More and more families may be enjoying big-screen entertainment at home-thanks to the latest advances in affordable projection equipment.
That's because projectors aren't just for the office anymore. Today's bright projectors move easily from the boardroom to the backyard-delivering big-screen fun whether watching movies, playing games or even viewing family photos.
Most home theater projectors can cost thousands of dollars and require professional installation services and a dedicated screening room to truly enjoy the experience. This just isn't a practical solution for many consumers. And as you discover new ways to enjoy projectors at home or on the road, you'll want a projector that meets your fun needs and your budget needs.
Now is the time to rethink how you use projectors. Projection screen sizes can be in excess of 300 inches. Imagine throwing a sheet up in the backyard to watch your favorite movie with family and friends while barbecuing by the pool. Or connecting your projector to a gaming console such as an Xbox 360 to enjoy large-screen gaming during the neighborhood tournament.
Hit The Road
Why wait until you get home to view your vacation photos when you can share the day's snapshots with your family and friends during dinner? When you take your projector with you on the road, it's possible to simply download digital photos to a notebook computer, connect your projector and-voila!-everyone can share in your new memories.
So how do you choose the right projector for you? To maximize your projector enjoyment experience, you should consider features such as brightness, resolution, portability and a price range that fits your budget.
• Brightness-With all-digital projectors, brightness is universally measured in ANSI lumens. If you are planning to use your projector primarily for home movies and only occasionally for presentations, then a brightness level of 1,500 ANSI lumens will meet your needs. If you would like to use your projector in brightly lit meeting, family or gaming rooms, then a brightness level between 1,800 and 2,500 ANSI lumens will deliver the most dynamic experience.
• Resolution-A native resolution is essentially a measurement of the number of pixels being projected. A multiuse projector usually has one of the following resolutions: SVGA (800x600) or XGA (1,024x768).
Using your projector for detailed images, viewing small fonts or when a large screen size is required, an XGA native resolution is your best bet. An XGA resolution will project more pixels and therefore a more detailed image than its SVGA alternative. For a basic presentation or movie projector that will not be projecting onto large screen sizes, a resolution of SVGA will be suitable. However, if you do use SVGA for larger screen sizes, you may notice some pixelation or grid squares.
The bottom line is, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a projector with all the attributes you desire. For example, the Dell™ 1800MP projector offers high brightness of up to a maximum of 2,100 ANSI lumens, XGA resolution, portability at just 41/2 pounds-and a price tag that fits into most entertainment budgets.
With a single purchase, you can start enjoying the large-screen benefits of a projector for movies, gaming or photos, anywhere you want to enjoy them.
By: Stacey Moore