|
Which LCD or DLP Projector
should I buy or rent?
by John Beagle
When Renting or
buying an DLP
or LCD Multimedia Projector you
need to match the brightness of the projector
to your audience and
room size. Larger rooms and audiences require higher
bulb strength brightness. Projector bulb strength
brightness is measured in ANSI lumens or lumens. You
also need to take into account the primary use of the
projector, full motion video vs. static data.
Projectors
range from around 650
to 5000 lumens
in brightness. Presentations where the lights are on
are the most desirable, because
you can interact and demonstrate off-screen with your
audience.
Another
consideration is portability of the projector. Lower
lumen units are the most portable. As a general
rule, as you increase bulb strength brightness, you
reduce portability. High lumen projectors
are larger and weigh more than low lumen projectors.
-
Less than 1000 lumens
-good for low ambient light, presentations.
-
1000 -2000
lumens -These are the
most popular units being sold and rented today. Very
practical and will work with some ambient light.
-
3000 lumens -Much
Larger unit than the1000 to 2000 lumen units. Good
for audiences of less than a hundred with
ambient light.
-
5000
lumens - For
audiences of 100 or more under brighter
lights
-
6000+ lumens - For
large events like conventions, conferences and
tradeshows where thousands of people need to view a
presentation at the same time.
LCD Projectors vs
DLP Projectors
LCD stands for
Liquid Crystal Display and
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing.
 LCD is an analog-based display
technology employing 3 fixed panels of pixels (one
panel each for the RED, GREEN, & BLUE components of an
NTSC video image).
LCD also delivers a
somewhat sharper image than DLP at any given
resolution.
LCD projectors work better for static Microsoft
PowerPoint®
presentations or detailed financial spreadsheets. DLP
works better for full motion video.
LCD
projectors usually produce significantly higher ANSI
lumen outputs than do DLP projectors with the same
wattage lamp.
DLP projectors have a much higher pixel “fill factor”
than LCD. DLP-based projectors generally produce a
much smoother looking image compared to LCD-based
projectors of similar resolution.
DLP-based projectors have
a high contrast ratio and efficient use of light.
Contrast ratio is figure of merit that compares the
ratio between the brightest white and the darkest
black that a projector can produce. Generally, a
better contrast ratio leads to better black levels
and, therefore, a more realistic presentation of
darker scenes in movies and TV programs.
DLP
projectors consists of a single chip rather than three
in LCD projectors. DLP projectors tend to be more
compact because they have fewer components.
All of the current 3-pound portable projectors on the
market are DLP projectors. Most LCD projectors are
five pounds and up. The higher lumen models are
significantly heavier and larger. High lumen
projectors are not considered portable.
Should I
buy or rent a projector?
LCD and DLP
projectors are available for rent or purchase from
pcAVrent.com.
So should you buy or rent? That depends on how often and
where you need the projector. If your presentation is in
another town, lugging a projector thru airports can be a
high risk hassle. You can easily damage a projector by
dropping it out of a luggage compartment. Never check a
projector thru baggage at airports either. Baggage
handlers will treat your expensive projector like a
suitcase.
If you are
planning on using a projector at a fixed location over a
long period of time, then purchasing a new projector is
a good idea. Never buy a used or refurbished projector
unless it comes with a new bulb. Bulbs are very
expensive. Projector bulbs cost between $200 to $500 for
the more portable units. They cost up to $2000 for the
higher end projector units.
Projector Rentals Press Release |