Does a projector have to be straight in to the screen?

[MrCheese]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a 1080p 3D projector for watching films which will be projecting onto a white wall. For various reasons I can't have the projector sitting dead straight in front of the screen.

Is is possible to setup the projector so that it is offset from the centre of the screen? Imagine sitting on a 2 seat sofa with a low coffee table at the side - could it be setup to have the projector on the coffee table giving a centred straight image relative to the sofa?

[MillenniumFalcon]

If the projector has the ability to use horizontal keystone correction, then yes in theory, depending on how big an angle.

You would lose a little resolution doing this though.

This should explain it:

http://www.theprojectorpros.com/learn.php?s=learn&...

[OldSkoolRS]

Don't use keystone correction if at all possible due to the resolution issues mentioned above. In any case you shouldn't need to: Many projectors have 'lens shift' that allows the projector to be positioned off centre and higher or lower than screen centre. No loss of resolution, though extreme settings of shift will tend to result in softer focus and sometimes slight 'fringing' effects ('chromic aberation'), but for modest settings shouldn't be an issue (and much better than keystone).

It's usually the LCD or DILA/LCOS models that allow lens shift as it seems quite rare on DLP models. I believe the Epsom LCD models have it as do JVC and Sony current (and for the last 3-4 years if you buy used/ex demo).