When you are buying an LCD projector there are some things you should know before hand. There are some certain features you should look for and some important specs to keep an eye on. Brightness is one of the most important things to take into consideration when purchasing a LCD projector. If you plan to use your projector in conference rooms, classrooms or rooms with lots of ambient light you are going to want as much brightness as you can get. If you will be only using your LCD projector in a darkened home theater than brightness won't be as much of an issue.
Another big thing to watch for is the LCD projectors resolution. LCD projectors come in many different formats but the most popular are SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), SXGA (1280 x 1024), or UXGA (1600 x 1200). There are also HDTV resolution LCD projectors available as well. These will often have a 1280X720 (720p), 1366X768 or 1920X1080 (1080P). Generally speaking, the higher the projector's resolution, the higher the price and the better the performance. If you plan on watching HDTV formats through your LCD projector I would get one that is at least XGA resolution or 720P. If you are just going to be using your LCD projector for PowerPoint presentations than SVGA resolutions should be fine.
Another important spec to look for on a LCD projector is Contrast Ratio. Contrast ratio is the ratio between the brightest and darkest areas of the projected image. The higher the contrast ratio the better the picture, look for at least a minimum of 400:1.
If you plan on transporting your LCD projector a lot for business presentations than another consideration is LCD projector weight. Obviously the lighter the better, there are projectors that weigh less than five pounds. If you plan on having a permanent home for your LCD projector then the weight won't really matter.
In order to be as future proof as possible, you should look for a LCD projector that has lots of options for connections. LCD projectors can have all sorts of different connections available, VGA, component, s-video, composite, DVI, HDMI or RGBHV are all possibilities. You should make sure that the LCD projector you are looking to buy has all the connection options that you will need.
Last but not least you should check the lamp life for the LCD projector you are considering purchasing. Replacement lamps can be very expensive, often several hundred dollars, so the longer the life the better. You should look for one with a lamp life of at least 2,000 hours. Many LCD projectors allow you to run the projector in eco-mode which tones down the brightness of the bulb thus extending its life.
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