james
04-20-2006, 03:45 PM
Tips on Selecting a Projector
1. The projector must satisfy your screen size limitations.
2. Choose your preferred screen size first, then choose a projector that can easily satisfy that screen size. You will find more details below regarding Screen Sizes. Choose a recognized brand. Do not purchase a projector from an obscure company. Do not purchase a used projector. Do not purchase your projector on ebay. Do not buy the special at your local Sam's Club. Purchase a major brand from a reputable dealer.
3. Purchase as many lumens as you can afford. Brightness is very important.
4. The projector should support keystone correction, inverted mounting, at least 800x600 resolution, SVGA, Svideo, and RCA connections, and have a remote control. Horizontal keystone correction is optional but very desirable.
5. You should buy a projector with the assistance of someone you trust
who understands every word on this page. Every single word.
Understanding Projector Zoom and Screen Sizes
We apologize in advance for the headache you might get while trying to match projectors to screen sizes. We believe projector manufacturers receive some secret thrill in causing this pain, but we are doing our best to improve the situation.
Most companies give their projector's range in the form of examples. You need to determine the zoom angles in degrees to determine if a projector will fit your desired screen size. Then use the zoom angles along with the Screen Width in Feet Chart (Page 34) to determine if that projector will work for you.
We have provided two projector examples and two charts to show how this works. There is also a great online calculator at http://www.BHPhotoVideo.com. Click on Product Resources on the left bar then click on Projection/Lens Calculator under Projection.
http://www.onlinesolutions.com/files/documents/eWorshipProjectorDistanceChartDiag.gif
http://www.onlinesolutions.com/files/documents/eWorshipProjectorDistanceChartScreenWidth.gif
Projector Zoom and Screen Size Example #1
A particular Epson PowerLite Projector is advertised as having projection sizes from 30" up to 300" diagonal, at a throw distance of 2.9' to 35.4'. Our chart does not go out to 35 feet, but you can usually cut the numbers in half for this calculation, so we will use a 150" measurement at 18 feet.
Go to the diagonal size chart and find the best matching angle for 150" at 18 feet. This projector zooms to about 31 degrees. How far can it zoom the other way? Our chart does not go down to 3 feet, since no sane individual would use an LCD projector at 3 feet. So triple the numbers and find the best fit for a 90 inch screen at 9 feet. This projector zooms out to 37 degrees. 31 to 37 degrees is a very small range.
So this projector has a range of 31 to 37 degrees. Now you can use the other chart, Screen Width in Feet, to find possible screen sizes. At 10 feet away, you can buy a screen from 5.5 feet to 6.5 feet wide if you go with this Epson projector.
Projector Zoom and Screen Size Example #2
One Sanyo Projector is advertised as capable of producing a 100" diagonal image from a distance of 8.3' to 12.9', but what screen sizes will this projector fill from ten feet?
Go to the diagonal size chart and guestimate the best matching angle for 100" between 8 and 9 feet. This projector zooms out to about 44 degrees (Which is one of the widest in the industry). How far can it zoom in. Find 100" between 12 and 14 feet. This projector zooms in to about 29 degrees.
So this projector has a range of 29 to 44 degrees. Now you can use the other chart, Screen Width in Feet, to find possible screen sizes. At 10 feet away, you can buy a screen from 5 feet to 8 feet wide if you go with this Sanyo projector. This projector has a very flexible range.
1. The projector must satisfy your screen size limitations.
2. Choose your preferred screen size first, then choose a projector that can easily satisfy that screen size. You will find more details below regarding Screen Sizes. Choose a recognized brand. Do not purchase a projector from an obscure company. Do not purchase a used projector. Do not purchase your projector on ebay. Do not buy the special at your local Sam's Club. Purchase a major brand from a reputable dealer.
3. Purchase as many lumens as you can afford. Brightness is very important.
4. The projector should support keystone correction, inverted mounting, at least 800x600 resolution, SVGA, Svideo, and RCA connections, and have a remote control. Horizontal keystone correction is optional but very desirable.
5. You should buy a projector with the assistance of someone you trust
who understands every word on this page. Every single word.
Understanding Projector Zoom and Screen Sizes
We apologize in advance for the headache you might get while trying to match projectors to screen sizes. We believe projector manufacturers receive some secret thrill in causing this pain, but we are doing our best to improve the situation.
Most companies give their projector's range in the form of examples. You need to determine the zoom angles in degrees to determine if a projector will fit your desired screen size. Then use the zoom angles along with the Screen Width in Feet Chart (Page 34) to determine if that projector will work for you.
We have provided two projector examples and two charts to show how this works. There is also a great online calculator at http://www.BHPhotoVideo.com. Click on Product Resources on the left bar then click on Projection/Lens Calculator under Projection.
http://www.onlinesolutions.com/files/documents/eWorshipProjectorDistanceChartDiag.gif
http://www.onlinesolutions.com/files/documents/eWorshipProjectorDistanceChartScreenWidth.gif
Projector Zoom and Screen Size Example #1
A particular Epson PowerLite Projector is advertised as having projection sizes from 30" up to 300" diagonal, at a throw distance of 2.9' to 35.4'. Our chart does not go out to 35 feet, but you can usually cut the numbers in half for this calculation, so we will use a 150" measurement at 18 feet.
Go to the diagonal size chart and find the best matching angle for 150" at 18 feet. This projector zooms to about 31 degrees. How far can it zoom the other way? Our chart does not go down to 3 feet, since no sane individual would use an LCD projector at 3 feet. So triple the numbers and find the best fit for a 90 inch screen at 9 feet. This projector zooms out to 37 degrees. 31 to 37 degrees is a very small range.
So this projector has a range of 31 to 37 degrees. Now you can use the other chart, Screen Width in Feet, to find possible screen sizes. At 10 feet away, you can buy a screen from 5.5 feet to 6.5 feet wide if you go with this Epson projector.
Projector Zoom and Screen Size Example #2
One Sanyo Projector is advertised as capable of producing a 100" diagonal image from a distance of 8.3' to 12.9', but what screen sizes will this projector fill from ten feet?
Go to the diagonal size chart and guestimate the best matching angle for 100" between 8 and 9 feet. This projector zooms out to about 44 degrees (Which is one of the widest in the industry). How far can it zoom in. Find 100" between 12 and 14 feet. This projector zooms in to about 29 degrees.
So this projector has a range of 29 to 44 degrees. Now you can use the other chart, Screen Width in Feet, to find possible screen sizes. At 10 feet away, you can buy a screen from 5 feet to 8 feet wide if you go with this Sanyo projector. This projector has a very flexible range.