When selling a projector, it is necessary to take into consideration various elements, such as Resolution, Brightness (Lumens) and Contrast, among several others. The first one refers to the number of pixels available to form the image. The higher the resolution of a projector, the more pixels it has. The decision is traditionally presented in the "Width x Height" format, such as 1280 x 720 (1280 pixels wide by 720 pixels high). However, many brands refer to their equipment with the designations 720p (or HD, High Definition) or 1080p (Full HD, Full High Definition). In these cases, the number refers to the vertical resolution, while the "p" means "progressive-scan" (progressive scan or progressive scan). Other standard resolutions are SVGA (800x600 pixels) and XGA (1024x768 pixels).
Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the more expensive the equipment. The advantages of higher resolutions (HD or Full HD) are that they can show more details in the image (assuming that the video signal has such information), and that they reduce (or eliminate) the visibility of the pixel structure. Both are very desirable in a good home theater, but not necessarily in a classroom.
The second factor is Brightness (also known as "lighting power" or "brightness"), measured in ANSI Lumens (Lumens). Your choice will depend on the application because, in case of projecting in huge screens, very bright environments or where there is a lot of distance between the projector and the surface to be expected, a model with higher brightness is required.
On the other hand, Contrast refers to the difference in brightness between the brightest and darkest parts in an image. In general, for presentations and other "traditional" business and educational applications, Contrast is rather a secondary concern, but in a Home Theater system, its role is very relevant, because a projector with high levels of contrast produces an image with deep black levels and a very defined detail of the shadows. In other words, it gives "depth" to the video images, which is not required when a Powerpoint is being presented.
With the advancement of technology, the projectors have been gaining in functionality. For example, many projectors already include the ability to project content from a flash drive or Flash memory, without requiring a PC connection. Similarly, connectivity has become a factor of great importance when choosing one of these teams.
In this sense, in the mid- and top-range projectors (especially in stationary models), Ethernet ports (RJ-45) have been popularized, allowing them to be connected and controlled from a LAN network. Currently, in addition to the "venerable" VGA, Composite Video and S-Video inputs, we can find HDMI inputs to simplify the connection without sacrificing image quality. Some can even use their USB ports for PC input.
Another aspect of the connectivity in which much progress has been made is wireless technologies. Thanks to the rise of wireless standards (such as 802.11 or Wireless USB), many projectors incorporate adapters of this type, allowing to control them from a wireless network. Others include technologies specialized in the wireless transmission of audiovisual content, such as "Wireless HDMI," which are still in the process of standardization.
Nowadays, portability is an essential attribute, especially in the business world, where you can not always take the client to a presentation. Then, to bring the introduction to the client, the manufacturers of projectors have launched a range of "ultraportable" models, also known as "pico projectors" or "handheld projectors." These projectors are compact in size (even some fit in the palm of your hand), ultra-short throw and low brightness, are designed to enhance the new generation of mobile devices (such as ultrabooks, tablets, smart-phones and cameras), providing a Quick and convenient way to present the content of these on any surface, such as walls and notebooks.
In short, when facing a project that includes the sale of a video projector, make sure you know the client's requirements well, including those elements that the user usually ignores or considers "unimportant." As we have seen, there is a projector for each project, and the business is in knowing how to identify it.
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