Today’s multimedia video projectors represent a versatile, practical, and affordable tool that can serve different purposes both in the business as well as in the home entertainment arena.
The fall in price and the developments in video projection technology we have experienced during these last few years, have made the digital projector even more accessible to a larger group of home users.
Demand has increased to such an extent that manufactures are not only producing what are referred to as ‘cross-over’ models - i.e. projectors that can handle both PowerPoint presentations in the office as well as DVD movies at home, but they have also started to target the home entertainment domain by producing models specifically designed for home
...the best plasma displays, even though the actual weight is comparable. *Even though the bulbs are user replaceable and built to last, they are quite expensive. most models of bulb used to power DLP TVs sell for between $200 and ...
It is true that ‘cross-over’ projectors can handle both worlds, but this does not mean that a video projector that can deliver a great presentation in the boardroom is also capable of delivering a great cinematic experience in the home theater.
Home theater projectors and business projectors have to fulfill distinct requirements in their use which can only be met if the video projector is specifically designed for the purpose.
What characteristics differentiate Business Video Projectors from Home Theater Projectors?
It is no surprise that video projectors are becoming a popular choice with many home theater enthusiasts. The digital projector can deliver the largest image for your dollar. Simply hook up your DVD and there you have
...customers. These reviews and the product ratings are a good way of knowing about the actual performance of the product. The screens can be compared and even ordered online directly through the local supplier. [http://www.e-HomeTheaterScreens.com]Home Theater Screens provides detailed information ...
And in the boardroom, today’s powerful digital multimedia projectors are proving to be more than ideal for business presentations; they are capable of delivering bright huge images under normal ambient room lighting - something only dreamt of in the days of the overhead projector. Simply plug in your laptop, and there you have the most fantastic business presentation in the world!
However, it is important to keep in mind that the boardroom and the home theater are two different arenas that require
...in the room and still get an aligned image. While choosing the right LCD projector for an auditorium, the dimensions of the auditorium, the ambient light conditions and the distance where the projector will be placed from the screen should ...
Important Projector Attributes
Brightness:
The brightness level (measured in lumens or ANSI-Lumens) is an indication of the level of light thrown out by the projector. Brightness is a lot more important for business use - this in view that many presentations are given in conference rooms with standard office lighting rather than in reduced ambient light. This means that the image needs to be bright enough to be seen, otherwise the projection would look washed out.
For small boardrooms and presentations with a lot of ambient light, a brightness of around 1000 to 1500 lumens
...idea to visit a local electronics retailer in your area to make this comparison using some of the points mentioned above to color your buying decision as well. You actually will no doubt be satisfied with either screen type, but ...
For home theater applications, a high brightness level is not important. Some video projectors intended for home theater use come with bulb setting to enable the user to dim the light source for improved viewing and deeper blacks when viewing takes place in a darkened room.
Contrast:
As discussed in our [http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/contrast-ratio.html]Contrast Ratio article, even a minimal level of ambient light may render a high contrast image of say 5000:1 similar to one with a contrast ratio of 500:1. This means that though
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In reality, anything above 400:1 for the contrast ratio would not be perceived by the eye if viewing does not take place in a completely darkened environment. In addition, due to the eye’s contrast sensitivity function, a contrast ratio of say 2000:1 would not be perceived as five times better than one with a contrast ratio of 400:1. Therefore, pay more and go for a high contrast ratio only in the case
...television will depend on presentation and size. If a consumer wants to have the biggest HDTV television, he can opt instead for a HDTV projector that can fit a screen on the wall. In the end, the best HDTV television ...
Color, Gray-Scale Performance, and Smooth Video Playback:
These are all attributes that are more critical in home theater applications. In fact, color accuracy with natural-looking skin tones and capability to present subtle detail in bright and dark areas of the image matter more to the home user.
Similarly, the projector’s ability to present smooth, video playback with no added motion artifacts, when presenting fast action sports and movie scenes, is of prime importance in any home theater application.
LCD or DLP:
It all depends. Strictly speaking, both technologies can do a good job in either of these applications in that advancement in technology has closed
...system with just about any feature you want to include DVD/DVR/VCR/AVR/CD, speakers, sub woofers, surround sound etc...The systems are much cheaper in cost than purchasing separate components and the drawbacks are you may be limited on what you can output ...
On the other hand, DLP is still the favored technology when it comes to home theater use due to their improved black level performance and smoother looking projections that resembles more closely those at the movie theater.
Portability:
This is a major issue with the business video projector. Smaller and lighter is better, especially if you travel frequently. Weight is more of an issue for the business user. Business mobile professionals will want to hook up a lightweight projector to a computer or laptop, projecting an image on a large screen or wall
...is good enough for you or your friends to get to their seats and for you to set up the movie, but low enough when you begin to watch the movie. Whether you choose a projector and screen or a ...
Most business-oriented projectors weigh just a few pounds - some very light business models weigh no more than three pounds! These video projectors usually come with carrying cases and wireless remote controls that enable the user to control not only the projector, but also to send commands to the PC through appropriate connectivity. Some remotes include an integrated laser pointer.
Most multimedia projectors under this category come with a small integrated speaker for the sound; more expensive projectors have security features such as locking cables, etc.
Portability issue is of no concern in the home theater. One would normally setup a fixed place for the projector. For home theater projectors, the best installation spot is on the
...few options to choose from as well. There are many price ranges to choose from. What you choose depends on the quality of HDTV-standard DVD conversion you want. But you can usually save money by using a standard DVD instead ...
Video Projector Connectivity
It is critical that your video projector comes equipped with the appropriate inputs to enable you to connect with your PC or laptop in the case of a business projector, and home theater gear, DVD, or HDTV set-top-box in the case of a home theater projector.
It is clear that connectivity requirements between these two video projector categories vary.
Most - but not all - models support component, composite, S-video, and RGB connectivity. Home theater projectors normally also include a DVI or an HDMI port;
...you are using the room for more than the home theatre purpose but you still want to use a projector and a screen you might want to consider a roof-mounted projector and an automatically retractable screen. This will prevent your ...
One standard that is starting to show up more on video projectors, and that is most appropriate in the business arena, is the M1, EVC, or P&D standard; this is most commonly referred to as M1 or M1-DA.
The M1 connector allows for the same connectivity as DVI digital single or dual link or analog transmissions in the case of DVI-I. But the added advantage of the M1 over DVI is that the M1 also provides connectivity to the USB or FireWire port on your PC. The USB/FireWire connection is used to supply commands from the projector’s remote control to
...SECAM and NTSC. You'll be able to operate a multisystem TV in 99% of the world. Their dual voltage design allows them to be plugged into either a 110 voltage source or a 220 voltage source. In some cases, the ...
Our advice: Always check before you buy to be sure that the projector has the inputs you need.
Projector Resolution: SVGA, XGA or Widescreen (WVGA or WXGA)?
This refers to the native or optical resolution and measures the level of picture detail that the projector can handle without compressing (down-scaling) the number of pixels in the original video content. Downscaling degrades picture quality and leads to picture content loss.
This is probably by far the most important video projector attribute that differentiate business from home theater projectors. In reality, it is not the number of pixels but rather how these are arranged on the screen in terms of
...with a small microphone that's used for initial setup. The receiver emits test tones from each speaker in sequence, while the microphone picks up the tones and provides feedback. This information is then used to automatically adjust speaker levels, speaker ...
SXGA (1280×1024) is currently the highest resolution available for portable projectors; these video projectors are relatively very expensive. Most common video projector resolutions in the 4:3 aspect ratio are XGA (1024×768 pixels) and SVGA (800×600 pixels).
Widescreen versions of SVGA (WVGA: 854×480) and XGA (WXGA: 1280×720) have also started to emerge. These enable better projections of widescreen 16:9 content.
Business Video Projectors: SVGA and XGA projectors are more suited for business presentations, with the higher resolution XGA projectors being more capable of showing fine detail in your slide show.
Many may thing that the higher the resolution the better - but this does not necessary apply in the case of
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On the other hand, the XGA projector is the best option for presentations that include graphics, software demonstrations, or full Web pages; this resolution also represents a better match
...This equates to 15-20 years with a set used 4-6 hours a day. With today's rapidly increasing technology, a set bought today is going to be pretty ancient by the time it's due to burn out and in all likelihood, ...
Home Theater Projectors: If you want to use a video projector to project a huge image on a screen in your home theater, then the higher the resolution, the better since you will be less likely to suffer from pixelation issues. It is true that pixelation disappears as one moves further away from the screen but in the home theater, many would prefer to move a little bit closer for a wider angle of view and a more immersing movie experience.
Although most SVGA projectors can display HD images from your HD cable tuner or satellite, they don’t have enough resolution to do it justice. The two main HD resolution formats are 1080i (1920 x 1080
...table to avoid jostling. Do not touch the lamp. Use a soft fabric when you need to change or remove the lamp. Before you turn off the projector, turn off the lamp first. Avoid unnecessary on and off switching of ...
Even with DVD content - which at 852×480, comes with a lower resolution than HDTV - the lower-priced SVGA projectors cannot do a good job with DVD movies. XGA, on the other hand, gets much closer but…
Both standard SVGA and XGA projectors have a native aspect ratio of 4:3, so the image corresponds to a standard computer screen or regular television. Widescreen content - such as that available from DVDs and HDTV programming - have an aspect ratio of 16:9. The best way to match this is to use a home theater projector
...and electronic versions and can be quite expensive. Unless your home is short in space or you do not have a dedicated home theater room, it is not necessary to have it. They are probably other hybrid models of home ...
Widescreen projectors come in either WVGA or WXGA. Opting for the cheaper WVGA projector makes sense if you will be watching only DVD movies. For HDTV content, a WXGA projector is necessary. This will enable you to display all HDTV content up to 720p without re-scaling. You still will be able to see 1080i HDTV material on a WXGA projector but the projected image will have to be compressed to fit the 1920×1080 pixels in a 1080i or 1080p
...little rehearsal: functionality is the most important feature of your home theater d cor, and you should keep the home theater d cor small and simple, having no fragile items in the same room you are going to entertain yourself. ...
(c) 2004/2005 www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.
Andrew Ghigo A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession. Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.
This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing under the [http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/Projection-Tv.html]Projection Television section of the site.