Comparison BenQ MX631ST vs BenQ MS630ST

The lamp model that the projector is designed for. Most projectors come with lamps included, so this information is not needed for normal use. But when looking for a spare lamp or replacement, information about model can be very useful: finding a spare part by the exact name is much easier than by general data like the brand of the projector.

Minimum projector lamp life as stated by the manufacturer. Specified by the total time of continuous operation. Note that if the projector was operated without violations, then upon reaching this time, the lamp will not necessarily fail — on the contrary, it can work for quite a long time. However, when evaluating durability, it is best to focus on the claimed service life.

When working in economy mode, the brightness of the backlight is noticeably reduced, on average by 30-50%. With a decrease in brightness, heat dissipation also decreases, which saves the working life of the illuminator, thereby increasing the lamp life. Thus, the ECO mode allows you to extend the lamp life by an average of 30%. If the typical projector lamp life is 4000 hours, regular use of the ECO mode will extend the backlight life to approximately 5500 hours.

The power consumption of the backlight lamp installed in the projector.

Theoretically, the more powerful the lamp, the brighter it is. However, this is only true when comparing lamps of the same type (see above); and even in this case, the brightness may also depend on the nuances of the design. Therefore, when evaluating the capabilities of a lamp, it is worth focus not so much on power, but on the directly claimed brightness in lumens (see below).

But what this parameter directly affects is the total power consumption of the projector: the lamp is the most “greedy” component of the device, compared to it, the power consumption of the rest of the electronics is very small. Also note that many powerful lamps have high heat dissipation and require cooling systems, which affects the size and weight of the projector.

Frame rate, simply put, is the frame rate supported by the projector.

For normal playback, it is highly desirable that the frame rate of the projector match the original frame rate of the video signal. However, most modern models do not support a specific frame rate, but a whole range of frequencies, and quite an extensive one at that.

Note that for viewing most video materials, the range from 24 to 60 fps is quite enough. The exception is 3D content, which may require double the frame rate, up to 120Hz (see " 3D Support " for details).

The actual image resolution of the projector.

The minimum for modern projectors is actually the VGA standard, which assumes a resolution of 800x600 or close to it. The lowest of today's high-definition standards is HD (720) ; the classic size of such a frame is 1280x720, but there are other options in projectors, up to 1920x720. A more advanced HD format is Full HD (1080), which also has several variations (the most popular is 1920x1080). And among high-end projectors, there are models of Quad HD, Ultra HD (4K) and even Ultra HD (8K) standards.

In general, the higher the resolution, the clearer and more detailed image the projector can produce. On the other hand, this indicator directly affects the cost; and all the benefits of high resolution can only be appreciated if the content being played also corresponds to it.

The maximum resolution is closely related to both the overall picture quality and the screen size. The higher the resolution of the projector, the clearer the image details become, especially when viewing the picture on a large screen.

For the vast majority of tasks, a resolution ranging from HD (1280x720) to Full HD (1920x1080) is usually enough. If the projector will be used to play modern games, you should choose a model with a resolution from Quad HD (2560x1440) to 4K (3840×2160) and even 8K (7680x4320).

Of course, the screen size itself should be taken into account. The fact is that on a 40-50″ projection surface there will not be much difference between Quad HD and 4K formats. A high-resolution picture will be able to express itself on a really big screen.

Vertical keystone correction allows you to align the image when the projection ray is shifted from the centre of the screen in a vertical plane. If the projector is suspended from the ceiling and shines from top to bottom, a vertical keystone occurs. And the function of vertical keystone correction allows you to align the picture.

In most cases, projectors can only correct vertical keystone. But the keystone can also be horizontal if the projection ray is offset from the centre of the screen in the horizontal plane. Advanced models are often equipped with an auto keystone correction feature (see the relevant paragraph). In this case, the keystone is aligned in a fully automatic mode, without user participation.

Inputs for connecting external video sources provided in the projector.

— VGA. Analogue video interface, that considered obsolete, but still quite popular; VGA outputs are found in video technology, as well as in some computer graphics cards. It supports resolutions up to 1280x1024, which allows you to work with 720p video, but more advanced HD standards are out of the question. Audio signal transmission via VGA is not provided, the soundtrack for such a video will have to be connected separately.

— DVI. A video interface primarily used to connect projectors to computers. Initially, it did not provide sound transmission, but this possibility is gradually being introduced. Nowadays, several varieties of DVI are used. So, according to the signal format, purely digital DVI-D and combined DVI-I, which supports digital and analogue video, are distinguished. In both of these varieties, a two-channel digital data transmission format can be used, in which the maximum video resolution reaches 2560x1600 (in single-channel it is 1920x1200). Connectors and plugs DVI-D and DVI-I are compatible with each other if the number of channels matches, or if a single-channel video signal is connected to a two-channel input.

— DisplayPort. A digital interface originally designed for connecting LCD monitors. Modern versions are similar in capabilities to HDMI, they support HD resolutions of 10...80p and higher, as well as multi-channel audio transmission. However, such outputs are rare in video devices; the main area of application for DisplayPort has been and remains computer technology. In particular, it is this connector (as well as its reduced version miniDisplayPort) that Apple regularly uses in its computers.

• — DisplayPort v 1.2. DisplayPort v 1.2 has a bandwidth of 17.28 Gbps. This signal transmission standard has full support for FullHD video format. QuadHD and 4K formats are partially supported.
• Display Port v 1.3. The maximum bandwidth of DisplayPort v 1.3 is 25.92 Gbps. This version of DisplayPort provides full support for FullHD and QuadHD formats. 4K and 8K video modes are partially supported.
• Display Port v 1.4. The bandwidth limit of DisplayPort v 1.4 is 32.4 Gbps. This version of DisplayPort features enhanced support for 4K video, including 144Hz refresh rates, while DisplayPort 1.3 only limits 4K to 120Hz. Like the previous version, DisplayPort 1.4 partially supports 8K video modes.

— BNC. Bayonet type connector used to connect coaxial cable. Projectors use this connection to transmit analogue component video (see the relevant paragraph) or uncompressed SDI video. BNC refers to professional interfaces and is found in projectors of the corresponding class.

— S-Video. Analogue interface for video transmission (without work with audio). Provides two channels for transmitting image information, similar to the component input described below. However, on the one hand, S-Video uses only one connector instead of three, on the other hand, the bandwidth of this interface is noticeably lower, it is not suitable for HD resolutions, in light of which it is considered obsolete and is rare, mainly found in specialized video equipment.

— Composite. Initially, a composite interface is called an analogue interface for transmitting video and sound, using 3 separate channels (for the video signal and the left and right audio channels). However, in this case, most often only one connector is meant — for video; audio inputs on projectors are listed separately and are referred to as RCA (audio) (see "Audio connectors"). In general, the composite interface does not have a high picture quality, besides it is not suitable for transmitting an HD image and is considered obsolete. On the other hand, it is very common and is found not only in modern video equipment, but also in outdated ones; for example, you can connect a VHS-VCR to the projector through this interface.

— Component. An interface that is considered the most advanced among modern analogue video standards. The video signal with this connection is divided into three components transmitted over separate cables; this provides good interference resistance and sufficient bandwidth even for HD resolutions. But the sound in this interface is not supported.