Calling All Teachers: Sony VPL-CS4

Every once in a while a projector comes along and even though its time has come and gone it manages to remain in the picture thanks to its pretty smile. The Sony VPL-CS4 is the ultra hip cousin who wears Converse hi-tops and Ray-Ban sunglasses. It doesn’t really stand out compared to newer models but the CS4 has enough features to keep most first time buyers content until they are ready for a serious upgrade.

A friend of mine who teaches fourth grade social studies uses the CS4 for his classroom and his students can’t say enough about the projector. Obviously the projector has a very good niche in the education market and it works well enough with the ambient light that strays into most classrooms.

The CS4 projects about 1000 ANSI lumens out of its light gray body but that is plenty considering the small amount cash needed to buy a used one. You could probably get away with paying about $1200 brand new compared to the original price tag of around $2500 back in 2001. If you are a trust worthy individual and are willing to buy your projector on eBay expect to pay hundreds less.

There aren’t too many inputs so you are lucky to get component video, but if you are a school teacher looking to inspire your students this projector will definitely keep them in awe. The CS4 uses a fairly common Sony 120W projector lamp so finding a replacement should be hassle free and relatively cheap. Lamp life is generally 1500 hours but if the projector is used for what is was intended, short views-once a day, the lamp will last up to 500 hours more.

Buying the Sony CS4 brand new has its perks since it maintains a warranty for approximately 24 months and Sony is known for having a decent customer service department. In fact, the teacher friend who I spoke of earlier originally had a CS2 but when he sent it to Sony to fix problems with the picture they were unable to mend it. To make a long story short, they sent him a brand new Sony CS4. Moral of the story is that Sony would like its customers to be happy and satisfaction is number one. If only they could get the glitches out so that there wasn’t a problem in the first place!

The now old and weary CS4 may need a crutch to get itself around but it still gets the job done for what it was made for, helping teachers bring fun into the classroom.