Monthly Archives: August 2015

SMART 600i6 Interactive White Board System Projector Review

The SMART 600i6 is the merging of two technologies: A SMART 600 series interactive white board and the SMART UF70 or UF70W projector. This projector and white board are widely used in education institutions, particularly K-12 classrooms, and SMART is a favorite manufacturer of white board systems around the world.
The reason is that SMART has developed a system that is interactive, easy-to-use, and that delivers great multimedia performance. The 600i6 board/projector set-up is an upgrade compared to previous 600 series iterations. For starters, the UF70 is an ultra-short-throw projector, with a throw range of just 25 inches. That throw is half as short as the UF65 – meaning it can be placed much closer to the screen, while achieving similar results. That option makes this ideal in the classroom, because it can greatly eliminate the cast of images. It also means that you can use a lower wattage bulb, since you are closer to the screen and require less brightness to achieve a brilliant image. The lower wattage bulbs also burn less hot, and thus last longer.

Smart UF70 Projector
Smart UF70 Projector

Plus, the UF70 projector has a range of compatibilities. It can be used with 600, 800 and M600 series SMART interactive white boards, and it can be adjusted using the projector’s shifting capabilities. Thus, it’s a useful option for school districts, because it can be merged or retrofitted into existing systems. In all, the UF70 in the SMART 600i6 system is a powerful projector and the perfect presentation tool in classrooms.
A Quick Look at the SMART UF70 Projector
The biggest difference between the SMART UF70 and previous SMART projectors is the throw range. The current SMART lineup, which includes the UF70 and UF80, are ultra-short-throw projectors. This means that the distance the projector needs to be placed from the screen is half the distance – just 2 feet from the screen – compared to earlier SMART projectors. This greatly reduces shadowing caused by a teacher standing in front of the light source.
But there are many other reasons to like the UF70 projector. Other UF70 highlights include:

  • 3,000 Lumens
  • 2,900:1 Contrast Ratio
  • Full HD Video Playback
  • HDMI, USB Inputs
  • Lamp Life Up to 4,000 Hours

Using the SMART 600i6 Board and Projector in the Classroom
SMART interactive systems are different than traditional classroom projectors. For one, they’re bought and sold as a system, with the board, projector and accessories included in the package. That’s why it’s difficult to review just the projector.

Smart 600i6 System
Smart 600i6 System

But also, they aren’t used just to project images. SMART projectors are used to create interactive images. That means, when you project an image from your computer, for example, you can control your computer directly from the SMART screen with a pointer or by touching the screen. They’re widely used for:

  • Annotating Presentations
  • Click-to-See Information
  • Interactive Testing
  • Writing Equations and Notes on Screen
  • Highlighting Important Text

In that case, the UF70 does its job well. It delivers crisp, clear images from the computer onto the screen. Pictures – thanks to color perfecting technology – are vibrant and rich with detail, and the projector’s video performance is useful. Although this projector won’t replace a Full HD video set-up, the video features work nicely for short in-class clips, or for showing the occasional classroom movie. Plus, the interactivity is extremely engaging for students. If you’re considering an upgrade, the UF70 and 600i6 offer many benefits over the previous UF65 projector – including a brighter image (2,000-lumens vs. 3,000 lumens), better contrast (2,000:1 vs 2,900:1) and a shorter throw range (the UF70 is half as short).
MyProjectorLamps is your source for a SMART 600i6 replacement bulb. We carry original replacement lamps for the 600i6 – replacement part No. 1020991 – which includes the SMART lamp and housing module. Start shopping for a projector replacement lamp today.

Panasonic PT-EX16K Auditorium Projector Review

For an XGA resolution projector, the best-in-class Panasonic PT-EX16K boasts some powerful specs. Its quad-lamp design achieves 16,000 lumens of brightness – more than enough to provide bold, brilliant images in the largest venues. It’s capable of projecting an image up to 600 inches diagonally, and with Panasonic’s Pure Color Technology, the color saturation in these massive images is near-perfect. Plus, durable construction, flexible installation and long lamp life are other reasons this is a premium projector. So why isn’t this the world’s most popular XGA projector?

Panasonic PT-EX16K Projector Front
Panasonic PT-EX16AK Projector Front

For starters, this Panasonic comes with a premium price tag. When it was launched in 2011, the PT-EX16K started at $28,999 MSRP. Since then, the price has dropped, with the average street price at about $10,000. That means this is a projector for larger organizations – corporate businesses, 1,000+ member churches, and museums – that have a budget for technology. Plus, at just over 100 pounds, this is a permanent installation projector. For these large venues and for organizations with the money to spend, the Panasonic PT-EX16K is powerful, provides impressive image quality, and with a range of lenses and lens shift, the installation possibilities are endless.
Panasonic PT-EX16K Projector
Panasonic PT-EX16K Projector

Panasonic PT-EX16K: Specs, Features and Pricing

  • 16,000-Lumen Brightness: The Panasonic EX16 achieves such a bright image thanks to its quad-lamp design. The projector uses four 380-watt bulbs, thus it’s about four times as bright as standard single-lamp XGA projectors. That’s one reason it’s widely used in large venues: The image is bright enough to compete with ambient light, delivering an image that’s crisp, clear and vibrant.
  • Color Performance, Image Quality: The 3-chip LCD EX16 is designed to provide impressive and detailed color. There’s a chip that maintains light intensity for each primary color, but in addition, the Pure Color Technology enhances and controls the yellows, adding another layer of color reproduction. Plus, the 16-bit processing delivers smooth skin tone coloring, and the 2,500:1 contrast ratio provides detail in dark areas of the image. In effect, the images jump off the screen with bold, accurate coloring. |
  • Installation Flexibility: Even though the PT-EX16 is built for large venues, there’s a range of options for installation. For starters, vertical and horizontal lens shift make it possible to fit the projector to an existing ceiling mount. Plus, Panasonic offers a wide range of lens – from short or long zoom lenses, to fixed short, long and ultra-long options. So, even though portability is limited due to the sheer size of the projector, there are plenty of options for installation: from overhead to ceiling-mounted, to rear-projection.
  • Rugged Construction: The PT-EX16K is built to last. From the durable outer shell, to long-lasting air filters and optical engines, there components of this projector are of the highest quality. Both the filter and the optical lens are rated at 10,000 hours of use, and the optical engine is designed to regulate and maintain the LCD panels over time to prevent degradation. Additionally, there’s an iron base plate to protect the bottom of the projector.
  • Screen Size: The Panasonic is designed to project an image between 40 and 600 inches diagonally, and yet, the technology helps it achieve constant color saturation and image quality. What’s more: There’s a multi-screen support system, enabling the projector to connect across more than one screen. The support includes edge blend – to blend the edges of different screens – as well as color match.
    Panasonic PT-EX16K Projector Inputs
    Panasonic PT-EX16AK Projector Inputs

The Panasonic PT-EX16K: A Powerful, Quality Large-Venue Projector
Panasonic has a reputation for developing high-quality projectors, and the PT-EX16K certainly carries on the tradition. The EX16K is a special piece of hardware. It’s one of the brightest XGA resolution projectors available, and it delivers powerful, impressive images. Plus, with the ability to cast a 600-inch screen, the projector is ideal for auditoriums, larger venues.
The Panasonic is widely used as a corporate presentation tools, as well as in museums for delivering multimedia. If it’s in the budget, this is a particularly useful piece of hardware. The projector is extremely useful for data projection – it can display 1080p video, but it doesn’t specialize in video – and if you’re on the market for an auditorium projector, the EX16K should be on your short list.
MyProjectorLamps is your source for a Panasonic PT-EX16K replacement lamp. We carry only quality, original parts, and for the PT-EX16K we offer the lamp and housing module. If you’re on the market for this replacement part (part No. ET-LAE16), give us a call or browse our inventory today.

NEC NP-PE401H Full HD Data Projector Review

Launched in 2013 as the first in NEC PE series, the NP-PE401H is billed as an “entry-level” data projector. That means it’s fairly affordable, starting at $1,999, while delivering high-impact performance. For presenters, the PE401H is a solid projection tool. The projector provides a 4,000-lumen, Full HD image, in the 16:9 aspect ratio (compared to the typical 16:10 for data projectors). That alone is one reason the projector stands out, but there’s also a wide range of functionalities and features.
For instance, the NP-PE401H delivers up to 3,300 hours of lamp life – which is above average for Full HD projectors, and will save you on a replacement lamp – plus, it can accommodate data from almost any source. There are two HDMI ports, an S-Video port and composite video port, as well as a USB-B port. Schools, churches and mid-sized conference spaces looking for a projector – particularly those that rely on video – should consider this projector.

NEC NP-PE401H Projector
NEC NP-PE401H Projector

Features and Specs: NEC NP-PE401H
With its bright output, the NP-PE401H performs well in rooms with some ambient light. That makes it ideal venues like schools and boardrooms where it’s difficult to achieve dark lighting conditions. Of course, it won’t compete with direct sunlight, but also, you won’t need to draw the shades completely. In addition to brightness, though, there are a lot of great features available. These include:

  • Great Image Quality: The NP-PE401H is all about image quality. Backed up by BrilliantColor technology, the color saturation is lush and vibrant. Plus, the image is crisp and detailed, with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio. The clarity of black-on-white text is near-perfection, and the technology delivers great detail in pictures, which is ideal for medical diagrams, architectural drawings or other images with fine detail.
  • Full HD Video, 3D: Although it’s not built as a video projection tool, the NP-PE401H is very capable. It delivers Full HD 1080p video, so you can plug-and-play a Bluray player via an HDMI cable. Plus, it’s capable of providing basic 3D content. In other words, this isn’t a replacement for your home theater projector, but if you’ll be using video clips and short videos in your presentations, the NP-PE401H delivers. Unfortunately, 3D glasses are not included.
  • Large Image Projection: The NP-PE401H is designed to project images up to 300 inches diagonal, which is more than sufficient for most classrooms. Even when projecting an image that large, quality keeps pace, with only slight issues visible. With a picture of about 150 inches, though, the image quality is stunning.
  • Long Lamp Life: Full HD LCD projectors, in general, have long lasting light sources. That’s certainly true in the NP-PE401H. The projector’s 330-watt bulb achieves 2,500 hours of life in the standard mode – just above average for similar projectors – and it’s capable of up to 3,300 hours. Fortunately, the NEC NP-PE401H replacement lamp – part No. NP24LP – is a low-cost investment, helping to save on maintenance costs over the life of the projector.
    NEC NP-PE401H Rear Inputs
    NEC NP-PE401H Rear Inputs
  • Sufficient Sound Quality: The projector is equipped with a dual 8-watt speaker system, and that’s extremely useful for multimedia presentations. The speakers deliver decent audio, enabling presenters to plug-and-play without having to connect to an external audio source.
  • Installation Flexibility, Portability: The projector weighs about 10 pounds, which isn’t exactly ideal for ceiling mounting, but it still remains portable. NEC labels this a tabletop-front or table-top back projector, meaning it performs well when sitting on the table of a boardroom or a classroom desk. Yet, it also performs well on a cart. Without lens shift, though, installations do need to be precise to achieve maximum results.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a projector for a small or mid-sized venue, the NEC NP-PE401H is a reliable and powerful tool. The image quality is stunning, the features are on point with similarly priced projectors, and NEC has a reputation for building high-quality A/V tools. Plus, the price, although a bit higher than some budget projectors, is in reach for most organizations.

Hitachi CP-X8170 Projector Review

The CP-X8170 is Hitachi’s top-of-line, large-venue projector, and as such, it carries quite the price tag. The CP-X8170 is available starting at around $8,000. Even so, the CP-X8170 provides plenty of benefits. The image is vibrant and bright, rated at 7,000 lumens. Its vertical projection capabilities and range of optional lenses provide installation versatility. And the advanced networking and security features are useful for education institutions, churches and conference venues.

Hitachi CP-X8170 Projector
Hitachi CP-X8170 Projector

In the large-venue category, the CP-X8170 is a formidable competitor. The projector can be stacked, to enhance brightness or create immersive environments, and the images are crisp and clear. The biggest disadvantage, of course, is price. It’s firmly at the higher-end of price range for large-venue projectors. But yet, it delivers quite a bit of functionality.
Looking at the CP-X8170’s Features and Specs

  • Bright Image, Moderate Contrast: The 3LCD Hitachi is equipped with a 7,000-lumen light source. That’s sufficient brightness for large venues – think 1,000 person churches and conference venues – and that means the image can compete with ambient light. With a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, the images are crisp and clear.
  • Advanced Networking: With both wireless and wired networking functions, the CP-X8170 can be controlled remotely. That’s an ideal feature for venues, as the projector can be connected to and controlled from a booth. Security settings, on/off, email notifications and scheduling can all be controlled over your LAN. More affordable options aren’t always network connected.
  • Range of Connectivity: There’s a lot of options when it comes to connecting sources, including 2 HDMI inputs, a USB-A port (enabling presenters to plug-and-play presentations from a USB drive), and the ability to connect and display images and documents from a mobile device.
    Hitachi CP-X8170 Rear Inputs
    Hitachi CP-X8170 Rear Inputs
  • Side-by-Side Picture: The CP-X8170 offers two different types of picture-in-picture; a traditional picture-in-picture as well as a side-by-side configuration. With side-by-side, two images from just about any source (for example, two HDMI sources) take up equal shares of the screen. This is an important feature for presentations.
  • Available Optical Lens: There is a solid range of optical lens available for the CP-X8170 including Fixed Short, Short, Long, and Ultra Long. This makes it possible for operators to configure the projector to fit the venue. The largest venues benefit from the Ultra Long throw lens, while smaller venues, or those that can accommodate the projector closer to the screen, might choose the Short or Fixed Short. Overall, this provides flexibility, allowing the projector to be repositioned.
  • Long Lamp Life: Given the CP-X8170’s 7,000-lumen output, the Hitachi still delivers 2,000 hours of lamp life in its standard operating mode, and up to 3,000 hours in economy mode. That’s really impressive considering its power. Fortunately, the replacement lamp and housing module for Hitachi CP-X8170 – part No. DT01471 – doesn’t cost a premium, starting at $260 for the bulb alone. That keeps the maintenance costs low for this projector.

Overall, the Hitachi CP-X8170 is a powerful piece of hardware, providing operators with a range of functionalities. It can be used for performances – casting set pieces onto a stage – or high-quality presentations in large venues. True, the price is high, but you’re paying for an extremely useful piece of hardware. If it’s in the budget, the CP-X8170 warrants your attention.