Why Projector Offset Matters
Why projector offset matters? Knowing about offset will help you decide how to position a projector in your golf simulator setup without the need to tilt it.
Projector offset, presented as a percentage, refers to the distance between the center of the lens to the bottom of the image when placing the projector on a table or the top of the image when mounting the projecting from a ceiling. Golf simulator setups usually go with overhead-mounted projectors installed upside down, and the projected image needs to reach the floor to create a realistic experience. With ceiling mount using a projector with 50% offset, the center of the image lines up perfectly with the center of the lens, assuming that the projector is pointed straight at the screen. A projector with 100 % offset projects an image with a top edge in line with the center of the projector lens. A 125% offset projects an image where the top edge is 25% of image height as measured below the center of the projector lens. This highlights the importance of offset when setting up your golf simulator and considering projector positioning.
The offset you need depends on ceiling height and screen size. The larger the offset, the taller the ceiling of your golf simulator should be. Below is an example where we project a 180” 16:9 image in a golf sim room with 9ft height. With 100% and 110% offset, the projector can perfectly fit in and project the 180” image. But with 115% offset, the projector has to be placed very close to the ceiling. In this case, there is not enough space to mount the projector, so we have to mount it lower and tilt it up to get the correct display or projection angle.
You can see that in a small room where the ceiling is lower than 9 feet, a projector offset between 100% and 110% works very well. With an offset of more than 110%, you may need to tilt the projector upwards. When you tilt a projector, you change the shape of the image into a trapezoid instead of a rectangle. You can of course go with keystone correction to get an image that fits properly on your screen, however, this may compromise brightness and resolution.
While not often listed as a major spec or consideration, projector offset and the way a product handles offset adjustment is important. BenQ golf simulator projectors are unique with their offset, which are enough to help the image correctly reach the floor and minimize the need for tilting the projector.
| BenQ LW500ST |
||||
Light Source | Laser | LED | LED | LED |
Light Source Life | 20,000 hours | 20,000 hours | 20,000 hours | 20,000 hours |
Brightness | 3600 ANSI Lumens | 2500 ANSI Lumens | 2800 ANSI Lumens | 2800 ANSI Lumens |
Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | WXGA | WXGA |
Projection Offset | 109% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Throw Ratio | 0.49 | 0.69-0.83 | 0.72-0.87 | 0.72-0.87 |
Color Accuracy | 90% Rec.709 | 95% Rec.709 | 95% Rec.709 | 98% Rec.709 |
Est. Projector Price | $1,899 | $1,099 | Coming Soon | $799 |
Want to Talk to a Golf Simulator Projector Expert?
BenQ has trained staff to help you find the perfect golf simulator projector – within your room size and budget. To help you make the best decision, you can reach out to one of our experts to set up anything from a chat to a complete online demo, to help you find the right projector for your needs.
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