Recently a friend asked my opinion on projectors for giving presentations. Here are a few things to consider:
- Bulb life: One of the biggest considerations besides cost is how long the bulb will live, and how much it will cost to replace it. Typical is about 2,000 hours per bulb. I would look for something with a longer life, since the bulbs can cost nearly as much as the projector. Of course the new LED projectors never need new bulbs, but are not bright enough to use anywhere but in a very dark room.
- Replacement Bulb Availability: Make sure to buy from a reputable manufacturer to ensure the bulbs will be available when you need them. A few good names in projectors are: Epson, Infocus, , Optoma, and Veiwsonic.
- Brightness: Look for 2,000 or more lumens if you plan to project in a room with some ambient light.
- Speakers: Many projectors have build in speakers. They may be very weak and ineffective for large audiences. If you are looking to use the built in speakers,the more watts the speakers are rated to the better. As an alternative buy computer speakers. The drawback of using the computer speakers is another piece to lug around, so may not be preferable for the traveler. If you are showing in the same location every time, this may be the best option.
- Resolution: The more resolution the bigger you can project and still have it look good. Most will start at 800X600 which should be sufficient for smaller venues.
- Optical zoom: Some projectors are fixed size, so if you want the image to fit a certain screen size, your only option is to move the projector forward or back. But, projectors with optical zoom allow you to adjust the image size up or down without moving the projector. A handy feature if your unsure of the venue before hand.
- Price: These days, you can find a good projector with 5,000+ bulb life, 2,000+ lumens, decent built in speakers, and higher resolution, and optical zoom for under $1,000.
One of the best place to find projectors is on Amazon. Review the customer comments to make sure the item is popular and rated highly.
Here are a few recommendations on Amazon:
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705 HD 720p 3LCD Home Theater Projector
ViewSonic PJD5122 SVGA DLP Projector -120Hz/3D Ready, 2500 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR
Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey)
