Lamp vs Lampless projectors

[Andycat]

Hi all,

 

We have options on Hitachi Lampless or standard NEC projectors. The ones we're replacing are 7/8 year old NEC, and whilst some are dim or a bit lifeless, they've served us very well.

 

A demo of the Hitachi looked great, and the TCO would be lower over the 5yr warranty period due to no lamp replacements, but has anyone got longish experience of the lampless, or even Hitachi, projectors they could share?

[robyholmes]

Lampless LED / Laser projectors are a much better option. However have you thought about moving to Touch Screens now rather than projectors? We're buying 65" displays for around £1300 at the moment and staff love them compared to the IWB & projector combo.

[colly72]

We've used Casio LED projectors here for a number of years, without a single issue. So much better than lamp projectors, no maintenance, little heat, near instant on/off.

 

Touchscreen TVs are obviously the future but if your budget doesn't stretch that far, lampless projectors are a great option.

[Andycat]

Touchscreen TV's were an option, NO staff wanted them.

[ITGURU]

I've always found Casio lampless projectors to not last very long before quality goes poor and we had issues with dead pixels - all had done less than 6000 hours.

[robyholmes]

Touchscreen TV's were an option, NO staff wanted them.

 

Have they even used one? This is very surprising as our staff love them. Maths staff were the most worried by the move but they've now come round to the idea.

 

A lot of companies offer demo's and this is how we introduced a lot of staff to touch screens. We had a few over a few weeks in our staff room and each lunch time I would go down, log it on and let staff have a play.

[Andycat]

Have they even used one? This is very surprising as our staff love them. Maths staff were the most worried by the move but they've now come round to the idea.

 

A lot of companies offer demo's and this is how we introduced a lot of staff to touch screens. We had a few over a few weeks in our staff room and each lunch time I would go down, log it on and let staff have a play.

 

Yes, we have quite a few already, of differing makes. Many rooms are big here, long especially, and you'd need a very expensive screen as opposed to a relatively cheap projector. Most want the IWB removing too.

 

I think sometimes we give them what WE think they should use, not what THEY actually want to teach with!

[kennysarmy]

Have they even used one? This is very surprising as our staff love them. Maths staff were the most worried by the move but they've now come round to the idea.

 

A lot of companies offer demo's and this is how we introduced a lot of staff to touch screens. We had a few over a few weeks in our staff room and each lunch time I would go down, log it on and let staff have a play.

 

We demo'd a touchscreen with our Head of Maths and we ended up removing it and putting the IWB back in.

 

Horses for courses I guess, he much preferred the 4:3 aspect ratio of his old IWB over the 16:9 of the new tech, his argument was in maths you need top to bottom space not left to right.

[robyholmes]

Yes, we have quite a few already, of differing makes. Many rooms are big here, long especially, and you'd need a very expensive screen as opposed to a relatively cheap projector. Most want the IWB removing too.

 

I think sometimes we give them what WE think they should use, not what THEY actually want to teach with!

 

Long rooms are sometimes an issue. We've gone with 65" throughout but I can see a need for 75" or even 85" if you have large rooms. Its just waiting for the price on these to drop. Its not dropped that far as most home users don't want a TV larger than 65".

[Andycat]

I've always found Casio lampless projectors to not last very long before quality goes poor and we had issues with dead pixels - all had done less than 6000 hours.

 

Thought someone had said this, perhaps yourself, before.

[HTCPCP]

Thought someone had said this, perhaps yourself, before.

Always found Casio projectors to be far from reliable too, and my experience of getting warranty repairs was far from easy (and getting a temporary unit when the other was being repaired too). As a result, as soon as the warranty expired, and they started to decline, they were replaced with great joy from everyone involved.

[Andycat]

Always found Casio projectors to be far from reliable too, and my experience of getting warranty repairs was far from easy (and getting a temporary unit when the other was being repaired too). As a result, as soon as the warranty expired, and they started to decline, they were replaced with great joy from everyone involved.

 

So, at least we're not being offered Casio I suppose!! Anyone any experience with the Hitachi Laser ones?

[HTCPCP]

So, at least we're not being offered Casio I suppose!! Anyone any experience with the Hitachi Laser ones?

Never tried them, but from experience Hitachi are normally a reasonably decent cost effective option (as long as there aren't any mechanical doors) and not heard anything horrendous about any of their offerings manufactured in the last 7 years

[colly72]

So, at least we're not being offered Casio I suppose!! Anyone any experience with the Hitachi Laser ones?

 

I can only go off our experience with Casio, maybe we've just been lucky!!

[yac2016]

If you don’t mind the make and know where to go you can get 75” and 85” under £2000 for touch panels.

[sparkeh]

Only have experience of Casio and they have been great. IIRC the early models had issues with dead pixels and degradation of image but later models have been rock solid and much loved here. Only need 1 of about 30 repairing under warranty in the last 7 years and support were pretty good about shipping a loan projector whilst the repair took place.

[PotNoodleTech]

Use Hitachi at your peril - I had to replace every single Hitachi Bulb projector with Casio Bulbless between year 1 and year 2 of their lives, as they all haad problems of some kind from dim bulb to yellow lens to just dying.

 

I'd never buy anything Hitachi ever again!

 

As mentioned, standardised on Casio Bulbless various models and they are just running day in day out. Very happy with Casio!!

[caffrey]

Hitachi short throw here are okay, 5 year old plus - they do seem to be eating bulbs at the moment though whereas the Epson long throws have been great

[CHiLL]

I wouldn't go for anything other than a Casio LED projector these days. We've been slowly replacing all projectors with Casio LED ones and we've had some in for over 5 years, without any issues. It's makes life so much easier as you can just mount and forget about it, maybe clean a filter every now and then. I don't have to worry about having/ordering replacements and dealing with original/remanufactured bulbs and all the hassel that comes with it. The only thing I've had to worry about with these Casio projectors is ordering replacement remotes, because like with all types of remotes, staff lose them.

[Andycat]

Unfortunately the tender through the framework has only come back with lamped NEC or Lampless Hitachi.

[SamanthaD]

I'd never buy anything Hitachi ever again!

You shouldn't - they're being re-branded as Maxell. (Remember them?)

 

Lampless every time for me. Our standard is now Epson lasers, installed the first one around 3 years ago and hasn't missed a beat once. We had one issue with a fan which was sorted out, that's with around 100 installed so far.

 

Try and get a brighter projector than you need, then look at constant brightness. It reduces the fall-off of the laser brightness, so running a 5k projector at 70% will give a more constant image than a 4k at 100%.

 

OT - long classrooms and touchscreens are a recipe for disaster. You can't mount them high enough so that those at the back can see. (We mount touchscreens 1m off the floor so that everyone can reach the top of the screen). Either turn the classroom through 90 degrees and make it wide and short, or use a projector.

[DrBeaker]

Lamp projectors great to start with. Pain in the bum in later years as well as managing bulb stock (which in one team only seemed to be me who was able to do it properly for some reason)

 

Lamp-free ones - only experienced Casio but they seem to be pretty good. No lamp changes.

 

The move (funds allowing) would be to replace with large touch-screen TVs.

 

Also if no-one else has clearly taken the opportunity to do so .....