15 Steps to Choosing a Projector for the Conference Room or Laptop

Choosing a video and slide projector for permanent installation in a corporate boardroom or conference room is different from picking a mobile laptop projector for, say, road warriors to stash in their luggage. 

Choosing a video and slide projector for either the conference room or a mobile laptop projector still requires an eye for resolution and brightness, splash screens and Wi-Fi, but features like password security, ceiling mounts and network control suddenly matter. Projector vendors such as InFocus, Panasonic, Viewsonic, Hitachi, Sanyo, Sharp, NEC, HP, Dell and others offer different combinations and qualities of some or all of what you need in corporate video and slide projectors for the conference room and mobile laptop projectors.

What follows are the 15 issues to review and consider when you set out to choose a video and slide projector for the conference room and a mobile laptop projector.

Security and Passwords

At the top of the list is security for the projector itself. Anything as small and lightweight as a typical projector is a potential target for theft. Probably the most common security feature is a password that you have to enter before you can view anything. 

Types of Passwords

Any password option is worth having, but there's more than one variation on passwords, and many projectors offer more than one. Some projectors can be set to ask for a password every time you turn them on. Depending on how many people are using the projector, however, and how often each one uses it, this could lead to people writing the password down where a thief might find it. 

Motion Detection and Password

A more interesting option depends on built-in motion detectors. Some projectors can ask for a password when the projector senses that it's been moved. A major advantage of this approach is most users will never have to bother with a password, and won't need to know it, making it easier to keep the password secure.

Splash Screens

Some projectors let you create your own splash screen. The screen will show when you turn the projector on, and you can use it to announce who the projector belongs to. The splash screen should have a password of its own that may or may not be the same as the power-on password. Some also require a separate password before you can change the screen.