Buying Projector for Education

Projector for Education for 1st time user buying an education projector is a big task. You need to keep in mind the where you want to use the projector, including screen size, room space, and lighting environment. You should also aware the different features available so that you can find the projector that best for your requirement.

Depending on the size of the classroom, both short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors as well as installation projectors can be used. Interactive projectors in combination with a whiteboard are best suited for multimedia and interactive lessons.

Considering an education projector for your classrooms or lecture hall? That’s a smart move. This useful tech has a long history of helping educators present content. Teachers have used projection systems for well over a century
to bring engaging content to students.

Today, image quality is better than ever. There’s an abundance of education projector options to choose from. Meeting the needs of educators, administrators and IT staff is easier than ever. Choosing, however, can be daunting. Understanding the key technologies and specifications can help you find your best-fit education projector.

First, taking the time to assess your needs and installation conditions will help you pick an education projector you’ll be satisfied with. Consider classroom size and number of students. Assess lighting conditions and the ability to control ambient light.

Student needs also play a role. This includes the type of content you plan to display, your interactivity goals, and whether you want to avoid distracting shadows and glare. There are specific features in education projectors to address each of these needs. Ultra-short throw projectors do the most to minimize shadows. Network projectors deliver time-saving centralized control. Interactive projection
enables added collaboration. There is, of course, a great deal of overlap among these categories. For example, most interactive projectors include networking  capabilities and are available in short- or ultra-short-throw models.

• • Projection technology

  • Light source 
  • Color processing technology
  • Resolution
  • Contrast ratio
  • Brightness
  • Aspect ratio
  • Audio capabilities

Finally, you’ll want to assess connectivity. As well as look for features that increase ease of set up and use. Below, we’ll look at
each of these key categories and specs for education projectors. First, we’ll  look at why projection is an ideal education display solution.

The Advantages of Projection

Classroom projectors have been around much longer than large-screen displays. The use of TV-like displays for education is a recent trend. This is largely due to greater availability and reduced cost. Projectors and large-screen displays are both useful technologies. Both can offer an effective classroom viewing experience. Each has differing features and benefits. Reduced maintenance and cost are the main advantages of interactive flat-panel displays. This is because they lack the bulbs and filters used in traditional
bulb-based projectors.

Projectors offer many benefits that can’t be matched by digital displays, however. The advantages projectors provide to education environments include: 

• • • • Image size. Projectors
        can deliver really big images. Much larger than the size of flat-screen displays. Many projectors can project an HD image up to 300 inches diagonally. Digital displays, by comparison, have a fixed screen size.

• • • • Viewing angle. LED displays look great to students seated directly in front of them. But for those seated at an off- ngle, the image can be compromised. Projected images stay true regardless of the viewing angle.

• • • • Space-savings. Paper-thin projector screens and ceiling-mounted projector take up less space than a large screen display. Plus, projector screens can be easily retracted and stored when you want them out of sight. 

• • • • Highly Durable. Large screen displays and a classroom of kids are often not a wise mix. These digital screens are like your TV. Damage can occur. Retractable screens and ceiling-mounted projectors keep equipment out of harm’s way when the room is being used for other purposes.

• • Reduced eyestrain.
    Flat-screen displays can be harder on the eyes. That’s because they’re typically smaller and brighter than projected images. Projected images are larger. Because of this, they fill a larger percentage of the visual field. These qualities can help reduce eyestrain and fatigue.

Education Projectors for Classrooms

With so many benefits to offer, it’s not surprising that projection technology has flourished. It’s popular across the gamut of professions, industries, and home uses. Today’s education projectors include many different styles. There are tiny, ultra-light portable models. Ultra-high-end devices for use in auditoriums. And everything in between. For classrooms, the field can be narrowed. Three projector categories are most often used to address the needs
of this environment:

Network-Capable Projectors

Short & Ultra Short Throw Projectors

Interactive Projectors

Network-Capable Education Projector Solutions

Network-ready projection solutions save schools time and money. That’s why they’re used by many school districts and higher ed campuses. Network projectors connect to a local area network (LAN). The connection can be wired or wireless. Networked
education projectors can be installed across any size school, district or campus, then remotely operated and monitored. This reduces the time and cost burden of managing multiple projectors across multiple locations. The result is improved overall projector total cost of ownership (TCO) plus greater projector availability to support learning objectives.

Networked projectors expand instruction options. Educators can send content to one or more projectors from any location with network access. A single high-school or higher-ed instructor can transmit the same course material to several classrooms or auditoriums at the same time. In elementary schools, students in multiple classrooms can simultaneously view virtual field trips,
author talks or other content. The possibilities for cost-effectively extending learning opportunities are limitless. Remote network management saves IT time.

Staff can monitor and control all campus or classroom projectors from a single PC. Routine maintenance can be
accomplished without the need for physical contact with each projector. Real-time email alerts provide maintenance updates. Automatic alters include everything from power status and lamp life to unit presence and warnings. Many remote operations enable rapid response. These preventative actions minimize downtime – a big plus for learning.

Short-Throw and Ultra-Short-Throw Education Projector Solutions

Classroom size, space constraints, and desired image size are important to  consider when choosing an education projector solution. Here’s why: The farther any projector is from the screen, the larger the image it can project. However, the distance a projector must be from the screen to project the same size image varies. This difference is called a projector’s “throw ratio.”

The throw ratio is determined by the type of lens used. It’s determined by the following equation. The distance (D) of the lens from the screen divided by the width (W) of the projected image. D/W = projection ratio. Projectors are classified as regular, short, and ultra-short throw. For example, if a classroom has an 80” screen, a standard throw projector will need to be at least 7- 8 feet from the screen. A short-throw projector will need to be 3-3.5 feet away. And an ultra-short throw projector can be as close as 2-2.5
feet from the screen. In general, a regular throw ratio is 1.1 and above. Short-throw projector ratios are from 0.6 to 0.8.  Ultra-short throw ratios are anything less than 0.5.

In many classrooms, it can be difficult to project a reasonably-sized image with a standard throw projector. In smaller classrooms, it would need to be placed close to the screen. The result would be a small projected image size difficult for all students to see. Additionally, mounting projectors directly above the audience is often prohibited. So again, the projector may need to be
mounted close to the screen to avoid being above students. Even in larger classrooms, standard-throw projectors can be problematic. Because they’re situated behind students, they can create distracting lights and shadows.

Because of these constraints and concerns, education projectors with a shorter throw distance are an ideal solution for classrooms.

Short-throw projectors reduce the projection distance by more than half. Projectors with a high-quality short-throw lens enable stunning, big-screen results. Even in small spaces. Furthermore, short-throw lenses reduce shadowing on the projected image.
 They spare students from the distraction of blinding lights.

Ultra-short throw projectors add to the advantages of their short-throw cousins. Ultra-close installation eliminates shadows, glare, hotspots, and reflection. These advantages are enabled by a highly specialized lens. Until around 2010, these lenses were cost-prohibitive for most schools. The tech has since become much more prevalent in school systems.

Interactive Education Projector Solutions

Interactive technology is one of the fastest-growing EdTech categories. Numerous studies have shown that student engagement and learning outcomes improve when it’s employed. The interactive whiteboard (IWB) is the most well-known of these technologies. Recently, interactive touch screen displays have been gaining traction. Interactive projectors were introduced in 2009.

Interactive education projectors use tech that was previously only available in interactive flat panels (IFPs). With these projectors, any flat surface can become interactive. Users can write, draw, and annotate on the projected image with interactive pens. Interactive software, which varies by manufacturer, lets multiple users interact at the same time. Other features may include background
templates and copy-saving capabilities. A reveal curtain or spotlight may be offered to highlight content. Often, interactive pens can also be used as a wireless mouse to conveniently drag or open files.

Interactive education projector solutions offer advantages over traditional IWBs. Not the least of these is a lower initial cost to implement. Another benefit is the ability to easily integrate with many existing IWB systems. This offers a cost-effective way to upgrade to more advanced capabilities.