How to select an LCD projector?

I've been asked to buy 5 new projectors for our department. All I know
about projectors is they show images on the wall/screen if you hook
them up right! I found Projector Central thru Google, but even when I
entered the variables in their selection thingy, I got dozens of
projectors. I'm interested in opinions and facts regarding different
makes and models. I'd really like to find a comparison, not just on
lumens, wt., cost, etc. but on quality and durability. These are going
to be lugged all over the state, so they have to be portable and
tough.

The specs I do know are:
about 1500 lumens
as light as possible
XGA resolution

We'll be doing Ppt presentations, nothing that requires high
resolution.

Does anyone have some facts about who is building high quality
projectors these days, or do you think they're all pretty much the
same?

Thanks in advance!
Dave

salgud wrote:
> I've been asked to buy 5 new projectors for our department. All I know
> about projectors is they show images on the wall/screen if you hook
> them up right! I found Projector Central thru Google, but even when I
> entered the variables in their selection thingy, I got dozens of
> projectors. I'm interested in opinions and facts regarding different
> makes and models. I'd really like to find a comparison, not just on
> lumens, wt., cost, etc. but on quality and durability. These are going
> to be lugged all over the state, so they have to be portable and
> tough.
>
> The specs I do know are:
> about 1500 lumens
> as light as possible
> XGA resolution
>
> We'll be doing Ppt presentations, nothing that requires high
> resolution.
>
> Does anyone have some facts about who is building high quality
> projectors these days, or do you think they're all pretty much the
> same?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Dave
>

One point that the salesman tend to forget is the lifetime and cost of a
replacement bulb.
2,000 hours and $500 are ball-park figures.

"salgud" <davegb@safebrowse.com> wrote in message
news:1176147550.123600.42880@d57g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
> I've been asked to buy 5 new projectors for our department. All I know
> about projectors is they show images on the wall/screen if you hook
> them up right! I found Projector Central thru Google, but even when I
> entered the variables in their selection thingy, I got dozens of
> projectors. I'm interested in opinions and facts regarding different
> makes and models. I'd really like to find a comparison, not just on
> lumens, wt., cost, etc. but on quality and durability. These are going
> to be lugged all over the state, so they have to be portable and
> tough.
>
> The specs I do know are:
> about 1500 lumens
> as light as possible
> XGA resolution
>
> We'll be doing Ppt presentations, nothing that requires high
> resolution.
>
> Does anyone have some facts about who is building high quality
> projectors these days, or do you think they're all pretty much the
> same?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Dave
>

Forget LCD...look for DLP based projectors....

Honu

I'd say that 1,500 lumens is marginal .... I'd look for something closer
to 2,000 if you can find it without paying an arm and a leg.

Pay attention to the replacement bulb cost. I've seen closeout deals
where the entire projector with bulb was sold for less than the cost of
just a replacement bulb. The bulbs can cost as much as $400 to $800,
although some are down in the $200 range. It would be nice to know the
bulb life, but unfortunately, the mfgrs. figures for bulb life are
neither reliable nor comparable.


salgud wrote:
> I've been asked to buy 5 new projectors for our department. All I know
> about projectors is they show images on the wall/screen if you hook
> them up right! I found Projector Central thru Google, but even when I
> entered the variables in their selection thingy, I got dozens of
> projectors. I'm interested in opinions and facts regarding different
> makes and models. I'd really like to find a comparison, not just on
> lumens, wt., cost, etc. but on quality and durability. These are going
> to be lugged all over the state, so they have to be portable and
> tough.
>
> The specs I do know are:
> about 1500 lumens
> as light as possible
> XGA resolution
>
> We'll be doing Ppt presentations, nothing that requires high
> resolution.
>
> Does anyone have some facts about who is building high quality
> projectors these days, or do you think they're all pretty much the
> same?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Dave
>

On Apr 9, 2:51 pm, "Hertz_Donut" <n...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> "salgud" <dav...@safebrowse.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1176147550.123600.42880@d57g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > I've been asked to buy 5 new projectors for our department. All I know
> > about projectors is they show images on the wall/screen if you hook
> > them up right! I found Projector Central thru Google, but even when I
> > entered the variables in their selection thingy, I got dozens of
> > projectors. I'm interested in opinions and facts regarding different
> > makes and models. I'd really like to find a comparison, not just on
> > lumens, wt., cost, etc. but on quality and durability. These are going
> > to be lugged all over the state, so they have to be portable and
> > tough.
>
> > The specs I do know are:
> > about 1500 lumens
> > as light as possible
> > XGA resolution
>
> > We'll be doing Ppt presentations, nothing that requires high
> > resolution.
>
> > Does anyone have some facts about who is building high quality
> > projectors these days, or do you think they're all pretty much the
> > same?
>
> > Thanks in advance!
> > Dave
>
> Forget LCD...look for DLP based projectors....
>
> Honu- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Now there's helpful useful to offer?

Barry Watzman wrote:
> I'd say that 1,500 lumens is marginal .... I'd look for something closer
> to 2,000 if you can find it without paying an arm and a leg.

That really depends on where you want to use it - how well the room is
lit, how big a screen you project.

If anything my 1700 lumens proj is too bright for home use. I really
should get a bigger screen. At present I use a 1.5 metre screen.

On Apr 10, 11:35 am, Salvador Freemanson <s...@gohome.com> wrote:
> Barry Watzman wrote:
> > I'd say that 1,500 lumens is marginal .... I'd look for something closer
> > to 2,000 if you can find it without paying an arm and a leg.
>
> That really depends on where you want to use it - how well the room is
> lit, how big a screen you project.
>
> If anything my 1700 lumens proj is too bright for home use. I really
> should get a bigger screen. At present I use a 1.5 metre screen.

Does anyone have any recommendations on brands? Which are the quality
ones these days, which are not-so-hot?