You've decided to buy a Hitachi multimedia projector. That's a big step, but by no means your last. You must now select from among the many video projectors Hitachi sells. As with any technology purchase, buy the best product you can afford.

Choosing from among the many Hitachi LCD projectors requires knowing how you will use the machine. A Hitachi multimedia LCD projector must be able to display whatever multimedia you throw at it, have the necessary brightness for its intended working environment and be light if you expect to carry it often. When you look at buying Hitachi LCD projectors, consider the following:

1. Decide how often you need to move the Hitachi projector; Projectors weigh between 3.9 and 17 lbs.

2. You can always dial down the brightness of a Hitachi multimedia projector, which ranges from 2000 to 5000 lumens, but you can't push it past its limit.

3. Hitachi LCD projectors come in three levels of video quality: SVGA, XGA and SXGA+.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn the jargon before you shop for Hitachi multimedia projectors

Shopping for Hitachi projectors requires knowing the slang. Lumens are a measure of brightness. Most terms don't just apply to Hitachi multimedia projectors, they also apply to most other digital video outputs like a Hitachi projection TV.

I recommend: ProjectorCentral.com provides a comprehensive buyers guide. It specifically discusses resolution, brightness, weight and other important factors.

Get details about Hitachi video projectors from the source

Hitachi's website offers extensive details about its equipment. The information is objective and unique. For example, the 'Throw Distance Calculator' calculates the maximum size of an image produced by the projector. Each projector's description also comes with photos of the projector from several angles.

I recommend: Check out Hitachi's "Line Up" for a comprehensive list of projectors. Begin with the "LCD Projector Guide" or choose a group of projectors, such as Corporate, K12 or Worship.

Compare Hitachi video projector prices

The Internet simplifies the process of comparing prices. Many websites gather information about prices from other sites and then present you with a price range for each item you find.

I recommend: Search BizRate and Epinions.com for Hitachi data projectors. Both sites return results that can be filtered by criteria like price range and brightness or sorted by popularity, price, and rating. Or try specialist shopping sites like Projector People or ProjectorCentral.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep in mind the dimensions for your room when you determine how bright the Hitachi projection TV must be and the size of the image you need.
• •  Plan for a secure place to store the projector. Most projectors fit into a backpack; you don't want yours stolen.