Thread: LCD Projector

I love my projector. Being a title one school on the Big Navajo Reservation we have lots of money for what I call teacher toys. Unfortunately I am the only one using any of it outside the computer labs. I guess it is good for me. A Smartboard was donated to the school and is now permanently in my room. There are three projectors available for checkout but I think they get periodically dusted but not checked out.

The only thing to remember is that technology advances quick which means what you buy today is out of date tomorrow. If you can afford it get a replacement lens as soon as you can. That way you have it on hand. I found out the hard way that once technology goes out of date finding replacement parts is a PIA.

Beware the exploding bulb!!!! When some of these suckers go they really go. Mine exploded. Smoke, fire, and flying glass. Thank god no one was near it. The explosion ruined the projector. Once it exploded I felt like my right arm had been removed. I had to use the CHALKBOARD!!!!(the Horror 8O ) Since I used it all of the time my principal felt buying me another was justified. I love my tech but I learned a valuable lesson. I keep an overhead and chalk stored in my room. Some times the old technology is much more reliable.

Beware the exploding bulb!!!!

I've had an overhead blow up once.....a new one at that. When I was testing the new projector I noticed it put out a great deal of heat.... Another thing that goes boom....hmm...around my house, fits right in.

I had to use the CHALKBOARD!!!!(

I've done this before...like markerboards better, although they don't last as long.

There are three projectors available for checkout but I think they get periodically dusted but not checked out.

My school has two that I know of. We have a faculty of about 100 or so. And the minute somebody starts using it, somebody else wants it. I'll take the risk of planned obsolescence to have it available as needed.

Just some follow up- everything technically is going well. I can't tell that it has made my students any better, but it holds their interest better at any rate. I think this was one of the best moves I've made in awhile. Now, if only I could get a classroom.....

Just thought I'd do some more follow up. Used the projector for one semester. I now have a large stock of presentations I can use, saved on a laptop and on a zipdrive, and burned on several CDs. This has proved to be a boon in the following semester.

I elected to do all of my presentations on webpage format- I created them with Microsoft Frontpage. I determined this to be a better method than Powerpoint because I had more familiarity with it, and felt it offered more flexibility over what sort of pictures or multimedia content I used.

The laptop I obtained has a DVD drive- I can play movies or film clips. With the addition of a set of speakers I can use the laptop to use video in class at my whim- although I notice that some DVDs work better than others. But it is worth it- it puts the TV/VCR setup to shame. Kids pay attention to a huge picture on the screen, and loud sound. They can even read the subtitles in something like "Tora,Tora,Tora". (The literate ones, that is...) I can also (with some judicious wiring) attach a VCR to the projector, although I had to (with some judicious wiring) adapt some different speakers (I hijacked one from a colleague's computer temporarily).

My presentations made generous use of pictures, maps, and I tried to use different fonts and colors- trying to attune them to the subject matter. I purchased some clipart disks, and found some on the 'net. Pictures were generally found from wikipedia and anywhere that would let me "right-click, and save". The more modern eras were more visually interesting in a way- more photographs.

My conclusion- this is the way to go. Needs some adjustment, but it does help the students a bit. I still find some typos here and there. Takes up a lot less space than overheads. It has been a busy project- I spent nearly every night looking up pictures since last July, but I think its one of the best things I've done.

SMARTBOARD!

I've got one in my room and it is totally awesome. I use it many times daily. It is basically a 4'x5' touch screen that you can write on. Anything you write can be saved.

WIth the projector you are looking at about $5000 but worth every cent.

:idea:
You might look into Smart Notebook software (free). Also, you can find many, many, Powerpoint presentations on the web by typing the subject, then adding .ppt into any search engine.
Add a Tablet PC for ultimate teaching with your projector.
Happy Teaching. 8)

I loved reading this post. 8)
I just started looking into buying one for my third grade classroom next year. The two projectors we have at our school have a low resolution and are HUGE! And they are hard to get a hold of. So, I thought I would look into buying one for myself. I would love to know what you have learned about the differences between DLP and LCD,a nd what a good price range may be.

Very cool, I am full of admiration and green with envy!! :lol:

I chose an LCD because, according to the research, they had longer bulb life and better resolution. Mine was $1100 or so. I noticed some that cost upwards of $3000-5000 (US) and I found that to be a bit much. Brightness is what the cost is- the brighter the projector (measured in lumens) the more it costs. Replacement cost for the bulbs is a consideration- I need to spend the money to get a spare one of these days and have it to hand, as my bulb's life is listed at 1900 hours or so. I figure that should be a school year and a half, perhaps. I've not used mine for anything else much- hooked it to an X-box to see what it looked like. There are some projectors that are made for home theater only- they only have ports to hook to VCRs, DVD players, and the like. Avoid those. Research carefully, and pick a number you wish to spend on.

Thanks, JohnBoy, I appreciate the info! 8)