For people on the move who require a mobile display solution the introduction of Pico projectors onto the data projector market is a godsend. Pico Projectors, or LED projectors as they are also known, are around the size of a mobile phone and although not as bright as a standard data projector they produce high quality images from a range of data sources. As such they are ideal for small meetings, mobile office, salespeople and for general home use. This article discusses the main technical specification of the Pico projector and how they compare against a standard office data projector.
The convenience of Pico projectors comes from more than just their diminutive size as they generally have a wide range of input ports to allow connection of varied data sources. The majority of LED projectors come equipped with a USB input or SD Memory Card Reader. By simply storing your Powerpoint slides or photos on your data stick or SD Memory Card in JPEG form you can display these directly negating the requirement for a laptop. Newer models are now being released complete with an HDMI port that allows connection of games consoles, DVD players and even your iPhone, iPad or Blackberry.
Obviously with a device of this size you are unlikely to achieve the same performance as a traditional data projector, but considering the applications for which these projectors are intended they produce decent results. In terms of brightness LED Projectors produce in the region of 300 lumens compared to the 1,500 lumens produced by an entry level mercury lamp data projector. As such they struggle to produce an image in all but total darkness but the LED technology that they use is being developed rapidly and is resulting in increasing lumen ratings. LEDs do have the benefit of a significantly longer lifespan than mercury lamps, lasting up to 20,000 hours and not requiring costly bulb replacement on a fairly regular basis. LEDs also have the advantage of low energy use and this means that a set of fully charged batteries will run a Pico Projector for up to one and a half hours.
To get the best image quality Pico Projectors are best set up with a maximum throw distance of around 2.5 metres and with the lowest possible ambient lighting levels. Audience sizes are best restricted to no more than 10 people as the brightness and image size limitations of the Pico Projector are not suited for larger groups. Resolution capabilities of Pico Projectors are also currently limited to WVGA (854 x 4800 pixels) but as with all things tech this is developing rapidly with Pico projectors now being launched with WXGA (1280 x 800 pixels) native resolution.
In summary Pico Projectors are the ideal display solution for small scale meetings or for people on the move. Their small size means they can easily slip into a laptop case or pocket and the large selection of input ports means LED projectors are compatible with the majority of data sources. Although they struggle in terms of brightness capabilities, if used within the boundaries of their capabilities the results they produce are impressive considering their diminutive size. Pico projectors are available from a range of manufacturers including Optima, Aiptek, Phillips and 3M with prices starting from around $100.
Ian Hammond is an AV and technology enthusiast who writes for FRASP Nottingham audio visual hire service, supplying PA and AV equipment to Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and the whole of the East Midlands.
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