Displays for Group Meetings (X Ray / Trauma)
Comparing the Options
We will now compare key characteristics for the two options for group meeting displays.
| Large LCDs | Projectors | |
| Cost to purchase | £450 - £5000 + | £1000-£9000+ |
| Cost to maintain | next to nothing - long lasting screens as long as they are treated carefully. Leading manufacturers offer upto a three year swap out warranty. | Replacing bulbs can be very expensive - upto £500, so important to check the bulb life when purchasing |
| Installation | Just plug and play if desktop (as long as your graphics card does not need upgrading). Wall mounting fairly straightforward - check for VESA compatible mountings. | Need to consider installation of a screen (fixed / roller), or consider tripod mounted screen if you want a (fairly) mobile solution. A good projector screen (high contrast white) can cost upwards of £300. |
| Image quality | Excellent if you buy a screen with the right characteristics. Most of the very large screens (30"+) are too low a resolution to make the price worthwhile. | Almost always inferior to an LCD, although high resolution projectors are emerging (very expensive at the moment, but this will change) |
| Visibility | upto 20" screen is large enough for less than 5 people, upto 10, good visibility with screens 22" and bigger, more than that visibility becomes poor. Have not yet tested a screen 30"+ where quality was adequate. | Excellent for even small groups, although you need to buy a projector with a good resolution. The only real option for groups greater than 15 currently. Can be used effectively in a small room (using a short throw projector) by projecting slightly above eye level, so screen is not blocked by others. |
The decision to install one type of display or the other (or a mixture in different departments) is not always clear. Costs vary tremendously (as does quality) between manufacturers, and you should always consider the warranty options as well for displays in critical areas. The better manufacturers all offer a swap out or replacement warranty (if our display malfunctions, they just send you a new one and will then deal with the old one, rather than you waiting for it to be fixed).
To see displays of both types that we have tested and can recommend, please have a look at our reviews section.