Projector recommendations

[robjduk]

Hello all,

We are looking at replacing our projectors and with Casio pulling out of the market, it has left me wondering what to get next. I trialled an Epson some years ago and liked it and they have one in their current range with Miracast built-in which would be a bonus.

 

Has anybody got other recommendations? In a perfect world, we would find one with Miracast and Airplay built-in but guess that's an impossible dream.

 

Thanks

 

(note we are not looking at screens)

[glen_j]

We've been replacing our Casio's with Epson L200's https://www.epson.co.uk/products/projectors/home-cinema/eb-l200f

[Andycat]

We've replaced our NEC's with newer NEC's as the last ones lasted nearly 10 years in some cases

[robjduk]

We've been replacing our Casio's with Epson L200's https://www.epson.co.uk/products/projectors/home-cinema/eb-l200f

 

How's the Miracast working out for you with them?

[glen_j]

It's not a feature we've started using yet. We have used it in the office and it seems to work as expected. We had the Epson Rep bring one out and demonstrate its features.

[DrBeaker]

Rate Epson highly for quality, reliability etc. Customer service is better than most, still not great but OK

 

Killer feature for us in multiple roles.... Was the Quick Corner on them.

 

Replaced countless ones with Epson's over the years and our replacements in the summer as part of a big bit AV upgrade program....were Epson's.

 

Only issue is the sourcing the replacement remote controls when the teachers lose them!

[3s-gtech]

We mainly use BenQ, with a few Optoma and Epson.

 

The Epsons are the best. BenQ are cheap and cheerful with decent overall cost, but the Epsons are better built, more durable in the average dusty classroom, and are feature rich.

[SamanthaD]

Totally Epson house here. If you can stretch to it I'd recommend going laser, over the life of the projector it costs the same as a lamped projector but without having to change lamps

 

As for lost remote controls.... RS232 control panels are the way forward

[Al_Balone]

While we're on the subject of projectors, a lot of our classrooms have ceiling mounted ones that flicker when you try to use HDMI connections, I've been told this is because the distance from the laptop to the projector is too great. Anyone have any advice on how to connect projectors to newer machines? VGA to HDMI adaptors also flicker and I'd rather not have to get scaffolding in to run new cables/signal amplifiers up to the roof if I can.

[3s-gtech]

HDMI (laptop end) to VGA adaptor, and use the VGA cable run which can connect reliably over longer distances (which we do in the hall - that is a very long cable!)

[SamanthaD]

While we're on the subject of projectors, a lot of our classrooms have ceiling mounted ones that flicker when you try to use HDMI connections, I've been told this is because the distance from the laptop to the projector is too great. Anyone have any advice on how to connect projectors to newer machines? VGA to HDMI adaptors also flicker and I'd rather not have to get scaffolding in to run new cables/signal amplifiers up to the roof if I can.

Standard copper HDMI cables have limited length. Options are amplified cables which are good for around up to 15m, over that you're looking at converting to a CatX solution such as HDBaseT or a proprietary solution (we use Extron's DTP solution), or fibre HDMI cables are starting to become more robust. The one thing I always maintain - try to reduce the number of breaks in the chain, if you're using faceplates etc that just introduces points of failure in the system.

[Al_Balone]

HDMI (laptop end) to VGA adaptor, and use the VGA cable run which can connect reliably over longer distances (which we do in the hall - that is a very long cable!)

That's the option I've tried and it doesn't seem to work in some rooms, the image continually appears and disappears, i can only think the distance is too far.

 

 

Standard copper HDMI cables have limited length. Options are amplified cables which are good for around up to 15m, over that you're looking at converting to a CatX solution such as HDBaseT or a proprietary solution (we use Extron's DTP solution), or fibre HDMI cables are starting to become more robust. The one thing I always maintain - try to reduce the number of breaks in the chain, if you're using faceplates etc that just introduces points of failure in the system.

 

Thanks, can I amplify the signal using a hdmi to vga adaptor? The audio isn't an issue, that plugs in to a separate amp.

[SamanthaD]

Thanks, can I amplify the signal using a hdmi to vga adaptor? The audio isn't an issue, that plugs in to a separate amp.

 

Amplified (or active) HDMI cables are specially made with the amplifier built into the HDMI connector. You can tell them apart from standard HDMI cables as they tend to be directional. If you want to re-use existing copper cables then the item you need is a cable equaliser. An HDMI to VGA adapter is unlikely to do this.

[3s-gtech]

No idea, but it works. We haven't got it going back to HDMI at the projector end.

[MunkySpanner]

We've just started moving to HDMI only laptops and using HDMI-VGA convertors. The image continually appears and disappears on some but not all. I think we've tracked the issue down to old 14 pin VGA cables connecting the faceplate on the wall to projectors. I believe the missing pin 9 is a signal cable used for communication between pc and projector to communicate info such as max resolution etc. (Think I saw it in a post on the Startech website) All the ones that work have all 15 pins.