Projecting for Profit: A Sourcebook Annual Report
Outstanding ROI
We all know that a powerful, lightweight digital projector can add impact and value to a business presentation. Recent research indicates that equipping key managers with portable projectors is also one of the best technology investments you can make in terms of cost savings, increased productivity, and ROI. According to a recent study by IDC of more than 250 organizations, the average three-year return on investment for digital projectors is 328%. Thus the typical projector pays for itself in less than seven months. Since these figures are based on an estimated average cost of $3,900, and the price of projectors has fallen significantly over the past eight months, the payoff picture is even brighter for businesses that invest in presentation technology now.
For example, the new X1 projector from InFocus costs around $1,699, yet (at 1000 ANSI lumens and weighing less than 6.8 lbs.) it is powerful enough for use in large conference rooms. Because the X1 is powered by the latest DLP? technology from Texas Instruments, it delivers excellent video quality as well as top-notch reproduction of PowerPoint presentations. This combined capability is particularly important for the secondary application for these devices-use at home for informal business meetings and family entertainment.
No Place Like Home
Increasingly, portable business projectors are also being used at home-boosting morale, solidifying business relationships, and improving the quality of downtime. One common scenario involves an informal big-screen presentation to key personnel or business associates, followed by refreshments and the relaxed viewing of a sporting event or the latest movie on DVD. Other uses include family education and entertainment-from The Lord of the Rings to Clifford Musical Memory Games.
The Bottom Line
As rewarding as it may be to use these projectors at home, increased business productivity is their primary advantage. According to IDC, the average amount of time saved through the use of digital projectors-compared to overheads and other methods-was more than 100 hours per year per projector. When digital projectors were used, meetings were almost 20% shorter-an average time saving of 23 minutes per meeting. More than 20% of users also reported that they experienced a significant reduction in the number of meetings required.
The research also showed that "an audience's attention to and understanding of the information being presented are all greatly improved when digital projectors are used." In the IDC study, an "enhanced ability to persuade was noted by 90% of the business-projector buyers and users." This power of digital projectors and presentations to substantially increase the communications productivity of key sales, training, and management people is beyond value.
The complete IDC White Paper, "Projecting Value-The ROI Benefits of Digital Projectors," is available online at www.infocus.com.
Digital Light Processing
Recent advances in presentation technology have made it possible to produce cost-effective projectors that are portable and powerful enough for mobile presentations, with picture quality high enough for video and home theater use. The new, second-generation DLP? (Digital Light Projection) technologies from Texas Instruments are among the most important of these developments. These have been incorporated into units from InFocus and other manufacturers to produce projectors with extraordinary performance. These great new machines range from full-featured, super-compact units that weigh less than three pounds, to cost-effective portables that are equally at home in the boardroom or the family room.
Better Picture Quality
The most obvious advantage that projector manufacturers (and their customers) gain from the use of these new chips is significantly better picture quality-superior in many ways to the "boardroom-class" projectors of just a few years ago. Projector contrast ratios as high as 3000:1 produce pictures with deeper blacks, brighter whites, and added visual "snap" in all sorts of images. Older projectors of all types, with contrast ratios in the range of 100:1 to 400:1, were also more susceptible to the adverse effects of less than ideal presentation environments. Even small amounts of ambient light on a screen tended to wash out the picture, and images projected on off-white painted walls often appeared lifeless and dull.
According to Frank Moizio, Manager of Worldwide Strategic Marketing and Business Development for Texas Instruments DLP Business Products, the reduced pixelization of DLP-based projectors also gives them a big visual advantage. "The gaps between pixels of competing technology panels are substantially larger than the gaps between pixel elements for DLP," says Moizio, "so competing technologies often exhibit a 'screen door' effect-similar to viewing an image with a mesh screen in front of it." Since DLP has a relatively high fill factor, it is capable of producing more seamless, film-like images. According to Moizio, this is one of the reasons why DLP is the technology of choice for digital cinema applications.
Another advantage of DLP technology is seen when projecting fast-moving images-such as sporting events, the animated computer graphics used in presentations, and even computer games. Due to the relatively high switching speed of DLP (up to 1,000 times faster than some competing technologies), DLP-based systems can more accurately display dynamic images, while technologies with slower response times may produce some image smearing.
The Long Haul
Many presenters take their projectors on the road during the week, and bring them home on weekends. The additional wear and tear resulting from travel and home activities makes durability and reliability an important factor in choosing a projector. In these applications, DLP's resistance to "burn-in" can be a key advantage. Many commonly projected images have portions that are static and rarely change or move. These include the menus on video games as well as logos and backgrounds in many business presentations. These unchanging images can cause "burn-in" in the display device, leaving a distracting residual (ghost) image. Unlike many other projection elements, DLP's digital micromirror devices are not susceptible to "burn-in," and thus can be a better choice for the wide range of applications-from video games to business presentations-where this might be a problem.
Get the Digital Advantage with Texas Instruments DLP?
DLP technology is widely acknowledged within the industry as enabling projectors to deliver image quality unequalled by any other projection technology. Clarity, sharpness and brightness are key features of DLP technology-and its video performance has ensured that it is now the technology of choice in home entertainment projectors as well as business projectors. But DLP technology has another important advantage over its competitors: the outstanding image quality you get out of the box is maintained throughout the projector's life, with none of the degradation associated with alternative technologies. Add to these the fact that DLP technology-enabled projectors are more flexible and versatile because they are smaller, lighter, and deliver more brightness per pound of weight-and you have a winning combination.
For more information on DLP(tm) technology, visit www.dlp.com.
Projectors for Office and Home
Thanks to recent advances in display and video processing technology, a new class of multipurpose projectors has appeared that is equally at home in the boardroom and the family room. These amazing devices combine the high brightness and contrast required for multimedia PowerPoint presentations, with the smooth, lifelike video reproduction that is desirable for home theater use. The same technological advances that gave these new models their versatile and powerful performance features have also helped to make them more affordable. Some multipurpose projectors actually cost hundreds of dollars less than comparable presentation units introduced last year, and thousands less than many older home theater projectors with less impressive specifications and features.
Picture This
A good example of this new class of multipurpose projectors is the new InFocus model X1. Thanks to its second-generation DLP? projection technology from Texas Instruments, the X1 delivers a very crisp picture with an incredible 2000:1 contrast ratio, and a room-filling 1000 ANSI lumens of brightness.
Previous generations of projectors typically delivered contrast ratios from 200:1 to 400:1, but recent advances in DLP technology have made it possible for projector manufacturers, such as InFocus, to produce units with much higher ratios. A high contrast ratio is important for both presentations and video projection. During business presentations, a high contrast ratio produces crisper, snappier text and graphics that are easier to read and appreciate. The audience doesn't have to strain to see your slides, and can more comfortably devote their full attention to you and your message.
When viewing video with a projector, whether the source is a DVD of a movie or a live broadcast of a sporting event, a higher contrast ratio delivers deeper blacks and brighter highlights, helping the projector to produce a greater range of shadow detail and even more lifelike colors.
Taking it Easy
A projector that is easy to hook up and use is essential for both home and frequent office use. If you are going to get the most out of a new projector, in terms of increased productivity at work, it must provide a comfortable user experience for everyone, from power presenters to the previously technophobic. Freed from setup hassles and cryptic remote controls, your staff will be able to concentrate on the content of their presentations, and on communicating with their audience.
For home use, the entire process of setting up and using a projector for entertainment or education should be easy and relaxing. Projectors like the X1 have color-coded cables and user-friendly features, such as instant, seamless switching between computer, video, and game sources-letting you focus on the experience and the people, rather than on the technology and the cables.
The Versatile InFocus X1 Projector
Whether you are delivering a business presentation on the road or enjoying a great movie at home, the new X1 projector from InFocus is the perfect choice.
During business hours, the portable X1 is an outstanding tool for presenters-with a bright 1000-ANSI-lumen picture output and a super crisp 2000:1 contrast ratio. After work, the projector transforms into an exciting home-theater projector that brings out the best in DVDs, video games, broadcast concerts, and sports events.
With a street price of under $1,699 and a long-life, 3000-hour Xenon lamp, the native SVGA InFocus X1 projector that weighs 6.8 lbs., is a powerful presentation and entertainment tool with a very low cost of ownership.
For more information and special offers, visit www.infocus.com call 1-800-294-6400.
Lifelike Video
Whether you are watching a movie at home, or viewing a video-rich multimedia presentation at work, the best of this new breed of multipurpose projectors deliver outstanding video quality and lifelike reproduction. Faroudja Labs has been producing image processors for broadcast and industrial equipment for decades. Over the past few years, the company's digital signal processing (DSP) chips also have found their way into prosumer camcorders, projectors and DVD players. The Faroudja Directional Correlation Deinterlacing (DCDi) image processing technology, found in units like the X1, optimizes video for display with high-resolution projectors-by doubling the number of lines displayed, and minimizing artifacts such as "jaggies" and color bleeding. This processing is particularly important when watching movies on DVD, but also produces significant improvements in picture quality when viewing videotapes or live broadcasts.
In the InFocus X1 projector, the advantages of Faroudja's DCDi processing is augmented by the high "fill factor" of TI's new DLP projector chips, producing an even smoother, more film-like image.
On The Road Again
Traveling has become increasingly difficult and road warriors on the go from one presentation to another need all the help they can get from their portable projectors. Nowhere have the benefits from recent advances in projector technology been more evident than in the new microportable class of DLP projectors. Weighing less than 3 lbs., these modern marvels can travel in the accessory compartment of a laptop computer case, and they provide a bright, hassle-free picture big enough to fill a 10-foot screen.
Digital Wonders
Employing the latest DLP technology, the InFocus LP70 is a fine example of this revolutionary new class of projectors. The projector's rated output of 1100 ANSI lumens is somewhat greater than earlier DLP-based superportables, and the unit's 800:1 contrast ratio is very high for such a small, bright projector. Unlike some earlier, stripped-down superportables, the all-in-one LP70 provides a full range of advanced features targeted at fast setup and full presentation control. These include a one-touch manual zoom lens, a full complement of built-in video and audio connectors, automatic image optimization (based on room lighting), and dual sensors for convenient remote projector control from anywhere in the room.
InFocus includes its Projector Manager Software with the LP70. It's an application that lets presenters precisely control such sophisticated features as Picture-in-Picture (PIP), digital zoom, and picture freeze from their laptop computers. The software also makes it easy to fine-tune image quality, and even to customize start-up screens with your own logo or welcome message.
Having a digital projector with you for that important meeting in another city can help you close that sale, cement that alliance, or get that big project up to speed. Superportable projectors are now making the display of presentations on laptop screens virtually obsolete.
Real Value
Saving valuable time and improving the effectiveness of business communications are two of the most important benefits of deploying portable projectors within your company. As IDC concludes in its report on digital projectors: "Their ability to increase both the efficiency and efficacy of presentations can lead to improved retention, reduced preparation time, and, in some instances, shorter, yet more effective meetings. Even better, the ROI story for digital projectors offers strong evidence of their value and their quick payback to the bottom line"
The Ultraportable InFocus LP70 Projector
Although it weighs less than 2.5 lbs. and can fit in the accessory compartment of your laptop case, the LP70 from InFocus is a powerful, full-featured projector.
Along with its impressive 1100 ANSI lumens of brightness, high contrast ratio of 800:1, and native XGA resolution, the LP70 includes many advanced features usually found only in much larger, more expensive projectors. These include intelligent electronics that optimize the image based on room lighting conditions, an optical zoom lens with one-touch focus and zoom adjustment, and dual sensors for wireless remote control from anywhere in the room. Unlike many other micro-sized projectors, the LP70 operates at a whisper-quiet 32dB, and the all-in-one unit incorporates a wide range of connectivity, including computer, composite, and S-Video and audio input sources.
For more information, visit www.infocus.com or call 1-800-294-6400.
Brightness by the Numbers
The size of your expected audience and the room conditions, such as ambient light, are major factors in selecting the optimum projector. A larger audience requires a bigger screen and a brighter projector; a brightly-lit room demands even more projector power.
Start by determining the size of the screen you'll use for your larger presentations. One good rule of thumb is to divide the distance of the farthest viewer by 8 to get the minimum height of the screen for that room. Thus, a conference room with the furthest seat located 24' from the screen would require at least a 4-foot high screen (typically 50" x 67"). To calculate the brightness of the projector required, multiply the area of the screen (in square feet) by 25. This gives us a figure of 581, which rounds up to a minimum of 600 ANSI lumens of brightness from the projector. Likewise, a 6- x 8-foot screen would require a projector with about 1200 ANSI lumens output. In situations where room or window light "washes out" the screen, a more powerful projector may be required.
Selecting a Projector
Even though there are more than a hundred DLP? and other projectors currently available, choosing the best one for your application is easy if you keep in mind your answers to these four simple questions:
- What kind of content do I need to present?
- To whom will I present, and in what environment?
- Who else will be using this projector?
- What is the maximum total cost-of-ownership that fits my budget?
It's The Content
Projectors with higher native resolution generally cost more than comparable units with lower resolution. The native resolution of a projector is the actual number of pixels the unit can project on a screen. Most models have the ability to "compress" higher-resolution computer images for projection and display the entire image that was on your laptop, but with less usable detail or resolution. A native SVGA (800 x 600 pixels) projector will usually do a good job of projecting a simple PowerPoint or video image from an XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) laptop display, but might not do so well with detailed CAD drawings or a spreadsheet with lots of tiny cells. When in doubt, go for the higher native resolution model if you can afford it.
If you plan to project a lot of video or animated multimedia, choose a projector with advanced video processing capability (e.g., Faroudja DCDi), a good fill factor, and low latency (e.g., DLP). Multipurpose projectors, such as the InFocus, are a good bet for applications that require both high-impact presentations and high-quality video.
Traveling with a projector can be a chore, but you may not need the lightest microportable if you plan to drive to most of your meetings. In that case a 5- to 7-lb. portable unit, such as the InFocus 1000-ANSI-lumen X1 or the 2000-ANSI-lumen LP530, will probably give you more flexibility and presentation bang for your buck.
Who and How
In order for a projector to produce the greatest gains in productivity, its features must fit in with your users' presentation styles and technical abilities. Ease of setup is a key factor, particularly for traveling presenters and slideshow neophytes. Such features as color-coded cables and connectors, automatic adjustment to a variety of inputs, ambient light sensors, and an easy-to-use remote control are also important to these users. For power presenters, flexible remote control software such as Projector Manager from InFocus, is a desirable feature, as are a wireless mouse and DVI input.
Real Cost
Cost of ownership obviously includes more than just the equipment purchase price. In the selection of a digital projector, other important factors include bulb life and replacement cost, and the cost of an extended warranty or field service plan (strongly recommended).
Since smaller, brighter, higher-resolution models cost more, one good way to maximize your projector ROI is to buy a projector with the features and capabilities you really need. Keep in mind that your needs may change over the life of the machine, so select a unit that meets your "projected" needs for at least three years.
