| One of the staple activities that any business entity | | | | had to content themselves with primitive devices like |
| undertakes on a regular basis is the holding of a | | | | the whiteboard marker, or the traditional overhead |
| meeting. The reasons for meetings vary; e.g., | | | | projector (a device that projects the content of a |
| discussion of reports, presentation of concepts, issue | | | | hardcopy document printed on transparent film |
| resolution, etc. Invariably, these meetings require the | | | | (modern versions can now display documents printed |
| use of documents to assist in the discussion. When | | | | on plain paper). The use of multimedia projectors |
| the meeting is between 2 to 3 people, hard copy | | | | then was not really considered cost-effective. |
| documents will suffice, but when there are more | | | | The days of the prehistoric multimedia projector, |
| participants, it is more effective to have everyone | | | | however, are over. Thanks to the new technologies |
| viewing just one document so that the interaction is | | | | used in designing and manufacturing them, multimedia |
| specific to one part of the document. Huddling around | | | | projectors are now much, much smaller, lighter, |
| a document is one way to do this. However, it does | | | | project brighter, media-friendlier, (you can connect it |
| become quite a task. That is why the multimedia | | | | to almost any computer or media player. There are |
| projector is fast becoming part of the standard | | | | even models that do not even require separate |
| office equipment of most businesses, large and small. | | | | equipment! All you need is your disc or flash drive), |
| Having a multimedia projector in the office did not | | | | easier (and, of course, cheaper) to maintain and, |
| use to be so common a few years ago. In fact, it | | | | most importantly, cost a mere fraction of what their |
| was even considered to be excessive to have one. | | | | ancestors used to cost. This rise in technological |
| The early versions were very bulky (some were big | | | | superiority and fall in investment has accelerated the |
| enough to fit into a standard check-in suitcase. Some | | | | availability of a multimedia projector in almost every |
| actually even came with one!), difficult to set-up | | | | business, both large and small which, as a result, has |
| (fickle mindedness seemed to be a design | | | | made interaction in meetings more focused, efficient |
| consideration, i.e., you could not just connect it to | | | | and productive. |
| any medium), required that the venue be completely | | | | There are several suppliers of multimedia projectors |
| dark, and cost as much as your boss's annual salary | | | | (both in brick-and-mortar and online stores) that you |
| in terms of acquisition as well as maintenance. The | | | | can choose from so be sure that before you |
| bulb alone, which is almost guaranteed to get busted | | | | purchase one, you check out a few of them and ask |
| when the number of hours stated in the manual | | | | as many questions as you want so that your |
| occurs, probably costs more than all your lights in the | | | | purchase is an informed one. They will only be too |
| office! As a result, only large organizations could | | | | happy to assist you. |
| actually afford the investment. Smaller organizations | | | | |