Projector Problem

[colobill]

Not sure this is the right forum for this, but here goes:

Our original installation Sanyo projector was growing increasingly dimmer (after only 8 months:() so we replaced it with an NEC model that was much brighter:). The trouble is I seem to have lost about an inch and half on the sides of the projected image. Can anybody help me find my missing Activboard space? I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is noticeably less space to work with.
I am not a "projector guy." I would have thought that board was designed to fit a standard image from a given distance. What am I missing here. We (the IT department and yours truly) can't figure it out, so I thought I would go to source of all ActivKnowledge: you all.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I am running AS 3. 0 b96 on a MacBook under 10.4.11. We are using an NEC VT 700.
Thanks in advance.
Bill
Denver CO

[Margaret Allen]

Hi

I am not very techie... BUT if you replaced your Sanyo with a NEC and kept the position the same then this may well be your problem. Each projector has an optimum "throw" - in my terms this is the length of space between the lens and the board. Some projectors have a long throw and some a short rarely are they identical with another.

I would suggest that the throw on the NEC is different from the Sanyo and therefore the reason it doesn't "fill" the board is because it needs to be moved closer to the board.

Not sure if this is helpful or answers your problem.

Shame you didn't feel able to talk to us about the Sanyo dimming.... first :eek: Maybe there was something we could have done? +wave+

[colobill]

Hi Margaret,
We are not throwing the Sanyo away, just replacing it. It had a few issues, so replacing it seemed like a good idea…until we had issues with it.
On the Sanyo side:

the image was growing dimmer
it was not as bright as we would have liked to begin with
it physically went out of focus, sometimes several times a dayWe guessed the dimming was the bulb failing. Disappointing given it was only installed this pas August. Mine was pilot install in our school, and the thought of replacing bulbs annually was not helpful.

I teach in an old portable classroom with a bank of high windows that run the length of the west wall. It became impossible to effectively use the board in the afternoon without dimming the lights and sometimes closing the shades. I did not like this setup.

On the NEC side: we just can't get its image to completely fill the screen. The vertical dimension is OK, but the horizontal just won't make it. We also have begun mucking my Macbook's resolution to get the image right. Ugh…

We did also discover that its "throw" was different, so the switch was not as simple as we expected.:rolleyes: What, in life, ever is?

We also had problems with a vendor (no names in a public forum) getting back to us.

So, what can you offer, in light (pun intended) of all this?

Is that Sanyo salvageable? Can we get the NEC to work? Should any projector be able to fit its image exactly onto the board? Will Buffy marry Tom? Oh wait, I got carried away…clwn

Anyway, thanks for any thoughts or input you might have.

[saha]

We had a problem with a EIKI projector projecting very dim light. The bulb was replaced with a new one. Still very dim light. I dont think they ever resolved the problem.

With your new NEC projector, if after maxing out all the adjusting all the controls to increase the vertical and horizontal size of the projection and you still need the image to be larger then the only way is to physically move the projector to the optimum desired throw distance. It is a pain...I understand!!!

Have you thought of retrofitting your existing board in the AB+2 frame and getting a short throw sanyo projector on the boom?? I know this means spending some money, but the fact that you are in a portable classroom...this will help a lot.

[markrobinson]

Also... Make sure filters are cleaned regularly...

It is the NUMBER ONE support issue.

[Margaret Allen]

Buffy marrying Tom might help :eek::D:eek::rolleyes:+wave+

Didn't mean to criticise your decision, but it is unusual for a projector to become dim following a short period of time. As Mark suggests, filter cleaning is absolutely key and if they had not been cleaned this will have effected the bulb's capability.

You will never get all projectors to have the same throw because they are all built within their own manufacturer's specification and so I am afraid there is no obvious remedy for you other than your moving the position of the projector.

Giving Tech Support a ring is always another option before you embark on any expensive remedies/solutions.... BUT hindsight is such a wonderful word, shame we can't "bottle it" and sell it!! +wave+

[Dug]

On the subject of 'dim' projectors, we discovered an interesting issue this week with a video splitter. In one of our teaching spaces, we use a splitter that doesn't have its own power supply. We were replacing a projector which was a bit dim and when the engineer took the splitter out of the equation, the brightness doubled!
We'll be ordering a splitter with its own power supply on Monday!

[colobill]

Thanks, all.

We did discover the filters needed cleaning. That helped with the intermittent shut-down problems I had, so I did not bring it up, as it seemed to be resolved.

We did reposition the NEC so it was at its specified distance, still not completely filling the board.

Can tech support tell if this projector meets Promethean specs?

I would love a new AB+2, but as it is, I am the only one in the school with any AB and I am afraid having to replace mine so soon would not be a great sales point to make to colleagues or admins.

[cmansell]

We have a couple of Sanyo projectors in our department, and they are so dim as to make working very difficult. Just like you, we have to turn off all the lights and close the blinds to get a useable image.

I had to take some photos of myself on the board a while back, and I had to move to another classroom using an NEC (orange?) projector to get a good photo, as the flash instantly wiped out the image on my board. Was great on the NEC, though.

I have the filters cleaned regularly, and the bulbs are, as far as I am aware, on a cycle for replacement and so are done as per spec.

I was interested in the idea that an unpowered splitter seemed to dim the image on the board. We don't have splitters in the loop, but wondered if anyone knows of any other things that may do the same thing - length of cable, types of connection, etc.

Just wondered.

Craig

[Dug]

I was interested in the idea that an unpowered splitter seemed to dim the image on the board. We don't have splitters in the loop, but wondered if anyone knows of any other things that may do the same thing - length of cable, types of connection, etc.

Just wondered.

Craig

From what I can gather, length of cable is only a factor with extremely long cables (unlikely in a classroom).

Other factors are number of connections (ideally, a single connection directly between machine and projector), and number of 'devices' within the loop (like splitters).

[Stuart Collins]

We have a couple of Sanyo projectors in our department, and they are so dim as to make working very difficult. Just like you, we have to turn off all the lights and close the blinds to get a useable image.

I had to take some photos of myself on the board a while back, and I had to move to another classroom using an NEC (orange?) projector to get a good photo, as the flash instantly wiped out the image on my board. Was great on the NEC, though.

I have the filters cleaned regularly, and the bulbs are, as far as I am aware, on a cycle for replacement and so are done as per spec.

I was interested in the idea that an unpowered splitter seemed to dim the image on the board. We don't have splitters in the loop, but wondered if anyone knows of any other things that may do the same thing - length of cable, types of connection, etc.

Just wondered.

Craig

I would expect a camera flash to overpower a projected image, the average whiteboard projector is around 1500-2000 lumens (aprox.) while a camera flash (depending on flash type and model) can far exceed that. Remember the projector is only trying to show an image on a white surface while a camera flash basically has to light up everything in front of it like daylight. I don't have figures in front of me but from experience I'm sure camera flashes are brighter than projector lamps.

As the whiteboard is already lit by the projector I think you should just switch the flash off on the camera and hold it steady.

[cmansell]

I understand what you're saying, but...

...as the projected image is so dim, All the lights need to be off to see it! Switching the flash off gives a good image of the board, but not of me! :(
I used another room, with the NEC projector, and even with flash the image wasn't overpowered. Much better. :-/

Cheers

Craig

[Stuart Collins]

How old are they?

Maybe you should speak to our support team.