Projectors are an essential part of today’s classrooms and teachers are using them to improve the learning experience of their students. A reliable, well-functioning projector is key to a successful classroom.

Images that are faded, dark, or blurred create challenges for the students, especially those that may already be struggling with their vision. Eye strain and a poor learning environment can be the result of a poorly functioning projector. Choosing the right projector in the first place is one important factor, but making the best decision concerning the replacement bulb for the projector is also critical for performance.

Tips for choosing your replacement lamps

Reliable, high intensity performance coupled with long lifetimes makes OSRAM P-VIP projector lamps the top choice also when a replacement is needed. OSRAM genuine P-VIP lamps provide bright, crisp light with long life-times. Generic replacements are advertised at prices that make them seem like a lower cost solution.

Tips for choosing your classroom projector

Two of the biggest factors to consider in choosing a projector are room size and the number of attendees. In school and university classrooms, where space is an important asset, front projectors are most often used. Front projection is perfect for larger spaces with widespread seating. The screen can be flat against the wall, thus providing ample space to seat many students.

Performance and reliability are also key to the student’s learning environment. Every minute of a lesson is important and communication must be optimized accordingly.

The following criteria are relevant to choosing the right projector. Keep in mind that the light source can also make a huge difference.

Width and height

An essential element is the width and height of the projection surface, so that all students can see the contents, even those that are farther away. Therefore, the greater the distance between the projection surface and the furthest student, the larger the viewing area should be. More recently, 16: 9 or panoramic formats have been replacing the 4:3 format.

Brightness

Brightness does not depend on the distance to which the projector is installed. But it’s the light output on the area where the emitted light is dissipated. The brightness is measured in ANSI Lumens (ANSILm), which is an international unit of measurement. The brightness is partially dictated by the projector design, but can also be impacted substantially by the replacement lamp assembly chosen. As mentioned earlier, OSRAM P-VIP lamps provide optimal brightness, initially and over the full life of the lamp.

Contrast

Another important factor is the contrast. It is information that most manufacturers supply and is related to the quality with which the colors differ, considering the combination of them and the resolution of the image. This data is given by the relation between the projection of the white and the residual that leaves the light when it emits the black color.

Resolution

Resolution is another important aspect of a projector, which refers to the number of points that make up the image. One of the lowest resolutions currently is the SVGA, which forms an image of 480,000 points or pixels (800 horizontal x 600 vertical). In contrast, the XGA resolution has 786,432 points (1024 × 768). Certainly, the difference between one resolution and another is important when the presentation content contains very small letters or when the projected image exceeds 3 meters. In some cases the higher resolution may not be necessary.

Types of lamps

The useful life of a lamp is a key feature for the choice of the classroom projector since it is subjected to high temperatures for a long period of time. OSRAM works in close collaboration with equipment manufacturers to provide the highest level of system performance for every make and model it serves.