Interactive projectors aimed at the corporate segment are special for collaboration tasks because they allow different actions to be carried out on the content, help to do writing tasks, selection and use of the tools integrated in the software.
By Richard Santa
Projectors have long ceased to be equipment that only reflects images on a screen. Today you have additional tools and functions that have allowed you to specialize in different segments. One of which has gained a lot of strength in recent years is the corporate.
Corporate communications have benefited greatly from these teams and their functions. But in the segment there are two categories, one basic and one advanced. Gabriel Gonçalves, from Epson Brazil, explained that "we still see in Latin America a lot of what we call standard corporate environments, which require the basics of AV installation. These types of customers are more cost-oriented than profit-oriented and usually don't have automation or integrated solutions. They use projector, cable, projection screen, ceiling mounting and that's it."
He added that "When you move from standard to advanced corporate environments, we start to see more of automation and integration such as control, switchers, wireless connectivity, video conferencing, collaboration that requires a projector with a higher brightness (usually 4K), Full HD resolution (1080p), control port (network and RS-232), wireless connectivity and split screen for video conferencing."
For his part, Gonzalo Gamio of Sony, stressed that from the technical point of view there is no major difference between a projector used for the corporate segment, the educational or industrial segment, especially in terms of resolution, contrast, duration of the light source, respective video inputs and outputs. "Many times it is directed rather to meeting rooms, conferences or auditoriums where, in general, we find curtains that exceed 120 inches and the light power is a preponderant factor because we find more and more corporate rooms with a lot of ambient light and little control over it."
Benefits for the corporate
Corporate, as far as projectors are concerned, is a very broad term. These equipment have varied uses and with various applications, including videoconferencing rooms, training rooms, meeting rooms, product exhibition areas, digital billboard, among others. "Depending on each need, there are also the characteristics that can be provided to adjust, whether it is the brightness of the projector, its interconnection capacity, short throw projections, interactivity, and many more," said René Araúz of Panasonic.
The main benefit of a projector in a corporate environment is the screen it projects. Usually, images from 84" to 120"; depending on the size of the meeting rooms are the ideal image sizes for a great and free view of any type of corporate documents, even for those that are quite far from the projection. In addition to image size, new technologies are being developed to make the user experience easier. Some of these technologies are:
- Brightness:. With at least 3K lumens it is possible to project images larger than 84" in ambient light rooms Today there is no need to turn on-off the light to see a large and bright image.
- Wireless connectivity: Allows users to easily connect computers, smartphones, tablets to the projector to share content during meetings. WiDi and Miracast are the new wireless protocol that many projectors on the market today are compatible with. This technology allows wireless transmission of HD videos.
- Split screen: Provide two source images in a projection. Ideal for video conferencing rooms and data usage at the same time.
- Long lamp life and cost: the improvements in lamp technology in recent years are very large. Today, most corporate projectors have life lamp up to 10,000 hours. The change of the lamp will have to pass from three - five years depending on the average use.
The Panasonic representative said that "in general, corporations are looking for a solution that is friendly in its handling and easy in its connection. Depending on the need, they may require equipment that does not take up much space or whose integration is flexible to be able to adjust to facilities of different natures such as meeting rooms, training rooms, or boards of directors. "
Some trends
In the competitive market of professional projectors, each brand seeks to stand out with particular functions and applications, playing a very important role interactivity. Get to know some of them:
In the case of Epson, it recently launched the Brightlink PRO 1430Wi, an all-in-one, interactive, ultra-short-throw projector. With this equipment, users can write, include images, draw, edit, paste, save and email all the contents created on a digital whiteboard without the need to connect any computer. Interaction with the image can be done by electronic pen or touch of a finger.
"This solution is ideal to be used with video conferencing. When connected on a network, the projector can also create a collaborative meeting environment, without any PC connected, and allow a maximum of 15 points for the meeting (smartphones, tables, computers and other Brightlinks). With video conferencing, users on the same network can share video and data at the same time," said Gabriel Gonçalves.
For its part, Sony is aiming for Laser light technology (Blue Laser + Phosphorus) in conjunction with the 3LCD panel system and its BrightERA technology. "The sum of these three results in more realistic colors, greater tonal gradation, better contrast level and longer duration of the light source (up to 20000 hours), which makes our projector much more attractive to the end user and our integrators," said Gonzalo Gamio.
Two of this company's new models, the FHZ60 and FHZ65, include new features that are essential for the corporate market:
Reality Creation: Technology that seeks to maximize the quality of the image using a proprietary algorithm which reads the information of each adjacent pixel to be able to display the greatest amount of information available and to be able to see a detailed image with the maximum expression of color. Therefore, animations and videos are more real at the time of a product presentation or corporate video.
Contrast Enhancer: This technology allows you to project an image or scene that has a lot of light and darkness simultaneously in a balanced way and without having to choose to expose only the light or only the dark areas with which we do not miss any detail of the scene.
Self-cleaning filter: Every 100 hours the projector activates a device that cleans the filter without having to manipulate it externally. Therefore, a saving to the corporation with maintenance expenses and less risks with officials in the cleaning of those devices.
René Araúz commented that "Panasonic stands out for promoting new technologies that help provide solutions to the needs of our end users. That is why we have recently concentrated many efforts on highlighting the LED/Laser technology of our RZ and RW series, where we have made extensive advances in reproducing more vivid colors and images more faithful to the original."
In addition, this technology provides other benefits that are of interest to companies, such as its low maintenance cost, because they are lamp-free projectors, and they are also quick-ignition, which helps the best use of time in meetings and seminars.
The market in the region
Despite the exchange rate situation against the dollar, which most Latin American countries are experiencing in 2015, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia remain the most important markets in the corporate projector segment, according to the three companies consulted.
But it also highlights the growth in other non-traditional markets that have aroused interest in these projectors, such as Central America, Peru, Chile, Argentina, in sectors such as private universities, banking institutions, armed forces, museums and churches and temples.
And on the subject of the dollar, the three guests agreed that the market has felt the impact, since it has affected the decision making of many end users. For Claudius Bezerra of Sony, "more than saying that it has affected us directly and that everything looks black in the future, it has been the other way around, it has helped us to redefine in a more creative way the same projects but with a budget that has changed thus avoiding that these are postponed or canceled definitively".
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