In the world of event production, video projectors play a significant role. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which size and brightness you need?
Well, we understand and can help. Our top three questions to ask when selecting the correct video projector for the job are:
How large is the audience?
The first question to ask when choosing a video projector concerns the audience and not the video projectors. The number of event attendees significantly affects the size of the projection video projection screen needed, which helps determine the required video projector. As the number of event attendees increases, the video projection screen images must also get larger.
When the image expands, the projected light spreads across a larger area. However, this reduces the video projector’s apparent brightness, using Lumens as the measurement metric. Therefore, as the number of event attendees increases, the number of required Lumens will increase. Most prosumer-grade video projectors have between 800 and 3500 Lumens. Video projectors above this range are much brighter and produce a much crisper image.
By knowing the due amount of people in attendance, you can figure out the proper brightness required for a great image, in addition to the optimal video projection screen size for your presentations.
How much ambient light will there be in your event space?
A darker room will provide the best image for video projectors and video projection screens. However, the atmosphere for most presentations requires some lighting for note-taking, eye contact, and audience engagement. Here is a general guide to selecting a video projector based on lighting conditions:
- 1000 – 1400 Lumens for very little or no ambient light
- 1500 – 2000 Lumens for dimmed ambient light
- 2100 – 3500 Lumens for normal ambient light
- For outdoor presentations during the day, the projected image will be much less visible.
- If you must present outside, we recommended that you place your video projection screen entirely in the shade.
What is the content-Video or PowerPoint?
The type of content that you will present also helps to determine the appropriate native resolution and lumen count for your video projector:
- SVGA resolution video projectors (800×600) are suitable for showing large text or basic images.
- XGA resolution video projectors (1024×768) are the most common in the industry and are compatible with nearly all PCs and DVD players. They’re best for reviewing PowerPoint slides, normal-sized font and text, and high-quality images or videos.
- SXGA (1280×1024) and SXGA+ (1400×1050) resolution video projectors are great for displaying engineering drawings, digital photography, HD apps, or videos.
For reviewing PowerPoint slides in low light conditions with less than 20ppl, a 3000-lumen XGA video projector is often ideal. It will offer High-Definition resolution, 16:9 formatting, and easy to operate. Remember that the best resolution for your video projector will match the resolution of the computer you intend to use with it.
If you use a PC with XGA resolution, you will want to use a video projector with a matching XGA resolution to get the sharpest image. Similarly, if you typically use a computer with higher than XGA output, such as SXGA+, you will get the best picture from a video projector with the same native resolution.
To check the resolution of your computer (for Windows operating systems):
- Click on the Windows START button in the lower left-hand corner
- Click on CONTROL PANEL
- Click on DISPLAY
- In the “Display Properties” window, click on the SETTINGS tab
- Your computer’s resolution will be displayed in a slide ruler area entitled “Video projection screen resolution”
For Mac OS:
- From the Apple menu, select “Control Panels.”
- From Control Panels, double-click on “Monitors.”
- Click on “Options” from the Monitors window. A new window will appear with the current resolution highlighted.
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