Acer's New 3D Projectors

3D was all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, and Acer is getting a headstart on the trend by announcing its two new Vidia 3D Vision-Ready video projectors.

The Acer H5360 projector beams content at 720p. According to Acer, it's rated at up to 2600 ANSI lumens and a 3200:1 contrast ratio. It also has a varied input panel. The panel features a HDMi port, three RCA jacks, component video, S-video mini DIN, 2.5mm audio mini-jack, and a 15-pin D-Sub. It's the higher quality of the two projectors.

The other one is the Acer X1261. It boasts a native XGA resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio, however Acer says it can be adjusted to a 16.9 aspect ratio. It is rated at up to 2500 ANSI lumens and a 3700:1 contrast ratio and its input panel includes a composite, component, S-video mini DIM, and a stereo mini jack.

"The new Acer video projectors provide incredibly compelling and realistic 3D video and images that make customers feel like they are part of the experience," Irene Chan, senior product marketing manager for peripherals for Acer America, said in a statement.

Both projectors are capable of handling 3D content when combined with 3D Vision Technology from Nvidia. They are both available now. The H5360 starts at $699 and the X1261 starts at $579.

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NEC's New NP4100W Large-Venue Projector

This week, NEC announced its new NP4100W wide-aspect professional installation projector. The projector is designed for large, wide-format screens in rooms with minimal lighting such as auditoriums, training and network centers. It is powered by a DLP engine and rated 5,500 ANSI lumens with a 1,280 x 800 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2,100:1 contrast ratio.

The projector uses optional bayonet-style lenses that support screen sizes of 40-500 inches at distances of between 2.8-304 feet and is capable of dual or single lamp operation. Settings extend lamp life by allow for multiple light outputs, and the lens shift features allows vertical and horizontal flexibility that makes projector placement in any room a simple task.

It features BrilliantColor, AutoSense, and DynamicBlack. Its input panel has DVI-D with HDCP, RCA, s-video, component, 15-pin and BNC, and an RJ45 connection makes for easy hookup to LAN. The projector also features remote diagnostics that allow the operator to make adjustments from a remote location.

The projector features an ECO mode which increases lamp life up to 50% with decreased fan noise. In ECO mode, power consumption is 315W when running the single lamp and 580W when running the double lamp. It has security features such as password protection and the ability to deactivate buttons on the cabinet.

NEC will begin shipping the NP4100W in September. The estimated price is $5,500. The projector will come with a three-year parts and labor warranty including a year with InstaCare.

BenQ MP620c 2000 Lumen DLP Projector

A quick internet search of tech website reviews proves that the BenQ MP620c 2000 Lumen DLP Projector is not only meeting but exceeding the expectations of all who test and purchase it. It's been described as everything from having "outstanding quality" to being "well worth the cost." The exterior is nice: square and regular, a blue color with an aluminum lens chamber that is protected by a removable cap and aluminum buttons. But don't let the simple exterior fool you, this projector has many great features.

The projector has lots of room for connections including a D-Sub in and a D-sub out, analog, S-video, a 3.5 mm audio jack, a centrally located DVI-I dual link in, and a USB mini(B) jack. Resolution is 1024 x 768 (XGA). Video goes up to 1080i. The projector also has a 2w speaker with great sound. Light source power is 285 Watts, contrast is 700:1 (static), while brightness is 2000:1 ANSI Lumen. Distance range is 3.28 -36.08 feet. The projector also has various picture modes, key lock to prevent accidental shut-down, on-screen alerts and timers, eco-mode technology, SRGB color profile, freeze frame, and auto input search. It is compatible with both Mac and PC. Its rebooting time is fast and its twin fans manage to cool down the projector without being too loud.

If you're looking for a high quality, low-budge projector, this is the one for you! Purchase a refurbished 2000 Lumen DLP Projector - BenQ MP620c for only $445.00 with free ground shipping.

10 Great Tips for Using a Projector

1. Handle with Care. Try not to move the projector while it's on. Many projectors and their parts are sensitive to movement, especially the lamp. One wrong move can damage your equipment and even cause it to crash.

2. Turn your projector off before connecting cables. The signal cable carries a current and if your projector is on when the cable is connected, the difference in the current can damage your projector or burn out the lamp.


3. Leave the projector plugged in for at least three minutes. After you turn your projector off, it's still pretty hot and the fan will run to cool the lamp off. If you unplug it, the fan stops, and not allowing the lamp to cool can make its life shorter and even damage it.


4. Use economy mode when possible. Any projector with over 2,000 lumens usually has economy mode. This simply means you can lower the brightness to save power and lengthen the life of your lamp when your event does not require full brightness.


5. Keep your lens clean. After a while, dust build up can effect the quality of your projector. Use a microfiber cloth to keep your lens cleaned on a regular basis.


6. Use the projector is suitable conditions. This simply means don't use the projector in too hot or too cold temperatures, or in excessively dusty or moist areas.


7. Keep your filter clean. If your projector has a dust filter and it has been in use for a while, dust can build up and block the filter, which can ultimately effect cooling. Keeping your filter clean will keep everything running smoothly.


8. Store your projector properly. Keep your projector in a cool, dry place and make sure it is safe from dust build-up.


9. Wait for the projector to warm up. It can take 30-90 seconds for your projector to warm up and display an image so make sure you give it ample time before getting started with your presentation.


10. Get the right amount of lumens. If you are not sure about how many lumens you want, you'll have to decide how large the area where you are using the projector is to be sure. Most practical projectors are 1,000-2,000 lumens. If you're audience is less than 100 people, you probably don't want to go over 3,000 lumens, but for over 100, you'll probably want to look into 5,000 lumens. If you're planning an extra large event, such as a conference or convention, you may want 6,000 or more lumens.

You Should Ignore Projector Contrast Specs

Now you may be asking yourself just why you should ignore the contrast specifications when looking at projectors. Well the answer is quite simple. They don't tell very much if anything at all about what kind of picture you should expect to see on the screen, and they say even less about how one model will compare to another. While vendors aren't posting distorted or false specs to try to make the projector seem better, its just that the contrast ratio is the least informative spec on the sheet.

Why Are Projector Contrast Ratios Worthless?

• First and foremost, contrast ratios for projectors are not measured on the same basis and are influenced largely by many unstated variables. One of the most significant factors to consider are the projectors operational differences. Some projectors have dynamic irises that open and close to adapt to the amount of light that needs to be projected depending on a given scene. Others have color wheels with white segments that are turned off when dark colors are displayed and other projectors don't have any of these features. Because of this there is little to no basis of comparison between projectors.
  
  
• There is another equally if not more important factor to consider that is often ignored on the projector spec sheet, and its known as gray scale. Imagine if you will you had a project that produces the highest contrast ratio on the market. Imagine it produced the darkest and deepest black you've ever seen and some of the most brilliant whites. Sounds nice doesn't it? Now imagine that this projector couldn't distinguish between subtle shades of gray. It would surely produce a horrible picture that you would have never expected by just looking at the contrast ratio.
  
  
• When manufacturers measure contrast ratios for their machines they use special dark rooms with no ambient light to measure the contrast ratio. Unless you have a totally black room your own perception of contrast will not be nearly the same. Any amount of light that reflects in your room will cause the contrast ratio to drop in your projector. This light may come from light reflected from the projector screen, ambient light in the room such as windows that let in light, or light leaks from the projectors vents.
  
  
• Another important factor to consider is the lumen output of the projector itself which will have an impact on how you perceive the contrast ratios. If you've got ambient light in your room one of the easiest ways to help solve this problem is to use a projector with higher lumen output. This is because light in the room defines the minimum black level, while lumen output from the projector determines the brightness of the highlights. In many situations it is often the projectors lumen output responsible for the range between the black and white on the screen and not the contrast ratio. However, there is a limit to how many lumens you should use. Using an extremely bright projector in a dark room will undoubtedly strain your eyes and give you a headache. Rapid transition from dark scenes to bright scenes that can often be distracting and painful.
  

What is a Lumen?

In layman's terms, Lumens are the unit by which we measure how much light a projector puts out. This is important to know because when you are looking into buying or renting a projector, you need to make sure the projector you get is strong enough for the lightning conditions, the size of your audience, and the size of the room you are using it in. The larger your room or venue or the brighter your venue, the more bulb strength you will need.

Projector strength starts as low as 650 lumens and ranges as high as 10,000+. The biggest consideration you should be making, other than price, is your need for projector strength versus the portability of the projector. Generally, speakers prefer to make presentations in rooms with as much ambient light as possible, making some low-strength projectors unsuitable for the occasion. However, as a rule of thumb, the more powerful the projector the less portable it becomes.

Projector Strength Guide:

• 650 - 1,000 lumens: suitable for presentations with low ambient light.


• 1,000 - 2,000 lumens: the most common type of projector on the market today. Suitable for situations with some ambient light.


• 2,000 - 4,000 lumens: smaller models in the professional projector class. Suitable for audiences of up to 100 people.


• 4,000 - 6,000 lumens: mid-range professional models suitable for usage with audiences greater than 100 people.


• 6,000 - 10,000 lumens: high end projectors suitable for large venues such as conventions or conferences where thousands of people need to see it at the same time.