what happened to HP projectors

[ranj]

Hi

 

I was just looking for projectors to buy at the school and I remembered the really bad experience of using HP projectors and from looking on the HP site realised that HP don't sell projectors any more. (probably because they had too much comeback on them!).

 

Just wanted to know if anyone else had issues with HP projectors and if so what do you buy now.

 

There are 3 manufacturers I normally buy from: NEC, Hitachi and Optoma, can anyone let me know anything good or bad about these. I used to recommend Sanyo but just recently had issues when they are over a certain age, even changing the lamp gives really poor picture. Not had this problem as bad with other projectors. Been told by Sanyo that its to do with the CCD and they can wear out after a while. Wasn't too happy when they told me that!

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. :-)

[K.C.Leblanc]

Quite a lot of HP's projectors were actualy rebadged Sanyos.

 

We found out VP61XXs and VP62XXs were getting very flakey and also the cost of bulbs was stupid. Another real frustration was the bulbs from the two models were identical except for the face they'd been delibrately engineered not to be interchangable.

 

We've been replacing them with Toshibas, mostley T95s which luckily has the same throw as the out going HPs, and will fit the same cradle. In a few situations we've got away with the cheaper X2000.

 

We also have quite a few NECs, which seem to be reliable, I can only recall having to send a couple back, and we've probably got about 30. We only have two Hitachis, one hasn't come into use yet, the other is probably a good 4 years old and doesn't give any trouble, but then I'm not confident it gets used much.

[Ric_]

HP stopped making projectors a couple of years ago and, as a consequence, the bulbs are now ridiculously expensive.

 

I now use BenQ projectors... cheap, cheap lamps and excellent warranty.

[maniac]

I'm slowly phasing out my HP projectors, luckily I think we only have 2 left, one is used as a portable unit in the hall etc. and the other is in a french room and is due to be replaced later this holiday. I have a right mishmash or other units on site thou; CTX, Hitachi, Viewsonic, Sanyo, NEC and a couple of other obscure makes I can't remember. Most work ok, but the older CTX units are getting a bit poor now.

 

We're currently buying NEC units when we have new ones installed, they seem to be good value for money, offer an excellent image quality and good warrenty on them as well.

 

Mike.

[ssiruuk2]

we only buy infocus now. Cheap, reliable, nice and bright + good warranty and bulbs are just over £110 each!

 

We have some hp projectors still.. Nasty things keep claiming the bulb has blown but you take it down and reseat it and it works again.. Over and over again! Worst hp products EVER!

[pooley]

Another vote here for Benq, cheap and great warranty

[localzuk]

We've phased out our HP stock now, and have Epson, NEC and Optoma only. HP have ridiculous bulb costs!

[netadmin]

I like the Hitachi projectors. One nice feature they have is you can install a Windows application on your classroom computers and control the projector through the network. This also allows you to monitor the status of all projectors at a glance.

 

(For the projectors without an ethernet connection, we just add a Lantronix device server, and the program works the same as if it had an ethernet server built into the projector)

[Elemtech]

You might want to consider Epson projectors.

 

They do the best warranty in my opinion.

 

It covers the lamp on Education models for 3 years (promotions sometimes extend this to 4) and the warranty is on site de-install/re-install.

 

So if you have a problem you call Epson direct & providing you call before 3, you get an engineer the next working day.

 

He removes it from the bracket for you & re-installs it. No hassle for you.

 

The other thing is the network capability on their entry level education model, the EMP83.

 

This enable you to monitor the projector on your network like any other peripheral device; schedule shutdowns, get lamp out warnings etc.

 

PM me if you want further details.

[Jamman960]

Have any of you got Epson EMP54's? we have a few and they're awful. you can't read text on the board while writing, you have to step back a few feet. once your at the back of a room its unreadable again they're all the same so I guess its just the way they are.

 

Other than that the only projector we've had problems with is an Infocus which happens to be in our hall - red comes out black, green is yellow. Blue is blue though.. changing the bulb hasnt helped.

 

The latest projectors we've had installed are Sony EX4's, they're briilliant

[Elemtech]

Well the EMP54 was last manufactured in 2004 so I guess they might be getting old now?

[HodgeHi]

I've just had a few Hitachi Short throw projectors installed. CP-A100 i think they are. I like these. They have the network connection as well as being really close to the board virtually no shadows are cast and you don't get the glare in your face like you do when standing in front of the standard ones. Also seem a lot easier to mount and align to. We had some guys install two in around 1 hour

[Jamman960]

Well the EMP54 was last manufactured in 2004 so I guess they might be getting old now?

 

The ones we have were installed last summer and have always been bad :/

[Elemtech]

The ones we have were installed last summer and have always been bad :/

 

Are they S4s rather than EMP54s?

 

If so it might be because they are SVGA rather than XGA.

 

Try changing the resolution on your PCs or laptops.

[Elemtech]

I've just had a few Hitachi Short throw projectors installed. CP-A100 i think they are. I like these. They have the network connection as well as being really close to the board virtually no shadows are cast and you don't get the glare in your face like you do when standing in front of the standard ones. Also seem a lot easier to mount and align to. We had some guys install two in around 1 hour

 

Yes they are nice projectors although the short throw ones are a fair bit more expensive.

 

Epson do one as well (EMP400W) so you could still get their excellent warranty.