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Networked projectors aren't really a new idea. It's been a couple of years since the first projector was equipped with an Ethernet port, and over the last year and a half a few manufacturers have incorporated that connectivity into some models. Yet the novelty factor aside, there isn't great industry or user consensus on the true value of a display device's IP connectivity - beyond its usefulness as a feature call-out on a marketing brochure.
Sony's VPL-PX15 projector isn't entirely brand new either. But amid industry uncertainty, Sony has evolved its networking functionality with features that administrators and presenters can use, making the PX15 a bellwether for the state of industry convergence with IP. Happily, Sony has also reduced price points to levels where the new capabilities no longer charge an early-adopter or novelty premium.
For many, networking carries the nasty aroma of computer troubleshooting, a frustration better left to others. Yet networked computers, networked printers, file sharing, and, in larger organizations, remote administration are the norm these days, and they're sorely missed during outages. Obviously Sony had remote administration in mind for the PX15, and has moved in the right direction to interest A/V integrators.
Past anecdotes aside, adding nodes to an existing network has become considerably easier over the last few years, particularly through automatic IP addressing by DHCP servers. That's a boon for devices like the PX15. Once plugged onto a network, the PX15 can use DHCP to automatically receive a dedicated IP address and, after a 15-second relaunch of the network module, you're online. The projector also offers new support for wireless PC card interfaces.
It took less than two minutes to turn on the projector, make sure the "Obtain an IP address...