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.