Presentation Hardware - Plasma or Projection?
Discussion
I have to buy some presentation hardware for our offices. I'm torn between Plasma or Projection hardware. Projectors have the obvious benefit of being portable. On the other hand a plasma screen could also be used on the odd roadshow and other public presentations where a projector would look a bit naff. The main thing that worries me anout Plasma is the viewing angle. Is it as bad as LCD where you have to be sat right in front of the thing? I'm worried that people on the edge of the room may not be able to see the image on a plasma screen.
Our exisiting projector is oretty old. It is mounted below the height of the screen and this angle makes text on the image distorted and hard to read. The new projector would have to be mounted at a similar height. Do newer projectors have some sort of facility to compensate for this projection angle or are they still best placed at the same height as screen?
Can anyone recommend some hardware (either projection or plasma) thats worth investigating?
Our exisiting projector is oretty old. It is mounted below the height of the screen and this angle makes text on the image distorted and hard to read. The new projector would have to be mounted at a similar height. Do newer projectors have some sort of facility to compensate for this projection angle or are they still best placed at the same height as screen?
Can anyone recommend some hardware (either projection or plasma) thats worth investigating?
projection will be bigger and no viewing angle problems. Keystone will compensate for projection angle and some come with horizontal keystone so that the projector can be off to one side.
2 technologies DLP or LCD. If you like the look of something get a demo. Paper specs are all well and good but nothing like a proper demo where you can play with the settings etc. The DLPs I've seen have stronger colours /harsher, LCDs have been better at subtle colours but as I say get a demo
plasma will be brighter probably but I find them too small if you are in a decent size room.
2 technologies DLP or LCD. If you like the look of something get a demo. Paper specs are all well and good but nothing like a proper demo where you can play with the settings etc. The DLPs I've seen have stronger colours /harsher, LCDs have been better at subtle colours but as I say get a demo
plasma will be brighter probably but I find them too small if you are in a decent size room.
I happen to resell AV kit 
The best way to describe a plasma image is like a big flat TV. There's no problem with viewing angle, unlike LCDs.
However if it's big image size you're after than projectors are far cheaper. The distortion you describe is called keystoning and any decent projector will have a control that allows you to dial it out.
Another consideration is ambient light. If you want to use it in a bright room, plasma wins.
As far as recommendations go, I'm not partisan as I supply to order. However the old rule of 'you get what you pay for' still applies. I also get to hear of special offers quite often which might sway you one way or the other. If you'd like to know what's available at present please mail me.
The best way to describe a plasma image is like a big flat TV. There's no problem with viewing angle, unlike LCDs.
However if it's big image size you're after than projectors are far cheaper. The distortion you describe is called keystoning and any decent projector will have a control that allows you to dial it out.
Another consideration is ambient light. If you want to use it in a bright room, plasma wins.
As far as recommendations go, I'm not partisan as I supply to order. However the old rule of 'you get what you pay for' still applies. I also get to hear of special offers quite often which might sway you one way or the other. If you'd like to know what's available at present please mail me.
As much as Plasma would be ideally better than projection for the duality of roadshow usage and corporate office presentations, they are still heavy and require additional items to mount, unless they are sat on the table everyone's around.
I'd certainly take issue with LCD being a non starter for presentation work - utter nonsense!
For a start, it'll have a higher resolution and colour problems, brightness and viewing angle are all things of the past. In fact, aside from only a few Plasmas (Pioneer/Panasonic), the LCDs nowadays are more than holding their own against the cheaper branded Plasmas (Hitachi/etc).
Coupled with their lighter weight, they are much easier to lug around, esp in a well designed flite case. Certainly more appealing than having to haul a projector, laptop, screen up a couple of flights of stairs.
Only downside to the Plasmsas and LCDs is the size of display, but unless you need 100" diagonal throws, they will be more than adequate at 36-42", and even 32" may suffice.
If you use a Mac for your presentation (Office 2004 being fully compatible with its PC version), then if you ever need to run video, QT7 with the new H.264 codec (Hi-Def) will deliver the wow factor.
>> Edited by pjskel on Wednesday 18th May 15:07
I'd certainly take issue with LCD being a non starter for presentation work - utter nonsense!
For a start, it'll have a higher resolution and colour problems, brightness and viewing angle are all things of the past. In fact, aside from only a few Plasmas (Pioneer/Panasonic), the LCDs nowadays are more than holding their own against the cheaper branded Plasmas (Hitachi/etc).
Coupled with their lighter weight, they are much easier to lug around, esp in a well designed flite case. Certainly more appealing than having to haul a projector, laptop, screen up a couple of flights of stairs.
Only downside to the Plasmsas and LCDs is the size of display, but unless you need 100" diagonal throws, they will be more than adequate at 36-42", and even 32" may suffice.
If you use a Mac for your presentation (Office 2004 being fully compatible with its PC version), then if you ever need to run video, QT7 with the new H.264 codec (Hi-Def) will deliver the wow factor.
>> Edited by pjskel on Wednesday 18th May 15:07
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