When Renting a DLP or LCD Multimedia Projector, you need to match the brightness of the projector to your audience and room size. Large rooms and audiences require high bulb strength brightness. (Projector bulb strength brightness is measured in ANSI lumens or lumens).

 

Projectors range from around 1000 to 5000 lumens in brightness. The higher the lumen the brighter the projector.

• Less than 1000 lumens  - Good for small presentation with low ambient light. However projectors in this range are seldom found in a modern rental inventory..
• 1000 -2000 lumens -These are the most popular units being sold and rented today. Very practical and will work with some ambient light and audience sizes up to100 people.  
• 3000 lumens - Projectors in this range are much larger units than the1000 to 2000 models. A 3000 lumen projector rental is good for audiences of less than 250 with ambient light.
• 5000 lumens  - For audiences up to 500 or more even under brighter lights
• 6000+ lumens - For large events like conventions, conferences and tradeshows where thousands of people need to view a presentation at the same time.

Another consideration is portability of the projector. Lower lumen units are the most portable. As a general rule, as you increase bulb strength brightness, you reduce portability. High lumen projectors are larger and weigh more than low lumen projectors. 

LCD Projectors vs DLP Projectors

You also need to take into account the primary use of the projector, full motion video vs. static data.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display and DLP stands for Digital Light Processing.

LCD is an analog-based display technology employing three fixed panels of pixels (one panel each for the RED, GREEN, & BLUE components of an NTSC video image).

LCD also delivers a somewhat sharper image than DLP at any given resolution.

LCD projectors work better for static Microsoft PowerPoint® presentations or detailed financial spreadsheets. DLP works better for full motion video.

LCD projectors usually produce significantly higher ANSI lumen outputs than do DLP projectors with the same wattage lamp.

DLP projectors have a much higher pixel “fill factor” than LCD. DLP-based projectors generally produce a much smoother looking image compared to LCD-based projectors of similar resolution.

DLP-based projectors have a high contrast ratio and efficient use of light. Contrast ratio compares the ratio between the brightest white and the darkest black that a projector can produce. Generally, a better contrast ratio leads to better black levels and, therefore, a more realistic presentation of darker scenes in movies and TV programs.

DLP projectors consists of a single chip rather than three in LCD projectors. DLP projectors tend to be more compact because they have fewer components.

All of the current 3-pound portable projectors on the market are DLP projectors. Most LCD projectors are five pounds and up. The higher lumen models are significantly heavier and larger. High lumen projectors are not considered portable.

See our Projector Blog that offers great projector advice concerning projector contrast ratios, projector screens, and even bulb life.

*NEW - Consider using a DVD Projector Rental for those times when your presentation is DVD based and a laptop is not needed.  High Definition Projector Rentals capable of HD playback from Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are also available.

*NEW - Projector Rentals can now be bundled with Laptop Rentals for cost savings.