The Mini Projector Selector #4

Hello, now you probably have your quality issues sorted out, it’s time to deal with how you want to drive your mini projector.

We like to divide Mini Projectors into 2 categories, SIMPLE & SMART

We like to divide Mini Projectors into 2 categories, SIMPLE & SMART

SIMPLE mini projectors require a separate device such as PC, laptop, iPad, tablet, smartphone, iPhone, DVD player, game station, etc to provide the feed for the projector.

Most of the current model SIMPLE mini projectors have HDMI ports as their primary input, but a number still have VGA (15-pin) and/or Composite Video (Red, White, Yellow into 3.5mm plug) connections. VGA suits a lot of older laptops, Composite Video is for DVD, Video and many earlier gaming platforms.

If you go with a SIMPLE mini projector with HDMI connection, another advantage is that you can connect wirelessly with a WiFi dongle such as the EZ-Cast which plugs into the HDMI port. The EZ-Cast does need a USB power source as well and some projectors can power the dongle from an onboard USB port, some will need external power such as an Apple USB power adaptor.

SMART mini projectors combine much of the above with an on-board media player which will play movie files, photos, some text and in some cases Powerpoint files. Some of the projectors have a simple Office Viewer program which allows simple document reading without editing.

The source for these files can be on-board RAM memory, USB drives, SD cards and/or Micro TF cards, depending on the particular projector.

One of the most commonly asked questions from business users is “Can I play Powerpoint files directly from the projector?” The answer is Yes, if the projector has the capability to do so, but in almost all cases, only basic slide show type Powerpoint files are suitable. If you have Powerpoint files with special effects and/or embedded video, you will need to either play your file through your laptop, iPad or smartphone or convert your Powerpoint to MP4 or other movie format.

SMART mini projectors also have some or all of the standard inputs so you have increased flexibility whereby you can pull your projector from your pocket and “point and shoot” or “plug & play” from your laptop, iPad, tablet or smartphone. All the SMART mini projectors come with

Wireless connection is available with almost all mini projectors, whether the WiFi dongle is provided by the manufacturer or is a 3^rd party device such as EZ-Cast. Some of the most recent models have WiFi built-in and in some cases can accept up to 4 connections, all displayed on the screen at the same time.

Some SMART projectors also feature an Android operating system, effectively turning them into mini PC/projectors where you can connect to the Internet, download apps and files, source files from programs such as Dropbox and play them live. If you are an Android power-user, you’ll love these, but you’ll need to make sure you can connect to a Hotspot or carry your own Hotspot to take full advantage of this technology.

So SIMPLE or SMART? it’s up to you and your budget, SIMPLE tend to be less expensive and if you are intending to use your laptop, iPad, tablet or smartphone to connect, then SIMPLE is probably all you need. If you want the added “Quick Draw McGraw” option of pulling out your projector to just “point and shoot!” then take the SMART option.

Until Selector #5 arrives, “Maintain your Focus!”

Mini Projector is the leading supplier of mini LED data projectors in Australia with the latest technology suitable for business, education, home cinema & the creative arts.