Using a 1080P projector with a 15" Macbook Pro

[leicaman94044]

I just took delivery of a new Panasonic 1080P projector today. I'm initially using iPhoto on my 2009 15" MBPro to send 1080X1080pixel images to the projector. The images are downsized from cropped 10 megapixel files and look very sharp on my laptop screen.

These images look soft when projected on a 72" square screen and I'm wondering if the problem is the laptop not having sufficient screen resolution (900x1440) or iPhoto not being capable of sending a 1080x1080P image to the projector? I'm using a 6 ft HDMI cable with a HDMI to Mini DVI adaptor to link the projector to the laptop.

I'd like to find a better program than iPhoto for my slideshows so any suggestions would be very much appreciated. I can't find any info on this problem on projector websites or projector forums as most projector users are either gamers or are using their projectors for TV viewing. I'm a pro photographer who wants to use optimize my 1090P projector for doing slide shows.

Thanks,
Lawrence

 

[miles01110]

Try adjusting the focus on the projector...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Disabled MIRROR DISPLAYS yet?

System Preferences > Displays >> Arrangement >>> Mirror Displays (but know, that the display with the lowest resolution determines the maximum resolution used on both, thus one display will have a lower than native resolution, except when both displays have the same native resolution)

Btw, 1920 x 1080 pixel on a 72" "screen" will never look as sharp as 1440 x 900 pixel on a 15" display.

 

[leicaman94044]

I wasn't aware that by selecting Mirror Displays the lowest resolution would be selected. This may be the problem. Thank you for pointing this out Sim.
I am aware that I won't get anywhere near the resolution on a large screen that I'm getting on my laptop but it has to be better than what I'm getting. I'm still wondering if iPhoto is limiting the resolution? iPhoto is just a temporary slideshow program as I'm still researching the subject of slideshow software and am only using iPhoto because it's already on my computer.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

1440 x 900 pixel on a 15.4" display is 110.27 PPI (pixel per inch).
1920 x 1080 pixel on a 72" screen is 30.6 PPI.

That means, one pixel on the 72" screen (at 1920 x 1080 pixel) is 3.6 times bigger than on the MBP's display. I guess, you have set the external display (the projector) to 1920 x 1080 pixel.
In the below image you see a small excerpt of the Bamboo Grove desktop background at 100%, and then blown up to 3.6 times its size.

It is not the best example, as a projector is even worse than a display regarding screen quality, but it might bring the point across.

 

[leicaman94044]

Thanks Sim. Your bamboo illustration is a good one for more than the obvious. I've made trips to Ecuador and Colombia to study bamboo... so that example resonates well with me.

I'm also coming from a film background where I used to do multimedia slide presentations with two Leica projectors and a dissolve unit. I've read that it will be years before digital projection approaches what Leica analog projectors were capable of... but I thought the image quality on a 1080P projector would be better than what I'm seeing. I'm a complete newbie at this and am just looking to optimize the quality of the Panasonic PT-AR100U that I'm using.

 

[Mr Woo]

Brand new Imac connected to Projector

I have a brand new Imac and I'm connecting it to a new Panasonic
PT-AR1001080i projector, and the image quality is very poor. I try everything you guys mention but it's not helping much. My friend has a 720 projector connected to a PC and the image is way better.

I'm thinking that maybe the adapter from the mac to the HDMI is altering the image quality. Should I try to connect it with a RGB?

Thank you.