The HD Dilemma
Now that HD has hit the market with a vengence, it's time to begin considering the ramifications to the classroom.
High definition televsion brings two prime benefits to bear in the classroom environment: widescreen images and higher resolution video. The considerable cost aside, classroom HDTV upgrades will also introduce a considerable number of incompatabilities. Yet, as consumer electronics continue to move in that direction, so must educational technology.
Some links to start the discussion...
A consumer's guide to HDTV
All the Basics in a PDF document
The HDTV Expert
High-end how-tos
The Consumerist.com
An HDTV discussion from the Consumerist
http://ilc.tulane.edu/staff/clay/index.cfm/2007/1/...
Check out this review of a (nearly) affordable HD projector.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/panasonic_ae1000.h...
And the results of this HD projector shootout:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/1080p_shootout.htm...
It may be time to invest in an evaluation model.
Don't know, but I'm going to assume that it's similar to the standard definition gear we use now. We estimate a three-year life span for standard definition classroom projectors. This coincides with most of the manufacturer's warrenties. We've had good luck with several models lasting well beyond their alloted three years, but the latest batch of Proxima 8200X's started dropping like flies immediately after their three-year warrenty expired.
Plan to refresh your display technology after three years (four years max). Better yet, establish a rotating cycle where your replace one-third (or one-fourth) of your stock every year. This allows you to budget annualy for the expense and never leaves you more than three (or four) years out of date. And believe me, when you hit year six without having systematically worked to refresh your technology, you're living on borrowed time. You and your users are going to be in for a rude and very expensive shock.