What is a sealed vs. non-sealed projector?

Sealed and non-sealed refer to whether the projector's light path, panels, and optical components are fully enclosed against outside contaminants. Most LCD projectors are non-sealed, which means dust, dirt, and even haze fluid residue from fog machines can settle inside the light path and degrade image quality over time.

This distinction matters for live events because venues frequently use atmospheric effects. A sealed projector (common in DLP designs) protects its internals from these contaminants and maintains image quality across longer deployments without requiring internal cleaning.

Read more about projectors in our Comprehensive Guide to Projectors article.