Help me understand digital projectors

[fmw]

As a long time transparency shooter, I'm accustomed to projecting slides on a screen. I understand I can do that with digital images with a digital projector. How is the image quality? Like my 19" monitor at 1024X768? Worse? Better? Does it compare to my 35mm transaprencies? Worse? Better? Do they include software to develop slide shows? How do you install the images in the projector? USB, memory card, DVD? or does it simply attach to a computer and rely on it to house the images and software? How does price relate to image quality?

Sorry about the ignorance. I haven't seen any threads at all on digital projectors. Thanks for any input.

 

[markc]

The projectors I know of plug into the computer as if it were a monitor. Some are basically just a small LCD monitor that has a bright light behind it. Even the cheap ones I'm familiar with are several thousand dollars, but I haven't looked recently. Most people use them for home theaters.

Found this: http://www.projectorreviews.com/advice/hometheater/moneybuys.asp
Looks like they have come down in price, but you still might want to just have your digital files sent to slides for now. The resolution will be a lot higher than any digital projector out there.

 

[astrostu]

Can't really answer your questions, but as to price ... as with any technology, if you can wait, don't buy it now. Digital projectors are a "relatively new" item, and as such the technology is rapidly becomming better and cheaper. This year's model might be a quarter the price by next year.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Just checked B&H prices on LCD projectors they run between $500-2000. I guess some of them should have the option to plug in to both the computer or DVD output. Do you need a projector? Or would displaying photos on a TV work for what you want? Because, If you have a DVD writer in your compute? It should come with software for you to make a DVD to shown on your Tv. One problem I have seen is older DVD player may not support computer written DVD format.

In the Articles of Interest forum there is small tutorial on making slide shows by EBPhotography. I’ve been unhappy with software that came with my DVD writer. EBPhotography recommended programs from both Photodex and Sony. I tried both of them but a like Photodex right off.

For a sample here one I made. Itonly my third film. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap-FY3NEL-4[/ame]

 

[Alex_B]

I am not an expert here myself, but I am facing the same problem/question and so I did some (not that serious) research. I also tried it out on projectors which are not mine though.

I understand I can do that with digital images with a digital projector. How is the image quality? Like my 19" monitor at 1024X768? Worse? Better?

If you get one of the more expensive projectors, you might get the same number of pixels as on screen.

Does it compare to my 35mm transaprencies? Worse? Better?

worse! resolution is lower (see above), colours will vary.

Do they include software to develop slide shows? How do you install the images in the projector? USB, memory card, DVD? or does it simply attach to a computer and rely on it to house the images and software?

normally, the projector can be used like a computer screen, so once you have a software that does a slide show on your computer, then you could just connect the projector to it and project whatever is on the screen.

The few time i did, i simply used my favorite image viewer on my laptop and simply hit the arrow right button to advance to the next image in the folder i displayed

But there are more professional solutions out there ...

How does price relate to image quality?

one problem with todays projectors is colour. most of them are optimised for either projecting business presentations or movies from dvd.

in both cases getting decent colours is not as important as for our images. you lose a lot of details in the graduations, and some colours tones might be way off.

If you really pay alot, yout acceptable projectors though. I tried it on several, normally for me the resolution was ok, but the colours I did not really like if it was the cheaper ones.

 

[Digital Matt]

If you are used to viewing slides on a slide projector, you'll never be happy with a digital projector. You never get true blacks. The contrast is usually flat, and color management becomes an issue once again. You'll most likely see a pretty big difference from what you see on your monitor to what is being projected.

 

[fmw]

Thanks guys. I guess the technology isn't yet where I need it to be.

 

[Alex_B]

Thanks guys. I guess the technology isn't yet where I need it to be.

That was exactly my conclusion and I therefore did not buy a projector.

to get acceptable (which does not mean brilliant) quality you still pay way too much.

I would give it 3 to 5 years still before projector technology will be on the same level as slides.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Thanks guys. I guess the technology isn't yet where I need it to be.

get a large sceen HD Tv they do a nice job at slide shows

 

[Alex_B]

get a large sceen HD Tv they do a nice job at slide shows

my problem is, when i visit places ... carrying a projector is one thing, but carrying an HDTV screen another

and I personally think HDTV quality is very poor unless you go into 10000 USD price range

 

[markc]

and I personally think HDTV quality is very poor unless you go into 10000 USD price range

I have to disagree with that. My roommate has a JVC 61" DILA 1080p HDTV. The thing is amazing to my eyes. What are you comparing to? It might not match a good slide, but for TV, it's outstanding.

 

[Alex_B]

I have to disagree with that. My roommate has a JVC 61" DILA 1080p HDTV. The thing is amazing to my eyes. What are you comparing to? It might not match a good slide, but for TV, it's outstanding.

comparing to my old and out-of-fashion Sony Triniton TV.

But then again I never did any proper research and haven't seen that JVC yet.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Sorry Fred for highjacking your thread.

I have 22-inch Sony Triniton flat tube ($450ish) and one of my friends has a Sony HD. It’s the 60-inch model ($3500ish) the picture is fabulous with HD or DVD. And I would say the picture is better that mine but not 3k better it’s just bigger. I did a slide show on it last year it came out nice.