Wireless connection brings about the flexibility to project an image with a projector without a physical cable between the PC and the projector. The user will have the luxury of moving around the room without having to be concern of the length of the cable or obstruction. Multiple users can also switch projections to their own PC/ Laptops without having to plug and unplug any cables.

Despite the technology being readily available, there are many users who refrain from using wireless connection. Some of the common reasons we gather:

-       Troublesome to install Wireless Software (especially if some corporate accounts require administrators to approve installing new software)

-       Different brands of projectors used throughout the office, hence different wireless software required to work with each brand, too confusing for most users

-       Unable to detect the projector on the first try and give up immediately

-       Wireless Connection hanged halfway through presentation and resulted in user phobia

-       VGA Connection too readily available

A number of manufacturers identified some of the common set backs to wireless usability and some have developed a much more user-friendly wireless connection features in their projectors. The most common one is having an ‘USB-Key’ that can connect with the projector simply by plugging it into the USB thumb drive.

Regardless of the difficulties faced with using the wireless technology, it is and will always be an integrated part of a complete visual solution. It is just a matter of giving sufficient trainings and practices to help users get use to connecting wirelessly.

For obvious reasons, flat panel displays are much preferred due to its imagery performance. There is no brightness loss like a projected image and its contrast performance can be better appreciated. The only reason users are holding back on large flat panel displays is their cost.

Projectors can easily achieve image sizes from 100” to 300” with a relatively low price. Despite the current low prices in flat panel displays, it is still restricted to categories of 42” and below; cost of anything larger than 42” increases in an exponential rate. So despite better image quality and performance, their pricing is still a huge deterrent for large image users.

Projector manufacturers have also been developing brighter products, better performance and lower prices. It will be a tough battle for large panel displays to replace the projector market. However, slowly but surely, they are creeping closer to breach the large display market.

It is not uncommon for users to encounter such a problem, as the projector they bought 3-5 years ago is likely to have been phased out and replaced with better and cheaper models. Since even the lower tier brightness projector lamps cost around $400-$500, it is difficult to choose between the two.

The followings are a summary of points to help you consider if buying the lamp or the new projector is more cost effective:

Cost difference between New Lamp and New Projector
-       Slight difference in cost might prompt user to favor buying a new projector

Lamp Hours
-       Old projector probably have very low lamp hours which translates to frequent changing of the lamps
-       The latest projector now have in excess of 5000 – 6000hrs for some models, that is a good 2 x lamp life comparing to the old 2000-3000 hrs lamps

Lamp replacement cost
- User might also want to include any additional cost incurred when engaging a vendor to change the projector lamps into costing considerations

Projector Setup
-       User will have to take note if they will incur additional installation charges for using a new projector

Availability of parts
-       Projector spare parts are usually kept in production for about 5 years after the projector has been phased out
-       Parts that are reused in newer models will be kept in production for longer period
-       It will be advisable to check the availability of parts to decide if continue usage of the old projector is a viable option

Performance
-       New projector models are usually manufactured to be better and cheaper, so user can take the opportunity to access if the current projector is able to meet their requirement of should they change for a more powerful one

Energy Efficient
-       New technologies have improve the performance and lower the energy consumption of the projectors
-       Might be a good option to look into energy efficiency if your organization is moving towards energy saving

Hope the pointers will help our users make better decisions when coming across such a situation in future.

As long as the projector is within reaching distance, you might want to adopt the following steps in maintaining your projector:

1. Allow the projector to cool down before cleaning

-       Wait for at least 2 hrs after use prior to cleaning

-       As you might shake the projector during cleaning, internal optical engines and lamps which is still hot might easily results in cracks or damages

1. Remove Air Filter

-       Most projectors have an Air Filter to prevent dust from entering the optical engine

-       These filters are usually easily accessible from the side of the projector to allow easy maintenance

-       Do note that a projector without an Air Filter does not equals to no need for cleaning

1. Vacuum clean filter and surrounding of the whole projector

-       Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the air filter

-       Some Air Filters are sponge like (enable for washing) but vacuum clean will suffice

-       Vacuum the whole projector for any dust/ dirt resting on it

-       A damp cloth can be used to clean the casing of the projector but make sure it does not drip water into the projector

1. Clean the lens with a soft damp cloth

-       Use cloth that does not drop fine furs during cleaning

-       Use a clean dry cloth to wipe the lens dry after cleaning with the damp cloth

1. Checks

-       Routine checks on the lamp hours to prepare for lamp replacement when current lamp is running dim

-       Project some test pattern to ensure focus and sharpness, usually easily adjusted from the lens/ menu

-       Ensure that all connected ports are secure

With the 5 easy steps, everyone should be able to DIY a projector maintenance.

Apart from sharing the pointers on projector maintenance, do you know that projector maintenance actually starts from the moment you choose your projector?

Below are the few features that you can look out for in a projector that will help you in ease of maintaining it for the years to come:

-       Easily access Air Filter and Lamp design even after ceiling mounted installation, which allows the user to change filter and lamp without having to dismount the projector

-       Enhanced Air Filter design to reduce the frequency of cleaning

-       If intention to operate in poor air condition environment (i.e. smoking areas, dusty rooms), look for projectors with internally sealed optical engines (cost more but goes a long way in protecting the projector)

-       Installation away from direct air-con to avoid condensation inside projector during cooling down

-       Longer lasting lamps to reduce the frequency of changing lamps and also translates to lower operating cost

The pointers above serve to help users plan ahead when making purchase for a new projector.

If an air filter is such a nuisance, why does the manufactures still incorporate an air filter design in a projector?

As mentioned above, the projection engine in the projector, notably the lamp produces very high temperatures during operation. There are at least 3 to 4 cooling fans within the projector to help direct airflow in cooling these high temperatures. And because the cooling air is drawn from the surrounding of the projector, regardless of it being operated in outdoor, indoor, air-conditioned or not, there is always a presence of dust particles. Hence the air filters to help minimize the amount of dust flowing into the projector.

Dust can be very destructive to the projection engine, especially when the components are operated in high temperature. A dust particle may settle onto the lamp’s surface and induce unnecessary heat concentration, which will ultimately lead to premature failure of the lamp.

In the past few years, we begin to see manufacturers rolling out new solutions to combat this dust problem, namely:

-       Bigger/ Larger surface Electrostatic Charged filters (to enhance capturing of dust particles)

-       Sealed Projector Engine housing (sealing crucial components like the chips and lamp)

-       ‘Filter-Free” Projector (some selected DLP Projector models)

-       Automatic Rolling Filter

-       Active Maintenance Filter

Moving on from the days with a small piece of sponge like material as a filter, manufacturers have developed new and longer lasting ideas to prevent dust penetration in a projector.

One exception is the claim by some DLP projectors, which do not use an Air Filter at all. Claims of the critical components being sealed up to prevent dust have enabled them to do without a filter. But does that means that the user will no longer need to do any maintenance on that projector?

Like it or not, dust is all around us and projectors, with or without an air filter, will have fans cooling the optical engine. As long as there is air flowing through the projector, it is necessary for you to periodically check and maintain the projector.

It’s not about having the filter or not, it’s about being responsible in conducting regular checks and maintenance to help prolong the life span of your projectors.

Installation is not just simply drilling 4 holes and fastens 4 screws and nuts in place; it’s a combination of good craftsmanship, material and experience. Regardless of the level of the cost, understanding what you might be getting for your installation could prove just as important, if not, more important than getting the right projector.

One does not need to be an IT or AV expert to know what to look out for when it comes to installation. Below are a few simple pointers to help you check through the crucial components for a quality installation:

Pre Installation Checks

-       Position of projector, screen and receptacle point

-       Type of cables used based on the length of installation (to minimize signal loss which can result in poor image quality)

-       Any audio system to go along with the projector

-       How the cables are laid and feasibility of future maintenance

During Installation Checks

-       Ensure all cabling are in proper conduits and trunkings

-       Test all connections to ensure the quality of the projection

-       Minimize keystone correction on projector and proper calibration to obtain a clear sharp image

-       Ensure projector is properly secured onto the mounting and no vibration due to outside elements (i.e. air-conditioning)

After Installation Checks

-       Check the ease of maintenance

-       Ensure sufficient security on the projector

Conditions might vary from places to places and it is best to consult a trusted System Integrator to explain through the installation works before the actual installation.

You should be able to Google quite a number of good articles from reputable sites on the comparisons between the 2 technologies but how much can one understand or appreciate just from reading these articles, especially when some of the information contradicts each other from time to time.

Some information in the articles may even be old school theories and may not apply to the recent advances of both technologies. So we bring you back to the question of, “How can we tell, which technology is better?”

Or perhaps, the question should really be, “Which technology is better suited for my needs?”

A lot of users are so driven into the debate on the advantages of each technology that they fail to recognize the most important part of projector selection, the user preference; users themselves.

Without diving into the never-ending comparisons of both technologies, this article serves to move out of the box and discuss more from a user perspective. Which is really the whole idea.

A simple side-by-side demo should pretty much convince you which projector you prefer, so says the phrase, a picture speaks a thousand words.

Then again, your preference of one projector over another may not entirely be due to the projection system/ technology. It could be a variety of reasons why that particular projector manage to catch the user’s eye better. Video processing… zoom ratio… color management… etc.

So do you still think 3lCD vs. DLP means anything more than just 2 different concepts projection technology?

Projection application has moved beyond simple presentation on a white screen. The demanding environment in today’s world needed something more. Interactive White Board was one of the many ideas that helps bring classrooms/ meetings alive; making the presentation livelier and getting the audience involved easily. And now, projector manufacturers are eyeing a piece of this newfound demand for interactivity.

Interactive Projectors incorporated an additional ‘Transmitter’ and ‘Receiver’ device to allow actions on the screen to be transferred into the connecting computer. Regardless of the technology used, the principals are pretty much the same, to compete with Interactive White Boards.

Some of the pros and cons between the two:

Although the technology is available and choice between the two will be based on individual’s requirements, it is important to understand that technology is nothing when the users are not properly trained to use them.

Most users will find it daunting to do an interactive setup and scrambling to understand the buttons and logos to use the interactivity features properly. Hence without the right training, most, if not all technology will be nothing but an additional piece of under-utilized hardware.

What we have in the classes now is a far cry from what we had. Classes are each equipped with an overhead projector, visualizer and sometimes an interactive white board. Projector is now in the pinnacle of teaching aid, something that all teachers cannot do without. The exciting is, it is still evolving… to be more versatile and multi-purpose.

Unlike its predecessor projection system, the Over-Head Projector, a projector managed to leverage on the advances of IT technology and exploit on the mass usage of computers, hence its widespread popularity.

Moving on from basic connection and projection functionality, a projector is now capable of connection via a simple USB or network and wirelessly; Wide throw distance range to minimize the constrains of smaller rooms; PC Free presentation with pre-prepared USB memory drives… basically anything you can think of.

Most projectors even come with internal speakers and in very compact design. Projectors are now basically a one-stop presentation tool without the hassle of connecting up tons of cables. It is fair to say that manufacturers have made this piece of equipment more complex in terms of functionality and yet ease of use when it comes to usability.

And now, we are even seeing a combination of projector and Interactivity features…

But if it is for the sole purpose of getting up a 100” screen for your “wide-screen” experience in the living room or in your bedroom, you will be pleasantly surprise that it can be done within a few thousand dollars.

The Projector:

Projectors are generally classified into 2 groups. They are Data projectors (also known as video projectors) and Home projectors. The basic projection systems of both groups of projectors are pretty similar but Home projectors are equipped with better video processing and high contrast capabilities. Having said that, it means a much more sophisticated chip-set and lens system, which justify the higher price tags for Home projectors.

However if you are tight on your budget, the latest data projectors (especially those which come with HDMI port) should still give you a pretty decent picture.

Data Projector Price Range: $800 – $2000

Home Projector Price Range: $2000 – $4000

Sound System:

A basic sound system comprises of an amplifier/ mixer and Speakers, which can be readily available for plug and play.

Sound System Price Range: $300 – $1500

Screen:

A matt white screen will do the job. Projection onto a flat wall painted with matt white paint will also do the job.

Manual Pull-Down Screen Price Range: $200 – $500

Find the best possible equipments with your available budget and with the necessary equipments in place, all that is left is to plug in your Blueray, PS3 or Nintendo Wii for the ultimate large screen experience in comfort of your home!

Note:

The prices above serve as an indication only, as different brands and models prices varies.