Choosing the Right Projector for Your Meetings

When it comes to technology, many people like to think they are well-versed. However, ask anybody about projector technology and all that knowledge they thought they had goes right out the window. Projectors are a rare field of study for most tech enthusiasts and with all the different sizes, styles, brands and qualities out there, picking the right one can be difficult. But what if your boss gives you the task of finding the perfect projector for your company’s newest meeting and conference room? Do you think you would be able to pick the right one?

Picking the right projector for your company’s meeting room is never easy, and if you get one that lacks substance, quality and performance, you may find yourself in the doghouse with the boss. If you are planning on acquiring a projector for your company’s meeting room, then you have to take a few things into consideration first. Knowing the ins and outs of projectors and how they work is key.

Brightness
When dealing with brightness, you have to consider a few things. You need to know how big of a picture you need to produce in order for everybody to see it clearly and whether you are going to use it with the lights on or off. This will help you determine the brightness level required of your projector. Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens with the average everyday projector running anywhere from 500 to 2100 lumens. If you are running the projector in a well-lit room, then you obviously need more lumens.

For a quick reference 500-1000 lumens is good for a 5′ to 6′ screen in a small room with no lighting. 1000-1500 lumens is good for a 8′ to 10′ screen size in a medium-sized room with dim lighting. 1500-2000 lumens is good for screen sizes between 12′ and 25′ in a large meeting room and more than 2000 lumens works well with 12′ to 25′ screens in large rooms with dim lighting or smaller rooms with bright lighting.

Resolution
If you want the clearest picture possible, then you have to go for a projector with good clarity. The key to clarity is finding a projector with a high resolution. Your projector’s resolution is directly linked with the resolution of the computer you have the projector connected to. Your projector resolution must be equal to the resolution of the monitor you are using. Your average desktop has a resolution of about 800 x 600 pixels with your average laptop coming in at 1024 x768 or even 1280 x 1024. Another thing to consider is whether or not you want your projector to accommodate guest laptops. If so, then you will need to find a projector that has XGA resolution as opposed to SVGA resolution.

Brands and Pricing
Thankfully for you, the price of multimedia projectors has been on a steady decline for the past couple of years. The price of a multimedia projector in today’s market can be as low as $2000 or as high as over $11,000. Brand names like Toshiba, InFocus, Sharp, NEC, Sony and Panasonic will cost you more .

Ceiling Mount
Another thing you need to consider is where you will be placing this projector.  In meeting rooms projectors are most often mounted on the ceiling. If this is the style you are looking for, then you need to be sure and pick up a certain type of projector. If you are going to ceiling mount it, then you need a projector that is first of all able to be mounted on a ceiling, and secondly, you need to make sure that it has an inverted lens so your picture doesn’t end up displaying upside down.

Demonstrations
Before you commit to a projector, be sure to ask the sales clerk if you can see a demonstration of the product. If you want to, you could even ask for a side-by-side demonstration of multiple projectors that you may be interested in. Seeing a variety of different projectors displayed in front of you is the best way to tell if you are getting what you want and need.

So there you have it, a simple list of a few things to consider before acquiring a new projector for your company’s meeting and conference room. If you follow these simple suggestions, then I guarantee you will find your boss’s approval awaiting you at your next meeting.

Make your next corporate business meeting really shine with a Projector Rental from Rentacomputer.com. They offer a wide range of projectors including Hitachi Projector Rentals. Rentacomputer.com has been in the projector rental industry for over 20 years and delivers to more than 1000 cities worldwide.

6 Tips to Extend the Life of your Projector

Extend Your Life: Don’t Operate in a Smoky Environment 

Projectors can be expensive to purchase if you don’t follow these 6 tips for extending your projector life. If you only need a projector once or twice per year, then renting a projector is a better idea.

Here are 6 things you can do to extend the life of your projector

1. Read the instruction manual.
This is the most basic way to extend the life of your projector. Read the manual that was included with your projector. The manual will provide tips on how to properly operate the device and store the projector. It will also provide precautions to avoid damage to yor projector.

2. Let the Projector to cool before packing away
If you want to extend the lamp life of your projector, you need to let your unit cool completely before turning it off or unplugging it. Excessive heat is a huge contributor to the shortening of a projector’s lamp life. Due to this fact, it is also important to remember not to utilize your projector in direct sunlight or near a heat source.

3. Change the filter.
Didn’t know your projector comes with a filter? It might have one and if it does, the specifics about changing your projector’s filter can be found in the user’s manual. If you don’t change the filter, you shorten your life.

4. Make sure the filter is properly installed
Do not operate your projector without a filter. If you do this, dust can be drawn into the optics of the projector, which will then cause the dust particles to show up on your projected image.

5. Don’t Smoke
Don’t operate your projector in a smoky environment. The smoke can cause damage to the optics of your device, and smoke damage is not covered under most projector’s warranties. Smoke shortens the life of your projector.

6. Store Your Projector Properly
It is important to store your projector in a cool, dry space to extend the life of the projector. Also concern should be take to store in a place where the projector will not be easy bumped.

If this story sparks your interest then you may also like Tips to Caring for Your Projector on The Projector Blog.

Do you need an Electro Voice Speaker System Rental? If so then call Rentacomputer.com today at 800-736-8772.

Build Your Own Projection Screen

Projectors are expensive, but what can really gall someone is buying that super-expensive projector and having to spend a ton of money on the screen as well. While nothing can replace a high-tech projector, with a few supplies a projection screen can be built for under $100 and function just as well as a store bought screen and look just as good too. Here is a supply list as well as the places that will have to be visited to buy said supplies.

Supplies:

Super-white seamless paper 53″

Wood for frame

L bracket and screws

Velveteen fabric in black

Elmers Glue

To obtain the super-white seamless paper the best place to visit is a camera store. This paper is used as a backdrop for photographers and happens to be the perfect size for projection screens. The wood frame, L bracket, screws, and Elmers Glue can be found at any local hardware store, and the velveteen fabric can be found at a  craft or fabric store.

The wood frame needs to be made of 1×4 poplar wood. Poplar wood is strong, lightweight, and smooth enough not to catch on the fabric. The 1×4 wood will give your screen a border that is 3.5″  around. Have the hardware store employees cut two of the boards to a length of 55.25″ and the other two to 93.5″.  Once this is done, see if it is possible to have the ends cut to a 45 degree angle, and if they are unable to do it at the store, take it home and cut it yourself with a handsaw.  While at the hardware store, pick up four flat L brackets that are six inches long on both sides and  twenty four 3/4 Philips wood screws. After the hardware store, the last stop is the fabric store. Pick up three feet of black velveteen fabric to wrap your wood frame in.

Step one

Cut the boards to the correct lengths and angles if not done at the hardware store. 55.25″ for two of the boards and 93.5″ for the other two, ends at a 45 degree angle.

Step two

Cut the fabric into four 6.5″ wide strips, with two  58″ in length for the sides and two strips for the bottom and top edges  being about 96″ in length. Lay the fabric on a flat surface with the board on top and wrap the fabric around the board stapling it into place as you go. If the fabric slides, use a little glue to hold it into place until the fabric is fixed to the wood all the way around. Carefully cut the fabric to match the 45 degree angles and glue in place if necessary.

Step three

Arrange the fabric-covered pieces of board in a rectangle, placing an L bracket at each corner. Holding the two boards firmly in place, screw six of the screws into the L brackets. Repeat for each corner.

Step four

Lay the super-white paper over the frame and keep it taut. Starting at one of the 55″ sides staple the paper into place, one staple every 9″ is sufficient. Once the paper is secured, trim it up around the edges so it doesn’t hang over the frame.

There you have it! The finished frame should look professional enough to be mounted on the wall for meetings or even at home for a home theater. The total cost of the supplies should be under $100 and it should look like it came side by side with your new projector.

How to handle secondary conversations

Chances are if you call a meeting then you have something important to say, but in all offices or businesses there is going to be outside conversation that leaks into the meeting room. During computer and projector meetings it is exceedingly important to have the full attention of your audience. Off-topic subjects can range from office gossip, to relationship talk, and even children. Regardless, talk between meeting participants that does not have to do with the subject matter of the meeting can distract from what is important and ruin the professional atmosphere you are trying to project. Below I’m going to go over a few tips to keep all eyes and ears on you, and ensure whatever you are trying to convey in the meetings is heard and absorbed by all.

Be non-verbal and non-threatening

There is no reason to embarrass someone for a first offense, so when two or more meeting participants are chatting on the side, make eye contact with each of them to let them know their conversation has drawn attention. Let your cues be non-verbal so that the speaker is not interrupted. Signal the offenders to quiet down with a clear hand signal and leave it at that. Speaking up or calling someone out has the negative outcome of making the offenders only dwell on getting in trouble, and not the subject of the meeting.

If chatter continues, call the talkers out in a non-threatening manner

On the off chance that the people holding the sideline conversation do not stop after a non-verbal cue is given, it is appropriate to call the talkers out in a manner that does not put them in a negative light with their peers but forces them to pay attention. One method is to ask the opinion of one of the people holding the secondary conversation. Ask things like, “Do you feel that this is a good idea, Margaret?” or “Do you have anything to add, Joe?”. By grabbing attention in a non-threatening manner the participant in the secondary conversation is made to pay attention or risk the embarrassment of being ignorant on the subject matter. Another tactic is to ask to borrow the notes of someone involved in the talking. Say that you missed the last part, and ask if they could give you a quick rundown of what was just said.

Keep control without getting angry

Sometimes things can just get out of hand, especially if the person who has the floor has a meek personality or does not know how to handle a large crowd of his or her peers. If competing conversations continue to the point where multiple conversations are being held, it may be necessary to bring the conversations to a halt by addressing the room. Avoid sarcasm or anger so that no one feels intimidated or embarrassed. Comment on your own inability to hear whoever has the floor and calmly guide attention back to the presentation. With the whole group’s attention it is very unlikely anyone’s thoughts will stray to other conversations again.

Keep the presentation entertaining

When running a computer and projector presentation, the biggest key to keeping other conversations from springing up is to hold everyone’s interest. Make sure the projector screen is large enough that everyone can see and that everything on the computer is running smoothly. Keep the presentation engaging and fast paced while still being informative. Incorporate humor and ask lots of questions of the audience. If you do not have the floor, make sure to be engaged in the presentation being given. Laugh at the jokes and ask questions. Hopefully everyone will follow your lead and enjoy the presentation instead of viewing it as a chore.

Using these tips it should be easy to control the crowd and keep everyone focused. Low stress, highly interactive meetings are good for business and good for employees. Successful meetings help reestablish a feeling of group pride and motivation in offices and it is important to have a firm handle on these meetings to keep your work environment a happy one.

Projector Rentals for Just about Any Occasion

Projectors are well known for their large screen sizes, brightness, image quality, their ability to adapt to any size venue, and most importantly their lightweight bodies which can easily be transported. Projector Rentals are primarily used in situations where you want to make a big impression without spending the big bucks usually associated with high-end audio visual equipment. Best of all, projectors are extremely effective in just about any situation where there is a grouping of people.

The following examples are just some of the many uses that Projector Rentals are fantastic for.

Projector Rentals in the Classroom – Projectors are very popular at education seminars where an auditoruim can be filled with 300+ students, all whom need to see a crisp and bright screen. Large venue projectors fit the bill in cases such as these but there are also occasions when you need a smaller projector. Classes with as little 10 people often see guest speakers that utilize a low lumen projector to enhance their presentations.

Projector Rentals at Graduation Parties – Graduation parties are very special occasions that illicit friends and family to go above and beyond to celebrate a very important stepping stone in the graduates life. What better way to commemorate the occasion than with a high definition projector rental that is capable of playing slide shows, home movies, and even Blu Ray dvd’s with an excellent picture quality that everyone attending can see.

Projector Rentals for Conventions and Trade Shows – When participating in a convention or trade show, the ultimate goal is to get your product and services recognized among all attendees. Imagine an entire wall displaying exactly what your business is about with you nearby to engage in conversation and explain in greater detail to those wanting to know more. If you have ever been to a convention or trade show, it’s nearly impossible to miss a brightly lit and colorful screen with an enthusiastic presentation, even at an event with hundreds of competing display booths.

Projector Rentals for Business Meetings – Business professionals find themselves traveling nearly every single day across the country to attend corporate meetings and conferences. Many of these traveling businessmen and women are expected to give presentations at their respective meetings and turn to projector rentals which can be delivered straight to their meeting and used in conjunction with their laptops. This allows the business professionals flexibility as they don’t need to worry about traveling with a projector which could be damaged or stolen. Some even opt for a projector and laptop rental bundle so they don’t have to worry about losing sensitive data on their personal laptop over a short business trip.

Projector Rentals at a Grand Opening – So you are planning to open a brand new business and are looking for ways to grap peoples attention and maybe even explain a little bit what your business is about. How often do you find yourself watching the TV’s as you pass by an electronic store. Now imagine how much attention a screen would garner thats 3 or 4 times that size and you have a general idea of how a projector would behave in a similar scenario.

Projector Rentals in a Training Environment – The times are changing and so are the skills needed to stay up to date with the competition. Don’t try to find new employees, instead invest in your own with a short term training program. A projector just goes without saying in any kind of teaching environment. Whether its 10 or 100 employees, a projector is an outstanding way to ensure everybody can see the main points.

Projector Rentals for the Aspiring Artist – Projectors have been found to aid artists and painters working on a very large scale project. They can be used to trace concept art on a wall and can help an artist scale their designs better when using a small graphic to aid in the painting of an exponentially larger one.

Projector Rentals for Family Reunions – Family reunions are another special occasion which occurs very rarely and sees over the top presentations and technology. A custom in my family is to have a projector run a slide show of all the pictures taken from the previous family reunion and the time in between. Anyone can donate pictures to the slide show and there are always family members who try to one-up each other by sending embarassing photos of each other. Everyone always holds their breath because you never know what picture is going to pop up next and it allows you to better know the family which you may not regularly talk too. It’s amazingly fun and easily one of the best reasons to attend my family reunions, and all I need is a Sony Projector Rental.

Plasma Rental and LCD Display Rental Solutions for Meeting Managers

Photo: LCD and Plasmas come in many sizes. We help you decide which size it best for you.

Help with your Meeting and Trade Show Technology

Many meetings and trade Shows are already planned for the year. Now its time to start thinking about the technology you need. Here is one suggestion on how to find out what you need, start a discussion with a Tech Travel Agent.  Your personally assigned Tech Travel Agent will guide you through all the technical aspects and help you decide which Plasma, LCD or other technology is best for your particular meeting and trade show. Click here: Help Me Pick the Technology I need

Latest LCD and Plasma Display Technology

Our inventory of plasma and LCD flat panel display includes sizes ranging from 32″-84″. We even rent video walls with a combination of plasmas making up one screen. New 1080p HDTV LCDs and Plasmas are practically standard features. Also available with the Display Rentals is Dual Pole Floor Stands, wall mounts, truss mounts, SDI and HDSDI cards, DVD player, speakers and microphones. Click here: Help Me Pick the Technology I need

Reserve Plasmas and LCDs Now and Save up to 50%!

For maximum savings, reserve your equipment way in advance. As your event nears, often times our vendors run low on certain models of plasmas and lcds. Once quantities drop to a certain point, prices tend to go up.  Reserve your Plasma or LCD Flat panel dislpay now while we have large quantities in Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, Washington, London, LA, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, San Diego, Phoenix and New York. Our distribution centers and technicians are located minutes from major convention centers in these cities and others. With multiple sources, clients save money by booking through a tech travel agent. In fact, you can save up to 50% off the rates convention centers charge. In some cases, you can save more than 50%.

Plasma & LCD Rental Information and rate request

That’s no way to hold a Meeting

My Buddy found out too late

He didn’t know he could rent a projector and have it delivered like a pizza. Yes, he could have had a projector delivered right into the conference room with one little phone call. But he just didn’t know about that kind of service.

Everyone was struggling to see. My buddy could have called on a Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com. He just didn’t know he could rent a projector for a fraction of the cost of buying one.

My buddy's presentation didn't have the impact it should have, could have.

Perception is 9/10 of the Sale

That’s me in the background, Brawlin Melgar, way in the back with just a piece of my head showing, I’m relaxed about the technology, it’s working fine.  The projector was hooked up to my laptop and tested by a professional technician. A working projector and laptop combo helps me look professional, helps me keep focused on my presentation.

My projector and laptop are all setup in the conference room by techs thanks to my Tech Travel Agent.

If I come lugging in all this equipment by myself, I look, well…. less than professional.

Now all I bring is my usb drive.  I have minimized my stress. That’s right, I have  everything I need delivered, the laptop and the projector.

Upon my arrival, I insert my usb thumb-drive and off we go in to the wild blue presentation world! Easy, fast, professional…the way I like it.

Hey I have enough to worry about so I let professionals at Rentacomputer.com handle all that computer and projector technology so I can stay focused on my presentation up to the last minute. No plugging in and testing things in front of my client. That can be embarrassing, especially when you can’t get the dang thing to work.

You can contact your own Tech Travel Agent by email techtravelagent@rentacomputer.com,  Toll Free Phone 800-736-8772 or website: Rentacomputer.com Visit Projector Rentals from Rentacomputer.com for more information.

21% More Meetings in 2010

We like to schedule 1 day low cost meetings.

FutureWatch 2010 predicts that U.S. meeting planners will plan 21 percent more meetings in 2010 than they did in 2009 while spending 3.5 percent less per meeting.

This fits right into Todd Hikman’s plans to roll out new branding initiatives with the company’s worldwide sales force. “We like to schedule 1 day meetings to keep everyone up to date on our latest sales and marketing initatives. We call it the ‘Fast and Fresh’ update, and we do it every quarter with every sales person in the company”. Todd Hickman, Anacomp Industries VP Marketing.

The FutureWatch 2010 report also concludes that planners expect to locate 80 percent of their meetings within the United States this year, compared to 61 percent last year.

Additionally,  FutureWatch 2010  identifies these industry trends:

• Meetings that are located closer to home
• Meetings ROI
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• Technology

For meeting planners, the highest technology-related priority this year is improving the audio/visual experience for attendees. For suppliers, meanwhile, it’s improving their customer relationship management (CRM) software.

About FutureWatch

Each year, in partnership with American Express, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) conducts a comprehensive survey of global meeting and event professionals, aimed at spotting trends and competitive factors that will shape the global industry in the coming year. FutureWatch2010 is the eighth edition of this one-of-a-kind study.

For more information about FutureWatch 2010, including a free executive summary, visit www.mpiweb.org.