Projectors
- Quick Facts
Which Projector Size Is Most Appropriate For My Application?
Are you usually on the road with only a bag or two in hand, or are you
interested in creating a full-featured conference room? The size of
a projector reflects your presentation plans. Projectors come in a
variety of weights and sizes, so you need to be able to decide what's
right for your specific needs:
| Description |
Weight |
Mobile/Stationary |
Differences |
| Portable |
under 7 lbs. |
Extremely mobile |
Optimized for weight |
| Desktop |
7-13 lbs. |
Somewhat mobile |
Increased features & brightness |
| Conference Room |
over 13 lbs. |
Stationary |
Increased inputs, interfaces, features and brightness |
| Large Venue |
18-50 lbs. |
Stationary |
The ultimate in all features, except for portability |
| Home Theater |
varies |
Somewhat mobile |
High performance for home theater use |
How Do I Gauge A Projector's Brightness?
A projector's light output is measured in units called ANSI lumens. The
more lumens, the brighter the image.
| Lumens Range |
Typical Application |
Room Lighting |
| Less than 1000 |
Small conference rooms and classrooms |
Dark or very dim |
| 1,000-2,000 |
Midsize conference rooms and classrooms |
Dim |
| 2,000-3,000 |
Large conference rooms and classrooms |
Dim or normal |
| More than 3,000 |
Large venues (boardrooms, auditoriums, theaters etc.) |
Normal |
What Resolution Will Be Most Useful My Line Of Work?
Resolution refers to the level of detail your projector can display and
is measured by pixels.
An example of resolution is 800 x 600. The first number (800) refers to
the width of the image -- how many pixels are displayed horizontally. The
second number (600) refers to the number of pixels displayed vertically,
from top to bottom. More pixels mean higher resolution and clearer detail.
| Type Of Presentation |
Minimum Resolution Recommended |
Class Recommended |
| Power Point |
800 x 600 |
SVGA |
| Spreadsheets |
1,024 x 768 |
XGA |
| High-resolution graphics |
1,280 x 1,024 |
SXGA |
Note: For the best image, the resolution of the presenting laptop should
match the resolution of the connected projector.
LCD vs. DLP Projectors
The
type of projector refers to the type of display technology used on the
projector. LCD projectors
are the standard, with polysilicon being
of a higher quality than the standard LCD active matrix display. "Digital
Light Processing (DLP)" and "Light Valves" are the newest
forms of projector technology. DLP's are considered to have brighter images,
as well as superior video quality, than LCD's. Light Valves, being very
powerful and bright projectors, tend to be found on the largest models
(and most expensive), such as those used in auditoriums and theaters. Most
multimedia projectors create their images by aiming bright light through
small LCD panels containing a grid of thousands of "gates," each
of which can be opened or closed to control the brightness and color of
light at a given pixel on the screen. Since the panel grid blocks some
of the light, this is an inherently inefficient process. However, Digital
Light Processing (DLP) eliminated this inefficiency. Instead of LCD panels,
DLP relies on small chips that contain arrays of tiny mirrors, which can
be moved to control the brightness and color of light at a given pixel.
This arrangement allows nearly all of the light output to make it to the
screen.
One criticism of DLP stems from the fact that the mirrors reflect all light,
making it a challenge to keep the color black dark enough to provide high-contrast
images.
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