Today's fast-changing technology makes it important for consumers to consider several factors when purchasing a digital projector in order to ensure that they receive maximum returns on their investment, as well as to avoid being stuck with a piece of technology that will be useless and obsolete in a matter of months.

As far as price is concerned, when it comes to technology, you do often get what you pay for. Though it isn't necessary to spend several thousand dollars on a projector, businesses need to consider the amount and type of use they expect from their projector and make their decision accordingly.

Besides price, the other important factors to consider when investing in a projector are brightness, resolution, contrast, and lamp life.

Typically, the level of brightness in today's projectors ranges from 1000 to as high as 10,000 lumens. When selecting a projector, consider where it will be used. If the projector is meant for use in a small, dark room and for a small audience, less lumens (1000-1500) will usually suffice. However, a projector that will be used in a larger, brighter area such as a hall or auditorium will require more lumens (2000-3000).

Choosing the resolution for your projector is based mainly on the type of presentations it will be used for. Resolution is divided into four categories, including SVGA, XGA, SXGA, and UXGA. SVGA represents the most affordable option, and is the resolution typically needed for projecting simple graphics, as in those found in Power Point presentations. XGA is a resolution typically used to project video images, as well as small-type spreadsheets. SXGA is also known as high resolution, as is intended for use with presentations that require presentation of very small details, as in some CAD applications. UXGA represents the highest resolution, and in intended to presentations of applications that are high in both detail and information.

Contrast refers to the difference between the light and dark colors of a projected image. When choosing a projector, choose one with a high contrast ratio, typically 400:1 or higher. If a projector is meant for use in a room with high levels of light (or even with the lights on), choose one with the highest possible contrast ratio.

The life of a projector lamp typically ranges from 40-80 hours on the lower-end lamps, to as high as 4,000-4,500 hours for the more expensive xenon lamps. On average, today's projector lamps usually last about 1,000 hours. When making a purchase, take into consideration the amount of use you expect to get from your projector, and the fact that replacement lamps typically cost $200-$500.