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Critiquing Calypso: Authorial and Academic Bias in the Reading of a Young Adult Novel
- Catherine Butler
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The position of authors of fiction in relation to critical discussion of their work is an unsettled one. While recognized as having knowledge and expertise regarding their texts, they are typically regarded as unreliable sources when it comes to critical analysis, and as partial witnesses whose personal association with the text is liable to influence their judgement. This article reconsiders that position, not by arguing that authors lack bias but by showing that bias is the normal condition of all critical reading and writing, whether by authors of fiction or by academic critics. I take as a case study my novel Calypso Dreaming (2002), comparing my own understanding of the text with a recent discussion by four influential critics. I argue that the rhetorical and methodological framing of critical discussion is a necessarily procrustean exercise, that may yield insights into texts but is also characterized by distortion and selectivity. Moreover, the conventional positioning of critics as "disinterested," in contrast to "biased" authors, disguises the extent to which academic discussions are subject to the same personal and professional influences as those of other writers.
- Anon. (2009). Two Intriguing Islands—with Amazing Histories. Bear Essentials: The Newsletter of Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, April, 13–14. Accessed August 24, 2012 from http://www.cbyc.co.uk/club/documents/be009.pdf.
- Barthes, Roland. (1967/1977). The Death of the Author. In Image Music Text (pp. 142–148). London: Fontana Press.
- Bradford, Clare, Mallan, Kelly, Stephens, John, McCallum, Robyn (2008) New World Orders in Contemporary Children's Literature: Utopian Transformations. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke CrossRef
- Butler, Charles (1998) Timon's Tide. Orion, London
- Butler, Charles (2002) Calypso Dreaming. Collins Voyager, London
- Butler, Charles (2006) Four British Fantasists: Place and Culture in the Children's Fantasies of Penelope Lively, Alan Garner, Susan Cooper, and Diana Wynne Jones. Scarecrow Press/Children's Literature Association, Lanham, MD
- Butler, Charles (2006) Death of a Ghost. HarperCollins, London
- Butler, Charles (2007) Holiday Work: On Writing for Children and for the Academy. Children's Literature in Education 38: pp. 163-172 CrossRef
- Butler, Charles (2009) Experimental Girls: Feminist and Transgender Discourses in Bill's New Frock and Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl?. Children's Literature Association Quarterly 34: pp. 3-20 CrossRef
- Derrida, Jacques (1988) Limited Inc. Northwestern University Press, Evanston, IL
- Fish, Stanley. (1980). Is There a Text in this Class? The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
- Garner, Alan (1997) The Voice that Thunders: Essays and Lectures. The Harvill Press, Edinburgh
- Giblett, Rod (1996) Postmodern Wetlands: Culture, History, Ecology. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh
- Isaacs, Anne, Zelinsky, Paul O (1994) Swamp Angel. Dutton, New York
- Stephens, John (1992) Language and Ideology in Children's Fiction. Longman, London
- Stephens, John, McCallum, Robyn (1998) Retelling Stories, Framing Culture: Traditional Story and Metanarratives in Children's Literature. Garland, New York and London
- Title
- Critiquing Calypso: Authorial and Academic Bias in the Reading of a Young Adult Novel
- Journal
Children's Literature in Education
Volume 44, Issue 3 , pp 264-279
- Cover Date
- 2013-09-01
- 10.1007/s10583-012-9189-9
- Print ISSN
- 0045-6713
- Online ISSN
- 1573-1693
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Additional Links
- Topics
- Keywords
- Calypso Dreaming
- "Holiday Work"
- New World Orders
- Critical-creative divide
- Bias in reading
- Ecofeminist criticism
- Authors
- Catherine Butler (1)
- Author Affiliations
- 1. University of the West of England, 29 Dirac Rd, Ashley Down, BS7 9LP, Bristol, UK


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A new, improved Jordanian option
'You have to understand that the progressive forces in the Arab world, those that support having a visible relationship with Israel, cannot reach out to it until the Palestinian problem is resolved,' said one Jordanian official.
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The recent surprise visit to Jordan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicative of the importance the premier attributes to the Hashemite kingdom's role in advancing the diplomatic process, and particularly to its role in the future, if and when a Palestinian state is established. The substance of Netanyahu's talks with King Abdullah a week and a half ago have not leaked, but the...
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Rösle® Pie and Cake Server
With one smooth and one serrated edge, this tool not only cuts pies, tarts and cakes but also lets you serve with it as well. Watertight handle with convenient hook for hanging. 18/10 stainless steel.
- Manufacturer: Rösle
- Care: Do not use ordinary steel wool for cleaning, use recognized household cleaning agents specialized for stainless steel to guarantee optimum results
- Dimensions: Total length: 11¾", blade length: 7", blade width: 2"
- Material: Stainless steel
- Warranty: 5-year warranty
- Model: #12568
- For cutting and dividing of pies and gateaux.
- The finely serrated edge facilitates neat cutting.
- The elongated triangular shape is perfect for safe lifting of cake segments.
With numerous international design awards under its belt, the Rösle line is a real marriage of performance and beauty. Each tool is held to the strictest standards, with a meticulous degree of attention paid to every detail to ensure long-lasting utility.


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Friday, 05 September 2014 14:29
You can see hundreds of bright red salmon — and possibly other wildlife, too — at the annual Kokanee Salmon Viewing Day. The free event will be held Sept. 20 at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) visitor center at Strawberry Reservoir.
» Read more
Friday, 05 September 2014 14:27
If you visit Sheep Creek to see kokanee salmon on Sept. 20, make sure and bring binoculars or a spotting scope with you. You might see some bighorn sheep too!
Friday, 05 September 2014 14:25
Do the birds, plants and wetlands around the Great Salt Lake interest you? Would you like to learn more about them and then share what you learn with others? If you answered yes, the Robert N. Hasenyager Great Salt Lake Nature Center wants you as a volunteer naturalist.
Friday, 29 August 2014 10:21
Tuesday, 26 August 2014 13:20
Twenty years of hard work were rewarded recently. On Aug. 25, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that least chub — a tiny fish found only in Utah — is doing well enough that it doesn't need to be listed on the federal Endangered Species list.
Thursday, 28 August 2014 15:17
Utah's new Trial Hunting program started in early August. The program allows a licensed hunter, who must be at least 21 years old, to take someone 12 years of age or older hunting.
Thursday, 21 August 2014 13:43
If it's been awhile since you hunted cottontail rabbits, this fall might be the perfect time to pick up a shotgun or a small-caliber rifle and head afield. Rabbit numbers are the highest they've been in five years.
Thursday, 28 August 2014 14:54
Hunters and trappers will have a chance to take more bobcats in Utah this fall. At their Aug. 28 meeting, members of the Utah Wildlife Board approved a recommendation to allow an individual hunter or trapper to obtain up to six bobcat permits.
Thursday, 21 August 2014 12:35
If you enjoy hunting upland game in Utah, you can add something fun to your hunt while helping the birds and animals you pursue. This fall, seven Upland Game Slams will start in the state. Each time you complete a slam, you'll receive a colorful Upland Game Slam "coin."
Thursday, 28 August 2014 14:46
If you're new to duck and goose hunting — or you've never hunted ducks and geese before — an upcoming series of hunting fairs, seminars and clinics are something you won't want to miss.
Beavers in Utah
Building guzzlers in Utah's Newfoundland Mountains
Gila monsters — Creatures of legends and misconceptions


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FDA lifts advisory against eating raw Mexican jalapeno and serrano peppers
THURSDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials declared Thursday that the nationwide salmonella outbreak has ended and that the consumer advisory against eating raw jalapeno and serrano peppers grown in Mexico has been lifted.
"Based on the available information and reports, it appears that this outbreak is over," Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of foodborne, bacterial and mycotic diseases, said during a teleconference.
The CDC's announcement was based on the falling number of new cases since early July, Tauxe said. "By early August, the number of cases was down to the number of cases we would expect to see anyway in the absence of a major outbreak. There are some cases of this infection that occur every year," he added.
The last cluster of infections associated with restaurants occurred in early July, Tauxe said. "This is also an important indication that this particular outbreak is over," he said.
The outbreak, the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in the United States in the past decade, sickened 1,442 people, hospitalized 286, and was implicated in two deaths between April and August. It was originally thought to be caused by tomatoes grown in Florida or Mexico. Eventually, the outbreak was traced to two farms in Mexico that grew jalapeno and serrano peppers, according to a report in the Aug. 29 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lifted the warning on eating raw jalapeno and serrano peppers from Mexico on Thursday because the outbreak appeared over.
Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for foods, said at the teleconference that none of the peppers associated with the outbreak are in circulation and that the agency has completed its field
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Buying Guide to Projectors
As with so many consumer products these days, selecting a projector can be daunting, since there are just so many options. However, choosing the right projector is pretty simple as long as you can supply three pieces of information:
- The screen size (width, most importantly).
- Distance between the projector and the screen (throw distance).
- An estimate of the amount of ambient light present in the room in which the projector will be used.
At this point you might be thinking, "Great. But I can't answer any of those questions." Or, "I plan to take my projector on the road and could be using it anywhere." Often, with a little forethought, the "I don't know" can be whittled down to a fairly good educated guess. If not, you are not completely out of luck. In addressing each topic, we will suggest your best bet when confronted with unknowns.
Key Features
What is a projector?
A projector may be best thought of as an inverted camera, spitting light out of a lens rather than receiving it. For the sake of this buying guide, we will be considering digital protectors—that is, projectors with video inputs that serve a similar function to a TV or computer monitor while offering a number of benefits, including the ability to produce much larger image sizes and easy portability. The principles I will outline below apply to all types of projectors. However, it will help to start by dividing digital projectors into four categories:
- Pocket, also called "pico"
- Home theater
- Multimedia
- Large venue and fixed installation (a subset of multimedia)
Obviously there will be overlap, and not all models will fit easily into a particular category. For example, home theater and multimedia projectors are very similar. In most cases, it will be clear from your application which type you need. Boardroom presentations: this will be multimedia. In a living room: home theater. For a lecture hall, seating 500 people: large venue. Ultra-portable, where a small screen size is acceptable: pocket or pico projector.
Pocket projectors
Pocket projectors are still a relatively new technology. Although most would require a fairly large pocket, they are small enough to hold in your hand, and usually can be mounted on a tabletop tripod as well. Because they use LED lamps, they aren't very bright: 20 to 1,000 lumens. In comparison, multimedia projectors typically range from 2,500 to 4,500 lumens (higher if we included fixed installation). This makes them useful as an alternative to carrying a monitor or TV around, but they won't really cut it if your intention is to present to a group of more than a few people. Until recently, pocket projectors have been regarded as more of a novelty—a fun consumer item—than a serious display technology. However, as LED lamps improved, the capabilities of pico projectors have increased and they are starting to encroach upon the portable segment of the multimedia projector market.
Another notable limitation common to pocket projectors is the lack of a zoom lens. This means that the only way you can control image size is by physically moving the projector closer or farther away from the screen. If you favor compact form factor over brightness and zoom, a pico may be right for you. If not, you are probably a candidate for a multimedia projector.
Multimedia projectors
Multimedia projectors represent the largest category, and are the most widely sold at B&H (close to 800 models, currently). Multimedia projectors are general purpose, and are used for everything from giving PowerPoint presentations to screening video clips and slideshows at weddings. They are typically considered portable, weighing from 3 pounds for the ultra-slim models and going up from there, and their brightness ranges from 2,500 to 4,500 lumens or so. Apart from the special sub-category of short-throw, they virtually always have zoom lenses. However, the zoom range is usually shorter than that of their home theater counterparts: 1.2x to 1.5x (compared to 2x in the home-theater realm). This means special care needs to be taken when choosing, to make sure the screen size is compatible with the projector's throw ratio. Multimedia projectors virtually always have VGA and composite video inputs, and most models now feature HDMI as well. In some cases, a DVI-D port will be provided instead of HDMI, but an HDMI device can still be connected using an inexpensive adapter. Similarly, DVI devices can be connected to a projector with only HDMI using a DVI to HDMI cable or adapter.
Common resolutions for multimedia projectors are SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), WXGA (1280 x 800), and WUXGA (1920 x 1200), though 4K is just over the horizon. The most popular resolution is XGA, and is generally suitable for PowerPoint presentations—but, because it is a 4:3 format, may not be ideal if you plan to screen high definition.
Short throw projectors
"They are typically wall rather than ceiling mounted, and are designed to be installed very close to the screen: 18 inches to 2 feet."
Although most multimedia projectors have a built-in zoom lens, an important subcategory is short throw and ultra-short throw. Generally, a throw ratio of less than 1:1 is considered short throw. The most common throw ratios are 0.5:1 and 0.3:1, with the latter fulfilling the distinction of being "ultra-short throw." Short throw projectors almost never have zoom lenses, and in many cases they use a mirror onto which the image is projected first, before being reflected at the screen. They are typically wall rather than ceiling mounted, and are designed to be installed very close to the screen: 18 inches to 2 feet. Short throw projectors are most often used in classrooms, and are ideal for pairing with digital whiteboards. One might be tempted to place a short throw projector further back than the recommended couple of feet, as a way to achieve a very large image in a small space (assuming sufficiently low ambient light levels, of course). This probably won't work, since short throw projectors keystone severely when used outside their recommend throw distance range, and will require some very creative mounting to produce an undistorted image. Because they are meant for smaller screen sizes (8 feet wide or less), short throw projectors normally top out at 3,000 lumens. If you need a brighter projector and have limited space, you will need to look at a fixed installation projector with interchangeable lenses instead.
Home theater projectors
True home theater projectors—as opposed to multimedia/home theater crossovers, which from a feature perspective can be treated as multimedia projectors—place the emphasis on image quality above all else. They rarely get brighter than 2,500 lumens (though this seems to be changing), and have the most zoom of any projector type that uses built-in lenses. They are intended for use in a living room, or perhaps small screening room, where the ambient light can be controlled completely. They use either DLP or LCoS imaging technology, almost never three LCD, and will generally give you the best-looking picture of all types, assuming you use them in complete darkness and at a sensible throw distance.
Home theater projectors often feature low-voltage control (LVC), so that turning the projector on or off can trigger the screen to rise or descend, or open and close if it is a fixed frame covered by drapes. To achieve the quietest possible operation, they have more efficient—or more elaborate—cooling systems, making them relatively bulky and, in some cases, unable to support inverted installation. They are also the most expensive type of projector, relative to specifications. Virtually all are Full HD or 4K (true DCI 4096 x 2160 4K, in fact). Be careful, though. Companies often lump what are essentially restyled multimedia projectors into the home theater category. Telltale signs are high lumen ratings (more than 3,000 lumens), VESA rather than HD video native resolutions (such as WXGA and WUXGA), and zoom that's shorter than 2x.
If you want a great picture, can block out all ambient light, and are working with a screen size of up to 100 inches or so, home theater protectors are a great choice. Otherwise, you may have to consider a brighter multimedia projector, even if you plan to use it in a home theater setting.
Fixed installation and large venue
Fixed installation and large venue projectors are often included together with multimedia projectors. They are the brightest type available in the consumer market, starting at around 4,500 lumens and going up to 20,000 or more. Installation projectors are not generally considered portable, and take time to set up. In most cases, they feature interchangeable-lens systems, making them the most adaptable in terms of throw distance. They are normally used in lecture halls, movie theaters, houses of worship, stadiums, and other similar settings that require screening for large groups. In addition to large screen sizes, they are used in settings where ambient light can't be controlled. Many also support stacking, meaning the output from two or more protectors can be aggregated to increase the brightness beyond what a single projector can achieve.
Because of their weight and the nature of the lens systems they use, in most cases, installation projectors should be specced out by an integrator, and require installation by a professional.
Now we come to implementing the three pieces of information mentioned earlier.
Why do screen size and throw distance matter? Or: What is throw ratio?
Projectors have a very important specification called "throw ratio". Throw ratio is a specification that is determined by the first two pieces of information in the equation:
- How far the projector is from the screen (throw distance)
- How wide the screen is
For example, if your screen is 10 feet wide and the projector is 15 feet away, you will need a lens that covers a throw ratio of 1.5:1.
The first step in choosing a projector, therefore, is pinning down how wide the screen is and how far it can be placed from the screen—once you've done this, your choices will narrow considerably. Of course, you may have flexibility. Maybe your space allows you to mount the projector anywhere you want on the ceiling. In this case, while you might technically be able to choose any projector you want, you should consider mounting the projector as close to the screen as you comfortably can. Light is subject to the Inverse Square Law, meaning brightness drops logarithmically with increased distance, so the closer you can mount it, the fewer lumens you will need. At the other extreme is a case where you have an existing mount installed on the ceiling that you want to reuse. In this case, you will need to find a projector that features the exact throw ratio dictated by the position of the mount relative to the width of the screen.
|Short Throw
|Medium Throw
|Long Throw
Screen Size
Projector screens merit a whole buying guide of their own. However, at this point, many of you will be understandably wondering, "If I'm starting from scratch, how should I know what screen size to get?" A quick, and very rough, rule of thumb is to multiply the distance of the "least-favored viewer"—i.e., the person farthest from the screen—by 1/5. So, if your LFV will be sitting 50 feet away, you'll need a screen that is 10 feet high.
But what if you don't know? Or what if the projector is being used on the go? Every effort should be made to find out, since there is no "standard" throw ratio, nor is there a standard screen size. On paper, multimedia projectors with built-in lenses don't appear to vary a ton. They mostly range from somewhere between 1.3:1 to 3:1, whereas a fixed installation projector with interchangeable lenses might have lens options ranging from 0.8:1 up to 15:1. You might have decided, since they're all about the same, to risk it. This might work, but remember that even exceeding only a foot on a 10-foot screen can lead to a critical part of the presentation being cut off.
If you really can't find out, you have two options: spring for a model with more zoom—which will cost more—or err on the side of shorter throw. Not true short throw, mind you—those don't have zoom and they keystone excessively if not carefully positioned. But something closer to the 1.3:1 end of the spectrum. Why? Because more often than not, getting the projector closer to the screen will be less of a problem than getting it farther away.
Finally, keep in mind, throw is based on native aspect ratio. If, for some reason, you are setting the projector to a narrower aspect ratio than native, the projector will effectively have a longer throw.
Where does a projector's light originate?
Projectors mainly use two lamp technologies: LED and metal halide. LED projectors top out at around 1,000 lumens right now, and mostly fall into the pico category. Almost all of the rest use metal halide—the classic digital projector lamp, lasting between 2,000 and 5,000 hours on. There are also a few eccentric projector models that feature a green laser/LED hybrid system.
How much brightness do I need?
While throw ratio is very important, brightness is the most important specification to get right. And this is where the third piece of information I mentioned—amount of ambient light—fits in. If the image isn't bright enough to be seen clearly, all other considerations fly out the window. Getting enough light out of a projector is often the biggest challenge, but remember, it is nearly impossible to get a projector that is too bright. If a projector is ever "too bright" you can always just turn the brightness down. But making a projector that is too dim brighter... good luck!
Ambient light competes with the projector's output, causing the image to get washed out.
In the ideal world in which we don't live, projectors would always be used in total darkness. The more light you add, the more you lower contrast and wash out the image. Even getting a brighter projector only solves the problem partially, since ambient light is mixing with the darker parts of the image, making them cloudy. If you have to use a projector in ambient light, you will never get a perfect image, but it is possible to at least get a viewable image.
Projector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens (lumens for short). Calculating how many lumens you need requires knowing the throw distance, image width, how much ambient light is present in the room, and the content that will be shown. The simplest way to figure this out is to use a projection calculator, a software tool that crunches the number for you. Many projector manufacturers provide calculators on their websites. If not, Projector Central is a great resource, and offers projection calculators for nearly every projector model made.
Here are some examples of numbers of lumens you should anticipate needing:
- A living room where the lights can be turned off completely: 1,500 to 2,000 lumens
- A school classroom or boardroom where the lights can be dimmed, if not fully extinguished: 3,000 lumens
- A lecture hall or small church requiring a 10-foot-wide screen, and has a moderate amount of light: 5,000 lumens
- A movie theater: 20,000 lumens or more
|How it will look if your projector isn't bright enough
After looking at the calculator, you may have noticed brightness is measured in foot-candles. Without a light meter, how is one supposed to know how many foot-candles of light a room has? Here, a bit of judgment and common sense come into play. Would you consider it "well lit" (50 foot-candles), moderately lit (20 foot-candles), or dimly lit (less than 5 foot-candles)? Or is there bright sunlight blazing in? If the installation is for critical view, then I would recommend getting a light meter, and carefully measuring. But for most practical everyday uses, a rough guess-timate erring on the side of too bright should suffice.
"If you legitimately don't know where the projector will be used, then get the brightest you can afford that you are able to carry around."
The content should also be factored in. Are you projecting white song lyrics over a solid background? Or are you showing photographs in an art gallery? In the former case, the contrast of the image is so high you can get away with a much weaker projector. In the latter case, you probably want to preserve every tonal nuance you can and, so, will need more lumens.
If you legitimately don't know where the projector will be used, then get the brightest you can afford that you are able to carry around. However, chances are, with a bit of thought you can come up with a reasonable estimate of the setting. For example, if you are a traveling product rep conducting trainings with groups of up to 20 people at various companies, 3,000 lumens may be enough as long as you don't encounter windows without blinds. If you do have a room without blinds, or are trying to project outdoors in daylight, be aware: no projector may be bright enough. You're asking the projector to do something it simply wasn't made to do.
Finally, if the projector is being used for any kind of critical viewing, then it is imperative that ambient light be eliminated from the setting. If this isn't possible, then TVs or monitors (perhaps arranged as a "video wall") should be used as an alternative. Ambient light not only degrades the image but also alters it, potentially undoing any careful calibration of the projector or color-correction work on the image itself. Projectors probably aren't ideal for critical viewing to begin with, but especially not when there is light in the room.
If you can't find a single projector that is bright enough, you might consider stacking. Stacking requires a compatible projector or using outboard hardware so the images can be aligned perfectly.
Now that you know the throw ratio and brightness, you can consider secondary factors, such as resolution and contrast ratio.
What resolution do I need?
Resolution matters, but perhaps less than you might think. Most projectors these days are least XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, a 4:3 aspect ratio format that has been the longtime staple for giving PowerPoint presentations. A few entry-level models are still SVGA (800 x 600), and pocket projectors sometimes have funky, low native resolutions that the manufacturers are coy about admitting. Because of high-definition video, increasingly widescreen formats, starting at WXGA (1280 x 800), are supplanting the legacy 4:3 standards.
Personally, I would not recommend going lower than XGA. At SVGA and lower resolutions, pixelation in the image will be very apparent. Also, many computer programs require at least XGA resolution even to run. You can cheat and set the computer's projector output to XGA, and let the projector scale the image down to its native resolution; however, the image will look blurry and smaller text will be unreadable. If you ever used a scan converter to hook your computer up to standard-definition TV you'll know what I'm talking about. The so called "screen-door effect" (discussed below) will also be worse in SVGA or lower.
In home theater setups, the screen-size-to-viewer distance ratio is a lot smaller than for other applications—here a higher-res image pays off. Otherwise, XGA is probably fine as a baseline, though going higher never hurts. Ideally, I would recommend starting at WXGA and going up from there. Even if you are PowerPoint user, bumping up to 16:10 won't really hurt, plus, you'll be ready if you want to screen HD video down the road. For special applications, such as exhibiting photos, you will want higher resolution: at least 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) for 4:3 or 1920 x 1200 for 16:10 (WUXGA), if not better. In the case of home theater, it's really a question of whether to invest in 4K or not, since nearly all home theater projectors are at least Full HD (1920 x 1080) anyway. Certainly 4K in a projector makes more sense than 4K in a TV, since you can achieve a larger image size. But right now there are few sources for 4K content, unless you buy a camera and record it for yourself. Also, HDMI 1.4a only supports 4Kp30 (i.e., maxes out at 30 frames per second / 30Hz for computer sources), so you if you early-adopt with the intention of "future proofing" you may end up kicking yourself down the road when HDMI 2.0 comes out and adds support for higher frame rates.
If you really want to be scientific about resolution, a quick Internet search will turn up a number of resolution calculators where you can plug in a screen size and viewing distance and the calculator will spit back a resolution. These are great, but, as with brightness, the content really needs to be factored in, and a calculator can't do that. A highly compressed YouTube video may look like hot garbage no matter what you try to show it on. On the other hand, if you are putting together a screening room for a production company, 4K may barely cut it.
Should I care about contrast ratio?
Contrast ratio is probably the most meaningless spec you'll find. Like HDTVs, projectors rely on so-called "dynamic contrast" to boost their on-paper performance. Also, the screen surface plays an import role in contrast. Finally, any ambient light will bring contrast ratio down into the double digits. Unless you have optimal viewing conditions (i.e., next to no light and a good screen), a 500:1 contrast ration and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio on paper probably won't render a visible difference.
What are keystone correction and lens shift?
Most projectors will have at least vertical, if not horizontal keystone correction; some even offer lens shift. Of course, we are all familiar with the trapezoidal "keystone effect"—the image appears wider at the top when the projector is too low, or wider on one side when the projector is horizontally off center. Keystone correction remedies this, up to a certain specified percentage. The problem with keystone correction is that it is achieved digitally, like digital zoom on a camcorder. The more you apply, the more the image will be degraded. As long as you mount or place the projector so that the lens is not below the bottom of the screen or above the top of the screen (assuming a right angle relative to the screen) you should be okay. If you starting getting outside of a normal mounting situation, or are staking or edge blending, you will seriously want to consider picking a projector with lens shift. Lens shift serves the same purpose, and then some, and achieves it optically with not loss in image quality. To get lens shift you are probably looking at a high-end home theater or fixed installation projector.
|Original Image
|Vertical Keystone
|Horizontal Keystone
DLP vs LCD: Which is better?
DLP is for better image quality, LCD lasts longer. Next topic.
Just kidding!
There are three imaging systems used in most projectors today: DLP, LCD, and one you might not have heard of: LCoS. Between the DLP and LCD it is really a toss-up these days. LCD has a little less rainbow effect on average; DLP a little less screen-down effect. Apart from that, LCD has a slight reliability edge in that there are no moving parts in the imaging system, whereas single-chip DLP uses a spinning color wheel and micro mirrors. LCD panels can still fail, but more often it is a case of dead pixels rather than a catastrophic failure as when a DLP color wheel stops working. If you are using the projector in a remote setting where it can't readily be replaced or served, then go LCD. Otherwise LCD vs DLP doesn't need to be a deciding factor.
Sample of Screen-Down Effect
In some ways, the underdog, LCoS, offers the best of both worlds. Some of you may vaguely recall HD projection TVs that had LCoS. LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicone) is a reflective technology like DLP, but in this case, the light is reflected from a silicone-backed LCD panel rather than micro mirrors. This system currently claims to produce the least screen-door effect and, because it is LCD, is free from the rainbow effect and other color-wheel-related artifacts. It is used almost exclusively in high-end multimedia projectors targeting critical viewing applications. On Sony home theater projectors, LCoS is called SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display).
What connectivity do I need?
In terms of video inputs, all but very high-end professional systems have more or less the same options: VGA, composite, component (usually on the VGA connector), HDMI, and occasionally S-Video. VGA has been on projectors forever, and because it is so widely used in many existing AV systems, will remain an option for some time—we just can't seem to kill it. Otherwise, HDMI is the main connector to look for, now and in the near future. Most computers can be adapted to HDMI with inexpensive passive adapters if they don't already have a built-in HDMI output. So look for HDMI, first and foremost. In some cases, a projector will have a DisplayPort or DVI input instead of HDMI. As long as you're not trying to pass 4K, these inputs can be adapted to accept an HDMI signal, again, using a passive adapter or cable. On professional projectors, you will also sometimes find SDI (serial digital interface), a digital interface mainly used in the broadcast world—at this level, you can often install expansion boards to customize the projector's connectivity, tailoring it to your specific needs.
One tip for installations: do not run HDMI more than 25 feet. There are HDMI cables that are longer, but the longer you go, the more the cable acts as an antenna, picking up RF signals. For whatever reason, 25 feet seems to be where reliability dives off the cliff. If you need to send HDMI farther, you can use baluns, special converter boxes that modify the signal so it can travel over a balanced (i.e., interference-resistant) type of cable, most often Ethernet.
In addition to video, many multimedia and home theater projectors have some form of wired control port, usually RS-232. This allows integration with automation systems or control using custom-developed software. Increasingly, Ethernet is becoming a standard feature, and will typically allow you to operate the projector across a network, or even the Internet, using any web browser. Some also have Wi-Fi capability.
Multimedia projectors often have one or more USB ports, though figuring out what the USB port does isn't always easy. Possible USB functions include:
- A video interface—as an alternative to using VGA or HDMI
- Plugging in a presentation mouse
- A port for a USB flash drive for giving "PC-less" presentations
- Connector for an optional Wi-Fi dongle
- Remote controlling the projector from a computer
PC-less presentation is probably the most-demanded feature of a USB port, and it is becoming increasingly common. However, in most cases this feature is for still-image formats, such as JPG only. The projector will not act as a media player and play video files. Some projectors also include software for converting PowerPoint presentations, but this can be buggy; I would recommend exporting your slide shows directly from PowerPoint to a supported still-image format such as JPG instead. You will lose animation effects, but at least it is reliable. Pico and home theater projectors, on the other hand, often have built-in media players so you can play back video from a USB device or even a memory card.
Wireless video is one of the most asked-for inputs. Some projectors have it, usually in the form of an optional USB dongle. But, because the video generally has to be compressed and, due to the presence of so many competing wireless devices—especially wireless routers—the wireless interface on projectors is only recommended for PowerPoint, photos, or showing relatively static computer graphics, not for full-frame-rate video. In addition, the range of projector wireless dongles is usually limited to about a 30-foot line of sight. If you really need to send video wirelessly, there are third-party options that can do it, and some are even uncompressed. But even with dedicated solutions, there are so many unpredictable environmental variables that the technology is not going to be mission-critical reliable.
Can I rely on a projector's built-in speakers?
Speccing a projector based on its speakers is a bit like speccing a car on how well it works as a boat. Projector speakers are terrible, even worse than TV speakers. Many will de-embed audio from the HDMI stream, so you might be tempted to just plug your speakers directly into the projector. Unfortunately, they often don't even extract audio very well. I would recommend you use separate speakers if your application includes sound, and that you plug the computer, DVD player, or other video source directly into the speakers or sound system, bypassing the projector itself. Most devices have separate audio outputs in addition to the video output.
If you have to rely on the built-in speaker, then be sure to pick a projector that puts out at least 10 watts.
Is 3D still "a thing?"
Consumer electronics manufacturers openly admit they've given up on 3D. You might still want 3D. If so, you'll probably need to look for a home theater projector. Many multimedia projectors purport to be "3D-ready;" in most cases, they only work with computers that have compatible graphics cards (DLP-Link is one proprietary technology that is widely used). Home theater projectors are more likely to feature HDMI 3D support so you can use them with Blu-ray players. When speccing for 3D, keep in mind that you are effectively cutting the brightness in half. As an alternative to buying a 3D-ready projector, you can also use a combination of two-projector stacking and polarizing filters. A special processor is required to demux the left- and right-eye streams from the HDMI signal.
Conclusion: Where does image quality come from?
Chances are, you want the best picture quality for your money, and it probably seems like we've been avoiding the question, speaking instead about boring, if important, practicalities like throw ratio and lumens. To this complaint, there are two arguments:
- If the projector you choose isn't bright enough, the image quality will suffer, regardless. And if it throws an image the wrong size, the viewing experience will suffer.
- Image quality is difficult to measure to the extent it can be measured objectively at all. And a lot of "image quality" is just plain subjective.
Regarding argument 1, I'm sure you'll agree I've said enough already. Addressing number 2:
If you know what brightness and throw ratio you need, I would suggest to you that two projectors with comparable specs at a similar price point will perform almost exactly the same. Flipping a coin may not sound like the most sane way to make a purchasing decision, but once you've determined what features are mandatory, and settled on a price point, you've already done everything you can to make a smart choice, Whether the preceding steps have narrowed your options down to one model or ten, rest assured, whatever you pick from those that remain will be the best choice for you.
The Takeaway
- Is a projector the right choice? If you need to achieve a larger screen size and/or if portability is key, then yes.
- When not to use a projector: Projectors are for screening. They should not be used for color correction work or critical evaluation. Additionally, they work best in low light. If you have bright, uncontrollable ambient light, especially sunlight, then consider an alternative.
- Once you know the screen size, determine the throw ratio based on the screen width and the distance between the projector and the screen.
- If the screen size isn't known in advance, opt for a projector with more zoom or one that has a shorter throw. In most cases, getting closer is easier than getting farther back.
- Taking into account the screen size, throw distance, and the amount of ambient light in the room, use a projection calculator to determine the necessary minimum brightness in lumens.
- If you cannot calculate the brightness you need, consider the brightest projector you can get, within reason.
- Factoring in the content you will be showing and the distance of your average audience member, determine the minimum resolution you need. WXGA is usually safe for multi, though going up to 1080p and beyond certainly isn't going to hurt (except maybe your pocket book). For home theater, you will always want 1080p; and may even want to consider 4K.
- Consider any secondary features you may need, such as the ability to show a presentation from a USB flash drive.
- Don't sweat it if, after the above process of elimination, your search turns up too many choices—chances are any will work fine for you.
Brightness (lumens)
Projector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens (lumens, for short). Since the lumens rating is often measured by taking a reflected reading from a screen rather than directly from the light emanating from the lens, there is a fair amount of room for number fudging. This is because different screen surfaces have different reflectivity characteristics, and you can probably guess which surfaces projector makers prefer when rating their own products. On top of that, the image center is brighter than the edges by some factor, so manufacturers will measure from the center (in some cases they are honest enough to admit they are taking a center reading, but this, typically, on professional models that the companies know will get more carefully scrutinized by the end user).
Multimedia projectors start around 2,500 lumens, going up to around 4,500 lumens or so, though the line gets blurry between multimedia and fixed installation. So you may see what is advertised as a multimedia projector having up to 6,500 lumens. Home theater projectors used to hover around the 2,000-lumen mark, but in recent years more and more high-brightness models haves started to emerge. As of this writing, pico (pocket) projectors, because they rely on LED lamps, are rated at 1,000 lumens or less; some as low as 10 lumens, or about the brightness of a Maglite. At the other end of the spectrum, if you want to build a typical movie theater, you're looking at 20,000 lumens or more.
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing. There are two types: single chip and three chip. Single-chip DLP is the most common, and uses a combination of a color wheel and micro-mirrors to generate an image. Its historic advantage over LCD is that it can produce better color and contrast since the wheel can—in theory—be dyed to reproduce any color value or tonal value it wants. In addition, there is less space between pixels, thanks to advances in micro-mirror design, so you are less likely to perceive the so-called "screen-door effect." The drawback to DLP compared to LCD is an artifact know as "rainbow effect." However, recent DLP projectors spin the color wheel so fast, the rainbow effect is all but impossible to perceive.
Three-chip DLP is rare, and forgoes the color-wheel favor of three arrays of micro-mirrors, one for each primary color. In some ways, three-chip DLP is the best of both worlds: eliminating the rainbow effect while keeping the pixel spacing reasonable. However, the technology is generally regarded as cost prohibitive and not often used.
Edge Blending
Edge blending allows the images from two or more projectors to be seamlessly merged to produce a single, larger image. Edge blending is the projection equivalent of a video wall, and can be useful for creative applications, allowing the creating of non-standard aspect ratios. Edge blending may be a built-in feature, or a third-party video processor may be used. In either case, the projectors must be of the same model and they must be carefully calibrated to ensure the images match.
Hybrid (LED/Laser) Projector Lamp
To produce higher brightness than is currently possible using an LED lamp exclusively, while retaining an acceptable CRI (Color Rendering Index), some projectors use "hybrid" lamps that combine an LED with an array of green lasers, combined using a reversed beamspiltter. The benefit of this technology is a light source that does not burn out and offers lower energy consumption compared to traditional metal-halide lamps of the same brightness. The drawback is that the CRI obtained remains lower than what metal halide lamps can produce. Therefore, this technology is deployed in "presentation"-oriented projectors—that is, for giving PowerPoint presentations and similar applications. A projector optimized for video playback, showing photos, or anything else where good color reproduction is required will use one or more metal-halide lamps.
Keystone Correction
Keystone correction is a digital process that counteracts the keystone effect to a specified percentage. Most projectors have vertical keystone correction only, some have horizontal and vertical. The "keystone effect" (or "keystoning") causes the projected image to appear wider at the top when the projector is too low, or wider on one side when the projector is horizontally off-center. Vertical keystone correction fixes keystoning when the projector is too low or too high, but requires horizontal centering. Horizontal correction compensates of the projector is horizontally off-center. Some projectors require manual adjustment, and some calculate the required correction automatically.
The drawback to keystone correction is that because it is a digital effect, the more correction applied, the more resolution will be reduced, a bit like digital zoom on a video camera. To avoid quality loss, lens shift should be used.
LED Projector Lamp
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is the most energy-efficient means of projector illumination. Additionally, LED lamps do not burn out in the ordinary sense. As with any circuit, they can fail, but they have a life expectancy on the order of 20,000 hours, compared to less than 5,000 for a typical metal-halide lamp. Currently, LEDs face two primary limitations to wider adoption in projectors: lower brightness and a lower CRI (Color Rendering Index) compared to the metal-halide counterparts. As of this writing, LED-only projectors emit less than 1,000 lumens and belong almost exclusively to the pico (pocket projector) category.
There is a very small minority of multimedia projectors that use a hybrid technology that combines LED with a green laser.
Three-LCD (often styled "3LCD") is the most common imaging system used in multimedia projectors. In its most common implementation, three-LCD uses a beamsplitter (prism) to break light into its RGB primaries, sending each color through a dedicated monochrome liquid crystal panel. Compared to DLP, LCDs do not tend to produce perceptible motion artifacts since they render the image line-by-line like a TV or computer monitor, and there are no moving parts in the imaging system. The drawbacks are lower contrast ratio than DLP, and more space between pixels, making the "screen-door effect" more apparent at a given resolution.
LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicone) is also called SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) on Sony products and D-ILA (Digital Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier) on JVC projection TVs. It is a reflective technology like three-chip DLP, but in this case, the light is reflected from three silicone-backed LCD panels rather than micro-mirror arrays. This system currently claims to produce the least screen-door effect and, because it is LCD, is free from the "rainbow effect" and other color-wheel-related artifacts associated with single-chip DLP. It is used in multimedia projectors targeting critical viewing applications and some high-end home theater projectors.
Low Voltage Control (LVC)
LVC (Low Voltage Control) is an output found on many projectors that allows the projector to trigger another component of the A/V or home theater installation. For example, connecting a projector to a motorized screen that has LVC support allows the projector to automatically trigger the screen to lower when the projector is turned on and raise when it is turned off. The LVC output may be connected directly to the screen, or it may be connected to an automation system which, in turn, controls the screen and possibly performs other actions, such as dimming the house lights.
Lens Shift
Projectors with lens shift have a movable lens-projector interface that allows the angle of the lens to be adjusted slightly ("shifted") with respect to the image plane. Like keystone correction, lens shift can be used to correct for keystoning, but unlike the former does not result in resolution loss. In addition, it can be used to reposition the image slightly to aid in the installation of the projector or to help align two or more images when using stacking or edge blending. Lens shift has to be adjusted manually on some projectors, and is motorized—operable by remote—on some models. Large-venue projectors with interchangeable lenses typically have motorized shift.
Metal-Halide Projector Lamp
In spite of advances in LED technology, metal-halide lamps remain the most common because they are bright and have high CRI (Color Rendering Index). The drawbacks: they burn out after several thousand hours (2,000 to 5,000 hours), force projectors to use noisy cooling systems, and are notoriously expensive. On typical multimedia and home theater projectors, only a single lamp is used, and it will be encased in a housing. Typically, the entire housing assembly will be replaced, not just the lamp itself. The old lamp should be allowed to cool fully before attempting to remove it, and care should be taken not to touch the lens. Oils on your fingers can degrade the lens coating, potentially causing the lamp to explode when it is turned on. There is minimal risk of physical harm since the lamp will be sealed inside the projector, however it will mean buying a new lamp.
Dual Lamp
Some projectors use two (or more) lamps as a cost-effective way of increasing the total brightness. Dual-lamp design also provides a degree of redundancy—assuming only a single lamp fails, you could continue to use the projector, albeit at half the original output. On some models it also means you could switch off one lamp to conserve lamp life and energy in situations where the full output is superfluous. This may not be ideal from the perspective of maintenance, however, since it means the lamps will have to be replaced at different times, and the sort of projectors that use dual (or multi-lamp) tend to be installed in places where they are not readily accessible.
Native Resolution
Native resolution is the resolution, measure in pixel dimensions, of a projector's imaging system, and should not be conflated with its maximum supported resolution, which is often higher. Resolutions can either be SD or HD "video" formats, such as:
480i (NTSC), 576i (PAL), 720p, 1080i, UltraHD 4K (3840 x 2160), DCI 4K (4096 x 2160)
or computer VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) formats, such as:
VGA (640 x 480), SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), WXGA (1280 x 800), UXGA (1600 x 1200), WUXGA (1920 x 1200).
Ideally, the connected device should be set to match the projector's native resolution. Otherwise the projector will scale the image resulting in image degradation.
Rainbow Effect
Rainbow effect is an artifact observed on many single-chip DLP-based projectors and is principally caused by the color wheel putting out different colors at different times. The effect is perceived as a rainbow trail in the corner of your peripheral vision as you move your eyes across image. As DLP technology has matured, faster-spinning wheels have significantly reduced this effect to the point people hardly notice it today.
Screen-Door Effect
The screen door effect is an artifact produced to varying degrees by all imaging systems digital projector's use: DLP, 3LCD, and LCoS. It can be described as a grid pattern, and is caused by the physical space between the individual pixels. At a given resolution, LCD projectors tend to exhibit the most screen door effect and LCoS protectors the least. Apart from choice of imaging system, higher-resolution projectors typically produce less screen-door effect than lower-resolution models at a given image size.
Staking doesn't mean physically stacking projectors on top of each other (though stackable projectors usually support this arrangement). Rather, it means identical images from two or several projectors are projected over the same area of the screen, hence, the images are what is "stacked." Stacking becomes a way of increasing brightness beyond what a single projector in the system is capable of, and may be more cost effective that buying a single projector of the same brightness.
Projectors must be the same model, and calibration is required to ensure the stacked images match. Stacking is built in on many fixed-installation projectors that have lens shift. Additionally, third-party processors are available that allow images from projectors that do not have built-in stacking to be merged.
Throw Ratio
Throw ratio describes the relationship between the width of the screen and the distance between the projector and screen, with the first number representing the throw distance and the second the screen width. It is styled "throw distance:screen width", e.g.: "1.3:1". So, for example, a lens with a 1:1 throw ratio will produce a 4 foot-wide image at 4 foot from the screen. A "short throw" (or wide angle) lens with a 0.5:1 throw ratio will produce a 4 foot wide image at 2 feet from the screen. And, finally, a long throw (or telephoto) lens with a 3:1 throw ratio will produce a 4 feet wide image at 12 feet from the screen. Projectors with zoom lenses will specify throw ration as a range, e.g., "1.3:1 to 1.7:1". Unless otherwise noted, throw ration is based in the native aspect ratio of the projector.
Multimedia and home theater projectors generally have throw rations of 0.3:1 or more at their widest setting and of 3:1 or tells at their most telephoto. Special short throw projectors will have a ratio of 0.5:1 or less. Interchangeable lens projectors will offer an assortment of lenses, covering ratios from 0.8:1 to 10:1 or more. In some cases, add-on lenses can be purchased to increase or decrease the throw ratio of the stock lens. As with converter lenses for video cameras, distortion and other forms of image-quality reduction may result.
Contrast Ratio
Contrast ratio compares the darkest value the projector can produce to the brightest, can range anywhere from 500:1 to 100,000:1, and tends to be higher on DLP-based projectors. It is important to note, in many cases, the manufacturer-specified contrast ratio is actually dynamic contrast. Dynamic contrast varies the lamp brightness between images (or scenes), basing the ratio on the brightest possible white the projector can make when the brightness is maxed out, versus the darkest possible black when the lamp is at its darkest setting (or completely off for some technologies). This means the advertised contrast ratio will only be perceived if a dark image immediately follows a bright image or vice-versa.
Apart from dynamic contrast, determining projector contrast ratio is problematic because the type of screen fabric (other projection surface) and the presence of ambient light significantly affect contrast ratio. In the case of ambient light, the more ambient light there is the worse the effective contrast ratio will be. And any amount of ambient light beyond trivial will bring the ratio down significantly, making comparisons based on contrast ratio meanness anytime ambient light will be encountered.
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You say going with 3D effectively cuts brightness in half...are you talking about passive glasses or active glasses...or both? My experience with active glasses on a standard HDTV has been that yes, you lose brightness substantially, but for passive glasses, I've never noticed the same kind of falloff.
Of course, I'm not sure if there's even such an option on projectors or not, they might all be only one or the other for all I know. I'm only barely dipping my toe into projectors right now.
Very comprehensive guide, best I've seen. Curious about "smart" projectors that were not included in the guide. Is there a reason why they were omitted?
i would like to use projector for quick efective presentation outside on any building wall for the crowd .Therefore i need the small one i can carry and would be easy to connect to laptop but provides big size of image with good quality of brightness ( for outside )as possible for this type of projector.could u maybe recomment me as i have not much idea about projectors?
thank you so much .
Hi Rugile -
The XJ-A257 Slim Series 16:10 Multi-Media Projector with Wireless LAN Adapter from Casio which puts emphasis on portability, with a thickness of 1.7" a weighs in at about 5 lbs., and offers an adaptable 2x optical zoom and 1.2 to 2.3:1 throw ratio. The projector is perhaps most notable for its hybrid LED/laser light source that is estimated to last up to 20,000 hours and boasts lower power consumption (165 watts maximum) than tungsten-based alternatives. The light source generates 3000 lumens at full brightness, and the single-chip DLP imager features native resolution of 1280 x 800 (WXGA) which translates to a 16:10 aspect ratio. In addition, it can adapt to non-native resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) for computer sources and 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) for HDTV video sources.
For connection to a computer, Blu-ray or DVD player, A/V system, document camera, or just about any other video source, the XJ-A147 features an HDMI input, a VGA input, and a legacy composite input. The VGA input also supports component by using a separately available component (YCbCr/YPbPr) to VGA adapter or cable. A USB port allows you to connect a storage device such as a flash drive to give "PC-less" presentations or load files onto the 2GB of built-in memory. It also allows you to connected the included wePresent wireless LAN adapter. With this adapter you can give presentations from a Mac or Windows computer or iOS, Android, or Windows mobile device.
Please contact us via e-mail if you have additional questions: firstname.lastname@example.com
"When speccing for 3D, keep in mind that you are effectively cutting the brightness in half."
Can you expand on this please? Is my en route 3000 lumen Acer projector only as bright as 1500 lumens because it is 3D ready? That would be unfortunate.
Hi Isaac -
In 3D active mode, most home theater or multimedia projectors will effectively output an image that is about half the specified brightness. If your projector uses a passive system, then the light output is a bit better. However, the best solution is to have your room darkened to almost total blackness - like a movie theater, and suppress any and all ambient light. This will maximize the brightness and contrast levels to display a pleasing image, even at reduced brightness levels.
Please contact us via e-mail if you have additional questions: email@example.com
Excellent article!
I am looking for a projector to use outdoors at home for movie night (Blu-Ray 1080p). I am thinking of either a 120" or 144" diagonal screen. I will wait till at least dusk to start, and for the sun to be below the surrounding homes...which projector do you recommend?
I guess there is a chance I may use the projector someday indoors in the basement.
I'd like to stay around $500 to $700 (a little more if needed).
Thank you...Mitch
Hi Mitch -
Consider these two from BenQ:
Please contact us via e-mail if you have additional questions: firstname.lastname@example.com
I am looking for the most cost efficient option to achieve the following goals:
1. Presenting slideshows and still photography at weddings. Light situations can vary, but dimmed light can be assumed mostly.
2. Sales presentation of still photography at my studio (distance TBD).
Additional information: I am working with Apple computers (a new MACBook pro 13inch, not purchased yet) and would use pro selct software. I am also interested in purchasing a projector screen, so a recommendation for that is appreciated a s well. Pro- select recommends better than 3000 lumens and looking at their write up, I believe the LCD business (not home theatre) projectors and 4x3 ratio. Other areas, I'd like to see: Contrats ration at least 1:2000, keystone correction (vertical and horizontal), possibly lens shift, low fan noise.
Any bundled solutions would be appreciated, but also separate choices. Thank you so much
Thank you.


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estonian parliament
the estonian parliament building is located on toompea hill across the street from aleksander nevsky cathedral. built in 1921 this interesting baroque building is home to estonia's government. not open to the public.
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Toompea castle
Toompea castle is one of Estonia's eldest and greatest architecture groupings. Built in the 13th century the castle is situated on the steep limestone coast, 50 metres above sea level. It is one of the most potent symbols of reigning power. Today the Estonian Parliament is housed here.
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The Estonian Parliament
The Estonian Parliament, Riigikogu is situated opposite to the Alexander Nievskij cathedral and is a must for those of you who are interested in contemporary history and politics.
This was the place where the Estonian independence from the Soviet Union was declared and the parliament was guarded by thousands of Estonians to prevent it from being invaded.
I have myself never been inside, but instead just watched its exterior but I plan to go there next time!
Right behind the Parliament (if you go to the park to the left of it) you will find the tower Tall Hermann.
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Toompea castle, Parliament
The castle complex consists of several parts: remains of the old castle, gevernmental building and the building of Parliament. The only preserved part of the old castle is the west wall and the Tall Herman tower, which in Middle Ages belonged to the Order of the Brothers of the Sword. Today in the old castle courtyard we can see an impressive building of Estonian Parliament, built at the beginnings of the 1920's. It is also a symbolic place. From here in 1989 started a long chain of people protesting against soviet occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
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Estonian Parliament - Riigikogu
On February 24, 1918, Estonia became an independent state. the seat of the Estonian Parliament became Toompea but in the castle there was no room spacious enough to accommodate the representation of the people. In the course of the February Revolution the convent building had been burnt down, and its ruins seemed suitable for a foundation of a new building.
The building of the Riigikogu was designed by architects Eugen Haberman and Herbert Johanson, and it was inaugurated on September 12, 1922. The two-storeyed and four-winged building surrounds a trapezoid inner court, strictly following the ground plan of the former convent building.
Estonia Parliament
This is a picture of the Estonia Parliament. The building has the Estonia Flag flying high and the Estonia emblem on the center.
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Any Ranger fan regularly casting eyes over the club's prospects throughout the lockout will no doubt have seen the immense start to the season Oscar Lindberg has enjoyed over in the Swedish Elite League. With 13 points in his first 13 games, Lindberg has enjoyed an unexpected offensive explosion of sorts.
The great start by Lindberg – playing on the top line for Skelleftea – could at the same time cast uncertainty over current Rangers players hampered with no competitive hockey because of the lockout. Brian Boyle in particular should have cause for concern.
Known as a faceoff specialist, being strong in his own end, and now refining his offensive skills, Lindberg is the ideal type of player for the Rangers third line center position. Given his skill set, Lindberg could end up being the ideal compliment to Derek Stepan and Brad Richards as the third pivot on the Rangers, as he addresses so many needs for the club. This is especially true if his current scoring streak proves to be something more than just a hot streak.
Boyle, his 20 goal season aside, has proven incapable of scoring regularly enough to be a consistent offensive contributor. While Boyle is a valuable Ranger for his size, his penalty killing, and his work ethic, the Rangers need more skill, scoring, and face off prowess in the bottom six.
Should the lockout eat up a significant portion of the season – if not all of it – entering the next campaign and its subsequent training camp, Lindberg will have a huge advantage on Boyle in that he comes to the camp with plenty of confidence and actual hockey under his belt.
Perhaps another concern for Boyle is his contract situation. The fact that Boyle's contract is up after next season places even more uncertainty around the popular Ranger. The cap era hockey, more than ever, is a business first and a sport second. If Glen Sather has to make a straight choice between the younger, cheaper Oscar Lindberg (or another promising prospect for that matter), or the more expensive Brian Boyle, then there is likely only one choice. Sather has proven time and again he's not afraid of jettisoning a popular veteran if he deems it the right decision.
Boyle is one of several Rangers that could be disadvantaged by not looking for hockey overseas and for not being in game shape during the lockout. Whether it's the added competition in the form of point producing prospects, or the mere absence of competitive hockey, players such as Boyle – whose positions on the roster are far from critical to the team's success – need to be serving a reminder to Sather and the coaching staff about how important they can be.
Now is not the time for Boyle to be resting up waiting for an NHL season to begin. Players such as Marian Gaborik (because of injury) and Ryan Callahan or Henrik Lundqvist (because of the benefits of rest) can afford not to be on the ice – Boyle doesn't fit in their category. Plenty of inferior players compared to Boyle have found hockey jobs in Europe already. Perhaps it's time that Boyle does the same thing, for the sake of his Rangers career.


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Legacy® 800 Chain drive opener
The Legacy® 800 chain drive garage door opener features a powerful 1/2 HPc* Power Plus DC motor for smooth operation. Powerful, quiet and durable, this opener operates doors up to 500 lbs. in weight, provides easy installation and programming, and features a dual-pinion drive gear system for extended durability.
DC motor technology
DC motor operates with variable speed for soft start and stop, smooth operation and less wear and tear on your garage door
1/2 HPc* Power Plus motor
Drive system
10 year limited motor
1 year limited parts
1 year accessories
Frequency range
Reliable frequency range to ensure consistent operation
Light system
Illuminates your garage with two light bulbs
Safe-T-Beam® system
When objects pass through the infrared beam, the door automatically stops closing, then reverses
CodeDodger® access security system
Each time the remote control is activated a new access code is selected from 4.3 billion possible combinations to prevent piracy of the radio signal that opens your door
Home automation system
HomeLink® compatible
Links to car's built-in remote system
* Horsepower comparable (HPc) Power Plus designates that this garage door opener exceeds Overhead Door's lifting force specification for 1/2 horsepower garage door openers.
Legacy 800 Chain Drive Opener Brochure
Odyssey™ 1000 Chain Drive Opener
The Odyssey™ 1000 chain drive garage door opener offers power, speed and convenience in the practical value of a chain drive opener. Its 3⁄4 HPc* motor delivers all the power and speed needed to operate almost any garage door quickly and smoothly. The system's soft start and stop feature reduces wear and tear on your garage door, and the DoorDetect™ monitoring system improves overall safety.
DC motor technology
Quiet yet powerful DC motor operates with minimal noise
3/4 HPc* motor
Drive System
Lifetime limited motor and gear box
5 year limited chain
5 year limited parts
1 year accessories
Frequency range
System will automatically seek either the 315 or the 390 MHz frequency produced by the remote, helping to ensure opener will respond regardless of nearby frequency interference
Light system
Two 100 watt light bulbs provide added safety and convenience
Safe-T-Beam® system
When objects pass through the infrared beam, the door automatically stops closing, and then reverses; self-diagnostic functions alert homeowners of misalignment or damage
CodeDodger® 2 access security system
The system features advanced technology that prevents piracy of the radio signal that opens your door by selecting a new code from billions of combination
DoorDetect™ monitoring and diagnostic technology
Delivers the power needed for every movement of the garage door and continuously monitors the operation of the door, stopping operation when significant changes occur; minimizes noise, wear and tear on the door and improves overall safety
Automobile convenience features
Compatible with HomeLink® and Car2U® systems
* Horsepower comparable (HPc) designates that this garage door opener meets Overhead Door's lifting force specification for 3/4 HP garage door openers.
Odyssey 1000 Chain Drive Opener Brochure


text:
Gentleshaw wildlife centre
- Mumsnet Reviews
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"Fun place to visit if your children like birds and animals…"
A small wildlife centre with lots to look at - they have birds of prey, reptiles, monkeys, lemurs, bats, raccoons, some small wildcats and a lovely (but quite elusive!) wolf/dog hybrid
There is also a small gift shop with quite reasonably priced bits and bobs for sale and a (free of charge) play area just outside the wildlife centre
It's based in a small garden centre which has a little cafe and there is a crazy golf course and a small train which runs at weekends and holidays
(If you visit during term time the wildlife centre is closed on Tuesdays)Read moreLess
Mumsnetter YoureMyOrangeGoldWifeNowDave
1Number of total reviews contributed on Mumsnet1Number of Family days out reviews contributed
- YoureMyOrangeGoldWifeNowDave has been a Mumsnetter since Feb 2011
- Number of Children: 1
1 review posted
"Wonderful wildlife rescue sanctuary…"
We took our daughter here today and had a wonderful time. It's a wildlife rescue sanctuary. There are birds of prey, monkeys, reptiles and much more. They also have a brilliant children's play ground and a miniature steam railway. There is a garden centre next to it with delicious food/ drinks etc. would definitely recommend for a morning out.Read moreLess
Mumsnetter Fayemary1231Number of total reviews contributed on Mumsnet1Number of Family days out reviews contributed
1 review posted


text:
KDL Recommends For Teens > If You Like... (Readalikes) > If You Like 'Ender's Game'
KDL Recommends
Evil Genius
Title: Evil Genius
Author: Catherine Jinks
KDL Description:
Child prodigy Cadel Piggot, an antisocial computer hacker, discovers his true identity when he enrolls as a first-year student at an advanced crime academy.
Amazon Description:
Cadel Piggott has a genius IQ and a fascination with systems of all kinds. At seven, he was illegally hacking into computers. Now he's fourteen and studying for his World Domination degree, taking classes like embezzlement, forgery, and infiltration at the institute founded by criminal mastermind Dr. Phineas Darkkon. Although Cadel may be advanced beyond his years, at heart he's a lonely kid. When he falls for the mysterious and brilliant Kay-Lee, he begins to question the moral implications of his studies. But is it too late to stop Dr. Darkkon from carrying out his evil plot?
Includes an interview with the author and a teaser to the next book in the trilogy, Genius Squad.


text:
Can prednisolone affect the immune system?
- Posted:
- 19 Nov 2009 by Woodsie
- Topics:
- immunosuppression, prednisolone
Answers (1)
22 Nov 2009
Prednisolone is a steroid. Steroid medications can weaken your immune system, making it easier for you to get an infection or worsening an infection you already have or have recently had. Tell your doctor about any illness or infection you have had within the past several weeks.
Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles. These conditions can be serious or even fatal in people who are using steroid medication.
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while you are taking prednisolone. Vaccines may not work as well while you are taking a steroid.
Further Information
- Prednisolone Information for Consumers
- Prednisolone Information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side Effects of Prednisolone (detailed)
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Junior Seau
Junior Seau's family sues NFL over brain injuriesComment
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head.
Junior Seau had degenerative brain disease when he committed suicideComment
Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for nearly two decades, had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.
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Works Great!
posted 6 years ago
My cat had an accident on our brand new couch and I got this from Petsmart and it worked really good. It doesn't smell great, but as it dries the smell fades out along with the urine smell.
Pros: Gets Odors out
Cons: Doesn't smell great
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For quick cleaning
posted 7 years ago
Thankfully the only reason I need this is for cat vomit and not urine. It works okay to do a quick clean up job until I get out my carpet scrubber to do a real clean.
Pros: easy for quick clean up
Cons: not the most effective
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Pink is my favorite color these are wonderful.I will recommend a good website fou you: www.9footballshirt.org
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Bromosexual: can two straight men have sex with each other on camera? And if so, is it art? The new film Humpday explores the limits of male sexuality and what it means for two men to love each other.
LAST SPRING Mark Duplass wrote a one-line e-mail to Josh Leonard that would eventually launch their shambling careers in gay porn all the way to a four-minute standing ovation at this year's Cannes film festival. As actor-directors, they met on the independent film circuit. Duplass's Baghead had been a hit at Sundance, and The Blair Witch Project, one of Leonard's first acting gigs, was the most successful film ever to debut in Park City.
"I sent 3osh one line: 'Do you want to play best friends in a movie this summer?'" Duplass explains over drinks at an outdoor cafe in Los Angeles's Silver Lake neighborhood. "And Josh wrote back, 'Hell, yes! What's it about?' And I said, 'Look, don't worry about that, it's going to be great.'"
Leonard, now sitting beside him, deadpans, "Don't ever let me agree to be in a movie again before I know what it's about."
Humpday is the story of two straight longtime friends who decide to have sex with each other and film it. It starts as a joke that becomes a challenge that then evolves in surprising and sweet ways into a genuine exploration of male friendship and the shape of desire. Ben (Duplass) is newly married and settling into domestic stasis when Andrew (Leonard) shows up from Mexico with ugly gifts and a beard to give him gravitas. On his first night back Andrew meets and introduces Ben to a polyamorous lesbian couple and their friends, who tell them about the Hump! festival, an actual and ongoing amateur porn showcase in Seattle produced by the air-weekly The Stranger. "What kind of porn would you two make?" goads one of the women, played by Humpday director Lynn Shelton. "Two straight dudes having sex," Ben says. "It's beyond gay."
"You'll get the shit boned out of you," Andrew proclaims.
"No, you'll get the shit boned out of you," Ben fires back.
Suddenly, it's on. Starting with a drunken, improbable double dare, Humpday follows these two friends over the course of a single weekend, from wicked hangovers the morning after to Ben's searing conversation with his wife to get permission for the "art project," ending up at the shoot in a hotel room. "We knew the concept was so absurd that the movie couldn't work on just the level of gimmicky hetero male one-upmanship," Duplass says. "There had to be a reason on an emotional level so that on a pillow at night, each of these guys had each picked this project to be a symbol of something missing in their lives."
In the film's trickiest and most refreshing angle, the obstacle to overcome is not the closet door.
"You're pretty solidly not gay," Andrew asserts to Ben in the film, and Ben answers, "Yeah, and I think the same about you," and we believe them. Apparently, the closest either has come to gay sex is an anecdote Ben tells about a video-store clerk with incredible eyes who coerced him into watching boring documentaries-a "quasi-autobiographical" tale, says Duplass, that had him wondering what sex with a man would be like.
"Did you think about his balls?" Leonard asks at the time.
"No, I didn't," Duplass answers. "I just liked the way he looked at me."
"In hindsight, did you think about his balls when we were filming?"
"I am thinking about them right now," Duplass says, drifting off. "He'd be so much older ..."
Humpday isn't a coming-out story, Brokeback captured on camcorder, or an advertisement for bisexuality. If anything, it takes the latent energy in the homo-anxious bromances--I Love You, Man or Jimmy Kimmel's "I'm F**cking Ben Affleck"--and surfaces with something far more searching, awkward, and honest. Cannily, Ben's and Andrew's motives have more to do with self-esteem than sexuality--the increasingly tenuous connection between who they are and who they think they are. Tucked-in and buttoned-down, Ben is desperate to prove "he's still a wild man inside," says director Shelton, and itinerant Andrew, "the guy who will try anything once," needs proof that he can actually finish something. When Ben's wife finally confronts him about his motives, the movie has the bravery to understate his case and not let him entirely understand his urge to have sex with his friend. "I just know it's important to me," he tells her, and she allows him to proceed, saying, "I don't want to live with you with this buried in you."
It's a mistake to think of Humpday's story as plot, since the film was more like "carefully supervised jazz," Shelton says. Every scene was improvised by the actors, all situational riffs building to the big open question that no one had the answer to: What would happen in the hotel room at the end when they went to shoot the video? "I had every component of the script--I knew the beats and objectives and the emotional development, I just didn't have a script," Shelton says. (No writer is credited with the screenplay.) Like other standouts in mumblecore--a filmmaking movement known for its focus on personal relationships, improvised scripts, and nonprofessional actors--a Cassavetes-style looseness gives Humpday a stumbly, verite warmth. As outrageous as the film's conceit might be, one never feels the actors reaching for their marks, because Shelton let Duplass and Leonard create them. Before shooting, they retreated for three days in Duplass's mother-in-law's apartment to develop the friendship's backstory, only glancingly referred to in the film.
Using an outline for a guide, they shot the film in sequence (another small but essential innovation of Shelton's method). Every scene then psychologically led into the next without contrivance. Hours of improvised takes were distilled and "redeemed" in the editing room, Shelton says. As a group, they decided to keep the film's climax a mystery even from themselves. "That was Mark's idea," Shelton says. "He didn't want anybody playing toward an inevitable end."
Shelton is a former documentary filmmaker, whose short films, about miscarriage and women's relationship to their body hair, were "personal and chicky," she says. After shooting her first dramatic feature-We Go Way Back, about a 23-year-old girl who reads a letter written to her by her 13-year-old self-Shelton found herself frustrated by the boggy, top-heavy methods of traditional filmmaking. "Actors would blow me away in audition, and then I'd get them on set, around 40 crew and lights, and they'd freeze up. Getting a natural performance was like pulling teeth." For her next film, My Effortless Brilliance, she slashed the size of the crew, reduced the lighting rig, and employed a small camera to create an easy set, focused on the needs of the actor. "Then I thought, Instead of casting people to fit this person I had in my head, what if I found people in real life that I knew or wanted to work with and cast them?"
An effusive former actress, Shelton is a married mother who describes herself as "pretty straight," with a particular interest in the private dynamics between men. My Effortless Brilliance, which was Shelton's first improvised experiment, tracked the reunion of a famous young novelist and his former best friend in a wooded cabin, where there were no women for miles. "I felt such privilege watching these guys alone," she says. "Like I was privy to this secret world." The alt-buddy romance of Humpday might seem like unlikely subject matter for a married woman, but Shelton is the ideal voyeur: curious, nonthreatening, and without agenda. How likely is it that a gay or straight male director could have pulled off the same? "The subculture always knows more about the dominant culture than the dominant culture knows about the subculture," Shelton says. (This may help to explain, for example, how Taiwanese director Ang Lee could direct Brokeback Mountain so well--and how Annie Proulx could write it.)
From the audience's perspective, one can feel Duplass and Leonard performing for Shelton, taking risks and triangulating their lust through the camera and, by extension, her, their provocateur. (Both actors are straight, so it's understandable.) This dynamic may be at the heart of Humpday's sensitivity. Bromances made by straight men--like I Love You, Man; and even Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake's SNL parody sketches--can only point at male intimacy, an affection that draws a sharp line at the bedroom. Gay culture has made it prevalent if not permissible terrain to think about that boundary, where it stops, and why. Shelton, by her presence, is the permission to cross it. During the climactic scene-the longest shoot of the film at I2 hours straight--Shelton was one of the camera operators. "I was shaking the whole time," she says. "It was just the two of them being their characters, one long, brilliant improv." (Shelton has asked us not to reveal the ending, and why spoil it?)
It'd be an overstatement to say the humanist Humpday makes a case about orientation--that it's fixed or fluid or that male friendship is only latent foreplay. If anything, the film celebrates enthusiasm, Ben and Andrew's old college try at anal. But it is exploring those boundaries. Unfortunately--and expectedly--their notion of sex between men sounds more like rape than anything else, a "fast-food pounding," Duplass says, and it's played for rueful laughs. Quickie sex or, rather, a lunge at each other "seems more palatable to Ben and Andrew than the five-course meal. It's a pretty good representation of dude sexuality with somebody you're not in love with, gay or straight."
"A sticky end," Leonard adds.
It's in the small, charged intimacies, anyway, that Ben and Andrew win over each other (and, one would imagine, audiences): the hug between long-lost friends, the scuffle over the basketball that ends up with the two horizontal, and, of course, the kiss.
Their extended lip lock in the hotel room-the film's genuine climax-was "a full-powered leap off a high dive" for Leonard. It was the first time he'd ever kissed a man, and the thrill and danger of that shows. "It was pretty intense," Leonard says. "Mouths were definitely open, though I'm not sure about tongue."
Duplass adds, "I got a pretty good sense of you from that. Essence de Josh."
But the experience confirmed for Leonard his deep-seated suspicions about himself.
"What I learned after kissing Mark--" he starts.
"Careful," Duplass interjects, "I'm sitting right here."
"--was that I don't want to kiss another man. It just didn't trigger anything phermonally inside me," Leonard says. "But Mark's spit does taste wonderful."
ADVOCATE.COMVIDEO Log on to see a video interview with director Lynn Shelton.
Photographs by CHRISTOPHER DIBBLE
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|The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine)
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Carved Clouds Porcelain Garden Stool
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Sakura Garden Stool
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Vintage Inspired Accent Stool II
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I use this as a side table in a room with a lot of natural materials(rattan, wicker)and I wanted a bit of shine and color. This really fits in. Cons: Can't say if it came this way or happened age- Sandra in Asbury Park, NJ
Medallion Garden Stool
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I purchased this stool for the master bath so I could sit down and dry my feet. Works grea- Charles in Vista, CA
Camotes Seagrass Ottoman
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The perfect table for my house. Had looked at many sites and knew my search was over.- Gretchen in Tampa, FL


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Explained: Why Street Style At Fashion Week Is So Insane
For attendees, Fashion Week has become a race to get photographed more than everyone else. People who really got dressed up to go to these shows tell us what that's all about.
Video shot on the sidewalk outside of Lincoln Center.
BuzzFeed Shift editor Amy Odell went to Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week to find out: what's up with all the crazy outfits?
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