What kind should I buy? I looked at Staples and they have so many different kinds and prices. They have one on sale for $300. But is it good enough for a classroom? Anyone know the parameters of a good classroom projector? And what would be the least I would have to spend for a good one?
I don't have any recommendations about projectors, but I would recommend that you look not only at the price of the unit, but the price of replacement bulbs. They can be expensive. Buying a more costly projector that uses less bulbs might be better than buying a cheaper one.
I'm not sure of the exact model, but I have an Epson one that has worked great for me! I have had it for about 5 years, and have never even had to change the bulb. I use it almost every day.
Check with administration about using a non-school projector. For starters, they may be able to get you a better price.
Our school prices are much higher than buying on our own. Most projectors are going to be just fine. As long as they do at least SVGA resolution (or at least 720p) you can be pretty confident it will be fine for the classroom. The only ones that really aren't are the cheapy ones designed for a kids play room. Those often only come with RCA hookups and are VGA at best. As far as bulbs, I've had a projector since 2003 that still works on the original bulb. Yes it has grown dim but it still runs. I wouldn't be too worried about bulb issues. At this point it is basically cheaper to buy a new projector than a new bulb.
CHeck the office. My bulb was burned out and never ordered, asked the office and it turned out they had a spare in a cabinet.
So if I went to Staples to buy my own, I'd need at least 720p and SVGA (?) not sure what that is. Any other criteria to look for? Do you know why there is such a huge difference in prices?
Schools are always charged more for things because they are dumb enough to pay the price. If you check how much schools pay for textbooks, office supplies, and other things without receiving significant bulk discounts it would make you laugh and cry. I'd look at stuff online because the salesman at staples won't know what they're talking about anyway. It will say right on the website if it's 720p and svga (which was recommended by another poster). Check Amazon and Tigerdirect.com
Try newegg as well. The higher ones are probably for home theatres with better HD quality. Not necessary for the classroom. We have had one that we use as our main tv in our house - we had it for probably 4-5 years before we replaced it, and like I said, it's on probably 75% of the time that we are home.
Get one from B&H Photo and Video. It is where everyone in the Audio Visual industry in NYC gets their projectors They usually offer the lowest prices. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
