What to look for in a Projector
Choosing a type of projector over another will depend on the cost involved, its intended use, etc. A higher priced projector may be an overkill for what you need, while a lower priced projector may not have the features needed for your application.
Here are some guidelines to help you decide:
Brightness
Brightness is measured in ANSI Lumens -- basically lumens is the amount of illumination (light) provided by the projector.
When determining the brightness you will need, you should take into account where the projector will be used and the brightness of the room, and the screen size.
- Room Brightness - If the room is very well lit, for example with a lot of fluorescent lights, you will need a projector putting out many lumens - 1200 or more. If the room is not so bright or you can control the lights, 1200 lumens or below will suffice.
- Screen Size - The lumens needed are directly proportional to the size of the screen - the larger the screen, the more lumens you will need.
Keep in mind that the higher the ANSI lumens rating is, the brighter your LCD light output will be. Projecters with less than 1,000 lumens have a good chance of not meeting your needs. At this level, you would only be able to use the projector in small rooms for images with little detail. Lumens of 1,000 to 2,000 illuminate enough light for most normal business meetings, while the higher resolution lumens of 2,000 to 3,000 produce enough light for large conference rooms or classroom settings and will give the best presentation of detailed images.
Contrast
Contrast is considered the ratio between the brightest and darkest areas of your image. If you plan to present graphics or video images, you will want to buy a projector that has a ratio of no less than 400:1. If you will be displaying spreadsheets, numeric data, or fine detail, then you will need a projector with a high contrast ratio. This is extremely important if conducting your presentations where the room's lights are on.
Resolution
A good rule to follow is that the higher the resolution provided by your projector, the more you will pay. If you will be using PowerPoint as your main software for giving presentations, then using SVGA resolution will be just fine. However, if you need to display spreadsheets or other types of numerical data, XGA is the better choice. The higher the resolution, the easier and more accurate fine details can be seen. Here are a few options:
- SVGA - 800 x 600
- XGA - 1,024 x 768
- SXGA - 1,280 x 1,024
- WXGA - 1,366 x 768
- UXGA - 1,600 x 1,200
Compression
Compression is the technology that allows higher resolution data to be displayed using a projector that produces lower resolution. Compression uses algorithms as a way of displaying the higher resolution images with little to no loss. Keep in mind that the level of loss can greatly vary from one brand of projector to another.
Two specific brands that work extremely well are Epson and NEC. The SVGA projecters they design do a great job with PowerPoint presentations and although they can support numerical data, it is not quite as good.
The average for an SVGA projector is around $1,500 with the XGA starting around $2,300. If your budget will support it, go with the XGA. In the end, you will be much more satisfied.
Screen Size
Another important consideration is the screen size - the larger the screen you'll be projecting onto, the more lumens needed. When presenting in large rooms, this can create a challenge since you could easily be presenting on a 15 or even 25-foot screen. It is certainly possible, but is somewhat trickier with the room lighting.
Weight
DLP projectors are lighter in weight than LCD projectors. Even so, consider how you will be using the projector. Will you need to transport it from place to place? If so, you will want something that weighs around four to five pounds making the DLP your best option. An important factor is that generally, you pay more for the convenience of having a lighter projector.
Althought DLP projectors are lighter, you still can find light LCD projectors that perform very well.
Examples of Light LCD projectors:
Lamp Life
LCD projectors will list the life of the lamp in the informational guide. This may not sound like anything too important, but the cost of replacing these lamps can be several hundreds of dollars. Bulbs that provide 2,000 hours or more are your best choice. In addition, there are now projectors that are designed with special economic modes to help extend the life of the lamp by automatically shutting it off or placing on "pause" when not in use or after a certain amount of time of not being used.
Click here for Projector Lamps and Projector Bulbs
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