Hardware

The LG ProBeam BF60PST DLP Projector Lets You Share Large, Clear Images, Even in Daylight

Lightweight projector allows teachers to wirelessly share large, bright images and videos from laptops, phones and the web.

Buzz Garwood

Buzz Garwood, the technology teacher at Home Gardens Academy in Corona, Calif., blogs and produces videos for EdTech magazine. Follow him at @buzzgarwood and check out his blog.

Projectors have come a long way over the past 20 or 30 years. After spending the first decade of my teaching career using overhead projectors, I do not miss having my fingers covered in red, green, blue and black ink and other annoyances that came with old-school projectors.

Packed with multiple upgrades and modern conveniences, the LG ProBeam BF60PST projector elevates the humble projector to a key multitasking utility for every classroom.

One of the top benefits of using a projector is that it allows teachers to display visual aids and showcase student work without eating into limited wall space.

A Projector That Is Virtually Maintenance Free

With just the lowering of a screen, the LG ProBeam BF60PST projector lets teachers share large images that can reach students seated all the way in the back of the classroom. (LG also offers a model nearly identical to the BF60PST, the BU60PST, which has a 4K UHD resolution of 3840x2160.)

The ProBeam BF60PST’s most compelling feature is its laser light source. It’s not only superbright, but also rated to last more than 20,000 hours, which is approximately four times longer than projectors with conventional lamps. This eliminates the need to replace lamps or clean dust filters, which makes the ProBeam BF60PST virtually maintenance free.

Peak Brightness For Any Lighting Conditions

Peak brightness comes in at 6000 ANSI lumens, with a contrast ratio of 3 million to 1. That is approximately 20 percent brighter than LG’s previous projector and translates to accurate and clear images that can easily be seen in daylight conditions, such as a brightly lit classroom.

One might expect a laser projector that produces such bright images to emit a tremendous amount of heat, but surprisingly, this is not the case. After two hours of intense testing that included video playback, web browsing and video gaming, the air coming out the back only felt mildly warm. I was also impressed by how quietly the machine performed during operation.

Specs for LG Projector: Efficient, Bright, Flexible

Easy Internet Access Without a Computer

Another noteworthy feature of the ProBeam BF60PST is its use of LG’s webOS platform for smart devices. The platform makes for user-friendly navigation of menus and functions. During testing, I simply connected a USB keyboard and mouse to the back of the projector, and then navigated the user interface and browsed the internet with ease, all without the need for a computer.

There are three ports for video input: two HDMI and one HDBaseT. I connected my PC into the projector’s HDMI 1 port and then selected it from the menu. I was immediately taken aback by the brightness and clarity of the images on my computer. I then connected a gaming console to the projector’s HDMI 2 port and easily switched between the two inputs by using the included remote. As for sound, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the volume produced by the internal five-watt speaker is sufficient to reach the back of my medium-sized classroom.

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Cast and Screenshare Wirelessly

Teachers with digital laser projectors, like the ProBeam BF60PST, have a reliable way to engage all students in a classroom with a large, bright display that can easily show content and videos from their computer, mobile device or the internet. You can link the ProBeam BF60PST directly to a school network via wired or wireless connection, eliminating the need for a laptop. Teachers can also easily screenshare or mirror content from any device running the Windows or Android operating system.

The ProBeam BF60PST also offers screen and sound sharing with Miracast. This useful feature allows teachers or students with a mobile device that supports Miracast to wirelessly connect to the projector and project images and sound. Fortunately, most modern Windows and Android devices are Miracast-friendly. This includes tablets, smartphones, PCs and laptops. In fact, Microsoft includes Miracast on devices that come loaded with Windows 10, and many Android devices with version 4.2 and later also include Miracast.

The ProBeam BF60PST projector weighs approximately 20 pounds and measures 14.6 by 12.8 by 6.1 inches. You can mount it to the ceiling, store it on a rolling cart and move it from room to room, or safely place it on a table or desk in a classroom or conference room.

Specifications

RESOLUTION: WUXGA (1920x1200), 1080p
MAX SCREEN SIZE: 300 inches
LAMP LIFE: 20,000 hours
CONNECTIVITY: Wired, Wireless, Bluetooth, Miracast Wi-Fi
SOUND OUTPUT: Stereo, five-watt speakers
VIDEO INPUT: HDBaseT (x1), HDMI (x2)