Digital Projectors

When looking to purchase a digital projector, you should know the answers to a few key questions. Is the projector for one classroom, or will it be shared? Will you be projecting in a large room, like a gymnasium or an auditorium, a regular-sized classroom, a lecture hall, or a combination of rooms?

The amount of light entering your classroom is important, too–some rooms have windows without shades or overhead lights that stay on for emergency purposes, while other classrooms and lecture halls can become completely dark. If your room will still have some light while you are using your projector, you should look for a unit that has a high number of lumens, the unit used to measure brightness.

In general, high-resolution projectors (those with XGA quality) will make images crisper and text and data more readable. We asked Dave Dicklich, president of ProjectorCentral.com, to point out a few recent trends in the digital projector market.

An interesting new development is the projector with horizontal and vertical lens shift, such as Sharp’s Notevision PG-B10S, Dicklich noted. This feature gives educators a lot of flexibility in where the projector is placed in a room. With a horizontal lens shift, a projector can be placed to the side of the classroom and still project a rectangular image to the front of the room. Vertical lens shift allows the image to be elevated or lowered while also keeping it rectangular. There are limitations on how far off-axis you can place the projector, but this feature does provide a good deal more flexibility.

Many of today’s projectors are smaller and lighter than ever before. “There are now projectors as light as two pounds and small enough to carry in your hand,” Dicklich said. These projectors are easily carried to and from different classrooms, but they tend to be pricier than larger units. Still, portable projectors can be shared among several classrooms, eliminating the need to buy one projector for each classroom and ultimately saving schools money. There are plenty of projectors ranging from four to seven pounds that are still relatively portable and cost under $1,000, Dicklich said.

One disadvantage to smaller-sized projectors is the ease of theft. While teachers cannot always prevent a person from entering their classroom and scooping up their projector, almost all of today’s projectors come with theft deterrents such as password protection on the power button. “Kensington locks are also common on all projectors these days,” Dicklich said. These locks allow the attachment of a cable to the projector so it can be secured to another object, such as a cart.

Another trend is the effort by projector companies to lower their product prices. “You can now find projectors on the market for under $1,000, and with an education discount you can find them below $800,” Dicklich said. “In fact, a school should take a careful look at the cost of repairing an old projector, especially if it also needs a new lamp. For the same money, it might be possible to purchase a new projector with a higher lumen rating, better contrast, better picture, more features, and in some cases higher resolution.”

Today’s projectors have a higher brightness and better contrast than older models, which makes them ideal for classrooms or other spaces where there is always some light. Mitsubishi is making projectors that extend lamp life, allowing the projector to have a lower per-hour operations cost, which in turn lowers the overall cost of owning and operating a projector, said James Chan, director of product marketing for Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America’s Presentation Products Division. This also results in better use of a school’s budget.

The LP600 from InFocus Corp., introduced this summer, features an LCD panel on the top of the projector that tells instructors how many hours are left on the projector’s lamp. This helps teachers anticipate problems in advance and cuts down on class disruptions, said Annie Sunseri, who is in charge of the company’s Education Solutions Division. In addition to the LCD panel, the company’s X1 and X2 projectors feature 4,000-hour lamps. Sunseri said the lamps will last for five school years if used an average of four or five hours a day during the school year.

Wireless digital projectors are gaining in popularity, said Sunseri–an opinion shared by Dicklich. “There are wireless projectors that allow a school to deliver content from a computer to the projector without having to connect a cable,” Dicklich said. “This can make for fast setup and easier resource-sharing.”

InFocus features an accessory called LiteShow that allows for wireless capabilities among projectors and computers. Mitsubishi also offers a product, called ProjectorView, that helps educators network their projectors. ProjectorView also helps schools cut down on costs, because a tech specialist can apply it to projectors that a school already owns instead of buying brand-new projectors with networking capabilities. If a school has a network, attached projectors can receive content via the network and also can be monitored for technical performance.

Roughly 1,460 classrooms in the Spring Independent School District near Houston were equipped this summer with ceiling-mounted Mitsubishi SL4SU projectors installed by CCS Presentation Systems. Already this year, district high schools report that the projectors are being used 90 percent of the time, said Mary Ann Beseda, MIS director for the school district. Many students today are visual learners, and the projectors help keep students interested and active in class, Beseda said. Using technology like these projectors also helps prepare students for college and the workforce, she said.

Here are some of the newest models and developments in projector technology:

Canon LV-7225, LV-7220, and LV-5220

Canon’s new LV series introduces LCD projectors that are ultra-portable. Each projector weighs 6.4 pounds and comes with a 1.6x optical zoom lens that allows its user to display a 100-inch diagonal image from only 8.2 feet away. All three projectors will fit in almost any size room, allowing for large, theater-size images from a boardroom, classroom, or even a home living room. The LV-7225 and LV-7220 models feature XGA-quality resolution (1,024 pixels by 768 pixels) and support an SXGA resolution (1,280 pixels by 1,024 pixels) through high-quality compression. The LV-5220 projector features SVGA resolution (800 pixels by 600 pixels) and can support an XGA resolution through high-quality compression. All three models demonstrate high-quality brightness, with the LV-7225 projector offering 2,500 ANSI lumens and the LV-7220 and LV-5220 models operating at 2,000 ANSI lumens. The start-up display screen on each projector can be customized to display school or company logos or other favorite images. Especially noteworthy are the projectors’ blackboard mode, which allows teachers who do not have pull-down screens to project images directly onto a chalkboard. The projectors then adjust their color balance to make images seem natural. All three projectors can also be hooked up to a Canon camcorder or digital camera for high-impact presentations. The projectors come with wireless remote controls and have available USB mouse hookups, as well as Personal Identification Number (PIN) codes and key lock functions to prevent theft or unauthorized use. The Canon LV-7225, LV-7220, and LV-5220 projectors appeared in September at authorized Canon dealers with a suggested list price of $2,999, $2,499, and $1,999, respectively.
http://www.usa.canon.com

Canon Realis SX50

After years of research and development, Canon last month introduced a revolutionary multimedia projector with super-high (SXGA-plus) resolution using the company’s proprietary AISYS (Aspectual Illumination System) technology, which delivers high brightness and high contrast with outstanding image quality in a compact size, Canon says. Though it’s priced on the high end for schools at $3,999, the Realis SX50 offers 1,400-pixel by 1,050-pixel resolution, 2,500 ANSI lumens, and a contrast ratio of 1,000 to 1 for presenters who are looking for superior image quality. AISYS fully maximizes the performance of LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) technology, which has major advantages over traditional projection methods, Canon says, including higher (SXGA+) resolution, seamless imagery, enhanced performance on motion images, and superior display of text. The Realis SX50 weighs 8.6 pounds, can accept a wide variety of digital and analog computer-display formats, is suitable for front or rear projection, and comes complete with a wireless remote control, connector cables, and a soft carrying case.
http://www.usa.canon.com

Dell 2300MP

Dell introduced its 2300MP Projector in early August, adding to its 2200MP, 3300MP, and 4100MP units. The 2300MP has a brightness of 2,300 ANSI lumens and weighs 4.7 pounds. It includes an Eco-Mode setting that helps reduce noise output and can also increase lamp life up to 2,500 hours. Normal lamp life is 2,000 hours. Manual zoom and keystone correction buttons adjust images and allow for the projector to be placed almost anywhere in a room and still be viewable. The projector uses DLP technology to produce crisp images and projects an XGA resolution that will automatically adjust to accommodate the resolution of the source device. It also features a monitor loop-through feature to allow viewing on other PC monitors. The 2300MP Projector sells for $1,400.
(888) 987-3355
http://www.dell.com

Epson PowerLite 740C and 745C

Epson has introduced the first 2,500-lumen XGA projectors that weigh less than four pounds–the PowerLite 740C, weighing 3.8 pounds, and the PowerLite 745C, weighing 3.9 pounds. The projectors are compact enough to be carried in a briefcase or shoulder bag, with depth and width dimensions of less than 12 inches. The PowerLite 745C uses an 802.11 internal Wi-Fi technology that allows users to upload or run presentation wirelessly at speeds faster than 11 megabits per second. The projector’s algorithm also allows for faster streaming of video content. The PowerLite 745C’s 802.11g/b card is included in the package, and the projector is the only one offering wireless compatibility with Apple’s Keynote software, Epson says. Presenters are also able to run PowerPoint presentations and MPEG-2 videos without a PC by using the projector’s built-in PCMCIA and USB slots. Both the PowerLite 740C and 745C require only seven seconds of warm-up time before a picture appears on the screen, and they require around 20 seconds to shut down and cool off. A 1.2x digital zoom lens can adjust display size by remote control and can project large images from relatively short distances. The Epson PowerLite 745C and 740C are available for $2,899 and $2,699, respectively. The projectors come with a two-year limited warranty.
(800) 463-7766
http://www.epson.com

InFocus LP600

Introduced this summer, the InFocus LP600 features InFocus LitePort, an embedded PC-Free Playback system that allows educators and students to project JPEG images from a USB flash drive easily without a computer or CD drive. The projector is highly portable and allows users simply to copy files onto a USB flash drive and plug it into the projector. The unit also comes with InFocus LitePort Utility, software that can be used to convert documents and grids to JPEG images. These images then can be loaded onto a USB flash drive. The InFocus LP600 has user-friendly features such as an LCD display window, color-coded cables, and simplified keypads, menus, and remote controls. The projector makes use of DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology from Texas Instruments, features 2,000 lumens, and retails for $1,999.
(800) 660-0024
http://www.infocus.com/education

InFocus X2

The InFocus X2 is a multi-use projector featuring DLP technology that provides ease-of-use features, wireless capabilities, and excellent image quality at an affordable price–$999. The X2 provides excellent data and video quality, with 1,600 lumens and a contrast ratio of 2,000 to 1. With its monitor and audio loop-through features, excellent video performance, and economical cost of ownership, InFocus bills the X2 as an ideal choice for classroom use.
(800) 660-0024
http://www.infocus.com/education

Mitsubishi SE2U

With a suggested retail price of $995, Mitsubishi’s new SE2U projector redefines digital projector value, the company says. Improvements in brightness, contrast ratio, and lamp life make the SE2U an attractive and cost-effective projector, offering high performance at a low cost. The device features 1,500 lumens, bright enough for most classroom and conference room conditions, and a 2,000-to-1 contrast ratio, providing brighter whites while offering better colors and details in darker shades. Its efficient, 2,500-hour lamp typically lasts years under normal operating conditions. In addition to a computer input, Mitsubishi’s SE2U projector displays video signals from VCRs or DVD players, making it a versatile and effective tool for multimedia presentations. The projector, which comes with a carrying case, weighs about six pounds, light enough for quick and easy portability between meetings.
(888) 307-0312
http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com

Sony VPL-CX85

In April, Sony Electronics introduced the VPL-CX85, a wireless video projector weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces. The projector comes with a wireless 802.11b network card and a USB adaptor. Installation software comes pre-loaded for speedy use. The VPL-CX85 operates with 3,000 ANSI lumens, which makes images more visible in brighter environments, and gives users the option of delivering presentations without using a PC through the use of MemoryStick flash media. It comes with two remote controls; one for basic presentations and one for advanced presentations, including buttons for slide advancement and a laser pointer. The unit comes with password protection, requiring its user to enter both a pre-determined password and a self-assigned password before start-up and operation. It also comes with a sticker warning thieves of the password protection. The price of the projector, when introduced in April, was $3,700.
(877) 350-3477
http://www.sony.com/displays

Sony VPL-CS7

In August Sony introduced a pint-sized, less expensive projector, weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces, that can easily be moved between meeting rooms or taken on business trips. The VPL-CS7 has a brightness level of 1,800 ANSI lumens, and its enhanced zoom lens with a focal length of 2.3m is ideal for small meeting areas where large images need to be projected within a limited space. The projector’s cooling system minimizes fan noise, allowing the audience to hear the presenter or instructor better. Frequently used buttons are located on the projector’s top panel for quick and easy access. The VPL-CS7 also features an “Off & Go” function that allows presenters to unplug the projector and carry it away as soon as their presentation is over, without having to wait for the cooling fan to stop. It has a password authentication system to prevent unauthorized use and theft, as well as a “Control Panel Key Lock” function that disables the unit’s operating buttons and prevents accidental or unauthorized adjustment of the controls. The unit comes HDTV/DTV ready and accepts a wide array of signals to deliver entertainment content. The projector’s monitor out function allows teachers to read lecture notes and lesson plans while facing their students, instead of facing the projection screen. The VPL-CS7 retails for about $1,400.
(877) 350-3477
http://www.sony.com/displays

Toshiba TLP-S71U

Among Toshiba’s newest designs is the TLP-S71U projector, which also includes a detachable document camera that can project images of three-dimensional objects onto a screen. The document camera also allows teachers or presenters to project fine-print text or sections of photographs onto the screen for easy viewing. Images can be projected onto a screen ranging from 33 diagonal inches to 300 diagonal inches. Also included are composite and S-video inputs, audio in, an internal speaker, and a special monitor output that allows for a second external display. The projector weighs 6 pounds, has 2,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, comes HDTV/DTV and DVD compatible, and features SVGA resolution. It is priced at $1,699.
(877) 789-7158
http://www.toshibadirect.com

Electronic Interactive Whiteboards

One of the fastest-growing ways to keep students involved in class is to use an electronic or interactive whiteboard. Most electronic whiteboards consist of front-projection boards that receive their data from computers or projectors. The boards are useful because they allow teachers to project an image onto the whiteboard, add notes and other features to that image, and save all their work. For example, a complicated calculus equation can be projected onto the whiteboard. The teacher can then work through the equation, save that work, and replay it so that students can see how to find the appropriate answer.

As with digital projectors, among the most significant recent developments in electronic whiteboard technology is the trend toward wireless capabilities, said Scott Tallman, vice president of marketing for SMART Technologies. Many boards also come with online interactive software that teachers can download and use to help reinforce new concepts taught in class, he said. “These programs are big enablers, helping students learn in more than one way,” said Tallman. For example, SMART Technologies provides an online site that is updated daily and has 1,600 software programs available to download. Additionally, the company offers a rear-projection interactive whiteboard that Tallman says is advantageous because it is shadow-free and allows for a more natural teaching environment.

While not a technological development, Tallman said he has seen a trend in district-wide purchases of interactive whiteboards and more permanent installations of the boards–mounted on the wall instead of on a portable floor stand, for instance.

Tallman also noted the increased skill with which teachers use their interactive boards. “The skill level that teachers have now is amazing, and they are able to come up with some very creative and innovative methods of using these whiteboards in their classes–it’s great to see [the technology] integrated in so many ways,” he said.

Salem State College, located near Boston, recently outfitted a whole building with SMART Boards for its business department. “Before, our teachers were using overhead transparencies,” said Jay Cantoggio, technology coordinator for instructional media at the school. “Now, our teachers can add notes to their presentations, run PowerPoint and Excel spreadsheets and make changes, and can be more involved in their lectures.” The boards were installed in the summer of 2003 and have been so popular that other departments want them, too, Cantoggio said.

“Our faculty loves them,” he said. “Our teachers love to get involved, they love to walk around and move, and these interactive boards allow teacher and students to get more involved in their lectures.”

Margarette Jones, principal of Upson-Lee South Elementary School in Georgia, says the school’s recently installed Promethean ACTIVBoard has made a tremendous difference in how her students and teachers approach learning.

“I wish I had enough time to tell you how much of an impact these boards have made,” she said. “Teachers have been so excited about having something that can keep the children interested, and the kids are just on the edges of their seats when they come to school.” Promethean experts came to the school for a two-day session two weeks before classes began to help familiarize teachers with the boards. “Every academic classroom in the school has a board, and the teachers use them daily,” Jones said.

Some interactive whiteboards to consider include:

GTCO CalComp’s InterWrite SchoolBoard

GTCO CalComp’s electronic whiteboard is designed to give teachers and students an enhanced classroom experience. The board has non-moving parts and is fully interactive when connected to a computer. The board is wireless and has an electronic pen that acts like a mouse. Images or text appear on the screen from a computer, and teachers can use the pen like a mouse to circle or highlight words, add notes, or label images. Students can use infrared remote controls to record their responses to questions and other classroom activities, which the teacher can then record in a gradebook or chart on the whiteboard to display student feedback.

The whiteboard features a multi-colored pen and provides teachers with tools such as maps, a music staff, a protractor, and an image gallery. Teachers can add images to the gallery as well. GTCO CalComp’s InterWrite also features a newly added recording button, which lets teachers record audio and screen changes as well as lesson plans as they are created, letting students go back and review the plans. Teachers are also able to access applications or the internet with just the touch of one button. Handwritten notes can easily be converted to text, or teachers can enter their notes into the InterWrite system directly as text. The board also features a focus tool, allowing educators to zoom in or spotlight one section of the board’s display. The whiteboard uses electromagnetic digitizing technology that delivers a high resolution and fast tracking when writing on the board.

GTCO CalComp’s InterWrite SchoolBoard is part of the InterWrite SchoolSuite. The SchoolSuite contains products such as the InterWrite SchoolPad, a wireless pad allowing students to interact with their computer and the board; InterWrite PRS, a personal response system used to engage students in classroom discussion; and InterWrite iPanel, an LCD monitor using a pen-input device.(800) 344-4723http://www.gtcocalcomp.com/index.htm

Promethean Ltd.’s ACTIVboard

Promethean Ltd. offers several versions of its ACTIVboard interactive electronic whiteboard. The ACTIVboard 48 is a portable electronic whiteboard measuring 48 inches and is more compact than other ACTIVboard versions. The ACTIVboard 60 is Promethean’s standard electronic whiteboard, and the company also features the ACTIVboard Plus 75, which offers optional remote communications through the ACTIVslate, a graphic tablet, and the ACTIVote, which uses a two-way radio system to give students an instant feedback option. All three of the boards use serial/USB communications, and the ACTIVboard Plus 75 also uses wireless infrared and radio communications. The boards feature a cordless, battery-free pen that has full mouse functions. They can display computer screen images from a projector, and Promethean recommends a projector with a minimum of 800 ANSI lumens. The boards come with training manuals, and Promethean also will provide on-site training. The company recommends its whiteboards for interactive class use, computer applications, and videoconferencing. Students can see the screen easily when teachers demonstrate computer activities, they can walk up to the board and write on it, and classes can surf the internet from the ACTIVboard. The board also features ACTIVstudio, software that helps teachers develop their curriculum and teach various subjects while using the board. ACTIVboards are Windows- and Macintosh-compatible and retail for around $2,100.
(800) 278-4176
http://www.activboard.com/index.htm

SMART Board 540, 560, 580

The SMART Board features a gallery of more than 5,000 images and templates, including sports fields, shapes, maps, protractors, and blank music, and it also has moving video. The board allows teachers to save their notes and presentations. Teachers can record all screen activity as a video file, allowing replays to explain complicated mathematical equations, etc. The board also offers an on-screen keyboard that allows the quick addition of text without needing a computer keyboard. Teachers can convert handwriting to text. The only major difference among the three boards is size–model 540 features a 47-inch screen, model 560 has a 60-inch screen, and model 580 boasts a 72-inch screen. Tallman recommends using the SMART Board 580 for classrooms, with its 72-inch screen. SMART also offers a web site, updated daily, where teachers can download lesson activities for free. For example, during a unit on fractions, a teacher can download a 15-minute file about fractions from the EdCompass site to the SMART Notebook and then use the program to reinforce the lesson. SMART Boards come with a full suite of software tools, and the predominant tool is the SMART Notebook, with which teachers can plan lesson activities and also write notes and eMail them to students. The software also works with Microsoft Office applications, and teachers or students using PowerPoint presentations can write directly onto the screen while presenting.(800) 427-6278
http://www.smarttech.com
http://www.EdCompass.smarttech.com

SMART Sympodium
SMART Technologies also offers a large-audience alternative to its whiteboards, because using a whiteboard in a large lecture hall might not be the best application of the technology. Instead, SMART offers the Sympodium, an electronic pen that comes with an interactive screen. The screen is attached to a computer, and the computer displays its image on the pen’s interactive screen, allowing the user to make notations and add images with the pen. When attached to a projector, the entire image can be displayed onto a large screen. The Sympodium is available with just the pen and interactive screen, or it also can be purchased with a media cart for easy portability.
800) 427-6278
http://www.smarttech.com