Office Projectors Buyer's Guide

Just as with TVs and monitors, the office projector has undergone a revolution over the past few years. What once cost $1500 or more is now only $500. At the same time, the quality and features have expanded radically.

Projectors have benefited from the same advances as monitors and TVs. While, unlike monitors and TVs, CRTs are often still the highest quality possible, LCD projectors are now an outstanding option. When considering one, look for many of the same features as you would in a monitor.

Higher resolution is generally better. A standard SVGA projector that is capable of only 800 x 600 pixels may do for some presentations. But good graphics and especially dynamic video demand better. XGA (1024 by 768) may be acceptable, but WXGA (1280 x 800) is better especially if your presentations integrate moving video with still images and PowerPoint slides. Truly high end projectors are essentially HDTV sets in miniature and offer full 1080p digital output.

Like HDTV, projectors can now show 16:9 aspect ratio images. That's the widescreen look once limited to theaters but now a standard feature of every digital TV. The older ratio of 4:3 (the common TV picture for decades) is still around, but fading. You might have to pay a little more for this feature, though, and whether the extra cost is justified is a personal decision.

But the most exciting difference in projectors today is their newly-gained ability to integrate image types. For decades, projecting a slide, whether physical or digital from a laptop, was the only option. Now, projectors can show PowerPoint slides, streaming video and text from an Internet website. In short, they're much more like laptops themselves.

Naturally, those features come at a price. But with prices dropping all the time, that ability will soon be standard. Also, studies show that this style of presentation leads to better recall by viewers. Give them text backed by images and video with sound and you've got a winner.

Also, look for models that have short-throw technology. They allow you to set the projector much closer to the screen and still have no image distortion. That can be very useful for presentations in small rooms. The machine can sit at distances as short as three feet and still project a quality 80-inch image. Older technology requires six to eight feet.

Some standard criteria still apply, though.

All projectors are rated in terms of brightness. Manufacturers have standardized and will report the figure in lumens. A higher number is better.

A rating of 1000-1500 lumens will be adequate for small offices that are projecting images in a moderately dark room. Higher numbers are better for both image quality and to allow presentations in larger or lighter rooms. A figure of 2000-3000 lumens is needed for those where you can't draw the shades but still want to see the images clearly.

That can be really important when you want the audience to be able to take notes. It also helps in a situation in which people might be tempted to start conversations or become distracted when the lights are turned down.

Don't forget about other common convenience features, either, such as weight. An ultra-portable projector might weigh in at under 3 lbs. One that could still be used on a road trip might be as much as 7 lbs, but could deliver a better picture.

It's a whole new world in office projectors. Explore it.