According to a national survey, participants who owned a golf simulator or were interested in owning one answered that easy setup was most important to them when getting ready to set up a simulator at home. Many of the participants opted to set up their sim in a shared space, such as a garage or a media room. For small spaces, a short-throw lens ratio of around .5 is a popular choice. Let’s dive into the differences between a popular classroom projector, conference room projector, and golf simulation projector.

We'll take three laser-powered projectors: the BenQ LH820ST, the Epson Powerlite L210SF, and the Optima ZH406STx to see which one is best suited for your golf sim needs. We will take a look at: 

• Installation flexibility 
• How realistic is the color?
• Can they be used in a garage?
• Maintenance requirements 

According to the survey, the number one concern of golf simulator buyers was easy installation. The image must be large enough to fill the screen while avoiding being blocked by the protective enclosure. Typically, projectors with a .5 throw ratio don’t have lens shift, which allows users to shift their image into place. Since all these models have the same throw ratio, what are the key differences in installation between models?

Offset is how projectors pre-position the image on a screen. For golf simulators, a low offset will allow a projector to be mounted where it won’t be in the way of the golf sim enclosure and won’t create a shadow while playing. A classroom projector rarely has offset because most of the time it is placed straight ahead, while the conference room projector uses a high offset so that it can be placed on a low table and project up to a screen where everyone can see it. 

If the projector needs to be mounted further back due to obstructions, digital shrink can reduce the size of the image so it properly fills the screen, While this slightly reduces the total number of pixels, it enables you to adjust the picture quickly for a clean and realistic image. In addition, you can also shift the image up or down to where it fits best for you. Here is an example of the LH820ST being used in a garage where the reviewer shrink the image and used coner fit to quickly set up his screen.

Corner Fit allows users to move the corners of their image to fit into place. It allows the final-fine tuning of the image by allowing you to compensate for any tilting on the projector when mounted. Once you drag the image on the screen to the corners – the projector will format the image to make it look perfect.

Simulation is meant to make experiences feel as realistic as possible. Color accuracy is important for those who are not just playing but also designing. Natural colors like grass and leaves are difficult to make realistic since they are darker and have many subtle undertones. What do you look for when you have a realistic image on a projector without seeing it in person?

Nearly every TV and monitor sold today has Rec. 709 color accuracy but not every projector does. Most classrooms and conference room projectors don’t have Rec. 709 color accuracy, but the LH820ST is rated at 90% Rec.709 color accuracy for grass and sky that looks realistic and organic. 

While it's hard to be able to see one firsthand, here is a video of a reviewer who upgraded his lamp projector to the LH820ST and shows how a gold course looks on the new projector-especially with water and grass. 

The other way you can evaluate the color accuracy of a projector is using the specification of “Delta E” or how much error the projector has on difficult colors like tans, teals, and burgundy. Typically, any specification less than three is considered a fully accurate picture quality and will reproduce the complex colors found in nature that draw you into the simulator. On the LH820ST, you will see this in cloudscapes and water hazards.

A projector needs to start with the correct white point to ensure all the rest of the colors are correct. The best golf simulator projectors have factory calibration to ensure the correct white point when it comes out of the box. In this article, you can see how factory calibration works in home theater projectors. 

Golf mode is meant to enhance the golf sim experience. It enhances the visibility of golf course details, including greens, fairways, and distances, making it easier for golfers to view and analyze the course and up their game. It brings out more vivid greens and blues to enhance the playing experience. 

If you are going to play in your garage or other room with a less than pristine environment, you’ll like that the BenQ’s LH820ST is built garage tough, withstanding temperatures up to 140 degrees and as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. This lets you leave it on the mount without worrying about potential damage. You also get 20,000 hours of maintenance-free usage for uninterrupted course action. The LH820ST also has a sealed engine to keep dust out, which eliminates the need for filters altogether. The design prevents dust from building up to give you a longer-lasting projector. Some laser projector modes still require filter cleaning in as little as 100 hours of usage. 

The LH820ST is uniquely designed with a golf sim in mind. The specific features help players see every detail that delivers compelling realism no matter if they are playing on Sawgrass with Bermuda grass or Torrey Pines South on Kikuyu grass.

If you are looking to find the right projector for your small space, the LH820ST provides easy installation for your next DIY project and has enough realistic color for a play-like you’re there feel all while being built garage tough and maintenance-free. With all these features and more the LH820ST is the ideal projector for your golf sim set up. 

BenQ has trained staff that can provide you with the tools you need to find the perfect home theater or golf simulator projector – within your room constraints and budget.   Just give us a call – or open the chatbot box