What You Need To Know When Buying LCD Projectors

Presented by HDTV Info

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projectors are devices used for displaying presentations or videos in an enlarged size. They are the modern replacements for slide projectors and overhead projects which were popular earlier.

Buying an LCD projector is not an insignificant investment, so you’ll want to think carefully about how you’re going to use the projector so you can match the features you need with the best price point. Choosing the right projector is as simple as knowing what it will be used for. For instance, an LCD projector’s brightness is a key buying factor, but if you’re not planning to frequently give presentations in large conference rooms or classrooms, you may not need high performance in this area. . If your company is small, a desktop projector with resolution the size of your typical computer monitor should suffice.

Like its brother LCD HDTV, LCD projectors are available in several variants with differing specifications. The two parameters needed to compare an LCD projector are – cost and specifications. Knowing what is needed and how much you will need to use the various features / specifications of an LCD projector are going to be will help one compare the projectors with a better perspective. For this reason, it is important to know the basics of projectors before comparing them. These key buying factors will help you choose an LCD projector.

LCD Projector Brightness
A projector’s brightness is measured in lumens. The higher the ANSI lumens rating, the brighter the LCD projector’s light output. The more light in the room where the projector will be used, the more bright the projector should be.

Projectors of less than 1000 lumens may not put out enough light for your needs. Projectors of 1000-2000 lumens put out enough light for normal business or classroom situations, while projectors of 2000-3000 lumens produce enough light to illuminate images without washout in large conference rooms and classrooms.

Since the image your LCD projector will broadcast is projected with a high-powered light bulb, you will also want to consider how bright a projection you will need. Again, the brighter the image you project, the farther away it can be seen. This is an important consideration for people thinking of presenting to large and small groups.

LCD Projector Resolution & Aspect Ratio
LCD projector is resolution is the number of light dots (called pixels) per square inch of the image produced. The higher the number of the pixels, the clearer and tighter your image will be. Also, if your LCD projector of choice is high in resolution, the image you can broadcast can be expanded to greater degrees.

Aspect Ratio refers to the width vs. the height of the projected image. SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), SXGA (1280 x 1024), or UXGA (1600 x 1200) resolution all have a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The higher the projector’s resolution, the higher the price. If your lecture or presentation is heavy on graphics and high quality color, or if you need to present to a large crowd, then you will need an LCD projector with high resolution. If you will use your LCD projector mainly for PowerPoint presentations, the SVGA resolution will be fine, while XGA is a good choice for displaying numerical data. You’ll only need the higher resolution LCD projectors if you need fine details to be accurately displayed.

LCD Projector Contrast
Projector contrast is a ratio between the brightest and darkest areas of the image. Look for LCD projectors with contrast ratios of 400:1 or higher so that graphics and video images are clear. Medium Contrast ratio projectors can be found with a ratio of 500:1 to 1200:1. You’ll want to choose an LCD projector with a very high contrast ratio if you plan to frequently project images with the lights on.

LCD Projector Connectivity
When you buy an LCD projector, you’ll choose one that connects with the computer you use, of course. But will you always use the same computer? You may need a separate connector cable or adapter in some cases. Check as well to see if the LCD projector has multiple computer ports, in case you want to connect multiple computers or video sources to the projector at the same time. These ports on the projector should be compatible with whatever image source they will be paired with.

LCD Projector Lamp Life
Another factor to consider when buying an LCD projector is the listed lamp life. It because replacement lamps cost hundreds of dollars. A listed lamp life of 2000 hours is excellent. Some projectors come with mode choices, such as “eco-mode” that allow extended lamp life, and cut down on operating costs.

LCD Projector Weight
If you’re going to be carrying the projector around a lot, making presentations in different locations, the lighter projector will be better. Now, there are so many LCD projectors available with weigh less than 5 pounds, which can you consider if you’re a mobile presenter. However, the lighter the projector  generally it will be more expensive.

LCD Projector Keystone Correction
Keystone Correction: This is the ability to correct the image distortion that is created when a projector is placed at anything other than a 90 degree angle to the screen.

LCD Projector Video Format Capability
A digital projector’s video format capability determines which video format data it can accept. Most projectors will offer all three: PAL, NTSC, and SECAM.

Finally, ask about user support. Does it come with a warranty? If it does, how long is the coverage? Is there a technical support hotline you can call if you have trouble with your projector? All these things will factor into getting an LCD projector that suits your needs.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Buying Tips, Lcd Projectors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.