these types of problems with your Vankyo projector, this article is for you. Firstly, we’ll explain what keystoning is and why it’s so important for your projector experience. We’ll also give you some tips on how to choose the right type of Keystone Correction for your Vankyo projector.
Lastly, we’ll compare some Vankyo projectors from different projector categories, exploring their specifications, keystone correction features, and target audience use cases. If you feel interested in purchasing one of these projectors, we’ll also show you the easiest and most secure way to purchase them.
Keystone correction is a projector feature that “squares-off” the projected image’s angle into a surface that’s not aligned perpendicularly to the projector. It originated from the need to resolve the keystone effect, which occurs when light from a projector distorts because meeting an angled surface.
The prevalence of fixed and bulky projectors in the past made it so the only way to fix the keystone effect was to mount the projectors in a dedicated location. It also wasn’t uncommon to be presented with the laboriously arduous task of rearranging furniture or other obstacles to access a perpendicularly angled surface that doesn’t have abrupt angles.
As projectors modernized and thus, miniaturized, the need for a simpler solution to the keystone effect became a priority. Today, most modern projectors use 2 different approaches to fix the keystone effect, manual and/or automatic/electronic keystone correction.
Automatic (also known as electronic) Keystone Correction is considered to be the best way to solve the keystone effect of projected images. Automatic Keystone Correction gets its name from its digital approach to keystoning, which is achieved via the LCD and DLP display of the projectors to support it.
In essence, LCD and DLP projectors use digital displays to produce and project images, which means that the image has to pass through some type of software before it’s rendered and projected via the lens. Automatic Keystone Correction takes advantage of this trait by introducing algorithms that tweak the image’s angle as it passes through the software, resulting in a square image - regardless of angle.
Manual Keystone Correction uses real-time adjustments to the lens of the projector in order to achieve a vertical angle correction. Unfortunately, horizontal angle corrections are not possible with manual keystoning features, which is why automatic/electronic Keystone Correction is recommended if you are planning to use a projector on a horizontally sloped surface.
These real-time adjustments are achieved via scroll wheels, buttons, or direct lens rotation mechanisms - making for a simple, analog way of controlling the projected image’s angle. Because of this, manual Keystone Correction is the primary method of adjustment used on most budget projectors.
The implementation of Keystone Correction is measured by the adjustment of degrees of the angle (usually + or - ). This change of angle is measured using what is known as degrees of correction. Vertical Keystone Correction can oscillate between 12 degrees of correction up to 45º or more. Projectors that use more powerful hardware and software are also able to process horizontal Keystone Correction of 45º.
Knowing the degrees of correction that a projector supports is very important before making a purchase. You don’t want to buy a projector that has only 12º of vertical correction when in reality you need 30º or more. This is why most manufacturers tend to boast degrees of correction in the specification sheets of their devices.
Vankyo Projectors implement a varied approach to Keystone Correction, some of them use a limited manual approach, while others use advanced automatic/electronic correction. The right type of Keystone Correction depends greatly on a few variables that we will explore in more detail below.
When we talk about “Use Cases” we refer to the specific and personal way in which you wish to use your projector. Some people like to use a projector to watch movies, stream TV shows, or play video games in their living room. Others would like to have a projector so they can present information to their peers in an academic or office environment. If any of these cases fit you, then you’ve found a part of your use case.
Before knowing what type of Keystone Correction you’ll need, you first need to understand what your use case is, that way you can avoid problems when purchasing and setting up a projector. The clearer you are about the reasons behind buying and using your projector, the better experience you’ll have.
As we’ve established before, positioning is the #1 reason why most people encounter issues with the keystone effect. In order to establish what type of keystone correction you need, it’s very important that you understand where to position the projector relative to your projecting screen (e.g. a wall, a screen accessory, etc…) In order to avoid any potential problems that might come from bad alignment, try to always position your projector pointing perpendicularly towards the projector screen.
Evaluating what type of projector category better suits you is another variable that will help you choose the right type of Keystone Correction. There are 3 types of projector categories in the Vankyo lineup, Home Theater Projectors, HD Projectors, and Portable Projectors.
Home Theater Projectors: They are ideal projectors for home use, especially for entertainment purposes. They tend to have basic Keystone Correction features because of their stable positioning in a home and the prevalence of flat surfaces that lack angles (e.g. walls)
HD Projectors: More powerful than their Home Theater counterpart, the HD projectors tend to be focused on 1 thing, delivering a high quality via capable hardware. They tend to have more advanced Keystone Correction features that help them be used on almost any surface (including sharp-angled ones of plus or minus 45º)
Portable Projectors: They combine what’s best of HD and Home theater projectors in an extremely versatile package. Their small, portable profile allows them to use advanced Keystone Correction features that are ideal for camping trips and camper vans.
The Vankyo lineup of projectors is well-known for having a complete, accessible, and affordable repertoire of high-quality devices. It’s no surprise that one of the most advertised features in all the top-selling Vankyo projectors is that of Keystone Correction. It allows users to enhance the usability and portability of their devices by granting them access to an almost unlimited number of projecting surfaces.
Let’s have a look at 3 different Vankyo projectors from the Home Theater, HD, and Portable categories that use the Keystone Correction feature to achieve an excellent projector experience.
An Amazon bestseller, the Vankyo Leisure 3 Mini Home Theater Projector is arguably the most reliable, accessible, and affordable all-in-one projector available in the market today. Other than being highly portable, HD capable, and compatible with most forms of media, the device uses manual Keystone Correction of up to 15º (+ or -). These degrees of vertical correction are more than enough to guarantee a comfortable & high-quality projector experience.
If you want to purchase the Vankyo Leisure 3 Mini Projector for yourself or as a gift, you can do so by clicking here. When you follow the link to the Vankyo store, you’ll be able to find the unique features and specifications sheet of the projector, as well as a catalogue of all the different devices & accessories offered by Vankyo.
A performance beast for a bargain, the Vankyo Performance V630 HD Projector is one of the most powerful projector offerings of the company. It uses advanced Automatic Keystone Correction to achieve vertical & horizontal correction of up to 45º (+ or -), making it an ideal projector for even the most demanding of environments (e.g. office, or academic).
If you want to purchase the Vankyo Performance V630 for yourself or as a gift, you can do so by clicking here. Upon the link to the Vankyo store, you’ll be able to find the unique features and specifications sheet of the projector, as well as a catalogue of all the different devices & accessories offered by Vankyo.
As portable as it’s ergonomic, the Vankyo Burger 101 Portable Projector is a uniquely small and smooth edged device that can fit on any regular sized pocket. It uses a built-in automatic Keystone Correction feature that can handle 45º (+ or -), which makes it the ideal projector for outdoor movie nights, camper van journeys, or vacationing.
If you want to purchase the Vankyo Burger 101 Portable Projector for yourself or as a gift, you can do so by clicking here. The link will take you to the Vankyo store, where you’ll be able to find the unique features and specifications sheet of the projector, as well as a catalogue of all the different devices & accessories offered by Vankyo.
All in all, understanding how to choose the right type of Keystone Correction for your Vankyo projector is something that is uniquely and exclusively tailored by the many factors that influence your potential use case. If you are looking to learn more about Vankyo projectors and the features that surround them, remember that Vankyo offers customized technical support and troubleshooting tips via its website and storefront.
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