[me_jumper]

Depends on where you are, I guess. I work at a University in Germany, and most meeting rooms are either 1) very old and exactly as you've described, or 2) updated in the last few years and actually usable. There doesn't seem to be an in-between.

[atoav]

Mediatech guy for a university in Germany here. The reason for that is that the average lifetime for installation projectors is something between 8 and 12 years, after that either the power supply dies or it gets hard finding light fixtures.

Either way most universities only feel compelled to spend money when something breaks. I wish that was different, as it makes my job very stressful at times, especially when multiple things break within a small time span.

[hinkley]

I think they run those things until they break and then buy what they can still find. What’s “good” these days? I see expensive ones that I think most businesses would probably balk at buying. 1080p?

[atoav]

if you look at all the specs the choice probably boils down to (A) getting something damn bright in 1080p or WUXGA or (B) something in 4K that isn't as bright. And by that point personally I would ask why or whether 4k is really needed for the application.

More brightness/better contrast is probably the more important feature for university applications as it allows you to see stuff better even if we are not in a black-walled darkened cinema space.

Everything in 4k with decent colors and high brightness costs a fortune.

But a DCI conform 4k Laser projector is really a view to behold. If only it wasn't so damn expensive.