Comparison Wanbo TT vs Wanbo T6 Max

— Smart TV (proprietary system). The operating system of the projector is represented by the proprietary software shell of the manufacturer. Usually such operating systems have an attractive and convenient menu, similar to a traditional Smart TV. A proprietary operating system is developed by the manufacturer for the hardware resources of a particular projector model or a whole line. But, as practice shows, compared to the classic Smart TV, the functionality of proprietary system often has significant limitations, and the system itself, in fact, is a stripped-down version of a full-fledged Smart TV.

— Smart TV (Android AOSP). This type of operating system is a modification of the popular Android OS, mainly notable for being open source. It is a versatile operating system that gives the user much more freedom to create changes and customizations within the system. At the same time, the installation and work stability of certain applications on this platform are not guaranteed, and the overall system management was not specially “tailored” for large screens, which may cause some inconvenience. First of all, such solutions will will generate interest among users who understand the features of the Android OS, like to customize and control everything, and have time for this.

— Android TV. This type of projector has full-fledged Android TV software, spec...ially adapted to work on large screens. In accordance with the name, it is a type of Android OS, specially designed for projectors/TVs, etc. In addition to the common features of all “Androids” (such as the ability to install additional applications, including even games), it has a number of special features: optimized interface, integration with smartphones (including the ability to use them as a remote control), voice search, etc. Thanks to this, TVs with this feature are significantly superior in functionality to models with a Smart TV. Of course, a dedicated processor, graphics subsystem and memory are provided for the operation of a multifunctional OS, and the presence of such hardware resources is reflected in the total cost of the projector. Given the same optical design, models with Android TV will cost more than classic projectors with a simple multi-line menu.

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 number of individual colour shades that the projector is capable of displaying.

The minimum indicator for modern projection technology is actually 16 million colours (more precisely, 16.7 million is a standard number associated with the features of digital image processing). In the most advanced models, this value can exceed 1 billion. However, two nuances should be taken into account here: firstly, the human eye is able to recognize only about 10 million colour shades, and secondly, not a single modern image output device (projectors, monitors, etc.) cannot cover the entire spectrum of colours visible to the human eye. Therefore, impressive colour performance is more of a marketing ploy than a real indicator of image quality, and in fact it makes sense to pay attention to other characteristics — primarily brightness and contrast (see above), as well as specific data like a colour gamut chart.

The actual maximum frame resolution that the projector is capable of processing and displaying.

Many models allow project images at a higher resolution than the actual resolution of the projector matrix (see above). For example, a 1920x1080 video can be displayed on a device with a frame size of 1024x768. However, the quality of such an image will be noticeably lower than on a projector, which initially has a resolution of 1920x1080.

The maximum resolution is closely related to both the overall picture quality and the size of the projection screen. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image details become. 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 the Quad HD and 4K formats. A high-resolution picture will be able to show itself on a truly large screen.

Image formats supported by the projector.

In this case, format means the aspect ratio of the image. The general rule in this case is that the projector must support the same format in which the original content is recorded. Otherwise, the image will either be stretched in height or width, or with black stripes on the sides or top-bottom. Specifically, the formats can be divided into three main categories:

— Traditional, or rectangular. Classic formats in which the height of the picture is not much less than the width. The most popular options are 4:3, widely used in analogue TV, and 5:4, common in computer technology. Traditional formats are well suited for presentations, working with documents and graphics, and other similar tasks.

— Widescreen — formats in which the frame width is significantly (more than 1.5 times) greater than the height. The most popular of these standards are 16:9 and 16:10. These aspect ratios are well suited for games and movies; in particular, most high-definition content (HD 720p and above) is recorded in widescreen format.

— Extra wide. The formats are even wider than the widescreen ones described above — for example, 21:9. Mainly used in cinematography.

It is worth noting that many modern projectors are able to work with several types of formats at once — for example, with classic 4:3 and...wide-angle 16:9.

Support for HDR technology — expanded dynamic range — by the projector.

This technology allows for extending the brightness range displayed within a single frame — in simpler terms, it enables displaying both very bright and very dark colors on screen simultaneously. This significantly improves color reproduction; furthermore, small details on very bright or very dark parts of the frame that would be invisible on a regular image remain visible. However, it's worth noting that all the advantages of HDR become noticeable only on a high-quality screen with maximum dimming. Additionally, this function significantly affects the cost of the projector, and the content being played back must initially be recorded in HDR — using exactly the technology supported by the projector (this detail can be clarified in the manual). In light of this, HDR support is mainly found among high-end models for home theaters. It should also be noted that there are several different HDR technologies that are not compatible with each other. Therefore, when purchasing a projector with this function, it's crucial to clarify which exact version of HDR it supports. The following are available:

— HDR10. Historically the first of the consumer HDR formats, less advanced than the options described below but extremely widespread. In particular, HDR10 is supported by virtually all streaming services that provide HDR content at all, and it's also standard for...Blu-ray discs. It allows for working with a color depth of 10 bits (hence the name). At the same time, devices with this format are compatible with HDR10+ content, although its quality will be limited by the capabilities of the original HDR10.

— HDR10+. An enhanced version of HDR10. With the same color depth (10 bits), it uses so-called dynamic metadata, which allows transmitting information about color depth not only for groups of several frames but also for individual frames. This leads to further improvement in color reproduction.

— Dolby Vision. An advanced standard used, for example, in professional filmmaking. It achieves a color depth of 12 bits, uses the aforementioned dynamic metadata, and also allows transmitting two image variants simultaneously in one video stream — HDR and regular (SDR). Dolby Vision is based on the same technology as HDR10, so in modern video equipment, this format is usually combined with HDR10 or HDR10+.

— HLG. An HDR format initially designed for TV broadcasting and live transmissions; hence, it is designed for "working without metadata" and is easier to transfer between different sources. Unlike HDR10, which uses static metadata, and particularly HDR10+ / Dolby Vision, which can dynamically adjust the picture frame by frame, HLG often provides a more universal and predictable HDR signal, although not as precisely tuned for a specific display. However, HLG has a strong point — excellent compatibility: the same stream can appear acceptable even on devices that are not fully HDR-capable, which is crucial for broadcast/satellite content. An example of use is viewing HDR broadcasts and TV content from a set-top box/tuner or streaming where HLG is encountered: the projector will correctly receive the signal and display the extended brightness range and more vibrant colors without manual tweaking of settings.

The closest distance to the screen that the projector can be used on. Typically, this is the minimum distance at which the image from the projector remains in focus.

This parameter is especially important if the device is to be placed at a small distance from the screen (for example, in a cramped room). Some modern projectors are able to work normally at a distance of 10 – 20 cm. Also note that the throw distances are determined primarily by the lens, and if the initial range of these distances does not suit you, perhaps the situation can be solved by replacing the optics.

The farthest distance from the screen that the projector can be used on. This is the maximum distance at which the image remains in focus and maintains acceptable brightness — at least enough for viewing in a darkened room on a high-quality screen.

It is necessary to choose according to this parameter taking into account the expected operating conditions and the distances to be dealt with. At the same time, it's ok to have a certain margin for the maximum distance — since, as already mentioned, it is usually indicated for an perfect screen and a darkened room, and such conditions are not always available. Also note that although the throw distances depend on the lens, not every projector with an interchangeable lens allows the installation of more "long-range" optics than the standard one — the device may simply not have enough brightness for an increased distance.