Offices use projectors in their conference rooms, educational institutions install them in classrooms for a more interactive learning and home users use it for entertainment purposes.
If of the portable kind, they accrue additional benefits of carrying along comfortably to deliver presentations on the move.
Read on for factors to consider when you are looking to buy a projector.
Choose on the basis of technology type
Based on technology, projectors can be categorized into the types of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) & DLP (Digital Light Processing). The difference between the two lies in the way each processes light to display images.
LCD Projectors: use a transmission design to transmit light through a small LCD screen to project a larger image on a flat surface (screen). Such projectors display images sharper and in full brightness.
Quality of images projected by them is comparable to the higher end DLP projectors.
Home users find it better to opt for these owing to their economical pricing and widespread availability.
However, LCD projectors fail to deliver good quality output after operating for 8-10 hours in a day.
Image quality depreciates significantly beyond a continuous operation of 8-10 hours.
This depreciation is reflected in a skewing of colours, contrast, etching effect and overall picture quality.
LCD projectors are also prone to pixelation sometimes.
You can choose to buy an LCD projector if you are a home user with usage limited to watching movies or for general entertainment.
You can ensure that you do not operate your LCD projector for a period longer than 8 hours in order to preserve its life and quality.
Examples of the LCD type are Sony VPLCS3W LCD Projector, NEC VT48G LCD Projector, Epson EMP1715 Projector, Sony VPLEX3 Data Projector, Panasonic PTLB50NTE Projector and Mitsubishi XD60U LCD Projector.
DLP Projectors: use a reflective design to reflect and create images through thousands of hair width tiny mirrors. From an overall perspective, DLP projectors offers better image quality but are very expensive. Despite the cost factor, they offer the advantage of continuous use for long periods of time without any deterioration in image quality or harm to the equipment. Thus, they are good for commercial purposes and can be effectively deployed for making official presentations.
Examples of the DLP type are Benq CP120 Projector, Acer PD726 DLP Projector, BENQ PB8253 Projector, Mitsubishi SD205U Projector, Toshiba TDPS8 Projector, NEC LT35G Projector, Mitsubishi SD110R Projector and IBM Lenovo M500 DLP Projector.
Choose on the basis of size or weight
On the basis of size or weight, projectors can be classified as portables (ultralights) and fixed installations.
Portables (Ultralights): Being lightweight, such projectors can be easily carried along while on the move.
This kind of model is extremely beneficial to mobile professionals in making business presentations anywhere they go.
Portables come with a compromise on image brightness and quality.
However, if weight is of prime consideration, you can choose to buy an ultralight. Sony VPLEX3 Data Projector and Infocus LP70 Projector are high quality portable projectors.
Less portables: Such projectors allow their movement from one room to another. Though not as mobile as ultralights, they more than make up for this with their performance and image quality.
These models are apt for presentations in large rooms and also possess a range of features sometimes. MITSUBISHI HC100 DLP Projector is of this type.
Fixed Installations (In-house): These projectors are weighty and are assigned a fixed place. They restrict mobility and find place in auditoriums or large halls.
In house projectors are very powerful and are capable of handling versatile resolutions and image sizes.
Before deciding on the right projector it is vital to run a check on its features.
Given below are the features you must consider for optimum projector performance.
Choose a Resolution
Resolution:determines how bright and sharp will the images produced be. For a projector, ‘resolution’ can be defined as the number of dots or pixels used by it to create an image.
More the dots, better is the clarity and detail on images. Depending on your purpose, you should choose among the different resolutions.
The popular choice of resolutions available according to usage is:
800 x 600 pixels (SVGA) – Projectors with this resolution are not very expensive.
If your usage is limited to power point presentations, pie charts and general presentations, which do not rely on detail, this may be an economical choice.
Some examples of projectors with this resolution are Sony VPLCS3W LCD Projector, NEC VT48G LCD Projector, Sony VPLCS21 LCD Projector, Epson EMPS4 Projector, Acer XD1170D Projector and Toshiba TDPS8 Projector.
1024 x 768 pixels (XGA) – Such projectors offer images with more detail than SVGA resolution.
Relatively budget friendly; they can be employed if usage limits to excel sheets, detailed graphics and graphs with a lot of numeric data.
Some examples of projectors with this resolution are Benq CP220 Projector, Epson EMP1715 Projector, Sony VPLCX61 Projector, Acer PD523 DLP Data Projector, Mitsubishi SD205U Projector and Panasonic PTLB50NTE Projector.
1280 x 1024 pixels (SXGA) – Projectors with such high resolutions serve best to high end users, desirous of using engineering or CAD/CAM applications that stress on detail.
This resolution is effective for projecting engineering drawings with innumerable fine details and small size text.
Some examples of projectors with this resolution are BENQ PB8253 Projector, Mitsubishi HC3000 Projector, Acer PD321 DLP Projector, HP VP6110 Projector and Canon LV7240 LCD Projector.
Other resolutions available on Getprice are 1280 x 720, 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 576, 854 x 480, 1366 x 768, 1400 x 1050 and 1920 x 1080.
Choose a brightness level
It is very essential for projected images to have the right brightness if they are to produce a desired effect on the audience.
Brightness or light output is measured in ANSI lumens. Brighter the area you are going to operate the projector in, more will have to be its ANSI configuration.
Buying a projector with a low light output implies that you will have to run your presentations in a dark room for reasonable brightness.
A dark room can produce good images irrespective of the projector’s brightness potential.
Thus, if you desire to use your projector for viewing videos or movies in the dark, you can choose a low ANSI capability.
Various brightness options available are:
Less than 1000 ANSI lumens – These are the lowest light output projectors available and are the least expensive.
It requires projection to be made in dark or dimly lit rooms and is ideal for still photography.
Examples of projectors in this brightness range are HP EP7112 Projector, Sony VPLVW50 LCD Projector, Toshiba TDPMT400 Projector, Toshiba TDPMT200 Projector and HP EP7112 Projector.
1000 to 2000 ANSI lumens – Projectors of standard use in conference rooms or classrooms come in this category. Reducing room lighting a little can be sometimes helpful in projecting images of good quality and clarity.
Examples of projectors in this brightness range are Benq CP120 Projector, NEC VT48G LCD Projector, Mitsubishi XD110R Projector and Acer PD323 DLP Projector.
2000 to 3000 ANSI lumens – Projectors with such brightness capabilities fall in the high performance range of portable or semi portable projectors, which are suitable for large business rooms or classrooms.
These withstand lighting in the rooms to display images with good brightness and quality.
Capable of being deployed effectively in large sized rooms, they offer greater flexibility with audience size.
Examples of projectors in this brightness range are Benq MP720 Projector, Epson EMP1715 Projector, Sony VPLCX21 LCD Projector, Acer XD1270D Projector, Panasonic PTLB55NTE Projector and Toshiba TDPT100 Projector.
Higher than 3000 lumens – Such projectors offer more superior brightness and are good options for projection in auditoriums, theatres, churches, nightclubs and the like.
Being of the high-end class, they are expensive. NEC GT5000G Projector offers brightness of 6000 lumens.
Some other examples of projectors in this brightness range are Benq MP770 Projector, NEC WT615 Projector, Canon LV7565E Projector and Panasonic PTD5600EL Projector.
Choose a suitable contrast ratio
Contrast ratio is the measure of the difference between the darkest black and the brightest white of an image.
A low contrast ratio will project faded images.
Whereas, the right contrast ratio will lend projector the ability to show subtle colour details and also put up with room lighting. A low contrast of 500:1 will make images appear washed out and edges will lack properly definition. Parts of images may appear blurred. Medium contrast range of 500:1 – 1200:1 will make images appear clear and more vibrant. High contrast of anything exceeding 1200:1 produces crisp and ultra vibrant images.
Other nice to have features
Colour depth: is the number of colours your projector is able to display. 16 bit depth is a good choice. High-end projectors usually have 24 bit depth.
Connectivity:When you use multiple video sources, you should check for connectivity. You must ensure that the projector accepts a wide range of video and PC inputs to connect such devices on it, example a laptop or a notebook that you wish to connect to it. There should also be multiple input jacks to make connections through.
Zoom lens:This gives a projector the capability to be set in a suitable location and adjust the size of projection. Portables usually have zoom lens of limited range. Zoom lenses range from 1:1:1 to 2:0:1. Higher the number, greater the zoom-range.
Controls:A projector usually has a set of controls on its build.
Such controls allow for adjusting brightness, contrast, colour depth, source and volume.
These functions are also duplicated in the hand held remote if your projector is supplied with one.
A remote device makes it convenient to operate your projector from a distance.
Thus a remote control is a nice feature to consider, for example, Mitsubishi SD110R Projector, MITSUBISHI HC100 DLP Projector and Toshiba S25 Projector.
A careful co-relation of the points above with what you are looking for in your projector will help you make the right pick at GetPrice!
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