ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years ago - Karel Bata

Buy one!

Offices throw out old projectors all the time. These are used for presentations and they want the sharpest and brightest. In addition they're all moving to HDMI (and soon 4k) so there's a lot of old VGA models out there and they just want to be rid of them. If your projected video is in the background and out of focus a VGA will probably be fine. I've got a couple that cost £2,400 each ten years ago, but were £35 on eBay! Someone had a glut of them. (And they put out 3,000 lumens!)

Here's a guide to projectors http://www.creativeapplications.net/tutorials/guide-to-projectors-for-interactive-installations/ This is really for projection mapping users (one of my areas) but there's some good info in there.

Ask at http://www.avsforum.com/forum/index.php for their advice.

Solid reviews accessible here http://www.projectorcentral.com/

And here's eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&LH_ItemCondition=4&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo=30&_udhi=80&_nkw=vga%20projector&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1
I see the Epson EMP 3300 is going for £30. But Projector Central tells me it puts only 330 lumens. That's rubbish. You're aiming at 2,000 lumens. Here's one boasting a low use lamp life (important) which will give you that at £75. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEC-VT590-2000-LUMENS-LOW-USE-LAMP-720p-1080i-HD-READY-LCD-PROJECTOR-HDTV-/252039470438?hash=item3aaeb91d66 Usual eBay caveats.

Best of luck!

10 years ago - David Smith

Hi Sam,
I'm sure Karel's advice is very sound.
I have an excellent Sanyo XP55 projector which throws out 4500 lumens:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/pdf/projector_manual_2199.pdf
Unfortunately, I'm too precious about it to let it go out for dry hire but I could supply it and myself (inc travel) for £50, which may be too much for your budget. It will plug into a laptop and I last used it a few weeks ago at a public event throwing a 12ft wide picture.
Best Wishes, David 07710 516010

10 years ago - Sam Jeffreys

Thank you very much Karel. That's a big help!

10 years ago - Sam Jeffreys

Thanks David. Appreciate your offer - sounds good and will let you know if there's anything in future. However, we have now sorted out a screen for this shoot.