Re: Projector opinions
I'll address these two together since they are somewhat interdependent. HDMI suggests HD, which in turn suggests 16:9 format images. Yet 10'x10' and 12'x14' are neither a 4:3 format nor a 16:9 format. Going with your later post, it sounds like you may currently have around an 8' high by 10'-8" wide, 4:3 image. That would equate to either an 8' high x 14'-3" wide or a 6' high x 10'8" wide 16:9 format image. So I guess the question is two fold, what image height or viewing distance are you trying to support and what formats are you trying to support (and would letterboxing of 16:9 or pillarboxing of 4:3 be acceptable)?
HDMI will support you current 800x600 resolution, so are you saying that you want a projector with that is a native resolution directly compatible with1080p or some other particular higher resolution? The two projectors you linked are 1024x768 native, which is higher resolution than your current 800x600 projector but still 4:3 format and just the 1024x576 resolution that TJ noted, less than HD, for 16:9 format content.
Also note that image size/format and throw distance are related, so determining the desired image size and format are critical in assessing anything related to the throw distance.
What are the ambient light levels and light on the screen like in the space? In many applications it is a struggle to get a 10:1 image contrast ratio when one considers the ambient light on the screen, so projector contrast ratios in the thousands really only have much impact if you have extremely low ambient light levels, such as for some cinema and home theater applications.
The appropriate brightness is going to also depend on the ambient light levels and the projected image size the projector creates. And I say "projected image size" because projector brightness is based on using the full image area the projector can create. For example, when you letterbox a 16:9 image within a 4:3 projected image only 75% of the projector's output applies to the letterboxed 16:9 image, the other 25% of the projector's output relates to the area filled by the black bars at the top and bottom.
In general, you need to determine some basic factors such as whether you want to support actual HD and if that means 720p or 1080i/p, the desired image size and format, how much ambient light may be on the screen, what the screen material is, etc. before being able to assess what specific projector products may be appropriate. You may also need to consider factors such as where the projector would be located vertically and horizontally relative to the projected image and whether capabilities such as lens shift would be beneficial. Other functionality or specifications such as remote controlled zoom/focus, operating noise level, single or multiple lamp operation, network or serial control, filterless operation or self-cleaning filters and so on may also be factors in some applications. For example, in situations with paying audiences and less accessible projectors, dual or quad lamp projectors can be nice as a failed lamp may mean reduced brightness but you still get an image.
If nothing else, any information you can provide on the venue and the use/application may help people make more appropriate recommendations.
