Projector Suggestions

[SCSaunders]

I'm slowly gathering information on projection units.

I would love to have a quality portable one. I'm going to wed my Dell notebook to it. And what a lovely couple they'll make.

What are some criteria to determine "quality"?
What are some "gotta have" features?
What are some "nice to have" features?
Do these gizmos play sound? (I use sound clips & movie clips w. audio tracks in my PPTs.)
What realistic price range should I begin to warm to?
What are some of good brand names?

Any input, especially from personal experience, would be appreciated.

I'm not in a hurry; but I'm not going to wait forever either.

Thanks!

[kpurcell]

I'm slowly gathering information on projection units.

I would love to have a quality portable one. I'm going to wed my Dell notebook to it. And what a lovely couple they'll make.

What are some criteria to determine "quality"?
What are some "gotta have" features?
What are some "nice to have" features?
Do these gizmos play sound? (I use sound clips & movie clips w. audio tracks in my PPTs.)
What realistic price range should I begin to warm to?
What are some of good brand names?

Any input, especially from personal experience, would be appreciated.

I'm not in a hurry; but I'm not going to wait forever either.

Thanks!

Unfortunately, this is like asking "I like food. What kind should I eat?" Not quite that broad, but it is close. You did mention portability which is a factor. So you want to go as light as possible. The other question you would need to factor is budget. I would start there and then take a look at the major offerings from the different venders in your budget and then compare them. You want to go bright. That is measured in lumens. 2,000 is a minium nowadays. The brighter the better. But that is not the only factor. Contrast ratio is as important. A better contrast ratio will make a projector with a lower rated lumens number seem brighter than a projector with a higher lumens number but a low contrast ratio. 2,000:1 is a very good number. Also you want to consider the different kinds. LCD v. DLP primarily. I personally don't think this is as much of a concern, but some would say this is a primary concern. Do a google search for the terms to understand them better. I have a DLP from Dell and like it very much. Our church uses Panasonic's LB60NTU wireless LCD and it is excellent and the wireless functionality is awesome. Don't bother if you use Vista as it will work but it is a pain. Also the wireless does not do video well.


What are some criteria to determine "quality"?
Higher lumens and contrast ratio as it relates to cost.

What are some "gotta have" features?
2000 lumens min. and 400:1 contrast ratio although higher would be much better in the second one. Also make sure it can connect what you want to connect VGA or DVI for computer hookup. If you want to do DVD then does it have the right connector for your DVD player, like RGB component. If you need it then multiple of the above. You may want to be able to use the remote to run your powerpoint. So look into that.

What are some "nice to have" features?
Wireless is cool. There are quite a few that now use WIFI to connect. They are primarily for business graphics and not video though.

Do these gizmos play sound? (I use sound clips & movie clips w. audio tracks in my PPTs.)
Yes, but the ones I've used have very poor quality speakers. I use a pair of Bose stereo speakers and connect them directly to my computer when I use computer sound. Or you can connect a pair of speakers to a DVD/VCR if that is what you need. Don't rely on the projector speakers if you need either loud or good quality sound.

What realistic price range should I begin to warm to?
If you have simple needs plan to pay $800-1200. A really nice projector can cost as much as a few thousand if it is extremely bright for large auditorium. But if you primarily will be in smallerr rooms don't over spend.

What are some of good brand names?
I like my Dell and Panasonic. But there are bigger names. I've used an Epson in the past.

A couple of good web sites:
projectorreviews.com
projectorcentral.com
projectorbuyingguide.com

When you settle on a few then check them out on Amazon which almost always has user reviews. If you don't know about the vender then check them out at resellerratings.com.

Hope this helps.

[SCSaunders]

Kevin,

"Thank you" seems very inadequate to such a great post.

How 'bout, "Thank you very, very, very, very, very, very, very, much!"
+ 10 ! and 5 !

I will take your wise advice, your wiVI, and run with it.

As for food - pretty much anything but sushi. I love pizza.

Thanks!

Oh, I'm getting into Thai now. And steak - never met one I didn't wolf.

[SCSaunders]

Thanks again for this info. With all the holiday pricing bonanzas coming up, hopefully between now and new years I'll be getting one.

"Projectorate in '08"

Your input has definitely been a factor.

[kpurcell]

Glad I can help. Let me know how it turns out.

[SCSaunders]

Glad I can help. Let me know how it turns out.

I printed your post. Compared the wisdom in it with the sites you listed. Coupled those conclusions with your personal projector experience and my personal DELL experience and will probably go for a DELL DLP too.

I'll make my final decision in the next couple of days, maybe even today, and then place an order.

I'll let you know how the thrill ride of the first classroom usage goes. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure my audience will appreciate a much larger viewing landscape.