Understanding Projector Technology: Light Sources
Welcome back to the ongoing blog series, Understanding Projector Technology, brought to you by the team at Experience Audio Video! This week we’re looking at another very important aspect of projector technology: light sources.
At the heart of every projector is one of three types of light source. The type of light source you choose has some ramifications for how your projector will perform, so let’s look at the details for these three light sources.
Standard Lamp
The traditional projector light source, the standard lamp is perhaps the most common as well. If you’ve worked with projectors for a few years, you’ve probably seen this type. It’s the most affordable option, and it performs reasonably well.
On the other hand, as far as longevity goes, standard lamps are the worst of the bunch. Under normal operating conditions, standard bulbs in a modern projector usually last between 3,000 and 4,000 hours. This is far better than they could do even a decade ago, but it’s also a far shorter lifespan than the other two types.
LED
The newer kid on the block, LED projector bulbs can last an impressively long time, as much as 20,000 hours. They don’t take up much space or generate nearly as much heat. If you need a quiet-running projector, LED can be a great choice.
Older LED bulbs were limited in color gamut and brightness, but the technology has improved on both fronts.
A word on price: the cheap ones are cheap for a reason and may not last. Quality LED bulbs tend to be more expensive than standard lamps.
Laser
Think of laser projection assemblies as LED on steroids. They’re much more expensive and much more powerful. 30,000 lumens isn’t unheard of with laser. With laser projectors, the light source usually never needs replacing.
Laser makes the most sense in very large venues and outdoor spaces. Installing a laser projector in the conference room, then, is probably overkill.
Conference Room Tech: Which Projector Type Is Best?
If your business is like most, you have at least a handful of digital projectors in your tech arsenal. Maybe your only use for projectors is in your conference rooms, or perhaps you use projectors for all sorts of interesting digital displays. Wherever you are on the spectrum, it’s helpful to understand the different types of projectors available today. The team at Experience Audio Video is here to help with a quick guide.
Two Projector Types: DLP and LCD
The first thing to understand is that there are two main types of projectors: digital light processing (or DLP) projectors and liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors. Both perform similarly, but there are several distinguishing factors.
DLP Projectors: Great for Video and Theater Applications
DLP projectors are the best choice for video-oriented applications. They excel at producing smooth motion and deep blacks, and they produce a great high color contrast. However, they are noisier than the competition and can’t get quite as bright.
LCD Projectors: Sharp and Bright for Business and Data Applications
LCD projectors tend to be the go-to for more traditional business-oriented applications. They can produce a brighter and sharper overall image, perfect for cutting through the industrial lighting found in most offices.
A Third Premium Option: LCoS
There’s a third technology available, though it’s not as widespread. Liquid crystal on silicone is a premium projector technology that combines the advantages of both DLP and LCD technology. If you have some headroom in your budget, LCoS can be a great way to upgrade your projected visuals to a truly impressive level.
Got Questions? We Can Help!
This overview just scratches the surface of all the considerations that go into choosing the right projector. Do you have additional questions? We can help. Get in touch today!
A 2020 Resolution: Upgrade Your Audio
Ah, the new year. Fresh off a holiday season full of too much eating, people everywhere are resolving to do better in 2020. Gyms are filling up — for a month or two, anyways — and fast food drive-thrus are feeling a little lonely.
The team at Experience Audio Video can’t help you with those kinds of resolutions, but we do have a suggestion for you! Why not make a 2020 resolution for your business? This could be the year you finally get around to remodeling that space or upgrading that piece of tech that’s a little long in the tooth.
Our recommendation? Make 2020 the year that you resolve to upgrade your audio systems.
Upgraded Audio Aids in Communication
One great reason to consider upgrading your audio systems is the way it can help in communication. Speaking of drive-thrus, we’ve all had the experience of going through one where the speaker was just a disaster. You could barely understand the distorted, tinny voice that was coming through.
If your business involves a large space (perhaps a retail, warehouse or manufacturing floor), you likely have some sort of intercom system in place. (If you don’t, we think you should, by the way! And we can help.)
But what good is an intercom system if subpar audio quality makes it hard for people to understand what’s being said? Upgrading your audio can aid in communication throughout your facility or business.
Upgraded Audio Improves the Customer Experience
Second, upgraded audio improves the customer experience. It’s hard to quantify this difference, but you’ve probably felt it before. It’s the difference between visiting a tired chain coffee shop with a run-of-the-mill sound system and enjoying immersive music at a high-end local shop. One is just OK, while the other is truly impressive.
Ready to learn more? Contact us for a free quote.
2020 Trends: Conference Room Technology
As the new year kicks into full gear, it’s time to take a look at the trends that are heading our way. Here at Experience Audio Video, we’ve been keeping up with trends in business audio-visual technology for multiple decades. We continue to serve our valued clients in this way in 2020.
Today we’re talking about conference room technology. These are a few of the conference room technology trends we expect to see in 2020.
Smart Tech Keeps Getting Smarter
We’ve talked before about how smart conference room technology can simplify your life and power up your conference abilities, and we expect this trend to continue in 2020. Smart conference room tech will keep getting smarter. We also expect it to continue getting smaller while at the same time getting more capable and more powerful.
The bottom line here is that if you’re still manually controlling all aspects of your conference room tech, it’s time to take a look at what’s available today. You could save time and work smarter by implementing a piece or two of smart conference room tech.
Miniaturization Continues in the Conference Room
Miniaturization isn’t new for 2020, but it’s poised to be a big theme of the year.
What do we mean by miniaturization? A few years ago, you might need a half dozen devices to cover all the conference room functions you need. Today, you likely only need one. And it’s half the size of any of the old ones. Smart all-in-one conference room controllers can handle your landline conference audio as well as internet conference audio. They can push a video feed to your projector (even wirelessly!). They can even dim the lights and pull the shades, provided you have the right automation equipment in place.
We offer smart conference room tech from multiple vendors, including Crestron. Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation and demo today.