The LCD projector was invented by American inventor Gene Dolgoff. He began working on it in 1968 but it was not until 1984 that he was able to complete the world's first LCD projector. There were major light losses and very noticeable pixels on screen. It took him till 1988 to produce a model which satisfied him and in that year he started Projectavision Inc the world's first LCD projector company.
Data Projectors are now becoming very popular as their price starts to come down. The cost of replacing the lamp is still quite expensive. A lamp can cost upto $500 for a projector which originally cost around $1000.
There are two major types of data projectors, namely LCD (liquid crystal display) and DLP (Digital Light Projection). With LCD the projector reflects the video signal off of thousands of tiny mirrors allowing improved clarity and resolution. LCD projectors are usually the most affordable. DLP projectors use "micromirrors" to display their image. This leads to a perfect digitally projected image. DLP projectors are known for their amazing image quality. Many movie theatres have started using DLP projectors.
A number of people are setting up home theatres with screens around 4 or 5 metres wide which is easily attainable with a data projector. They are also in use in classrooms and many companies use them for their training classes as they can be hooked up to a laptop quite easily.
Home theatres generally show DVD movies or live TV shows. Make sure it has a TV tuner to enable TV channels to be picked up.
When purchasing a projector be sure it has the required output connector sockets. HDMI is a must these days but DVI gives an excellent signal too.
s-video and composite are also desired. Brightness depends on the environment. A small dark room will not require as many Lumens as a large room with room lights switched on. In a dedicated home theatre in a darkened room contrast greater than 2000:1 is required. If showing in a lit room then contrast is not that important.
Ceiling mount is desirable because the projector is less likely to be damaged by people wandering around the room. Make sure the Projector you are interested in has ceiling mount capability.
Small portable projectors are now available too. One of the most popular is just 162mm x 102mm and weighs a low 635 grams yet it can project a picture up to 228cm diagonal plus it has a 30,000 hours lamp life. It does not have a tuner to pick up TV channels. Selling at just $499 it is amazing value. It is the Vivitek Qumi DLP Pico Projector.
Ron Bloom is sales support at Tonersonline/Inkredibleinks. He has had more than 20 years in the Computer Industry. For supplies for your printer and Office Stationery go to:
http://www.inkredibleinks.com.au/
http://www.tonersonline.com.au/
Or for friendly assistance call 1300 554 465
