Best Outdoor Daytime Projector
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Movie nights are a thing… but that doesn’t mean evenings are the only good time for a movie, or a sports event, or a gaming session! Furthermore, have you ever thought of treating yourself to an outdoor showing during daytime? It is perfectly possible—all you need is the best outdoor daytime projector!
Don’t Let The Sun Stop You From Enjoying a Projector Movie
Most of us are used to watching our movies in a dark room… but what happens when the big game is happening before sundown? All you need to do, is ensure your projector is up to the task.
What Are Lumens and Lux:? The More, The Merrier
If, from the name, you surmised that this has to do with light output, you’re right. First came the candela, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of light emitted by one wax candle. Taken as the base unit for luminous intensity by the International System of Units, it was the starting point from which the lumen (held as the standard for measuring a projector’s output) was created. By expressing lumen per square meter, we get the lux.
Most manufacturers will disclose a given model’s output, often in lumens. For a daytime session, you should look for a projector with a potency of at least 3,000 lumens; 4,000 and eeven 5,000 are remarkably better, but a projector with this sort of power might be expensive.
Tips for Choosing The Right Projector For The Job
Power is not all there is to it: one has to keep in mind that this projector will be coming outside—to your patio, at the very least, and perhaps to your camping trips as well.
What does this mean? First, that it has to be portable, i.e. small and light. Second, it must be built in such a way that exposure to the elements won’t fry it.
On Outdoors Ratings
As the range of electronics capable of coming out into the open expands, some reputable organizations have created systems to measure a specific product’s level of endurance, so the consumer will have an easier time finding something that will fit their particular needs. The one you are most likely to find is the IP rating, where IP stands for “ingress protection”.Created by the International Electromechanical Commission, or IEC, it is expressed in the following format:
IP00
The first digit indicates level of protection against solids, the second one is for protection against liquids. A zero means that the protection in that position is nonexistent, and an X indicates the resistance in question was not tested.
Worth noting: It’s not rare to find products with an X in the first position (IPX5, for example). This needs not be cause for immediate concern; if the protection against liquids is sufficiently high, then it is safe to assume that solids will not be a pressing issue. You can read more about the IP rating system here.
Pointers To Set Up Your Viewing Area
Let’s just put this out there: no projector in existence can possibly outdo the sun, and those who might come close will be pretty expensive. In order to help you enhance your experience (and even make do with a less potent model), we offer these recommendations:
Choose your time wisely. Instead of around noon, try to plan for early morning, or just before sunset.
Shade is your ally. Try to find locations where the sun won’t hit so directly—near some trees, for example.
Pick your screen carefully. Don’t choose it too glossy, to avoid glare; dark screens are also a no-no, as they will gobble up the projector’s light and make it difficult to see anything. If possible, go for an inflatable screen: aside from wonderfully portable, they are also optimized for outdoors viewing—and they also come in different sizes.
Daytime Movies: The Selection of Best Outdoor Projectors
The following products meet the standards for using outside while the sun’s still out; one of them might just be what you’re looking for.
FANGOR 8500L Outdoor Projector
Many of us want to live the 4K experience, and if this applies to you, then this might be what you are looking for, as it is compatible with this resolution; its native output is 1080 or, in other words, full HD. With its 8500 lumens its projection can range from 60 to 250″ in size.
Capable of connecting via HDMI, USB, VGA, and micro SD, you can also plug the TV box or stick into the unit. Your smartphone is not excluded, as this model can connect via Bluetooth 5.0.
Sound is delivered via built-in 5W speakers. Unit comes backed by 90-day refund and 3-year repair warranties.
Pros:
- Cooling system feature helps maintain the unit within optimal operating temperatures.
- Long period of grace for a full refund, which should provide some additional peace of mind upon purchase.
Cons:
- Built-in app that handles wifi and Bluetooth connection is not very intuitive, per some reports.
- Menus can be hard to navigate.
4K Projector, WiMiUS P28 WiFi LED
Aside from a native resolution of 1080 and compatibility with 4K, this one offers a fairly decent potency of 10,000 candela, and it additionally offers a one key brightening function for a 20% boost in lumens.
Sound is delivered through a built-in 10W speaker, and the unit can be connected via VGA, HDMI, and USB, which makes it capable of receiving broadcast from TV sticks such as Roku. It also admits 3.5mm audio connections.
In case the image thrown is off-center, the unit comes with a Keystone correction capacity, for a maximum movement range of 50° up or down either vertically or horizontally. The projector can perform front and rear projection, and it can be ceiling-mounted.
Pros:
- Optimized to project full HD videos at 60Hz without lag, thanks to its built-in MEMC technology.
- Wide range of projection range available—from 50 to 400″.
- Fairly quiet fan, only about 50dB.
Cons:
- No wireless connection features; WiFi connectivity requires the use of a dongle, which must be procured separately.
MOOKA WiFi Projector, 7500L HD
While it offers the connection capabilities most products of its category come with (AV, HDMI, USB, TV stick compatibility, you name it), this one is designed for an optimal relationship with your smartphone, be it iOS or Android; all it takes is enabling wifi, there’s no need to tinker with Bluetooth or rely on a dongle you’d have to acquire somewhere else.
Pros:
- Includes a carrying bag, which makes transporting it easier and conveniently helps preserve it while it is not in use.
Cons:
- Its native resolution is 720p, which falls short of full HD; although it can support 1080, it also lacks the 4K compatibility offered by so many other models.
- Only supports Miracast protocol; this makes it incompatible with certain phone brands, such as Google and Sony.
Pansonite Mini Projector with High Brightness Support
HDMI, VGA,RCA, AV, USB—these are the connection types this unit offers, and it comes with next-gen LED lighting that boosts its brightness potential for daylight usage. With a maximum resolution of 1080p, its lens is bigger than that featured by other models of comparable size, which helps with image quality in spite of how compact this unit is.
Something which this model cannot compensate for, is sound, as the built-in speaker is greatly limited in how large it can be; which would probably explain why the model’s literature includes a recommendation for external speakers. Worth noting that it still manages to boast 4K compatibility. Keystone correction available.
Pros:
- Manufacturer offers a permanent free replacement policy.
- Unit is fairly small, under 8″ in width, which makes it extremely portable.
Cons:
- Contrast ratio is only 3000:1, which is lower than most other models in this category offer.
- The Keystone feature comes with a fairly narrow range—only 15°.
DBPOWER 9000L HD Native 1080P Projector
If you happen to have several sources of programming—a phone replete with videos, a TV stick, and a video game console, to name an example—and find yourself switching from one to the other on a regular basis, then this model might just be the one for you.
Featuring the usual connectors that are the average for such products, you get some of them in pairs, more specifically the USB and HDMI ones. In addition, you get 1 AV and 1 VGA connectors, in case you have compatible devices you would like to hook up.
In terms of image, you get a fairly respectable 10000:1 contrast ratio, and you can throw in 16:9 and 4:3 ratios, whichever you find more convenient. WiFi screen mirroring for smartphones available.
Pros:
- Modern connection types come in pairs, which should come in handy in case there are several devices we wish to keep ready for transmitting.
- Its high output, contrast level and aspect ratio options show a focus on optimal image delivery.
Cons:
- Its Bluetooth connectivity can only be used for pairing speakers; this shortcoming has been cause of disappointment for many customers, who expected to be able to pair their phones.
Best Viewing Experience: DBPOWER 9000L HD Native 1080P Projector
High output? Check. Portable? Check. Wall, tripod, ceiling mount? Check. For a price that falls around middle ground for its category, this model delivers in quite a few ways, even including a carrying bag for additional convenience. While the Bluetooth feature’s audio-only limitation may be seen as a potential demerit, it is unlikely to be a true inconvenience, as the decent number of connectors available makes the unit capable of keeping several devices ready for transmitting. Your phone is not left out of the loop, either, as it can be easily paired without tinkering with dongles.
Although the manufacturer does not explicitly mention 4K compatibility, several customers have reported positive experiences when playing videos with this resolution.
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