CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

ecrabb

OK, so our really old office InFocus portable is dead or at least needs a new bulb. I've always hated the POS, anyway and we've always wanted one that could be installed to get it off the conference room table, so our purchasing folks recommended one for us: An NEC NP600. $1500 XGA 3LCD with 3500 lumens (2450 in eco-mode) and a whopping 500:1 on/off. Seriously? Ummm... that sucks. Based on my reaction, my manager asked me to make an alternate recommendation.

I was thinking a WXGA projector would be cool... Pixel-matched XGA for PowerPoint, as well as WXGA when we want to watch some March Madness, lunchtime trailers, shorts, YouTube stuff, etc. in 720p. Wink

I don't think I'm interested in LCD, so does anybody have a recommendation for a 1280x800 DLP in the low-teens? I know in HT, Optoma DLP has a pretty decent rep... This is a brand new model that looks pretty decent, but it isn't even on the Optoma site. Anybody know anything about it or have any opinions about an office digital one way or the other?

Optoma PRO350W, 2800 ANSI, 3000:1 on/off, $750

Thanks,
SC

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

How large is the screen? What are the average room conditions going to be? If the lights are always on, 500:1 may look nearly as good as 3000:1, and 3500 lumens would look better than 2800.

ecrabb · Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 12:42 am Post subject:

We usually dim the lights... I think the screen is probably a 6-7' wide 1.0 matte and our old machine was a single-chip tiny DLP - 1100 lumens, 400:1 on/off... Even with 1100 lumens, brightness hasn't really been a problem. Even 2500 should look great.

Plus, I want it to look great when we turn off the lights, hence the desire for more on/off. Wink

SC

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

You might want to check out the Canon LCOS. I haven't looked at them in a couple of years, but they are bright and should be down around your price point. I know you said you didn't want LCD, but for $1500 you have a bunch of 1080p pjs out there.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 1:27 am Post subject:

From a reliability point, I'd take LCD over DLP. Just my experience.

ecrabb · Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 3:54 am Post subject:

Hmm.. Really, Curt? I know the color wheel is an issue, but on the other hand, Ive seen so many effed up LCDs with blobs, streaks, and faded panels. eBay is littered with 5-yr old LCDs with shot panels.

Pick your poison, I guess.

SC

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

I haven't been in a conference room for a conference in over a year. The advent of conference bridges and Net/Live Meetings simply done away with forced elbow rubbing. But I understand the need to continue the antiquity for the sake of the old farts. Certainly there are business projectors with more resolution, no? Not that I would use this site for anything else, try here for a general database of make/models, with off-shoots for pricing.

BTW, if in any form of presentation I am referring to any of my desktops, I am running higher than WXGA. Anything not much more than this can be handled by asking folks to break out their damn smartphones.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Wan,
For some reason, business pjs are still in the XGA arena. Pete Putnam has talked about it and there really is no good reason,

Crabb,
After thinking about it some more, why don't you be the LED guinea pig? Casio has a new LED/laser hybrid pj that is supposed to be pretty nice. I thought I read it was less than what is in the second link, but it is still pretty good.
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/projectors/275074/casio-announces-high-power-led-projectors-complete-with-laser-technology
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http://www.casio.co.jp/release/2010/xj-a155.html&sl=auto&tl=en

I think I read LG is coming out with an XGA LED. The SVGA one is pretty cheap, so I can't imagine the XGA costing more than $1k.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

I just do not think business projectors are going to be cheap. You can find higher resolution bright projectors, but not on a dime store budget. These people feel if you are in business and need a real business projector then you can afford the real business cost. The days of supporting poor businesses is over.

But, I still hold my position on the need to host in-person conferences. I could understand if this was a traveling use asset, but I did not get that impression from SC. Mind you one can buy a 1080P projector in the 4000 ANSI arena and really combat all that silly ambient light.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Oh, unless this is a really big projected image only need apply scenario, get one of those cheap flat panels in the 58" variety. You can get an LG 60" plasma (think wide viewing cone) 1080P for ~$1600.

jonyroger · Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 4

I do not think business projectors will be cheap. You can find a clear resolution of projectors, but not a budget store. These people know where you are on business and needed a real projector, you can make a real business cost. Days supports the poor business is over.

jocosaevans · Guest

You can find a clear solution of projectors, but not a budget shop. These people know where you are travelling on business and needs a real projector, you can get an operating cost. Now supports companies is poor. I could understand if it were a trip to use force, but I do not think SC.