Refurbished Projector A More Affordable Alternative

Refurbished Projector - A More Affordable Alternative
By Clifford Tan

If affordability is a major concern to you, refurbished projector might be the best way to go.

While it would be nice if everybody could afford to buy the top-of-the-line home projection theater, it is understood that not everybody can.

There are many viable alternatives when considering the components of a home projection theater.

One of the best ways to do this is with a factory refurbished home projector. You can get all the quality of a brand new projection unit without the high cost often associated with them.

Frequently, people will have a minor problem with any product when enough of them are sold. Given the wide spectrum available in home projection theater components, home projectors are being sold in record numbers.

When a projector or one of its components is not functioning exactly right, it is returned to the factory where it is refurbished. This does not mean the consumer is getting a damaged projector. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite. The quality of a factory refurbished home theater projector is every bit as good as a brand new projector.

Factory refurbished means that the home projector or whatever component of the home projection theater system, has been returned to the factory for one reason or another. This is usually for a very minor problem. Perhaps a lamp was not working properly, or a cooling fan or some other small component of the projector was not functioning at one hundred percent. When the home projector is returned to factory for refurbishing, qualified technicians will test every component of the now refurbished projector to make sure it is operating as well as (or in this case better than) a brand new home theater projector.

After the projector is refurbished from top to bottom, inside and out, it is sold again at a substantially discounted price. This means that the product has been completely tested at the factory it was made in, by the people who made it, and they have now guaranteed that the refurbished projector is as good as a new projection unit.

Any of the brand name producers of home projection theater systems will have the occasional factory refurbished projector. If you are looking for a certain type of projector you will need to check that companys web site to obtain the information about their refurbished home projection theater components.

If you do not see any information regarding factory refurbished projectors, or the specific home theater projection unit you are looking for, the company will still list contact information on their site. It may be necessary to contact them in order to find the exact refurbished projector model you are looking for.

If you are in the market for a new home theater projection system, factory refurbished projectors are a very good way to start. This will allow the consumer to purchase brand new home theater product from brand name companies and make sure that they get the home theater projector that is right for their needs.

While the refurbished product lines are not commonly available and you have to search to find them, buying a refurbished video projector from whatever brand name company can save the consumer a lot of money.

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Digital Projector Guide Some Tips for Digital Projectors

Digital Projector Guide- Some Tips for Digital Projectors
By Sardool Sikandar

Digital projectors are equipments of modern technology. These are used to convert image data directly from the computer onto a screen via lens system. Digital projectors provide visualization of data that is actually stored in a computer for presentation. These projectors enable the viewers to watch moving images from a DVD, digital versatile disc player. Advertisers or sellers also use these projectors to give demonstration of products to a large number of customers. It can easily convert written documents onto an interactive whiteboard.

Digital projectors play an important role in the formation of home theater systems. These projectors use resolution of SVGA standard i.e. 800600 pixels in expensive devices. Cost of digital projector is determined by its resolution as well as its brightness. If youre going to use it in large rooms or big conference halls its brightness should be from 1,000 to 4,000 ANSI lumens.

First digital projectors, Eidophor projectors were introduced in 1950. Eidopher projectors used an oily surface in a rotating disk with light shining through it and employed an electron beam to disrupt oil in a specific manner. Eidophor projectors were not able to produce colors. Nowadays there are several high quality models of digital projectors are available in market so Eidopher projectors are less common.

Following four technologies are used in digital projectors:

High intensity CRT
LCD projectors using LCD light gates
Texas Instruments' DLP technology
Eidophor oil-film projectors (obsolete)

At present LCD projectors use Texas Instruments DLP technology whereas the high intensity CRT devices are suitable for enduring installations. Entire working of cathode ray tube digital projectors is like CRT television set. These projectors may be configured with one RGB color tube that has three colors red, green and blue with a single lens, one black & white tube with a rotating color wheel or three RGB color tubes with three lenses. Projectors having cathode ray tubes are usually bulky thats why these are the best projectors for fixed installations.

LCD digital projectors are portable and lighter enough in comparison to CRT and can be easily shifted from one place to another. These are very much popular and available in various shapes and sizes. CRT and LCD digital projectors come under the category of transitive projectors.

Reflective projectors are the superior digital projectors that provide high quality images. These are affordable and offer next level of entertainment. Everyone can enjoy home theater applications with the help of digital projectors.

About Author: The Author owns a website on Digital Projectors. The website offers advice on how to buy cheap digital projectors. It is the best source to get latest information about digital projectors. You can visit his site about multi media projectors.

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How You Can Increase The Lifespan Of Your Projector Bulb Or Lamp

How You Can Increase The Lifespan Of Your Projector Bulb Or Lamp
By Clifford Tan

The replacement of projector bulbs is an all-too-frequent occurrence for anybody that has owned a home theater projector for any length of time. While a two thousand hour lifespan may sound like a lifetime to some people, rest assured it is not long before the projector lamp will need replacing. There are however, some general tips that can help to expand the life of a headlamp for the projection unit.

Do not touch the lamp with bare hands
One of the most frequent problems encountered is people replacing the bulbs with their bare hands. While this is fine for an ordinary light bulb, it is not a good practice for a projector lamp. The lamp in a projection unit burns much hotter than any regular light bulbs. The effects of touching it with bare skin are equally magnified and problematic.

Touching a projector bulb with the bare skin leaves traces of oil on the lamp surface. While this may seem a very minor detail, it is detrimental both to the bulb and the quality of the resulting multimedia display. The oils will get burnt onto the lamp and drastically reduce the lifespan. As the oil is baked into the surface, it actually diffuses the light being projected, reducing the lumens actually being sent to the refractive surfaces. The light will not be enough to project the image that has come to be expected from the home theater projection system. While the problem may not be noticeable at first, over the course of a little time, the quality will degrade to the point of not being viewable.

Turn off the projector power after turning off the lamp
It is highly recommended to turn the power on the projector to the off position only after having turned off the lamp and allowing it to cool. This will allow the cooling fans to do the job they were designed to do. While rapid cooling and heating result in repeated contractions and expansions of the bulb filament, it is much better that it be done more quickly with the cooling fans. Likewise, turning the projector on and allowing the cooling fans to run for a moment before turning on the lamp will help as well. This will add hours to bulb life expectancy and allow for longer hours of viewing pleasure on the home theater projection system.

Constant Movements
Constantly bumping or moving the projector, especially while it is hot can be very detrimental to the projector lamp. The filament in the bulb loses almost all tensile strength when it is heated during normal usage. It is much the same as the filament in a camp lantern. The principle is the same; the filament effectively becomes almost the same consistency as ash, making it extremely vulnerable to damage when it is hot. Even after proper cooling, the lamp filament is very sensitive. Care should be taken when moving the projector for whatever reason. While it is always a good idea to be careful with electronic equipment, some aspects of the home projector are actually a bit more sensitive.

It will usually be necessary to move the projector when cleaning the filters. As always, it is a good idea to move it carefully without jerking it around or bumping it any more than needed. Taking an extra moment or two to check the projector mount and make sure it is still securely fastened can also be beneficial and prevent slips and movement which may otherwise be harmful.

With a little care and a little preventative maintenance, the projector lamps will still need to be changed, but not nearly as often.

Note: This article may be republish for use in websites as long as the author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact.

Clifford Tan, a Home Theater enthusiast and owner of the website Home Projector Advisor offering projector reviews, advice and many useful tips and hints to business and home consumers looking to purchase a home projectors. To find out alot more information about home projection system, visit the site http://www.home-projector-advisor.com

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Some Things Your Projector Dealer Might Not Tell You

Some Things Your Projector Dealer Might Not Tell You
By Clifford Tan

A salesman is a salesman. He does not make a living if he does not sell something. So it may sometimes happen that a salesman or a dealer will not tell the buyer all of the relevant facts about a given product. We have tried to list enough of them here to give you a general idea of what to look for and what to ask.

Bulbs or the Headlamp
This is probably the one thing that gets overlooked more than anything else. The bulbs are an expensive part of the home theater system and need to be checked out carefully before purchasing a projection unit. What is the projected bulb life? How many lumens does it generate? These are specific questions that should generate specific answers that the projector dealer may not otherwise mention.

Contrast Ratios
Contrast ratios are something else that needs to be considered. The projector dealer may or may not know the statistics regarding a specific projector unit, but what about the ambient lighting in the room where the projector will be used. Is the light source constant or is it varied? Properly factoring in the light source in the room where the theater projector will be set up is not something that many dealers or salesmen will volunteer to do for the buyer.

Screen
The screen is also an important part of the whole home theater experience. Which screens work best with which types of projectors is likely something the salesman or dealer is not going to know and will not tell you without prodding. Having the information beforehand can save a lot of time and grief when shopping for a home theater projector.

Mounting
What types of mounts are included with the projector is something they may or may not refer to at the projector dealer, but what else is there to consider with mounts? Is the projection unit prone to overheating when mounted on a shelf mount? Is it compatible and able to be mounted in the proper place for the distances in the room where it will be used? Another factor in regards to the mounting of the multimedia projector is the hazard of creating a keystone effect by mounting the projector incorrectly or off center. What kind of variance do the optic lenses on the projector provide to prevent this? Is there only a vertical adjustment or does it have both horizontal and vertical optic controls? Does it only have the keystone adjustments or does it provide digital adjustment as well? Mounting the multimedia projector properly is a key factor in being able to properly enjoy a high quality picture with the home theater projection unit.

Is this the right projector for me?
Is the projector really compatible for the uses that are needed or is the salesman or dealer just trying to push a product off on the consumer? Knowing which projectors are better for what types of displays is something that the dealer may not even know about. Different home theater projectors have different uses. Some work better with movies, videos and video games, and some work better for still-multimedia presentations. Being knowledgeable about which projector does what can save a lot of hassling with the uninformed salesman or the dealer who just wants to move projectors out of his store.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. No matter how well prepared the salesman is or how honest the projector dealer is, they have many different products that they have to know a lot about. Even the salesman with the best intentions will not know everything about all of the home theater projectors available. There are many things the projector dealer will not tell you.

Note: This article may be republish for use in websites as long as the author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact.

Clifford Tan, a Home Theater enthusiast and owner of the website Home Projector Advisor offering projector reviews, advice and many useful tips and hints to business and home consumers looking to purchase a home projectors. To find out alot more information about home projection system, visit the site http://www.home-projector-advisor.com

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Tips on Comparing Prices on Projectors

Tips on Comparing Prices on Projectors
By Jim Gelder

Buying a projector is an investment that you want to be sure you make wisely. So taking the time to do some comparison shopping when it comes to prices is simply a smart thing to do and something you certainly wont regret.

There are several ways you can go about comparing prices on projectors. The first is to visit electronics stores and office supply stores that sell projectors and check out their prices in the stores. This is an especially good method during sales. Its also a great way to get a good deal locally because many stores will offer to beat their competitors best price by a certain percentage, which can save you even more money.

You can also research and compare prices on projectors online. Doing your projector price comparison shopping online makes it possible for you to check out a much larger number of prices on projectors than you can do by going from store to store. This will also make it possible for you to check out the prices on a wider number of brand name projectors and even look into the prices of used projectors. Online auction sites such as eBay are great places to compare prices on used projectors.

Consumer report magazines are also a good resource for comparing prices on various projectors. These reports have the advantage of also rating the projectors, so you can compare quality as well as prices on projectors.

This is an important part of comparing prices on anything, whether its projectors or cars. You want to get the most value for your money, and that means that many times a medium priced item is actually a better value than a higher priced one because it has more features than a stripped down top brand name one has.

Also, even before you start comparing prices on projectors, its a good idea to have a budget in mind for what youre willing to spend for your projector. This will help you focus your price comparison, although you dont want to rule out looking into projectors that may cost more than youve budgeted for because you may run into an unexpected bargain as you do your research.

And if the thought of doing all the research needed to compare prices on projectors sounds like work to you, remember that at least half the fun of making any purchase is in the search! Make a game of it and see just how great a projector you can find for the least amount of money, thanks to your savvy comparison shopping. Then take those savings and splurge on something just for you!

Jim Gelder is a contributing writer for projectorian.com a website dedicated to offering information about projectors and projector rentals and also features a listing of local companies that offer LCD projector rentals, New York projector rentals and more.

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Digital LCD Projectors

Digital LCD Projectors
By Ken Marlborough

Digital projectors are the modern replacements for the rather traditional transparency projectors. Transparency projectors worked by shining light through a semi-transparent material. Digital projectors, by contrast, project a digital image directly from a computer through a lens on to a screen.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) digital projectors are much lighter and more portable than their CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) versions, making them widely popular. With the advent of new LCD technologies, digital projectors have been developed which have very clear and crisp fidelity even at large projection sizes. The LCDs used in digital projectors are approximately the size of a small color slide, and in fact the projectors operate very much like a traditional slide projector. The main difference is that the slide is constantly changing.

A Digital LCD projector has its light source contained within its base. It projects light upwards through the transparent image (which sits on a glass stage) to a lens on the top (head) of the unit and out onto the projection screen. In other words, the light shines through the image to project it. These projectors work well with printed film transparencies or an LCD panel computer display and provide bright, sharp images.

Slightly higher end Digital LCD Projectors can be used for Cinema/exhibition, Post-production, On-screen advertising, Digital film mastering, Multi-media theatrical productions or other large entertainment venues. Most of the recent Digital LCD projectors can be installed with existing film projectors and also provide an interface for theatre automation equipment.

The future of digital projectors is exciting, with new technologies constantly being developed. As more and more theatres switch to digital projection, consumers cannot help but reap the benefits. As these technologies become more affordable they will inevitably find their way into home systems and allow each of us to experience the joy of a full theatre projection in our own home.

LCD Projectors provides detailed information on LCD Projectors, LCD Projector Rentals, LCD Projector Lamps, LCD Video Projectors and more. LCD Projectors is affiliated with Cheap LCD TVs.

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Projector Screens

Projector Screens
By Jennifer Bailey

When there is a projection of a video or an image, the presence of a projector screen is inevitable. A projector screen is a specially made flat screen to be hung on the wall or erected vertically, where the image is reflected, so that the image size is enlarged. The surfaces of such screens are usually rough, and colored white.

There are a number of types of projector screens. They are home cinema projector screens, portable projector screens, manual projector screens, electric projector screens, fixed frame projector screens and also movie board home cinema projection screens.

Home cinema projector screens are the screens with the viewable screen central to the eye. Some of the products that are popular include: CinElpro Electric Projection Screens (230cm), Cinema Electrol Projection Screens (190cm), Diplomat Channel Fix Electric Screens (290cm) and Diplomat Channel Fix Manual Video and Screen Formats (290cm).

Portable projector screens are for temporary positioning or for occasional use. These screens are easy to carry to various places. Most of the screens are foldable and are usually carried in coils. Some of the products that are popular are: Fast fold (427cm), Leader Portable Floor Screens (177cm), Movielux Compact Portable Floor Screens (160cm), Picture King Standard and Video Format Tripod Screens (244cm), and Professional Tripod Screen (240cm).

Manual projector screens can be pulled down and recoiled back from the ceiling, or wall mounted. Some of the products are Proscreen Manual Wall Screens (280cm) and Slim Screen Manual Wall Screens (200cm).

Electric projector screens have motorized drop and retraction through the use of wired switches or remote controls.

Fixed frame projector screens are permanently fixed frame screens. Some of the products are Cinema Contour Professional Framed Projection Screens (488cm) and Designer CineFix Home Cinema Projection Screens (200cm).

Projector Screens provides detailed information on Projector Screens, Video Projector Screens, Home Theater Projector Screens, Electric Projector Screens and more. Projector Screens is affiliated with Large Format Flatbed Scanners.

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Consumer Electronic Information: The Basics of the DLP Projector

Consumer Electronic Information: The Basics of the DLP Projector
By Simon Canfield

Projectors have come a long way in the past few decades. The desktop fossils that were once used to show home moviesor classroom filmstrips are a thing of the past. With todays technology, you can now experience a projected movie that emulates a full-blown theater flick, without thetime, effort and hassle of standing in line at the local cinema.

DLP projectors also known as Digital Light Processing projectors have brought the proverbial silver screen to the home front. The fact that some theaters actually use this type of technology for feature movie projection makes this truer than you might imagine. After being digitally converted and placed on an optical disk much in the same way as DVD technology is produced the images are fed intothe projector and sent to the movie screen. The main difference is that DLP projectors offer a high definition experience, as opposed to that of a DVD. The result is a picture that very nearly rivals the quality of a 70mm projection, but without the imperfections.

The color accuracy of the DLP system is outstanding, with an end result that beats LCD technology. Some of the advantages that make a DLP the projector of choice are its low power consumption, compactness, micro-mirror construction (which is responsible for the high level screen resolution), high contrast and brightness. All in all, this is the closest that anyone can come to having a bona fide cinema within the confines of their home.

With every set of pros, youll always find some cons lurking in the shadows. Such is the case with the DLP projector. For those who are particularly sensitive to certain visual effects, the DLP design produces a type of rainbow effect, which could serve as a distraction when looking from one side of the screen to the other during viewing. This will play out as a brief splash of colors, which is simply a result of the type of technology thats used in the production of the DLP. Most people dont even notice this color display, but those who are in tune to that sort of thing may see it as an annoyance.

While this is also true for LCD projectors, consumers mightbe disappointed to know that DLP projectors need to have their light source changed after every 1,000 to 2,000 viewing hours. All in all, though, this is nothing new and, when you consider the higher quality that this type ofsystem offers, it shouldnt be seen as much of an inconvenience at all.

Perhaps the most inhibitive aspect to the acquisition of a home theater system, such as the DLP, is that the cost willtypically fall within the range of $5,000 to $10,000 for the mid-range systems, once you purchase everything that youll need in order to complete the set-up. In addition to that, youll have to consider the cost of the rest of your home theater system, since these figures only factor in the DLP expenses.

For those who can afford to do so, the DLP projector is an excellent investment, despite its few downfalls. While no projection system is perfect, DLP is currently the most popular set-up on the market and provides a powerful theater experience for those who arent inhibited by space or finances.

(c) 2005 Simon Canfield - All Rights Reserved

Simon Canfield is a hi-tech enthusiast and freelance author.

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Learn All About Proper Projector Mount

Learn All About Proper Projector Mount
By Clifford Tan

After purchasing a home theater projector, unless it is a portable projector and a portable screen, it is necessary to mount the projector and screen so that the picture can be properly transposed onto the theater projector screen.

Hopefully, by this point in time, the relevant factors for setting up a home theater system have been well planned but that is not always the case.

Maybe the home theater was received as a gift, or maybe a spouse or friend purchased the projector without considering how it was going to be used.

The projector mounts and the theater projector setup for both the screen and the projector unit are as important as any factor in order to get the optimal performance quality from a home theater projection system.

Screen Mount

Many screens for home theater systems are portable, meaning they can be easily stored away when they are not in use. Some of the projector screens will have to be mounted to either a wall mount, a floor mount or in some cases, to a ceiling mount.

What factors should be considered when deciding where to mount the projection screen?

Like any home furnishing, the home theater projector screen is part of the interior design or dcor of the home, or at least of one particular room. If there are children in the home, or perhaps pets, it may be advisable install the projector screen mounts on the ceiling. This can often be done quickly and easily as there is usually no wiring needed for the screen. The projector mount has different needs which must be considered before mounting.

The home theater projector must be setup at a certain distance to get the best quality from a home theater system, whether at the minimum distance, the maximum distance or somewhere in between. Keeping the distance constant will insure better consistency and better quality experiences from the home theater projection unit.

The Projector Unit

Mounting options for a home projector vary, but the most common types are wall mounts, ceiling mounts and recessed mounts.

The wall mount is perhaps the most common mount used for the screen and projector. It is important to consider the wiring needs when deciding which mount to use. For a wall mount, wires are frequently exposed along the wall. They can sometimes be hidden or fished through the wall to be more aesthetically appealing.

The ceiling mount is also very popular for the home theater projector. The two major factors to be considered for a ceiling mount are the clearance from the home theater projection unit as well as the swivel capabilities of the ceiling mount itself. If there is not sufficient clearance to mount the projector under the ceiling mount while allowing it to be moved, it will be difficult to properly lineup and adjust your home theater system. Wiring can also be a factor here, but usually there is enough room in the ceiling to allow for easy access to wire the unit.

If it can be accomplished, the recessed mount is a favorite among many home theater owners. The recessed mount is a recession (Like a shelf) built into an existing wall. This alleviates unsightly wires and offers perhaps the best protection for your home theater projector.

Note: This article may be republish for use in websites as long as the author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact.

Clifford Tan, a Home Theater enthusiast and owner of the website Home Projector Advisor offering projector reviews, advice and many useful tips and hints to business and home consumers looking to purchase a home projectors. To find out alot more information about home projection system, visit the site http://www.home-projector-advisor.com.

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Understanding Native Resolution For Your Home Theater Projector

Understanding Native Resolution For Your Home Theater Projector
By Semore Bernstein

What is Native Resolution for your Home Theater Projector?

To understand what is native resolution, lets start with an understanding of the concept of 'resolution'. Resolution is concerned with the mapping of the information within a picture or image by the dot area.

The smaller the dots, and the more densely packed it is, the greater the resolution, since the mapping of dots as measured in pixels constitutes the data for reproducing the images in video outputs of home theater and other viewing systems. This data processing capability of the projector, as measured in pixels, is what constitutes native resolution.

For high definition home theater projector pictures with good resolution, both the native resolution of the projector should match the resolution of the video signal or video input, failing which, distortion of the images is likely. Native resolution of home theater projectors is measured in two dimension figures with current capabilities ranging from (640480, 800600, 1024768, 16001200) for 4:3 image aspect ratios and the occasional odd resolutions like 12801024.

Thus, if projectors of 1280X 1024 native resolution were to map a video signal of resolution 1024 X 768, there would errors and likely distortion in the image. To effectively combat or otherwise provide for different standards, most home theater video projectors come with capabilities of multiple resolution standards, though it is most likely to be multiples of the lower resolution values.

Advice on Home Theater Projectors
Advice on Home Theater Projector Displays
Advice on Home Theater Projector Mounts

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Home Theater Plasma TV VS Projectors

Home Theater - Plasma TV VS Projectors
By Jakob Culver

Many homeowners are struggling with an important, electronic question: What is the ideal display for my home theater? Many people have fought this debate, but I'll try to make clear some important considerations.

The most important detail to consider when deciding between a projector and a large plasma television is ambient light. A room with lots of windows presents a problem for a projector because every little bit of ambient lighting degrades the projected image. The ideal environment for a projector is one where you have total control over the lighting. If your home theater uses a projector, you are limited to using it when you can eliminate other light. A plasma screen can be used anyplace, anytime.

Assuming your home theater has blackout curtains, or exists deep underground; let's examine differences between a plasma television and a projector. One advantage of a projector is that you can get a much larger picture than is available in plasma. Projectors can produce images comparable to an 81-inch screen and larger. This just isn't possible with a plasma screen. However, plasma's have the advantage of not needing any amount of space. A projector must have a long enough corridor to project its image on the wall or screen. To get an 81-inch or greater image, you need a decent distance between the projector and the target. Second, a projector's image is dependent on more than the quality of the projector; you must be projecting onto a specialized surface or you lose detail. A top of the line HD projector with a very high native resolution would be wasted if you were just projecting the image onto a wall. You need an equally high quality screen with features such as a matte finish to eliminate reflection and glare. A plasma display requires no additional equipment.

Overall, a projector has the potential of creating a beautiful image, but it needs too much to work effectively. If you're creating a private movie theater with lighting control and an investment in a screen, mounting equipment, and blackout curtains, then a projector is your piece of equipment. For everyone else, I suggest a plasma television.

Jakob Culver is founder of the website http://www.plasmatvarena.com providing information, articles and reviews about plasma tv's. To find more articles like this one visit the site http://www.plasmatvarena.com.

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LCD Projectors

LCD Projectors
By Ken Marlborough

A LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Projector is the modern version of the slide projector and overhead projector. Unlike CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) projectors, the LCD projector does not function according to the traditional projection-tube system.

The LCD Projector usually contains three separate LCD glass panels - one each for the red, green, and blue components of the video signal. The LCD chip is transparent, and when a powerful light source is passed through it, each individual pixel transforms the light and projects the image or data through a lens onto the screen.

The LCD Projector technological revolution started around the mid-1990s, when manufacturers began to use microdisplays and merge illumination and imaging in one device. Following this development, Compaq introduced one of the first ultra-lightweight data projectors in 2000 - the MP1400 using the DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology from Texas Instruments. Most LCD Projectors today support VGA output at resolutions ranging up to 800x600 and 1024x768. They are also usually capable of projecting standard video from a VCRs, DVDs, and cable boxes; and many of them are specialized for use at home, known as Front-Projection TVs.

The main advantage of the LCD projector is that since the LCD chip is miniature in size, the whole unit is quite compact, which is very practical, especially for mobile professionals. Most LCD projectors are also typically capable of producing 2,000 to 2,500 ANSI lumens brightness with 1024 x 768 VGA resolution, resulting in better image quality. Power consumption is also relatively low. And, in comparison to CRT Projectors (which are still manufactured), LCD versions are quite inexpensive. For example, the Sony VPL-CX1 Superlite LCD Video Projector only costs around $2,000, but is still capable of producing super image quality.

LCD Projectors provides detailed information on LCD Projectors, LCD Projector Rentals, LCD Projector Lamps, LCD Video Projectors and more. LCD Projectors is affiliated with Cheap LCD TVs.

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Understanding Projector Screens: Be Careful You May End Up With TOO Bright An Image!

Understanding Projector Screens: Be Careful, You May End Up With TOO Bright An Image!
By Andrew Ghigo

Today's compact yet powerful front video projectors may leave you with a too bright an image to watch! This being especially so if you intend to watch a projected image in a darkened room which after all, is most often the case with a home theater setup.

Defining Screen Gain

Prior to proceeding with our discussion, it is important that one has a full understanding of what the term screen gain is all about.

It may sound strange that we talk about gain when in reality a projector screen is nothing more than a passive device. Yet there is - it is all a question of how the screen surface distributes the reflected light.

Screen gain is a measurement of the reflectivity of the screen surface. It measures the ability of the screen to direct incident light back to the audience.

The gain number represents the ratio between incident light and reflected light. A flat matte white surface has a gain of approximately 1. A gray screen has a gain less than 1 and therefore, it attenuates incident light. Reflective screen surfaces have gains greater than 1; these projection screens direct more incident light back to the audience.

Gain is always measured in front and perpendicular to the screen at the point of maximum brightness; this represents peak screen gain and occurs at the zero viewing angle perpendicular to the screen surface.

For a screen with gain greater than one, the gain drops as one moves to the side and view the screen at an angle to the perpendicular drawn from the center of the screen. The angle at which screen gain falls to half the peak is referred to as half gain viewing angle. A person viewing the screen from this angle will see the image half as bright as the person seated at the center. The more one moves further away from the center, the dimmer the projected image will be.

The higher the peak screen gain, the narrower the supported viewing angle. This is the price one has to pay for a higher screen gain - the higher projector screen gain at the center is in fact achieved by directing more light towards the center viewing positions rather than allowing for a uniform reflected light over a wider angle of view.

Projected Image Brightness:

Matching the projection screen gain with the ambient light and the video projector output is essential if you want to ensure that you will end up with a correct level of projected image brightness.

This is an extremely important issue. Do not forget that a basic requirement for a great movie experience is a comfortable environment. This means that the time one spends watching a movie should be as comfortable as possible. Exposure to a bright projected image is uncomfortable on the eyes - even when this is for just a few minutes, least imagine when watching a two-hour movie.

A Tricky Matching Process!

Ambient Light Conditions, Image Brightness & Screen Gain

A projected image is at its best when viewed in total darkness - this helps take away any visual distractions - rendering it easier for the viewer to get deeper immersed into the movie action.

In the home, achieving a completely darkened room is almost impossible except in the case of the dedicated home theater setup. The amount of ambient light present has an impact on the resultant projected image contrast. This calls for the need to increase the image brightness to maintain the correct level of image contrast.

The tricky issue is to arrive at the correct level of image brightness for a pre-set level of ambient light. This in view that projected image brightness is a function not only of the projector output, but also of the screen gain, and image size.

The explanation that follows should help you get a better understanding of the relationship that exists between these three inter-related parameters.

Display Brightness and Screen Gain

The brightness output level of your projector is a measure of the projector output power in terms of light intensity. Please keep in mind however that the resultant projected image brightness is a different issue. Image brightness falls in proportion to the area of the projected image size - the bigger the projected image is, the dimmer it will look for a fixed level of projector brightness.

The projected image brightness - more specifically the Luminance level for a projected image, is a measure of the light reflected from the projector screen area. It is measured in foot-Lamberts, and is defined as:

ANSI-lumens of your projector divided by the square footage of Screen.

(Note that one foot-Lambert is equal to 1 ANSI lumen per square foot.)

To arrive at the actual level of light reflected from the screen surface, the above result must be multiplied by the projector screen gain.

A useful reference here is what has been defined as 'sufficient brightness' by the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers, also known as SMPTE.

In standard 196M, the SMPTE determined sufficient brightness for showing motion pictures in a darkened room using a unity gain matte white projector screen, as 12 - 22 foot-Lamberts. In practice, the luminance target level is set to about 16 foot-Lamberts, while the average bright scene brightness level in a movie theater is typically 60% to 75% of this target value.

Display brightness is in itself an entirely subjective term; whats more, it is all relative to the amount of ambient light falling on the screen surface.

The following rules of thumb would surely come to assistance in this respect:

The contrast ratio between the projected image and the ambient light level falling on the screen should be at least 5:1. This is necessary for the eye to perceive a real impression of brightness. If this contrast ratio is not achieved, the projected image will not be considered of adequate brightness level.

When viewing takes place under normal ambient light conditions, the luminance level should be close to 50 foot-Lamberts. This level of luminance is derived from the fact that SMPTE indicated a target level of image brightness for a CRT TV as 50 foot-Lamberts, this in view that a TV is normally viewed under normal ambient light. One may argue that TV is a totally different technology this is true, but this target level for image brightness or luminance, still holds good for most circumstances.

How does all this translate in practical terms?

If one is viewing an image in typical very low ambient light conditions (say less than 2 foot-candles - equivalent to approximately 22 Lux), then the minimum required light level illuminating the screen surface should be around 10 foot-candles to achieve sufficient image contrast.

For a matte white projector screen surface with a screen gain of one, this translates to a minimum of 10 foot-Lamberts in terms of light reflected from the screen for image brightness. This is close to the SMPTE typical requirement for average luminance when viewing pictures in a darkened room.

Similarly, if viewing were to take place under normal ambient light room conditions (typically 10 foot-candles or 110 Lux), applying our first rule of thumb to achieve the required contrast level would result in a luminance level of 50 foot-Lamberts (approx. 540 Lux) for the same matte white projector screen surface. This is also in line with the target luminance level detailed in rule 2 for viewing under normal ambient light conditions.

Note:

• Light illuminating a surface is measured in lux (Lx = lumens/m2), or foot-candles.
• Light reflected from an area (luminance) is measured in candelas/m2 (cd/m2) or foot-lamberts (fL).

Now, lets consider as an example what will happen with different projector screen gains for say a given 1000 ANSI-Lumens projector and a 100 diagonal screen size.

Projector Screen Gain 1 1.5 2Image Luminance in foot-Lamberts304560

It is clear that our 1000 ANSI-Lumens projector would produce a too bright an image when the latter is viewed in a darkened room, even when using a standard matte white projector screen with unity gain. Similarly, use of this projector in conjunction with a projector screen surface having a gain of 2 may result in a too bright an image even when viewing takes place under normal ambient light conditions.

Andrew Ghigo A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession, with specialization in digital switching and telecoms fraud management systems.

Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a site dedicated to all home theater enthusiasts with the scope of serving as a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.

This article is an excerpt from a series of guides appearing under thehome theater screens section of the site.

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Used LCD Projectors

Used LCD Projectors
By Ken Marlborough

Apart from the usual used LCD projectors, those which have been used from some considerable amount of time by someone and are now for sale, there are some other categories of used LCD Projectors.

One of these categories is called demo projectors - projectors that have been used sparingly in-house for customer demonstrations. The majority of demo projectors generally have 90% or more of the original lamp life remaining at the time of resale. Demo models that are still in production ship with a full manufacturer's warranty. The length of warranty varies on demo models that are no longer in production.

Another category is refurbished projectors - projectors are most often the source of best projector deals. These projectors have been returned to an authorized factory service center and restored to meet manufacturer's original quality standards. Refurbished projectors feature new lamps, yet the warranty varies by manufacturer.

Yet another category is bargain buys - projectors that are new, factory-sealed units and are priced less than US $1500. These projectors are typically SVGA resolution, are portable, and feature an adequate amount of brightness for most any environment. Because of their budget price, the length of warranty on these projectors varies.

There are several Web sites that sell used LCD Projectors over the Internet. However, when buying over the Internet, one should not only look at the security of the mode of payment, but also about the vendor who is selling the product on the Web site. Generally, some people who have bought a product from a vendor leave a comment about the quality of service and product sold by the vendor; these comments are often very helpful in eliminating the vendors with a poor track record.

Finding a used LCD Projector is not difficult, what is though, is narrowing down to decide on a projector that meets the requirements, comes from a vendor who can be relied upon, and is at available at the best price among all the Web sites on the Internet that sell used LCD projectors.

LCD Projectors provides detailed information on LCD Projectors, LCD Projector Rentals, LCD Projector Lamps, LCD Video Projectors and more. LCD Projectors is affiliated with Cheap LCD TVs.

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Choosing a Digital Projector

Choosing a Digital Projector
By Luke Kent

There are tons of digital projectors available and they are constantly dropping in price. However, when choosing a projectorfor yourself or your school there are a few practical things you should remember.

When choosing a projector you need to consider under whatcircumstances will you be presenting slide shows. The strength ofa projector's brightness is measured in units called lumens. Projectors range between 650-5000 lumens. The higher the lumensthe brighter the projector. Projectors that are less than 1000 lumens may not be great in a room with a lot of ambient light.For a classroom you should consider buying a projector with greater than 1000 lumens. If the projector will be used forlarger presentations, for 100 or more people, a projector withgreater than 3000 lumens may be needed.

A great accessory to your projector is a wireless mouse. Thesehave dropped considerably in price and allow the educator toface their audience when presenting the slide show. Whenchoosing a wireless mouse choose one that has a long rangeso that you can walk around when presenting.

Many projectors also come with remotes that help the presentermake adjustments to the slide shows quickly during the presentationwithout having to fiddle with the projector.

Remember when buying a projector analyze you needs first. You maynot need to spend as much as you think or you may need to spendthe extra cash to get a projector that suits your needs.

For more product reviews and teaching tips visit our site below.

Mr. L. Kent is an experienced educator and the lead consultant of http://MrKent.Net - Education Technology Made Simple. Feel free to visit the site and/or subscribe to our fantastic monthly newsletter at http://mrkent.net/php/?p=subscribe .

Luke Kent provides assistance to other educators by offering his interesting seminar, Teaching with Technology: A Fun Workshop for Technology Challenged Teachers. To book a seminar or a consultation visit http://MrKent.Net .

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Choosing A Conference Room Projector

Choosing A Conference Room Projector
By Jim Gelder

When it comes to choosing a conference room projector, you probably want to run and hide! Thats because most of us dont know much about projectors to begin with and dont know the first thing about how to select one thats appropriate for a conference roomor any room for that matter.

Thankfully, theres the Internet. Within minutes, you can have all the information on choosing a conference room projector that you could ever want.

Sorting through all that information, though, can seem overwhelming. So its good to have some questions in mind as you do the research necessary to find the perfect projector for your conference room.

Some questions you want to ask are:

How difficult is operating the projector?
Is the projector portable or will it need to have a permanent mounting? Which type fits my conference room needs best?
What types of presentations will the projector be used for?
How much does the projector cost?
Does that cost fit my for buying a new conference room projector?
Is there a service contract available for the projector?
What is the repair policy for the projector?
Is the company Im thinking of buying the projector from a reputable and reliable one?
Will the projector require any special maintenance or periodic service checks?
Are any special supplies needed for the projector?
Is the size appropriate for the conference room?
If its portable, how much does it weigh?
Should I rent, lease, or buy?
Is the quality of the brightness satisfactory for the size of my conference room?
Do I need to save the receipt so that I can take the purchase off on my taxes?

These are just a few questions to help you on your way to purchasing (or leasing) a conference room projector. Just remember that cost does not always indicate quality. You can buy a wildly expensive projector that is all wrong for your needs. The opposite is true too: you can get a great projector that fits your needs for a moderate, or even small, investment.

The trick is in researching projectors and taking the time to read some consumer reviews that are easily found on the web. Before you do anything, though, have a budget in mind and have some idea of what youll be using your projector for. This will help guide your research and make it go more quicklyand be much more effective to boot!

Jim Gelder is a contributing writer for http://www.projectorian.com a website dedicated to offering information about projectors, projector rentals and also features a listing of local projector rental companies

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Looking For A Cheap LCD Projector TV?

Looking For A Cheap LCD Projector TV?
By Zach Parker

Knowing what brightness and contrast ratios are best for your lcd projecting needs is probably going a bit too far, but it will definitely help if you do. Used lcd projectors may be a wonderful investment; just because they have been viewed by someone else does not mean it is in poor condition. Lcd projectors are prone to the screen door effect which means certain images may appear as if being viewed through mesh or fine screen. Choosing the lcd projector that is versatile, reliable, and portable may be a tall order to fill if you don't know alot about projectors. In contrast to some of the other lamps in lcd projectors, halogen lamps burn at a steady rate and have a consistent brightness throughout the lamp life. Knowing what is necessary in your lcd projector and how often those features will be needed can help you decide which one is right for the job.

Lamp life for metal halide bulbs in lcd projectors normally range from 750 to 4,000 hours or more depending on how it is used. A review of the upcoming digital projectors is really exciting due to new technologies constantly being developed for the industry. Lcd projectors are versatile, reliable, and portable; this is why they have become really popular over time; they can be transported anywhere. These projectors deliver a better picture than the lcd television sets that are found in most modern homes. Used lcd projectors purchased on ebay normally have a picture on the bidding page; this might allow you to determine the condition before you make the purchase.

These lcd projectors have a variety of functions for high picture quality and network compatibility is also included. Just about all projectors use the same kinds of bulbs for illumination; most people are shocked to find out that the bulb used is not that expensive. When dealing with lcd projectors you might find that it will provide several incredible viewing opportunities for you and other guest viewers. When dealing a lcd projector for the first time; make sure you read the step by step instructions on how to operate the equipment.

A digital lcd projector of the present has an lcd approximately the size of a small color slide and works similar to traditional slide projectors. Lcd projector rentals require the user to know what size of the audience, viewing angle, viewing distance, room brightness, and location it will be used. Lcd projector rentals are a big business for those that only need to project for presentations or events on a sporadic basis for home or business.

Still looking for a cheap LCD projector TV ? Try visiting LCD-Projector-Sales.info, a website that specalizes in providing LCD projector rating advice, tips,resources and information on how to find a LCD projector online!

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Using a Digital Projector

Using a Digital Projector
By Luke Kent

Many schools have one or several digital projectors available for educators to use. Many people are worried that making slideshows and setting up the equipment will take too much effort andtime. On the contrary, the use of digital projectors saves timeand can take minimal effort.

Most digital projectors take no time to set-up. Have someone show you how to set-up the projector a few times and then try ityourself several times until you are comfortable setting up the projector on your own. Each projector and computer have theirown little quirks so having someone who is familiar with the system will prevent running into trouble in the future.

Creating slide shows for your lessons may take a little effort inthe beginning, however, once these lessons are created they will be saved for you to reuse or to tweak. There are also websites like http://MrKent.Net that provide subject specific slide shows for you to change or use as you please.

The only way to find out if using a digital projector is for youis to give it a try. Create or download a short lesson and present it to your students to compare it to your regular lessonFormat. One thing you will notice right away is that you spend more time interacting with your class and less time writing and erasing items on the board.

Mr. L. Kent is an experienced educator and president of MrKent.Net - Education Technology Made Simple.

For more educational techology tips and reviews please visit us at http://www.mrkent.net/ - Education Techology Made Simple.

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Home Theater Video Projectors

Home Theater Video Projectors
By Jason Gluckman

A home theater enables us to view films in the comfortable ambience of our homes. The unique ambience of movie halls can be recreated completely, minus the crowds, and favorite movies can be watched with friends and relatives in comfort. Home theater video projectors are the main component around which the home theater system runs.

At present, there are three kinds of video projector technology in use. They are CRT, LCD, and DLP. Apart from these, there are certain modifications also available based on the technology used for the above three.

During the early years of video projectors, television expertise was centered on Cathode Ray Tube technology, or CRT. Cathode ray tubes are used for the generation of a television image. Three small CRTs with a single unit meant for every principal color, and a light-magnifying lens, helps in the projection of a color representation against a big screen in a dimly lit room. A CRT projector is capable of creating superior high-resolution images. This can be achieved with the help of the right combination of video processing circuitry, CRT size, and lens combination.

The second sort of video projector is the LCD projector, or Liquid Crystal Display. This is different from a CRT projector in the sense that it is not based on the conventional projection tube. An LCD projector primarily operates by delivering a strong light source through a transparent LCD chip comprising of individual pixels, which exhibits the moving video image. This image is subsequently projected through a lens to a big screen.

The rapid developing sort of video projector with respect to sales is the DLP, or Digital Light Processing projector. This type of projector is very similar to the LCD as in this also the real image is exhibited on a chip.

Home Theater Projectors provides detailed information on Home Theater Video Projectors, Home Theater LCD Projectors, Home Theater Projector Packages, Home Theater Front Projectors and more. Home Theater Projectors is affiliated with Curtains For Home Theater Screens.

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Video Projector Rentals

Video Projector Rentals
By Marcus Peterson

A video projector is a device that projects a video or computer image onto a screen. The commonly used inputs are video cassette players, CD and DVD players and PowerPoint presentations from computers. Some computers have CD as well as DVD drives which support these discs. Some projectors dont have VGA connectors, which take inputs from a computer.

A video projector employs one of three technologies: CRT, LCD and DLP. CRT projectors are just like television, i.e. they employ cathode ray tubes. The limitations of CRT video projectors are the heavy size and the requirement of absolute darkness for clarity of the picture. LCD projectors employ a special chip so that the advantage is that the projector is very compact. Besides, it has excellent contrast and brightness. The LCD projector employs individual pixels, which produces high resolution. The limitation of a LCD is it produces a screen door effect. Also the repair of one would result in a dark spot on the screen.

DLP technology employs a Digital Micromirror Device, instead of a chip. DLP projectors are highly suitable for viewing movies and also other multimedia presentations. The advantages of DLP projector include color accuracy and no screen door effect.

LCD and DLP video projectors are the favorites and therefore most of the inventory of the rental companies are the above mentioned ones. The rates of these projectors start at $100 and are dependent upon factors such as the resolution and weight. The rental companies provide support throughout the whole day and night. This includes online or phone booking, shipment, installation, and operation support.

Hotels, resorts, convention centers and conference halls enter into contract with rental companies to provide these services. The rental companies have chains of shops across a particular region or nationwide networks. The directories of these service providers can be obtained online, which directs them to the individual websites.

Projector Rentals provides detailed information on Computer Projector Rentals: A Guide, DVD Projector Rentals, Film Projector Rentals, LCD Projector Rentals and more. Projector Rentals is affiliated with DLP Projectors.

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