fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 If I buy some new projectors (am looking at Epson EB-X11 or EBx14) should I be looking at HDMI connectivity? How important is it when the projector is permanently connected to a PC via VGA? Everyone raves about the EB-X11 but it doesnt have HDMI. Ive been told to future proof the new purchases by having HDMI included but when would we use HDMI in a classroom environment?
HMCTech Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Just out of curiosity why are you not going down the lamp free projector route? I see them as a maintenance free hassle and they have HDMI on most models.
sparkeh Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Just out of curiosity why are you not going down the lamp free projector route? I see them as a maintenance free hassle and they have HDMI on most models. Agreed. We purchase Casios now and they all have HDMI.
gumbygaz Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 I'm at the same point too. Looking at the EBX12 which does has HDMI for around the £350 mark. Not sure on the Casio still - love the features etc and can see the advantages but almost twice the price it's tough to argue for that route. Can do two rooms instead of one and bulbs covered for 3 years.
fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Author Posted November 7, 2012 Just out of curiosity why are you not going down the lamp free projector route? I see them as a maintenance free hassle and they have HDMI on most models. Mainly price but also I have heard the Casios develop colour issues after a time. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/av-multimedia-related/96170-projector-recommendations.html The price issue is very big for us. We can get Epsons with 5 year Warranty and 3 year lamp warranty for less than half the price of the casio. Still need to know what the benefit of having the HDMI connection on a projector is?
fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Author Posted November 7, 2012 I'm at the same point too. Looking at the EBX12 which does has HDMI for around the £350 mark. Not sure on the Casio still - love the features etc and can see the advantages but almost twice the price it's tough to argue for that route. Can do two rooms instead of one and bulbs covered for 3 years. Exactly my thoughts.
sparkeh Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 tough to argue for that route. Really? Its was a no brainer for our SMT - 20,000 hours life, no bulbs, no filters, constant image quality over that time. Seems like a good idea to me.
sparkeh Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Still need to know what the benefit of having the HDMI connection on a projector is? I'm assuming that its down to future proofing, I guess that VGA won't be around for ever.
fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Author Posted November 7, 2012 constant image quality over that time. Depends who you talk to. If you look at thread I referenced above you get a different view point. Has anyone used a projector for 20,000 to say yes "the image quality is exactly the same as the day we bought it"? We had a casio on loan and yes it performed well but the price is too high for us. As @gumbygaz we can get 2 projectors for the same price. In a cash strapped school that is what we have to do.
fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Author Posted November 7, 2012 Apple TV units connect via HDMI. i cant see when we would use these in a classroom.
HarryMonkey Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 i cant see when we would use these in a classroom. To show what's being done on an ipad? Maybe not now but some time down the line.
fiza Posted November 7, 2012 Author Posted November 7, 2012 To show what's being done on an ipad? Maybe not now but some time down the line. Fair enough. Dont have any IPADs right now but see your point. I guess if VGA gets phased out over the next couple of years then HDMI will be in. I already have some Ultrabooks which only have HDMI and you have to buy a HDMI to VGA adaptor.
Arthur Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 You shouldn't even be considering VGA-only projectors! Leading PC manufacturers dropping VGA support by 2015
HMCTech Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 We have had 50 casio bulbless projectors for two years now and the only issue we have had was as someone mentioned earlier the colour going dim. But that was due to the teacher sitting on the remote and changing the ECO settings. I would really advocate pushing for these models to whoever is pressing you to keep costs down.
glennda Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Mainly price but also I have heard the Casios develop colour issues after a time. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/av-multimedia-related/96170-projector-recommendations.html The price issue is very big for us. We can get Epsons with 5 year Warranty and 3 year lamp warranty for less than half the price of the casio. Still need to know what the benefit of having the HDMI connection on a projector is? 5 Year warranty on the Casio's and I had over 35 of them and none had developed a fault with the Colour - had one issue with an input but that was resolved.
elsiegee40 Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 We've had 2 Casios develop missing pixel problems two years apart. Both returned to Casio and sorted out under guarantee without problem. No colour issues. They're wonderful projectors... they behave much better than the conventional ones and are worth every penny IMO.
bwestlake Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 just remeber for apple tvs only 25 apple tvs on a network
Guest Guest Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) Why HDMI? This... You shouldn't even be considering VGA-only projectors! Leading PC manufacturers dropping VGA support by 2015 Casios - TCO is lower than conventional. They are around £600 now which is near enough the same price for 5 years warranty when you consider a conventional lamp projector is £350 for 3 years. Then add in the fact that to replace the 3 year old lamp projector costs time/money/permits to work. Even doing it yourself can be a pain - lamp on wrong side, different IEC connection, different mounting bolts, vga cable doesn't quite reach... Then you take into account the consistent image quality you get year on year; no blue/yellow tint due to cooked mirrors, still bright after year 2. Sensible default settings, sensible menus... and if we are lucky they will last the full 20,000 hours which, if I'm getting my maths right, is 17 years @6hours/day * 195days/year! BUT personally I can't stand DLP technology as I can see the rainbow. It actually starts to make my eyes go funny. Edited November 7, 2012 by Guest
fiza Posted November 9, 2012 Author Posted November 9, 2012 They are around £600 now which is near enough the same price for 5 years warranty when you consider a conventional lamp projector is £350 for 3 years. Which models are £600?
enjay Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I already have some Ultrabooks which only have HDMI and you have to buy a HDMI to VGA adaptor. I think you've answered your own question, in that case!
HarryMonkey Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 Does anyone have a particular Casio model that they favour? ... Just so I can do some pricce and spec comparisons. ... Thanks
enjay Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 Casios - TCO is lower than conventional. They are around £600 now which is near enough the same price for 5 years warranty when you consider a conventional lamp projector is £350 for 3 years. Then add in the fact that to replace the 3 year old lamp projector costs time/money/permits to work. Even doing it yourself can be a pain - lamp on wrong side, different IEC connection, different mounting bolts, vga cable doesn't quite reach... Then you take into account the consistent image quality you get year on year; no blue/yellow tint due to cooked mirrors, still bright after year 2. Sensible default settings, sensible menus... and if we are lucky they will last the full 20,000 hours which, if I'm getting my maths right, is 17 years @6hours/day * 195days/year! Thanks, saved me the effort of typing all that! Has anyone used a projector for 20,000 to say yes "the image quality is exactly the same as the day we bought it"? No, I'm sure they haven't, BUT, when any projector manufacturer releases a new product and says "lasts for 5000 hours", I'm sure they haven't actually tested that either. Plus, even if that 20000 hours is wrong by 100% and you actually only get 10000 hours (and let's be honest, it won't be THAT wrong) you're still saving money compared to bulb projectors.
Steveduk Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 We're trying to standardise on HDMI connections for staff. We'll get a few VGA> HDMI adapters for the ones who don't have HDMI on their laptop. It makes for a tidy, single connection to the projector.
enjay Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 Does anyone have a particular Casio model that they favour? ... Just so I can do some pricce and spec comparisons. ... Thanks We use the M140 or is it A140? Considering a 3000 Lumen one for use in one particularly bright room.
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