Digital light processing facts for kids
A DLP projector is a special type of video projector. It uses tiny mirrors to bounce light. These mirrors can quickly move. They either send light forward or away. They move super fast! If a mirror reflects light more often, that spot looks brighter. If it reflects light less often, the spot looks darker.
DLP projectors can make very bright and clear pictures. They have a high resolution. This means the image looks sharp and detailed. Many DLP projectors are small. This makes them easy to carry around. Some are even tiny enough to fit inside a smartphone! Big ones are often used in movie theaters.
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How DLP Projectors Work
DLP projectors use a special part called a digital micromirror device (DMD). This device helps create the picture you see.
Digital Micromirror Devices
A DMD is made of many very small mirrors. These tiny mirrors are arranged in a grid. They sit on a special computer chip called a semiconductor. Each tiny mirror creates one small part of the picture. This small part is called a pixel. If a DMD has more mirrors, the picture will have a higher resolution. This means it will look even clearer.
Making the Picture
The mirrors on the DMD can move. They can tilt to reflect light through the lens of the projector. Or, they can tilt to reflect light somewhere else. When a mirror reflects light through the lens, that pixel looks bright. When it reflects light away, the pixel looks dark.
These mirrors move incredibly fast. They move much faster than your eyes can see. If a mirror spends more time reflecting light through the lens, that pixel will look lighter. If it spends more time reflecting light away, the pixel will look darker. This quick movement helps create all the different shades and colors you see on the screen.
Image Gallery
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Logo
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The Christie Mirage 5000, a 2001 DLP projector
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The InFocus IN34, a DLP projector
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DLP CINEMA. A Texas Instruments Technology
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Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema Prototype Projector, Mark V, 2000
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The NEC Cinema DLP projector in 2006
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56-inch DLP rear-projection TV
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The rear panel of a Mitsubishi XD300U shows the output and input jacks which are available.
See also
In Spanish: Procesado digital de luz para niños
