Replacement Projector Lamps / Projector Bulbs

January 14, 2008 on 10:01 pm | In Projector Lamps / Projector Bulbs | No Comments

Projector bulbs, usually called projector lamps, are one of the few user replaceable projector parts. Unlike a car headlight or standard light bulb, a projector replacement lamp module varies by model. With metal halide lamps, you’ll notice a dimming of the image brightness as the lamp loses power.  Projector bulbs typically last about 2,000 hours. Some of the newer projectors offer extended lamp life of 3,000 hours, and a few are up to even as much as 5,000 hours. Keep in mind however that some projector bulbs won’t make it all the way to their estimated life spans. If you operate your projector in a warm environment that is not adequately ventilated, or at higher elevations, this can reduce lamp life. Also, failing to keep the air filter clean may reduce lamp life as well. And some lamps will just fail sooner than others–estimating average lamp life is not an exact science. The main causes of premature lamp failure are excessive heat and inadquate ventilation.  Therefore, we recommend the following: 1. Do not unplug your projector from the wall in order to turn it off.  Use the remote or keypad on top of the projector to turn off the unit.  Let the projector cool down and shut itself off before unplugging and packing up your projector.  2. Clean the air filters on a regular basis.  Clean air filters allow the projector to maintain a constant flow of air circulating through the unit and keeps the lamp from overheating. 3. Allow the projector to have adequate air flow.  If the projejector is stored on a small enclosed shelf the air flow will be restricted and heat will build up.  Allow a minimum of 2 feet on the top and sides of the projector so that air flow can be maintained.

Things to consider before buying a projector

January 14, 2008 on 9:33 pm | In Projector Buyers Guide | No Comments

1. Resolution - What is the main use for the projector? 

If is to show powerpoint presentations for a business, school or church etc. you will typically go with XGA resolution.  This is a 4:3 format you see on most computer monitors.  If you are on a tight budget you can save $100 or so by downgrading to SVGA resolution but in my opinion the loss in image quality is not worth the savings.  Additionally, you can also upgrade to a higher resolution model (SXGA or WXGA) if your presentations contain highly detailed graphics and or wide format images. 

If the projector is going to be used for movies and home theater applications then you would typically go with a wide screen format projector (i.e. 16:9 ratio). Note: there are different levels of wide screen format projectors - Low End (854 x 480 pixels), Mid Level (1280 x 720 pixels), High End (1920 x 1080 pixels). The more pixels the better the image and higher the cost.

 

2. Brightness (measured in lumens) - Again, what is the main use for the projector?

If is to show powerpoint presentations for a business, school or church etc. you need a bright projector.  A standard classroom or conference room with some ambient light would need 2000 to 4000 lumens.  A church or large auditorium typically needs 5000 or more lumens.

If your projector is for a dedicated home theater that has limited or no ambient lights 1000 to 1500 lumens is typically sufficient.

 

3. Contrast Ratio - The difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black. A higher the contrast ratio is better than a lower one.

 Medium Contrast (400:1 to 1000:1)

 

 

 

 

High Contrast (2000:1 and up)

 

 

 

 

 

4. Inputs - the connections on projector that enable you to hook it up to other types of equipment (i.e. DVD player, Computer)

If you are doing powerpoint presentations you will need a VGA connection. This is standard on almost all projectors that are not specifically geared towards home theaters. 

 

 

 

If you are buying a projector for a home theater you will want to get a projector that has digital video inputs (i.e. HDMI or DVI).  These inputs will enable you to watch High Definition Television and DVD’s.

 

5. Weight - If you plan on taking your projector on the road for mobile presentations you may want to consider a model with a small footprint.  Typically, 3-6 pound projectors are preferred.

 

6. Noise (measured in dB’s). 

0 dB is the threshold of hearing

10 dB is barely audible

20-30 dB is a soft whisper (dB levels in this category are usually found on home theater projectors so that projector noise does not interfere with movie experience)

30-40 dB is a whisper or the hum of a refrigerator (most business projectors fall in this range)

40-60 dB is the noise level of rainfall or a normal conversation (some very small projectors and some very large projectors have dB’s in this category, this is due to the fan noise required to keep the unit cool)

 

7. Warranty - projector warranties typically range from 1 to 3 years.  While it is rare that warranty service is needed…it does happen.  If you are comparing models with similar specs the projector warranty should be a factor in your final decision.

 

8. Replacement lamp price.  Most replacement bulbs are estimated to last 1500 - 3000 hours (sometimes more…sometimes less).  That means that depending upon how much you use your projector you will periodically have to spend ($200-$500) on a new lamp. Once again, when comparing models with similar specs it should be a factor in your final decision.

Da-Lite Projection Screen Fabrics

January 14, 2008 on 7:20 pm | In Projection Screen Fabrics | No Comments

One of the most versatile screen surfaces and a good choice for situations when presentation material is being projected and ambient light is controllable. Its surface evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area. Colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 60°
Gain: 1.0

Designed for moderate output DLP and LCD projectors. This screen surface is a great choice when video images are the main source of information being projected and where ambient light is moderately controlled. With its specially designed gray base material and reflective top surface, this screen material is able to provide very good black levels without sacrificing the white level output. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50°
Gain: 1.1

This screen surface is specially designed with a reflective coating, which provides an increased amount of brightness with a moderately reduced viewing angle. The increased gain of this surface makes it suitable for environments where ambient lighting is uncontrollable and a projector with moderate light output is utilized. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 35°
Gain: 1.5

A uniquely designed screen surface with a specifically designed silver finish. This surface is perfect for situations where a silver surface is necessary for a polarized 3-D projection. The matte finish of this surface successfully rejects ambient light. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30°
Gain: 1.3

A technological breakthrough, providing the reflectivity and optical characteristics of a traditional glass beaded surface with the ability to clean the surface when necessary. Its smooth textured surface provides the highest gain of all front projection screen surfaces with no resolution loss. The moderate viewing angle and its ability to reflect light back along the projection axis make this surface the best choice for situations where there is a moderate amount of ambient light and the projector is placed on a table-top or in the same horizontal viewing plane as the audience. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30°
Gain: 2.8

A screen surface with a smooth, white vinyl finish for precise image reproduction that provides an exceptionally wide viewing angle and no resolution loss. It is a highly flexible fabric that may be folded or rolled. Its versatility makes it a great choice for situations with good control over ambient light and where an exceptionally wide viewing angle is necessary. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 60°
Gain: 1.0

A unique non-supported vinyl fabric that offers a bright, uniform image with no color shift at any viewing angle. This surface is designed to provide a higher amount of brightness for lower output projector types such as CRT. Its increased reflectivity will help enhance the image brightness in situations where a low level of ambient light is present. This surface is a good choice when producing video images. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45°
Gain: 1.3

A non-supported vinyl fabric, offering a higher degree of reflectivity and brilliance without loss of image quality or resolution. This surface is a good choice when producing video images with a lower output projector and where there is a high amount of ambient light present. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 40°
Gain: 1.5

Designed for applications where a more realistic soundstage is desired, this fabric allows for the installation of speakers to be placed behind the surface. With virtually no sound loss and good image quality, this fabric provides the same optical characteristics as the Da-Mat surface with specially designed perforations to allow sound to pass through the screen material. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50°
Gain: 1.0

With a special gray surface, this screen material is designed for use with today’s high output LCD, DLP and D-ILA projectors. By lowering the black levels of the projected video image, this surface creates a more film-like image and is a good choice when video is the main source of projected information. This screen surface is best used when there is good control of ambient lighting and a moderately wide viewing angle is desired. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45°
Gain: 0.8

Designed for today’s moderate output DLP and LCD projectors, this screen surface is a great choice when video images are the main source of information being projected and where ambient lighting is moderately controlled. With its specially designed gray base surface and a reflective top surface, this screen material is able to provide very good black levels without sacrificing the white level output. With its enhanced black levels and brilliant white levels, this screen surface provides deep life-like colors and greater detail and sharpness to the image. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50°
Gain: 1.1

With the same optical characteristics as the High Contrast Da-Mat material, this surface is designed to provide the viewer with a more realistic soundstage by placing speakers behind the screen and allowing the sound to be transmitted through the material. This screen surface is best used when there is good control of ambient lighting and a moderately wide viewing angle is desired. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45°
Gain: 0.8

With the same optical characteristics as High Contrast Cinema Vision, this surface is perforated to allow placement of a center channel speaker behind the screen surface while allowing the sound to transmit through the material. Ideal for use in environments with moderate control of ambient light. Screen surface can be cleaned with a mild soap and water solution. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50°
Gain: 1.1

This screen surface is uniquely designed with a specially formulated silver finish. This surface is perfect for situations where a silver finish is necessary for polarized 3-D projection. The silver finish of this surface successfully rejects ambient light. It is a highly flexible fabric that must be tensioned. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30°
Gain: 1.5