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
...light to create the picture. A color wheel produces the varying shades of colors that reflect on the micromirrors. Downfalls. If you are looking for a thin TV, or to mount on the wall this is not the option for ...
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
...most people are willing to undergo over and over again. There are numerous home theater packages available to meet individual requirements. The packages are convenient options for those who are concerned with all parts of the video in a home ...
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
...traditional CRT television technology. Plasma televisions deliver a much higher screen resolution than CRT televisions, and also come equipped with the ability to function with several different signals, including HDTV (high definition television), DTV (digital television) as well as XGA, ...
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
...in order to provide a higher contrast ratio and a better picture. There is considerably less flicker on a plasma screen, due to the fact that all the pixels are emitting light at the same time. In addition, there is ...
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
...has brought a new way of watching TV, plasma screens are crisp, sharp images and when the HDTV signals becomes more prevalent more and more channels and households will be able to enjoy it. The large size and high definition ...
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
..."wide screen" with 16:9 aspect ratio versus the 4:3 aspect ratio seen in most traditional sets. Secondly, a few words about HDTV are in order. HDTV is one form of digital television. It transmits six times more information than you ...
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
...provide programming in wide screen "movie format . The digital picture is so sharp you ll be able to read the small text from your computer hooked up to the TV screen. DTV allows multicasting: broadcasters can provide a super ...
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
...on and off to project the light to the screen. This amazing technology provides a sharpness that has never been seen before, even in a HDTV set. The chip can move at incredible speeds. The mirrors can switch off 15,000 ...
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
...55-INCH Grand WEGA 1080P SXRD Rear Projection HDTV is also a reliable model. With the same technology that makes the previous set so loved, but with five more inches of perfect clarity to help make your HDTV experience that much ...
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;
...CRT televisions to not have this problem with ghosting since the phosphor contained in the CRT is charged by the strike of a beam of electrons, and it emits most of the light in a fast period of time, generally ...
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
...tiny individual pixel cells infused by a rare gas mixture. Because of this incredible technology, plasmas are considered by many enthusiasts as the clearest picture around. However, their prohibited cost and a potential burn-in problem may cause concern for some ...
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
...this but I can buy a new tube television for less than it cost my neighbor to replace the bulb on his newer technology LCD. And yes, my new tube television is ready to move into the future with HDTV ...
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
...theatre. You can still watch broadcasts on the wide aspect ratio that are designed for the old traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, but it is much harder to watch something designed for 16:9 on a 4:3 display. Another word of warning: ...
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
...though, and the prices are incredibly good at this point. Just bear in mind that the technology is moving away from analog and will become almost exclusively digital soon. Didital television has made available high definition tv sets that boast ...
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
...for HDTV, 1080/60i and 1080/30p. The advantage of 1080p over 1080i is that, like a computer monitor, a 1080p display will show all 1080 lines with every video field, whereas a 1080i device will only show at a time. Digital ...
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
...film festivals happen during a particular period of a year. Even for residences, the demand is usually in the summer months, when families like to have get-togethers outdoors. The rental rates for projectors depend upon the type of films. 16mm ...
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
...DLP TVs in the larger screen sizes. They have a wide viewing angle, and would make an excellent choice for many people. The drawbacks include less longevity and faster wear rate at higher altitudes above 6,000 to 7,000 feet, and ...
(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.