Need a new computer display?

Dear PropellerHeads: I need a computer display for my conference room. I see some folks are using a big TV instead of a projector now. What should I do?

A: At the PropellerHeads Intergalactic Headquarters, we have both a projector display and a large-screen TV. That sounds a little boasty, but each is ideal for different applications.

Our training room, located in the north wing of our corporate megaplex, has a ceiling-mounted wall projector. This works well because the room is large and we display an 8-foot diagonal image, so a TV wouldn't do. A long VGA cable runs through the walls to the podium, where a laptop is used as the display source. For a permanent installation, this is fine.

Wall projectors are getting cheaper and smaller, with increased resolution, brightness and saturation. The displayed image is good, but it's not TV-quality. It does come in handy when I want to monitor our vast corporate bunker spycams. You just can't trust programmers. They are so sneaky.

For watching videos or presenting your latest Web designs, you want a crisp, clear, high-resolution display. LCD/LED TVs deliver that in large-size formats, cheaply. For the typical conference room, a 42-inch to 55-inch TV is a great alternative to a projection display. Decent 42-inch models start around $500 and suitable 55-inch models go for $1,500 and up. Since the display doubles as a TV, they're great for live broadcasts too.

Once the TV is mounted on your conference room wall, look into wireless technology for getting the video signal to the TV. With a Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse, you can leave the laptop in the corner, out of the way. Big box retailers sell these peripherals for $50-75.

To avoid running unsightly cables from the computer to the TV, invest in Wireless VGA. By connecting a transmitter on your laptop to a receiver on the TV's VGA (PC) connector, you can display the laptop image on your big-screen TV.

Several companies make these products. We installed IOGear's Wireless USB-to-VGA Adapter (http://bit.ly/2UvfM6). Around $130, it handles 720p content using wireless USB Ultra Wide Band (UWB) transmission. This supports up to 1,600 x 1,200 (UXGA) pixels, and it won't interfere with your Wi-Fi network.

We found that this was a line-of-sight transmission product, effective to about 15 feet. We mounted the TV receiver antenna to the top center of the TV, and have no issues from any position in the room. It looks like the TV is directing a rude hand gesture toward us, but full-motion video renders well, even if fast-moving scenes are sometimes choppy.

The supplied video driver lets you run dual monitors, creating separate laptop and TV displays, or mirror the image. Guest presenters just install some software on their laptops, plug in a USB stick, and they're connected to the display within minutes.

Cables to Go/Trulink (http://bit.ly/aoicYh) sells a comparable product (which also transmits audio) for about $200. Gefen's VGA extender (http://bit.ly/9jQkaQ) will set you back almost $400, but has an impressive 100-foot range.

So you have some choices, ranging from projector to TV, and wired connections to wireless. Your selection will depend on room size and installation requirements. The good news is that these products are always getting less expensive and more flexible. I find that both are excellent at showing larger-than-life images of myself to my legions of lethargic PC programming minions.

When the PropellerHeads at Data Directions aren't busy with their IT projects, they love to answer questions on business or consumer technology. E-mail them to questions@askthepropellerheads.com or contact us at Data Directions Inc., 8510 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Visit our website at www.askthepropellerheads.com.