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Pub projectors
Projector Point can help you select the right projector for your public house.
There are lots of considerations in ensuring you get the right set up, the main factor thats effects your choice
is the contamination due to dust. Just give us a call to find out just how easy it is to select the right
projector package along with projector screens, projector mounts and cables to make
your installation professional but also cost effective.
When choosing a projector for your pub you will want to take the following points into consideration:
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Dust Screen Size Brightness Contrast Connectivity Resolution Bulb Life Mounting Options |
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Dust
This is probably the most important place
to start. With the 1st July 2007 UK smoking ban in enclosed public spaces now in effect, this opens up a wider choice of projectors available to you. You need to be sure that the projector you choose is capable of being used in a potentially dusty environment. If it can't, the dust can clog the internal workings and reduce the life expectancy of not only the lamp but also the projector.
Projectors that use LCD technology are particularly vulnerable, as dust can
adhere to the LCD panels. On the other hand most DLP projectors have sealed optics making them easier to maintain in smokey environments.
There are several ways to protect your projector from dust. A common form of protecting the projector
is to house this in a separate dust box. This is a protective housing that has external filters meaning the contaminated air is
cleaned before it gets to the projector. If you would like more details please contact us.
Screen Size
This is also quite an important consideration, as if your preferred projector can't produce the right size image for your pub you can eliminate it from your shortlist straight away. See our screen size calculator for help on screen sizes. If the projector you're considering is not listed, please call us with the dimensions of your room, and we'll check the screen size for you.
Brightness is an important consideration in selecting the right projector for your public house. Pubs can be very bright environments during the day when the big match days are being played. it's likely you won't have the ability to control or dim the light entering the room. It is therefore recomended that you choose a projector that has a high ANSI lumens (brightness) rating (at least 2700 lumens). The extra brightness delivered by a brighter projector will certainly help the image to be more visible, although reducing the ambient light on the screen will have an even greater effect.
Manufacturers who generally offer high brightness projectors at very competitive prices come from the likes of BenQ, InFocus or Optoma.
Contrast is a factor to look at when deciding what projector you need for your pub. It is measured as a
'contrast ratio', e.g. 400:1. This tells you the difference in brightness between a 'fully on' pixel and a 'fully off' pixel. For instance, on a projector with a 400:1 contrast ratio, and (for simplicity's sake) a 400 lumen brightness rating, 'fully off'
pixels would actually be 1 lumen in brightness.
(Incidentally, you may be wondering why a 'fully off' pixel has any brightness at all.
Unfortunately there is some 'leaking' of light with all projectors which means black is not actually pitch black, which is why we keep putting quotation marks around 'fully off'!).
So that's the technical explanation over. What does contrast actually mean to you?
Essentially, the higher contrast on a projector increases the perception of depth in the image, and means subtle colour variations show up more clearly, especially in dimly lit environments.
Nearly all of the projectors we sell come with the following 'essential' connections:
- S-Video
- Composite
- VGA (for connecting a PC)
See our Connections article for more information on this subject.
When looking through the specifications of projectors available at Projector Point, you'll notice they're generally classified as having either SVGA or XGA resolution. The resolution you opt for determines how many pixels the projector can display at one
time, which in turn affects the smoothness of the image.
Resolution shouldn't drastically affect your choice of the projector for your pub. If you think about what you are going to be displaying, that is Sky or terrestrial TV, then this actually has a lower resolution than SVGA (800 x 600 pixels). The only reason you should consider moving up to XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) is if you are thinking of projecting an image larger than 6ft wide. This will help reduce the pixelation and give you a crisper image.
See our article 'Projector Resolution' for more information on this subject.
You might have noticed how expensive replacement lamps are for projectors. With
this in mind, a long lamp life is a definite advantage.
2000 hours is about average. Some projectors go up to 6000 hours. With a lamp module costing about £350, a 2000 hour lamp works out under 20p an hour of usage, relatively cost effective, but may be a price consideration.
We should also stress that lamp lives quoted are typical and there does tend to be variation in how long they last, particularly in dusty environments. A well maintained projector will typically go through fewer replacement lamps.
There are many options available to you and your pub. Pubs tend to vary in shape and form so there are several ways to complete your installation. Our ceiling mounts can be made to order, catering for most drops. If its not convenient to ceiling mount the projector there are a range of wall mounts available, or special mounts that can connect to girders or rigging.
If you are unable to mount the projector in front of the screen, another option would be rear projection. Our sales staff can help find the right solution for you.
| Projectors | Plasma Screens | |
| Pros | Enormous image Discreet Easily put away when not in use |
Less affected by dust Less affected by ambient light |
| Cons | Dust can be a problem with some projectors Bright ambient light reduces image quality |
Smaller image Typically more expensive than projectors Difficult to move if needed Less discreet than projectors |
Plasma screens are avaailable at PlasmaPoint.co.uk
Still confused?
If you need help, we're here to deliver it. Just give us a call for expert advice on choosing a projector suitable for your public house.