OK, this one probably isn’t for everyone. However if you are living in the DR with your family it might be an idea. Connect a projector to your computer when you are trying to do group (family) conferencing with Skype.
My family uses laptops with relativity smaller screens. At times when we Skype family or friends back home we find ourselves crowding in front of a laptop trying to get everyone in front of the camera and at an angle where we can all see the screen. Not a big deal for a few minutes but can get a little tiring after a while. That is where a projector comes in.
Many projectors can easily be connected to a laptop computer making it so you can project whatever is on the computer screen onto a wall, that means large high resolution video games, movies, and of course Skype conversations. There are a few things you need to consider before picking one up though. Best Skype Projectors has a bullet point list of considerations while choosing a projector.
There are a few other things to consider for use in the Dominican Republic. The biggest one is power. Most projectors are higher wattage units. It is unlikely that you would be able to use a projector on a Inversor and battery setup. A typical refrigerator runs on about 160 watts going up to 230 watts or so when in defrost mode. Most of the projectors I have seen run at 250 watts or higher, this is due to the power required to produce a bright screen. That kind of wattage will chew up your batteries pretty quickly, especially when it is a constant drain instead of a periodic drain like a fridge pulls.
Most projectors would also have a hard time with the low voltage power we often get in the DR. While a good regulator should keep the voltage high enough, the load will decrease the power available to charge your batteries when you actually have power. So this may only work well if you are in an area where you have constant power and the voltage is good (i.e. the larger cities and tourist areas).
Last point, a projector is going to be pretty hard to find in the DR, and if you do find one the price will likely be very high and the quality very low (pretty typical for electronics here). There are also different consideration if you are planning to use the projector for Skype (where room light is required for the Skype camera) or for video games and movies where the room is likely to be dark. It would probably be good to look around online and make your purchase in the US or another larger country where you will have more selection.
Well, a video projector for Skype, movies and video games many not be a necessity for most of us, but it is fun to dream.
July 27th, 2012 at 6:30 am
This is a cool idea. I’m going to look for one the next time I’m in the US
August 3rd, 2012 at 5:57 pm
The Skype Projector for family conferences is a clever idea. This is beneficial for people who would like to stay in touch. Are these projectors easily connected to a desktop computer?
August 4th, 2012 at 8:16 am
You have several options for a desktop computer depending on the input you decide for the Projector.
1) RCA input. If you want to use a RCA input you will need to install a card on your computer that does a RCA output. So this would involve a hardware and software change for your desktop Computer.
2) Video output. If you computer already has two SVGA video out puts (this is probably how you run your current monitor) you can hook a projector with a SVGA input into one of the outputs. If you only have one output you can disconnect your monitor and plug the projector into that monitor SVGA output.
3) USB There are also projectors that use USB, this is probably one of the easiest options and most computers have USB ports. You can also buy a USB Display Adapter that will convert USB to RCA output
4) If your video card has a HDMI output you can also find projectors that have a HDMI input to give you high definition (not really unnecessary for skype) images. The advantage of this option is that it makes a better movie projector to use your computer to watch movies.