Boxlight

Are you in the market for a new projector?

If so, you’ll soon realize that today’s projector models are a lot more sophisticated and full-featured than the antiquated, bulky overhead projector that most of us remember from our grade school days. The modern projector can captivate an audience with its ability to display eye-popping, vibrant computer and video images that say a lot more than a thousand words ever could! The right projector for you or your organization is out there-you just have to know what to look for in a projector.

BOXLIGHT, a leading manufacturer and distributor of presentation supplies and training, understands that with so many projector options and projector units available, choosing the right projector can be an overwhelming task. With industry specific sales consultants, BOXLIGHT comes to the rescue to ensure the perfect match between projector and customer.

While most projectors offer a myriad of options, there are five basic projector features to take into consideration: weight, resolution, brightness, price, and manufacturer support. Depending on your projector needs, one or two of these will probably weigh more heavily on your final projector decision. In each case, you must ask yourself what you want from a projector. For example, if you travel extensively, consider a lighter projector unit that can slip easily into a small, portable case. If you make most of your presentations from one central location and plan to display detailed diagrams, a larger projector model that can produce the brightest and most crisp images will work best. Consider your needs carefully before making a projector purchase.

Over time, the projector has continued to become lighter and more compact. Some are as light as 2 pounds. BOXLIGHT, as well as other manufacturers, categorize their projector products by overall size or portability. For example, a portable projector generally weighs less than 10 lbs. and is ideal for travelling presenters. Although designed to be portable, projector manufacturers also equip these projector units with features that make them suitable for fixed installations in smaller conference rooms.

Multipurpose projector units, weighing in at less than 20 lbs., can be easily mounted, but are light enough to be moved from place to place. A multipurpose projector can feature higher brightness and more functionality than their lighter projector counterparts.

Those projectors that are considered fixed units are typically heavier (20 lbs. or more), and are designed for permanent installation. These projector models are perfect for presenters who are looking for the ability to project the brightest, sharpest images possible in large venues.

After you’ve decided what size projector will best suit your needs, it’s time to think about image quality. What kind of applications will you be displaying? Will the images be simple graphics and text or more intensive, like architectural plans? Projector resolution, which is the number of pixels a projector uses to create a picture, is one of the factors that determines how clear an image is going to be. The more pixels a projector uses, the more detailed the projector image will be.

Two of the most common native resolution standards available in projector units today are SVGA (800x600) and XGA (1024x768). Both of these are compatible with newer laptops and work well to display basic graphics, such as those created in PowerPoint, and business applications. SVGA and XGA resolution is available in projector units of varying weights, including the ultraportable projector weighing less than 5 lbs. A Projector has the ability to project various resolutions by compressing or expanding the image information. The output from this function varies from projector model to projector model but the difference is generally imperceptible to the audience.

Although more expensive, a projector that is capable of higher resolution, such as SXGA (1280x1024), is ideal for those presenters who rely on very detailed images, like engineering specifications or medical charts. This type of resolution detail is generally only available in multipurpose or fixed projector models.

Along with resolution, brightness helps to determine the clarity of an image. Projector brightness is expressed in lumens. Most projector units today offer at least 1000 ANSI lumens. This is fairly bright and will work well for presenting to a small group, with the room lights on and ambient light, such as that coming in from a window, at a minimum. Projector units offering 1000 lumens or less will generally be the least expensive.

If you’re a teacher, corporate trainer, or in another profession where your audience will be taking notes, a brighter projector unit can guarantee a lights on presentation in any environment. In addition it’s important to consider your audience size and location. When you increase the size of an image to accommodate a larger audience or venue, like an auditorium, the projector image may appear less bright than it would if set up in a smaller room so it is very important to match the size of the venue to the features of the projector.

Presenters should also take into account what projector screen surface will be available. Many road warriors find that this varies from location to location and, often, a blank, white wall is the only option. Without a good projector screen to provide significant light reflection, an image can appear dull and faded. Excellent quality projector screens are available for any application, but if you’re unsure of your day-to-day presentation conditions, look into a brighter projector unit.

All in all, it’s always a good rule of thumb to purchase the brightest projector you can afford.

For many presenters, especially in this ever-tightening economy, price is the leading factor influencing their projector purchasing decisions. From unit to unit, price varies as much as a the features of the projector. Basic projector units can sell for under $2,000, while option-filled projector models are more expensive. You should view your new projector as an investment - a trusted presentation companion that will stay by your side for years to come. This is why it is very important that you purchase the best and brightest projector unit your budget will allow.

But what if the cost of purchasing a new projector is out of your reach? BOXLIGHT and American Express Equipment Finance have teamed together to provide an efficient Web-based leasing program that offers low monthly payments with flexible terms and purchase options. Fast online credit approval means the projector of your choice can be shipped the same day! For more information about leasing a projector or to calculate a monthly lease payment, visit www. boxlight.com.

Your new projector will be a valued presentation partner, that’s why it’s important to remember that who you buy a projector from is just as important as what features the projector offers. Research several projector manufacturers’ service and support policies and warranties and you’ll find they vary widely from company to company. By doing your homework, you won’t be left in the dark about what to do if your new projector unit stops functioning properly.

BOXLIGHT sells display and projector technology under it’s own brand of BOXLIGHT Certified equipment, as well as the most innovative, high quality products from trusted brands such as InFocus, Hitachi, Sony, Proxima and Epson. The company also offers professional services to enhance every aspect of presentations from content development to the finishing touches. BOXLIGHT’s Creative Services division can assist presenters in polishing existing presentations, animating company logos and developing full-blown professional presentations from scratch. BOXLIGHT’s training division, BOXLIGHT Academy, offers both onsite and online instruction in subjects such as making PowerPoint presentations and enlivening technical speaking engagements.

BOXLIGHT is one of the world’s leading distributors of digital presentation equipment, presentation development services and training. With humble origins in a basement in 1985, BOXLIGHT operations have expanded to encompass sales in the United States, Canada and worldwide. The company has been listed in Inc. magazine as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America, and one of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in the United States by Deloitte & Touche.

BOXLIGHT’s award-winning projectors are consistently selected as among the Best New Products of the Year by some of the most influential computer and audio/visual publications in the nation.