Railfan Technology > Digital projectors

What's the opinion of you folks on digital projectors?  I am to the point I would like to show my digital images on a large screen rather than sit here in front of a computer monitor.   Looking for opinions on affordability, color rendition, sharpness - the same sort of things many of us looked for in a slide projector.   

I borrowed a digital projector about 6 weeks ago to put on a presentation for a club (radio, not railroad) and it worked out great.  Years ago I would have done it with slides.  I put the photos in a PowerPoint presentation.   It was some photos I took in Europe a few months earlier.  There were about 30 people present .  Another presenter a month earlier presented his program on a flat screen TV, probably about 30".  I don't know but I suspect my presentation was much easier for everyone to see.

PowerPoint is a pretty powerful program but you don't need to use all the bells and whistles to make a decent presentation.  The nice thing is, you can incorporate maps, charts, or other aids to further illustrate your subject.  PowerPoint creates some really large files.  I had the file on my laptop that I used for the presentation plus a back-up in my pocket on a thumb drive.

If you're going to show more than about 4 or 5 people, you'll find the digital projector pretty handy.

John

How far back, or conversely how close) was the projector to the screen?

Thinking of the distance from the front of the lens to the screen
as say compared to the same distance using a Kodak Carousel type slide projector.

Have found in the past using a digital projection device meant the projector
had to be relatively close to the screen, not at some distance back from
the screen as with the viewing colour slides.

And would assume doing the presentation with PowerPoint would mean
the program would require the use of a laptop computer to "translate" the
PowerPoint presentation into a suitable format for the projector.

Have sometimes seen a USB stick loaded with images used,
however said system can be fraught with major problems.
Often the projector simply will not accept the USB stick with the images

Your thoughts?

John, what brand and model projector did you use?

Digital projectors are great.  I use a 10 year old Epson 820p with my laptop.  THe image is bright and sharp.  You set  the projector about 10 feet from the wall / screen.  Brightness for this unit is 2500 lumens verses 1000 lumens for a Kodak carousel pojector.  Lamp life is 1500 hours.  There is no autofocus but the image doesn't pop in and out of focus like a transpaency. Colors are vivid in dark rooms but lighter with room lights on.  An added feature is sound.  If you can see and hear it on your laptop, it will be just superb on the big screen. THis also applies for any video you like to view.
TOM

Thumper ask the question:
 
>How far back, or conversely how close) was the projector to the screen? 

>Thinking of the distance from the front of the lens to the screen 
>as say compared to the same distance using a Kodak Carousel type slide projector. 


I was probably 10-12’ from the screen.  The distance was limited to the size of the screen that was available and the arrangement of the room.  There was a zoom so I could adjust it to fit the screen from a wide range of distances.  The light control in the room was limited.  I was able to dim the lights in the front of the room but it was still light enough to read a book.  There was plenty of brightness.  I projected it on a wall at my home at about the same distance and it was very acceptable.

>And would assume doing the presentation with PowerPoint would mean 
>the program would require the use of a laptop computer to "translate" the 
>PowerPoint presentation into a suitable format for the projector. 
 
I haven’t looked into the projector taking a USB thumbdrive directly.  I used the laptop that I prepared the presentation on.  Most modern laptops seem to have an HDMI port on them these days.  In most cases it’s just a matter of connecting the laptop to the projector with the HDMI cable and pressing one of the function buttons on your computer.  Using it that way has another advantage.  I’m using Windows 10 and I don’t know how it works on other versions or with other platforms, but when using the projector, the slide show is shown on the screen and on the computer I have any notes for that slide plus a preview of the next slide.

Rathole ask:

>John, what brand and model projector did you use?
 
I’ll have to get back to you on that one.  I think it was an Epson product but I don’t have any idea what the model was.  I can find out tomorrow but probably won’t be able to post it until Saturday.
 
I went back and looked at the original question.  You sort of sent us on a hunt for a digital projector with your question, however, it you are showing files to a few friends at home, you probably already have a decent size flat screen TV.  Most people do, these days.  If you just want to show them to a few friends get yourself a 25’ HDMI cable and show them on your TV.  It’s probably more comfortable to sit around in the family room or living room, grab something to drink and some snacks and sit back on a plush couch and enjoy the show.  You can get the cable for less than $25.00 and you would have to buy one anyway.  Most TV’s these days have two or more HDMI ports.  One is for cable and one is for anything else you would want to connect to it.  You would just have to select the correct input source on the TV.
 
I guess your choice would depend on the size of your audience.
 
John
 

Rathole Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's the opinion of you folks on digital
> projectors?  I am to the point I would like to
> show my digital images on a large screen rather
> than sit here in front of a computer monitor.  
> Looking for opinions on affordability, color
> rendition, sharpness - the same sort of things
> many of us looked for in a slide projector.   

Rathole, think big picture, as in seeing this purchase through in a larger sense.

You want to project images on a big screen when you are tired of a laptop? How about building a setup that lets you see ALL your content in projection.

what you want IMO is home theatre. I mean, why spend all the money on a projector for showing images from time to time, when your THEATRE does that plus allows you to watch TV, Netfilx, MLB.com, HBO..in other words..projection TV.  So, look for a projector that gives 1024 output and enough luminosity to make it easy for your eyes. 

then..a blank wall painted white wth a couple nice recliners in front. And a big bowl of popcorn.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/16 04:38 by chico.

I've got a 50" HD-TV for all the television stuff but want a separate digital projector to go in my basement slide room where my Kodak Ektagraphics have shown slides (and still do and will continue to for many years).  I've got a large pull down screen for slides; just want to add a digital projector to that room for larger crowds.  I've really not been overly impressed with digital camera images shown on the television.  Plus in the basement room I can squeeze a few more folks in; occasionally have slide get-togethers with 8 to 10 people. 

I've had an Optoma HD23 for several years and am happy with it.  It sits side by side with my old Carousels.  It looks to still be available for arround $1300.  I initially tried a cheaper smaller projector (can't remember what flavor) but did not like the image quality (which might have been user error).  But I upped the ante and got the Optoma.  So far so good, but frankly I don't use it all that much.  And am not looking forward to the cost of replacing the bulb when that needs to be done.  I am no computer or projector expert so take my experience with a grain of salt.  The old slide projector is a lot more cost effective, but tough to project those new digital images with!  And digital shows are kind of fun to put together.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/16 08:15 by jbwest.

Thanks!  I greatly appreciate the info!

jbwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've had an Optoma HD23 for several years and am
> happy with it.  It sits side by side with my old
> Carousels.  It looks to still be available for
> arround $1300.  I initially tried a cheaper
> smaller projector (can't remember what flavor) but
> did not like the image quality (which might have
> been user error).  But I upped the ante and got
> the Optoma.  So far so good, but frankly I don't
> use it all that much.  And am not looking forward
> to the cost of replacing the bulb when that needs
> to be done.  I am no computer or projector expert
> so take my experience with a grain of salt.  The
> old slide projector is a lot more cost effective,
> but tough to project those new digital images
> with!  And digital shows are kind of fun to put
> together.
>
> JBWX

That's quite an interesting concept.  Thanks for that!   Hmmm.   L.A. Angels baseball games on a REALLY big screen!   

chico Wrote:

> what you want IMO is home theatre. I mean, why
> spend all the money on a projector for showing
> images from time to time, when your THEATRE does
> that plus allows you to watch TV, Netfilx,
> MLB.com, HBO..in other words..projection TV.  So,
> look for a projector that gives 1024 output and
> enough luminosity to make it easy for your
> eyes. 
>
> then..a blank wall painted white wth a couple nice
> recliners in front. And a big bowl of popcorn.

Hello Mr Rathole.

I told you yesterday that I didn't know what model the projector I used was but I was at my son's home this evening and checked it out.  It was an Epson VS335W.  It was plenty bright with 2700 lumens.  My son is using it in his family room.  It's about 14 feet from the wall that is painted with white ceiling paint.  The "screen" is about 8 feet wide and he fills that.  As with any projection system, it works best when the ambient light is reduced.  There is one drawback to this model if you are looking for great detail.  The resolution is 1280X800 (WXGA) and that may not be what you want.  It all depends on how close you set to the screen.  It's like what I tell people that ask how many pixels do I need in a camera.  I tell them to take the wife to the mall.  That'll get you some point to start with but be careful when you get there.  Go past the Victoria Secret store.  If you are 10 feet or more from the window, the pictures look great (in more ways than one,)  Then walk up to the window and look closely.  If you're that close the picture is going to be grainy, however, the picture is intended to be view from 10 to 25 feet away and it looks good from that distance.  The projector had about the same resolution a SGVA display.  Once you get used to watching HDTV, this level of resolution is a step back.  For what I was doing it worked great.  You might not be satisfied in your application.  I was showing some travel pictures and no one in the audience was counting rivets.

Hope this is helpful.

John

While you are looking at options be sure to check out the prices of a replacement bulb. This varies widely as does the expected life.

The worst are the 4K projectors from Sony where a couple of models have bulbs costing multiple thousands of dollars, are shipped as a hazmat package and must be installed by a certified technician. The resolution ought to be terrific, though.

Posted from iPhone

Thanks for the additional info!

wa4umr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Mr Rathole.
>
> I told you yesterday that I didn't know what model
> the projector I used was but I was at my son's
> home this evening and checked it out.  It was an
> Epson VS335W.  It was plenty bright with 2700
> lumens.  My son is using it in his family room.
>  It's about 14 feet from the wall that is painted
> with white ceiling paint.  The "screen" is about
> 8 feet wide and he fills that.  As with any
> projection system, it works best when the ambient
> light is reduced.  There is one drawback to this
> model if you are looking for great detail.  The
> resolution is 1280X800 (WXGA) and that may not be
> what you want.  It all depends on how close you
> set to the screen.  It's like what I tell people
> that ask how many pixels do I need in a camera.
>  I tell them to take the wife to the mall.
>  That'll get you some point to start with but be
> careful when you get there.  Go past the Victoria
> Secret store.  If you are 10 feet or more from
> the window, the pictures look great (in more ways
> than one,)  Then walk up to the window and look
> closely.  If you're that close the picture is
> going to be grainy, however, the picture is
> intended to be view from 10 to 25 feet away and it
> looks good from that distance.  The projector had
> about the same resolution a SGVA display.  Once
> you get used to watching HDTV, this level of
> resolution is a step back.  For what I was doing
> it worked great.  You might not be satisfied in
> your application.  I was showing some travel
> pictures and no one in the audience was counting
> rivets.
>
> Hope this is helpful.
>
> John

I found an interesting site at http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/projector-lamp-FAQ.html#expensive.

Here is what the site says about why projector lamps are so expensive.

OCV

Why Are Projector Lamps So Expensive?

One of the shocks customers experience when purchasing a new projector lamp is the cost, there is a good reason for this. Compressed inside the ARC tube of the projector lamp, is an ultra-high pressurize mercury vapor that is ignited when electricity jumps or arcs, across the gap filled with this gas. The ignition of the gas when the electrical current jumps or arcs through it is what produces a projector lamp's extremely bright light. 

Thus, the technology and engineering that goes into the making of a projector lamp is not cheap. In fact, the machines that are required to produce a single projector lamp can cost the manufacturer millions of dollars. 

In addition to the purchase costs of the machinery, manufacturers also have to hire expert scientists and engineers that can ensure that the projector lamp you are purchasing meets the standards required by your projector. The mercury vapor must be exactly pressurized and the ARC tube and quartz reflector must be precisely positioned at the correct angle. If any of these elements are not calibrated exactly as they need to be, the projector lamp may not produce the brightness expected, may burn the LCD panel within the projector or may fail to ignite. 

Every projector lamp also has different ignition and running voltages and wattages. These configurations produce different brightness levels (ANSI lumens rates). Therefore, the machines that manufacture projector lamps are complex and expensive to maintain. They also have to be recalibrated for each specific new lamp setting. There is no short way around this process if the manufacturer wants to produce a high quality projector lamp. 

Projector lamps are cost intensive to make, and that is why there are only four or five major manufacturers of high-quality, ORIGINAL projector lamps in the world. These manufacturers have spent a lot of money researching and developing projector lamps. They also have to maintain the assembly plants where the projector lamps are made. The costs to develop and make projector lamps limits competition in the market, both these factors increase the cost of projector lamps.

The complete list of topics.

Projector Lamp FAQ 

http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgWhat is a Projector Lamp?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgWhere is My Projector Bulb Located?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgHow Do I Replace a Projector Bulb?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgWhat Is a Projector Bulb Made Of?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgWho Makes Projector Lamps?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgWhy Are Projector Bulbs So Expensive?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgAre Projector Lamps Compatible With Any Projector?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgHow Do I Extend Projector Bulb Life?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgHow Do I Test My Projector Lamp?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgCan I Touch a Projector Bulb?
http://www.myprojectorlamps.com/images/common5/bullet_pink.jpgIf I Buy and Install Projector Lamps in Different Countries, Will It Still Work? 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/16 13:29 by CharlesVarnes.

I have an Epson EX50 projector that I use with my laptop for ralroad shows. There are many advantages over the Kodak Carousel slide shows I used to do.The slides are always in focus, the noise from the pojector is non-existent, no problems with old slides not dropping, and good images in rooms that are not totally dark. Don't let the price of bulbs scare you, they have come down in price - I paid $150 for a spare, Besides bulbs last many, many more hours than traditional slide projetors. You may not even have to take a laptopor or a projector  with you as many organizations have them which means all need is a memory stick. I have 22 Power Point shows on one 2Gig stick, all I do is put the stick in my pocket and I am off. Be sure to use JPEG images to reduce the amount of space needed.in your Power point.   When I need to update a show it is a snap. My favorite thing is being able to use maps, charts, tables etc to enhance my programs.In addition a simple version of Photo Shop will allow you to enhance old photographs. Some of my shows have mages I took back in 1952 , color and black & white, with my little $8 Kodak Hloiday Camera.