SHOPPING CART
Quick Site SearchSearch by ProductSearch by lumensSearch by TechnologySearch by Resolution |
 |
Projector ReviewsWe are happy to provide 3rd party projector reviews to enable you to see a clear and unbiased opinion of the projectors we sell. Just Click on the list of projectors below and see what testers thought of them. Benq MP525ST Hitachi CP-X2010 Optoma PK-101 Mitsubishi XD250 CANON WUX10 Optoma EX525ST BenQ's MP522ST, an XGA short-throw DLP projector, is a good choice for use on a rolling cart in a small classroom. Its short throw distance gives it the ability to project a 100" diagonal 4:3 image from only six feet away, while its high lumen output and near-perfect edge-to-edge sharpness make it particularly suitable for any sort of spreadsheets or finely detailed images. With street prices around $800, the MP522ST has some shortcomings, but is a solid performer overall.
ANSI lumens: 2000 Contrast (full on/off): 1000:1 Light Engine: 1024x768, native 4:3 DLP with 175W lamp. Connection Panel: One VGA input, one monitor passthrough, one composite video, one s-video, one 1/8" audio input, Kensington lock point. Lens: Fixed zoom, manual focus lens. Displays a 100" diagonal 4:3 image from 6' throw distance. Lamp Life: 3000 hours (4000 hours in Eco-mode). Replacement lamp price: $200 Warranty: Three years.
Short throw. The MP522ST's short-throw lens makes it easy to project a big picture without requiring a big space. A 100" diagonal picture can be displayed with just six feet of throw distance, while a 60" diagonal image needs only 3' 7" of throw. In a cramped classroom, this allows the teacher to keep the projector close at hand and out of the students' way. Bright picture. The MP522ST is rated for 2,000 lumens, and our test unit actually measured 1,921 lumens. This slight difference might be chalked up to manufacturing variances, and it means that the MP522ST is pretty much as bright as the specifications claim it is. In an industry where many projectors fall very short of their lumen ratings, we tip our hats to BenQ for delivering a projector that, for all practical purposes, measures up to the spec. In a partially darkened room with modest ambient light, 2,000 lumens can be too much light, which can cause eyestrain and headaches. A picture that is too bright will cause students to have a harder time absorbing the material. To reduce light output on this model, you've got a couple options. First, you can use Economy lamp mode, which reduces lumens by 23%. Second, you can put it into Cinema mode, which drops brightness to 725 lumens and made color appear much more natural. For video or movie material being watched in a dark room, this would be an ideal setting. Good brightness uniformity. Early short-throw projectors tended to have abysmal brightness uniformity, in part due to the extreme angle at which light bounces off the screen. The MP522ST has no such problem. Brightness uniformity measured 75%, which is very nice for a short throw projector. In operation, we noticed that the bottom of the screen is brighter than the top, but it was more evident when viewing a data image with a white background than it was when viewing photography. In your run-of-the-mill mixed content presentations, like PowerPoint slideshows, brightness uniformity should never be an issue. Three year warranty. The MP522ST has a warranty of three years, which is as good as it gets in the projector business. It also has a five-year warranty on the DLP chip itself. This lengthy warranty can help to protect the school against premature failure of their equipment, thereby saving them money and keeping teachers happy. Low cost of maintenance. With a lamp life of 4,000 hours in Economy mode, no dust filter, and lamp replacements that cost only $200, the MP522ST has a very low "total cost of ownership." Combined with the warranty mentioned above, this projector should keep on ticking for years to come with a bare minimum of maintenance. Good edge-to-edge sharpness. Another common problem with short-throw projectors is that it is often difficult to keep the entire image in perfect focus, so the MP522ST should be praised for its nearly perfect edge-to-edge sharpness. Documents with fine detail or small text are displayed with maximum clarity, so nothing is lost in the translation from PC to projector screen.
Poor remote. The MP522ST has a small, credit-card-style remote control that has some basic functions on it - menu control, keystone, digital zoom, and access to a presentation timer. However, there is no volume control of any kind on the remote, including mute. The projector has a 5W speaker onboard, so it would be unfortunate to accidentally blast your audience's ears and not have a way to quickly turn the volume down. No networking capability. The MP522ST has no networking capability, while many other projectors in its class do. While not everyone uses wired networking, especially when a projector is used on a rolling cart, it can be useful in fixed-installation situations for remote monitoring and security purposes. Poor connectivity. The MP522ST has a rather sparse connection panel, consisting of a VGA input, a monitor passthrough, a serial port, composite video, s-video, 1/8" audio input, and a Kensington lock point. Other projectors in its class and price range tend to have multiple VGA ports, if not digital input. Again, while not everyone uses these features, they are useful for those who need them.
The BenQ MP522ST has a lot going for it - it is bright, sharp, and able to put a big picture on screen from a short distance. However, it also has its flaws - the remote control is missing some key features and connectivity could be far better than it is. The missing features aren't things that everyone would use, and as such the BenQ MP522ST may be just perfect for your classroom. Be aware of what the projector is and isn't capable of, and make a smart purchase - and maybe you'll find that the MP522ST is right for you. Look for this one at street prices under $800.
Mitsubishi's XD250U, their brand-new DLP XGA classroom projector, can be summed up in one word: more. It has more lumens, so you can light up a larger screen or leave more room lights running. It has more ports, so you can connect all of your sources more easily. It has a 6,000 hour lamp life, for more presentations before you need to perform maintenance. And it has a ten-watt speaker, for more pure sound power. The only thing that's "less" is the price, at only $899. Specifications ANSI lumens: 2700 Contrast (full on/off): 2000:1 Light Engine: 1024x768, native 4:3 DLP, with 230W lamp and 2x speed, six-segment color wheel. Video Compatibility: Up to 1080i. Connection Panel: One HDMI port, two VGA inputs, one monitor passthrough, one composite video, one s-video, two 1/8" audio inputs, one L/R RCA audio input, one 1/8" audio output, one RJ-45 networking port, one RS-232C serial port, and a Kensington lock point. Lens: 1.2:1 manual zoom/focus lens. Lamp Life: 3000 hours, 6000 hours in eco-mode Replacement lamp price: $299 Warranty: Three years, one year or 500 hours on lamp. Advantages High lumen output. The XD250 is rated at 2700 ANSI lumens, and we measured a maximum output of 2470 lumens on our test sample using "Presentation" mode. This makes it one of the brighter projectors in its weight class, and gives it enough power to light up a big 120" diagonal screen in moderate ambient light. In fact, as long as you do not have ambient light falling directly on the screen surface, the XD250 should be able to handle most any projection environment. If 2470 lumens is too bright for the classroom, low lamp drops output 22% to 1935 lumens. For better color accuracy and saturation, users might want to use "Theater" mode, which tops out at 928 lumens in high lamp mode. Alternately, if you like the characteristics of Presentation mode, but want to drop the brightness, the XD250 has User settings, which allow you to take a preset and tweak it to your liking. In particular, you can use this to adjust BrilliantColor, which has a drastic effect on image brightness. Using Presentation mode as a basis, lumen output ranged in intermediate steps from 2470 to 959 just by changing the BrilliantColor setting. Good brightness uniformity. The picture from the XD250 has a smooth and uniform quality, thanks to its 78% brightness uniformity. On a 100 IRE white screen, users may notice some difference in brightness between the top and bottom of the image, but this difference all but disappears during normal use, such as photography or PowerPoint content. Excellent connectivity. The XD250 has an impressive array of connections. For video, it has two VGA inputs, an HDMI input, composite video, s-video, and a VGA monitor passthrough. In a ceiling mount, this allows for a very flexible setup where one VGA input and monitor passthrough are attached to the teacher's computer, one VGA input is left open for a laptop, and the HDMI input can be run to a DVD player for in-class video. If used on a rolling cart, the availability of both analog and digital inputs should make life easier for teachers attempting to connect their equipment. For audio, the XD250 has two 1/8" audio inputs, a pair of L/R RCA audio inputs, and a 1/8" audio output. Like the XD221, reviewed last month, the XD250 has Mitsubishi's new "Audio Mix" feature, which allows two audio sources to be played simultaneously over the projector's ten-watt speaker. So, for example, a teacher could play a movie and narrate over any particularly important parts. This does require the addition of a microphone, which is not included. The XD250 also has RS-232C serial and RJ-45 wired networking ports, which introduce new ways to monitor and control the projector. With RS-232C, you can link the projector to a PC, allowing it to be controlled completely from that computer and eliminating the need for a remote. With wired networking, you can accomplish much of the same, but you can do it from much farther away - across the building or across the world. Low maintenance. The XD250 is a DLP projector, and as such has a filter-free design. Aside from changing the lamp, you do not need to do much to maintain the projector. Mitsubishi does recommend occasionally vacuuming any residual dust out of the air vents, so it is not entirely maintenance free. The lamp itself has a life of 6,000 hours when in eco-mode. No, that is not a typo - Mitsubishi claims that their lamp will not burn out for six thousand hours. If a school day is six hours long, and a school year lasts for 180 days, the XD250 could run in eco-mode for five and a half years before requiring a lamp replacement. Replacement lamps, by the way, are $299, which works out to a per-hour operating cost of less than a nickel. With school budgets being cut left and right, planning for the future is more important than ever - and the XD250U will likely still be running when your current students have long since graduated. 10-watt speaker. The XD250 has a ten-watt speaker, which is among the best in this class of projector. The speaker is easily loud enough to reach every student in a medium or large classroom, or even a small lecture hall. One thing you will want to avoid is placing the projector too close to yourself or the audience if you plan to use the speaker; it is loud enough to cause great discomfort at full volume. Security. Aside from the Kensington and cable locking points, the XD250 has a choice of three password functions. Users can select from a "Display Input" password, a "Menu Access" password, and a "Splash/ID Screen" password. Perhaps the best part, though, is that these passwords must be input from the remote, as the projector has no hardwired control panel to speak of. Aside from buttons for power on/off and source, the top of the case is bare. Limitations Color brightness. The XD250 has a 2x-speed, six-segment color wheel, and one of those segments is white. As such, whenever the white segment of the color wheel is active, white portions of a projected image will appear to be much brighter than colored portions - twice as bright, in fact. This is especially apparent if you have a colored square in the middle of a white field, or vice versa - the disparity in brightness is distracting. However, when using the XD250 with PowerPoint presentations or text documents, this disparity is much less visible. In fact, as long as you do not plan to use the XD250 solely for the display of photography, there's little cause for concern. Poor remote control. The remote control is covered in tiny buttons which are labeled in equally tiny type. It appears that Mitsubishi uses this same model of remote for several projectors, as some of the buttons do nothing at all. Since the projector has no hardwired control panel, this is somewhat annoying. After a few weeks, though, users should become accustomed to the remote, or be able to badger their IT staff into hooking up RS-232 functionality. Conclusion The Mitsubishi XD250U is a powerful bundle of classroom performance. It brings together high lumen output, great connectivity, and almost zero maintenance in an affordable package that's perfect for classroom use. With several extra features like Mitsubishi's Audio Mix and password protection, the XD250U is a great value at $899. Optoma's EX525ST is their first short-throw projector, and they took the time to get it right. This projector is geared for the K-12 classroom market, with several features that make it ideal for the classroom - among them a password lock that engages automatically if the projector sits idle for too long, a control panel lockout, and an 8-watt speaker that provides plenty of sound. With street prices below $1100, the EX525ST is a great choice for smaller classrooms.
ANSI lumens: 2500 Contrast (full on/off): 2500:1 Light Engine: 1024x768, native 4:3 single-chip DLP, with 200W P-VIP lamp. Video Compatibility: Up to 1080p/60. Connection Panel: One DVI port, one VGA input, one VGA monitor pass-through, one composite video, one s-video, one USB port for mouse control, one RJ-45 wired networking port, one 1/8" audio input, one L/R RCA audio input, one 1/8" audio output, one RS-232 port, Kensington lock point. Lens: Manual focus short-throw lens. No zoom. Throws a 100" diagonal 4:3 image from a distance of four feet. Lamp Life: 3000 hours (4000 hours in Normal mode). Replacement lamp price: $349 Warranty: Three years express replacement.
Short throw. The EX525ST needs only four feet of throw distance to put a 100" 4:3 image on screen. Many XGA projectors which are otherwise comparable need 10 feet or more of throw distance to put the same size image on the screen. In many classrooms, this would put the projector squarely in the middle of the students, which is undesirable for several reasons. The short-throw design of the EX525ST allows the projector to be kept near the front of the room, where the teacher can keep an eye on it, without sacrificing screen size. Lumen output. In Bright mode, the EX525ST will put 2388 lumens on the screen, out of a rated 2500 lumens. This image mode pushes highlights, so it is a good choice for black-and-white text documents or similar content. For material that requires more accurate color, try using sRGB mode, which still cranked out a respectable 1763 lumens in high lamp mode. Low lamp mode drops lumen output in every mode by roughly 30%, but extends the life of the lamp by an additional 1000 hours. Low maintenance. The EX525ST's filter-free design is made possible thanks to its sealed light engine, which cuts projector maintenance to vacuuming the vents on occasion, and switching out lamps when they expire. And with an estimated 4,000 hour maximum life, lamps do not expire often. Replacement 200-watt P-VIP lamps cost $349 from Optoma at the time of this review, for an estimated cost per hour of eight cents. Powerful sound. The EX525ST has an 8-watt speaker, which is more than what's available on most other projectors in its weight class. Using our standardized test tone, we measured a volume of 75 dB at a distance of three feet - plenty loud enough for a classroom setting. In fact, you'll want to be careful not to seat anyone too close to the projector, as 75 dB could be described as "uncomfortably loud." Security features. As the EX525ST is ideal for use on a rolling cart, it is important to make sure that it doesn't roll away on its own. To this end, the projector has several security features which, taken together, combine to make the EX525ST one tough cookie. First up is the password function, which will lock the projector's controls if it is left idle for a given amount of time - the timer can be modified or disabled from the menu system. Next is the control panel lockout, which makes the projector useless without the remote since the top-mounted control panel will simply cease to function. Third is the wired networking function, which not only allows the projector to be controlled from a central location, but also allows a network administrator to be notified if the projector is unplugged. Finally, the EX525ST has locking points for both a cable lock and a Kensington lock, making it less likely that the projector will be stolen to begin with. Express replacement warranty. In the event that your projector breaks, getting it fixed as quickly as possible is very important. Optoma's "Express" Replacement warranty means that they will ship you a replacement projector before you even send them the malfunctioning unit, limiting downtime to the absolute minimum possible. This does vary somewhat over the course of the warranty; during the first year Optoma sends a refurbished projector, but during years two and three a "loaner" is sent while your projector is repaired. However, the end result is the same: you have a working projector in the classroom again in a matter of days, not weeks.
Cluttered remote. The EX525ST's remote suffers from a small identity crisis, as it cannot decide if it wants to be a mouse substitute or a method for controlling a projector. The large top keypad is actually used to control a computer via USB, and has no effect on the projector itself. For menu control, you'll need to use the much smaller and somewhat cramped second keypad, located near the bottom of the remote. As many other solutions exist to control a computer remotely, it would have been nice to see the EX525ST's remote treat the projector as its primary concern. Brightness uniformity. If there are any universal truths in the projector world, it is this: there is always a downside. In this case, the sharp upward throw angle of the EX525ST causes light to reflect from the screen in an unconventional way, which produces low brightness uniformity. On our reference 1.0 gain screen, the EX525ST measured 61% uniformity, with the brightest spot appearing in the bottom center of the image - in other words, the spot closest to the lens. Keystone. For best results, the projector should be mounted parallel to the floor to ensure a clean, legible, squared image. While this is good advice with any projector, it goes double for the EX525ST. Keystone correction introduces some softness into the image, which is especially noticeable when displaying material with a lot of small numbers and text. It is less noticeable when viewing images or Powerpoint presentations, or even text documents with larger font sizes. Unless you plan on displaying documents with a lot of fine detail, you should be able to use keystone correction without undue fuss.
Optoma's EX525ST is a very capable short-throw projector. While no projector is perfect, a projector can be uniquely well-suited to a certain application. The EX525ST is designed to be a fantastic classroom projector, especially when used on a rolling cart. It is capable of putting a very bright, large image on screen from a very short distance. Onboard security features make it difficult to steal and even more difficult to use if stolen. An express replacement warranty minimizes downtime and keeps your lessons moving along. While it's not without flaws, the EX525ST is a good, solid performer. Hitachi's newly released education projector, the CP-X2010N, is running on all cylinders. This 7.7 pound, 2200-lumen XGA projector has the feel of a product that has had some serious thought put into it. Blackboard mode and 16 watts of audio make it versatile enough to use in any moderate-sized classroom. A 6,000-hour lamp life makes it economical to run, and a three-year warranty means you're covered if it ever breaks down. The CP-X2010N sells for under $800, which makes it a great bargain.
ANSI lumens: 2200 Contrast (full on/off): 500:1 Light Engine: 1024x768, native 4:3 3LCD, with 210W UHP lamp. Video Compatibility: Up to 1080p/60. Connection Panel: 2x VGA input, one VGA monitor pass-through, one YPbPr component input, one composite input, one s-video input, one USB port, one L/R RCA audio input, one L/R RCA audio pass-through, 2x 1/8" audio inputs, 9-pin serial port, Kensington lock. Lens: 1.2:1 manual zoom/focus lens. Lamp Life: 6000 hours Replacement lamp price: $320 Warranty: Three years.
High lumen output. Rated at 2200 ANSI lumens, the CP-X2010N is a fairly bright projector. And, true to form, we measured a real-world maximum lumen output of 2186 lumens. This is plenty of light to display a pleasantly bright 100" diagonal image in a classroom with some moderate ambient light. With the lights turned down, it's enough for a truly striking high-contrast picture. Excellent brightness uniformity. While not critically important in most classroom situations, a lack of brightness uniformity can cause the image on screen to appear unevenly lit. The CP-X2010N measured an outstanding 96% brightness uniformity, which is performance rivaling that of the best home theater projectors, let alone education models. Blackboard modes. In some situations, a classroom will need a projector but lack a screen. In these cases it is often most convenient to project on a large, flat surface that is already the center of attention in the room - namely the blackboard. The CP-X2010N has image modes for blackboards, greenboards, and whiteboards, which color-correct and adjust lumen output for times when you're forced to project on these materials. Monitor pass-through. The CP-X2010N also has monitor pass-through. Not all computers have the ability to support multiple monitors, making it more difficult - if not impossible - for the educator to use a projector and a monitor at the same time. By adding monitor pass-through, a computer with support for only one monitor can be connected to the projector, then reconnected to the monitor, effectively side-stepping the issue. Sharpness. The CP-X2010N has very good edge-to-edge sharpness, so the far corners of the screen are just as crisp and clear as the center, even when displaying an entire screen of text in a small font. While this is sometimes taken for granted, it is not uncommon for inexpensive projectors to have imperfect edge-to-edge sharpness that can make some areas of a page of text look soft or even fuzzy. No such problem exists on this one. Powerful sound. Unlike most projectors in its weight class, the CP-X2010N has a speaker that can be described as something other than anemic - in fact, it's downright powerful. This puppy puts out sixteen watts of sound, which is among the most potent we've seen on this class of projector. To see just how loud it could get, we played a -12dB, 400Hz tone and took a sound pressure reading. Inside of three feet, the speaker on the CP-X2010N can actually be hazardous to your hearing, reaching nearly 88dB. As far as sound quality, it had a slightly tinny quality due to the lack of bass. But overall it is far superior to most on-board audio on digital projectors, and it is a very attractive feature. Another interesting feature is audio pass-through, which allows the speaker on the CP-X2010N to be used even while the projector is in standby mode. If the speaker on the projector is the only sound system available, this can be a useful tool. Security. Of course, a new classroom projector isn't any good if it gets stolen, and teachers cannot keep an eye on the projector all day long. To this end, Hitachi includes both a Kensington lock point and a loop for a cable lock, as well as password protection on the projector itself. If enabled, the projector displays "Enter Password" upon startup, and gives the user three chances to enter the correct password, after which it shuts down. This should help keep tampering to a minimum, and might serve to discourage theft as well. There is also a feature called "Transition Detector," which internally makes note of the projector's current (vertical) angle. If this angle changes while the projector is off, it will not display the input signal, rendering it useless. This feature is best suited to projectors in a permanent mount, such as a ceiling mount, since projectors on rolling carts tend to undergo more adjustment than their stationary counterparts. Transition Detection is optional and disabled by default. Lamp Life. The CP-X2010N, at its maximum lumen output, can go 3,000 hours without a lamp change. While this is already 50% more than many education projectors, the CP-X2010 can go a whopping 6,000 hours in eco-mode. Lumen output in eco-mode drops from 2186 lumens to 1421 lumens, or a reduction of 35%, so you may need better light control in your classroom or the use of a smaller screen to take full advantage of the improved lamp longevity. Combined with the projector's hybrid dust filter which only needs cleaning every 5,000 hours, maintenance on the projector is minimal. Fan noise. Despite its impressive brightness, the CP-X2010N is one of the quieter mobile/education projectors we have seen, which makes it more pleasant to use in small rooms. It also expels less waste heat than comparable units, which is appreciated in smaller rooms where air temperature changes quickly. Wired networking. The CP-X2010N differs from the CP-X2010 in its networking capability. The 2010N has an RJ-45 wired networking port, which allows the projector to be controlled and monitored remotely. This capability adds another layer of security - monitoring your network will tell you if a projector has been disconnected. It also allows the IT department to turn off any forgotten projectors at the end of the day without leaving the office. Of course, as this is a wired networking solution, it will be difficult to use if the CP-X2010N is on a rolling cart.
Keystone Correction. One of the few limitations of the CP-X2010N is its keystone correction, which is not as clean as it could be. The image exhibits some of the bolding effect present in most keystone correction, but it is not applied consistently - there is a wavy appearance that varies depending on how much correction is applied. While this does not make the image unusable or illegible by any stretch, it is somewhat annoying. However, keystone correction is not an issue unless you are forced to use it. Throw angle. The CP-X2010N has a throw angle such that, if the projector is level, the image appears 92% above the centerline of the lens and 8% below. That means you may have to tilt the projector in order to put the entire image on screen. That in turn means you must use keystone correction to square it up, or simply live with a trapezoidal image.
The Hitachi CP-X2010N has almost everything you could want in an education projector. It is small enough to be used on a rolling cart and powerful enough to light up a screen without turning all the room lights off. It has a quiet fan and a loud speaker. It is portable, but theft-resistant. It can be used on a dedicated screen or a repurposed blackboard. It is, in short, a well-rounded projector that can be adapted to a myriad of classroom applications. Its low price and long lamp life make it a smart choice for schools trying to keep costs low. In the coming months, we will be reviewing quite a few education products, and as such we are withholding our five-star ratings until we have a chance to do more comparative testing. However, the CP-X2010N is a strong product regardless of the competition, and it earns a place among our Highly Rated projectors for its combination of dynamite performance and low price. Optoma, in utilizing DLP technology for their 4 oz Pico PK-101 Projector, must have known they'd find success in this niche. The PK101 is a no-nonsense DLP pico projector that can display images and video in 1000:1 contrast ratio. It is this high contrast ratio that separates it from other pico projectors I've tested thus far. When connected to a DVD player, the colors remain vibrant and closely match the source. But even more exciting is that the PK101, when connected to my iPhone, projects in color that is actually better than the iPhone. As is true for all pico projectors, you need to lower your expectations on the brightness, but the color output from the Optoma Pico PK-101 goes a long way to compensate for it. Deviating from the norm, Optoma doesn't even mention computer connection in their manual and this is a smart move. Connecting the Optoma Pico PK-101 to a laptop would only emphasize the limited resolution found in most pico projectors available today. Optoma's focus is to provide a high contrast pico projector that is ideal for showing photos and videos to small groups from any device that has a composite video output. The Optoma Pico PK-101 DLP Projector (MSRP $399.99) has a native 640 x 480 resolution (VGA) and uses an LED light source with an estimated life of 20,000 hours. A fully charged battery should give you about 70 minutes of usage in high-brightness mode. As shown at right, the PK-101 comes with a USB power adapter, two batteries, tripod adapter, mini-USB to USB cable, 2.5-3.5 mm jack cable with volume control, and an AV cable. Optoma includes a neat matchbook sized iPhone AV adapter from Dexim that allows you to output the audio and video through their 14" jack cable. I tested the Optoma Pico PK-101 with a DVD player, iPhone, Sony PS2 and with the video output from a Nikon camera. I used a Dalite screen with a matte white surface. Color - Vibrant color is the Optoma Pico PK-101's best feature. The projected image seemed brighter because of the color saturation in videos and photos. Texas Instruments' mini DLP technology inside the Optoma Pico PK-101 is the reason the image looks good and why it could be a great solution for anyone needing more precise color reproduction from video or photos. Brightness - OK, the color looks great and seems brighter but it's still a pico projector and 11 lumens. How does that translate? In a well-lit room, you shouldn't expect more than a 20" diagonal image but in darkness or very subdued lighting you could easily achieve greater than a 60" diagonal. The whole problem with pico projectors right now is user expectation. Don't expect to be blown away with brightness and you'll like the Optoma Pico PK-101. Control the lighting and the projection surface and you'll really like it. Portability - It's wallet sized (not George Costanza wallet sized) and close to the same weight (4 oz). When it's paired with another portable device like a cell phone, it makes for an incredibly mobile presentation system. Two devices that would fit in one pocket! Slideshow - The Optoma Pico PK-101 will show your slideshow in much the same way as the Aiptek PocketCinema T10 - through a mobile phone or media player. The only difference is that the PK-101 is native 4:3 aspect ratio and the T10 is 16:9. If you can, copy your PowerPoint slideshow onto your phone or, save the slides as jpg and transfer them to the photo viewer in your mobile device. Then it's just a matter of projecting pictures from that device. Audio - The 0.5w mono speaker on the Optoma Pico PK-101 is more of a convenience than a feature. If you are using this projector and need volume, I would definitely recommend bringing your own speakers. The PK-101 does not have an audio output so you'll have to connect your speakers to the source. Simple Setup - Simple is great. The Optoma Pico PK-101 has one video input so there's no messing around with connections. The one issue that I did have was working the focus dial. It's not easy to access because it's slightly recessed into the side of the projector. Accessories - The Optoma PK-101 includes everything you'll need to get started including a spare battery. For hands free operation a mini-tripod is a must. Optoma includes the tripod adapter - they just need to take one more step and include the mini-tripod. Merging the mini-tripod and a re-charging base with some type of external speakers would be a great accessory for the PK-101. Ideal Users - The Optoma PK-101 is great for home use and could also work for business presentations. I demo'ed the PK-101 for friends who had great suggestions for how to use the projector including replacing a set of blinds in our house with a manual pull-down screen. It projects on anything. At night, don't be surprised if you still have a great image when you get to an 80" diagonal. In a business environment, the Optoma PK-101 would be a slick tool for anyone needing vibrant color for presentations to groups of up to 5 people. Photographers, ad agencies and designers could tap into the portability of the PK-101 and leverage its stylish design as part of their presentation. The PK-101 will pique an audience's interest before the presentation starts. Conclusion - Outside of improved brightness and resolution, I wasn't sure how pico projectors could differentiate themselves from one another, but the Optoma Pico PK-101 DLP Projector found its niche. It's great for projecting photos or video from anything you can connect to it via composite video and does a very good job of rendering color. Canon has recently released their WUX10, which is a WUXGA - or 1920x1200 - LCoS projector. Essentially, this is the 16:10 format version of 1080p, and is a common resolution for large computer monitors. At the moment, projectors in this resolution are somewhat rare. There are only seven models available, and only two of them are under $10,000. Thus, the Canon WUX10 is rather unique in that it combines a very bright 3200 lumen output and a high resolution, widescreen format, in a portable package weighing only 10.8 lbs. The WUX10 is a bright, razor sharp projector that's great for any sort of detailed material, from video to photographs to detailed technical illustrations. It is a great option for doctors or hospitals who need to give medical presentations using high-resolution graphics. It fits well in museums where digital artwork can be displayed. It can also serve well in command and control applications. While on-board audio capability is minimal and it has no lens shift, it is still a versatile, powerful projector that delivers sparking, brilliant graphics and video.
ANSI lumens: 3200 Contrast (full on/off): 1,000:1 Light Engine: 1920x1200, native 16:10 LCoS, with 275W NSH lamp. Video Compatibility: 1080p/60, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i. Data Compatibility: up to WUXGA (1920x1200) Connection Panel: One HDMI 1.3 port, one DVI port, one VGA port, one composite video, one ethernet port, three 1/8" audio inputs, and one 1/8" audio output. Lens and Throw Distance: 1.45:1 powered zoom/focus lens. Will throw a 100" diagonal 16:10 image from 10' to 14' 7", depending on zoom. Lamp Life:2,000 hours, or 3,000 hours in eco-mode. Replacement lamp price: About $300 street price. Warranty: Three years.
Bright picture. One of the Canon WUX10's key advantages is its high lumen output. Our test unit reached a maximum lumen output of 2860 ANSI lumens in "Presentation" mode, out of a specified 3200 lumens. This makes the WUX10 well-suited for use in for rooms with quite a bit of ambient light. And in a light-controlled room, the WUX10 is powerful enough to light almost any screen size you can imagine. Very high resolution. Currently, WUXGA is one of the highest resolutions available in consumer projectors, with a native pixel matrix of 1920 horizontal and 1200 vertical pixels. There are higher resolution projectors available, called 4K, but they are in a different league price-wise, and they are not portable. WUXGA 1920x1200 resolution is commonly found on high-resolution monitors and graphics cards. Several laptops also support this resolution, so don't think that you need a top-of-the-line system to make full use of the WUX10. If you own a laptop made in the last two years, chances are good it will output a WUXGA signal. The resolution of the WUX10 makes it ideal for the display of technical documents, complex graphics or detailed photographs. Photos from a digital SLR camera use the 2:3 aspect ratio, which means you can use almost all of the WUX10's impressive resolution - 1800x1200 pixels, to be exact. This is a nice increase over the 1620x1080 pixel matrix you'd be able to use on a 1080p projector, so photographers and museums that want to display visual arts in maximum detail and resolution will find this model appealing. Sharp, clear image. The WUX10 maintains excellent sharpness of detail and overall image clarity. While LCOS projectors do not have the sharply-defined pixel structure of LCD projectors, this has the effect of making the picture appear smoother and more natural due to the smaller inter-pixel gap. The end result is a smooth, natural image that nonetheless retains every iota of detail present in the source material.
Good connectivity. The WUX10 has an HDMI port, a DVI port, and a VGA port - all three of which can handle a WUXGA signal. It also includes no fewer than three audio inputs, and it can of course receive audio over HDMI as well. While we were not impressed with the WUX10's onboard speaker, having separate audio inputs for each video input is a nice feature. It's just a shame that the speaker is so tinny. Portable. In practical terms, the WUX10 is larger and heavier than most portable projectors. However, when you compare it to other WUXGA projectors, it is the third lightest - Digital Projection's iVision 30-WUXGA and projectiondesign's F10 are both lighter, but they are much pricier. This makes the WUX10 the smallest, lightest WUXGA projector which can be purchased for under $10,000. And just think - ten years, ago, a twenty-pound SVGA projector was considered "portable." If you need the outstanding high-resolution performance of the WUX10, eleven pounds is not unmanageable. The projector comes with its own carrying case and shoulder strap, so it is ready made for the road. Powered zoom/focus with Auto Adjust. In terms of ease of use, powered zoom and focus stands head and shoulders above the manual variety, especially in a portable projector. However, Canon took things one step further by including Auto Adjust. With the push of a single button, the WUX10 will evaluate its surroundings and automatically adjust focus, keystone, and active input in a matter of seconds. When you have an audience waiting for you, seconds can count, and the WUX10 saves you quite a few of them. The auto-keystone on the WUX10 works by evaluating the angle of the projector's body, not by "looking" at the screen - so if your projector is level but your screen is canted, you will get an accurate focus, but an inaccurate keystone adjustment. Keystone correction on the WUX10 is very clean. When displaying a spreadsheet full of information, engaging keystone did not detract from legibility in any way. That said, when displaying native 1920x1200 content, many people would prefer to avoid keystone correction. In this case, there is an option in the menu system to disable the keystone correction portion of the Auto Adjust function, so the WUX10 will only check for the active input and adjust the focus. Versatile zoom. The WUX10 has a 1.45:1 powered zoom lens, which is impressive for this class of projector. The added range allows the user some extra flexibility in placement when installing, or allows for a variety of image sizes at a given throw distance. Great video performance. The WUX10 was not designed as a home theater projector, but it is a very capable video projector. Our testing showed it to be a solid performer when using 1080p/60 Blu-ray content. It is not spec'd to be compatible with a 1080p/24 signal, and if you feed it 24p you'll see quite a bit of frame tearing. But as discussed elsewhere on this site, 1080p/60 introduces less motion judder than 24p when displaying a 24 fps source like Blu-ray anyway. So the lack of 24p compatibility is not significant.
No lens shift. Lens shift makes it easier to set up a projector in difficult situations with which presenters sometimes have to cope. The WUX10 does not have lens shift, so you will need to take care to ensure that the projector is parallel to the screen and more or less centered horizontally. And while lens shift would have been useful on the WUX10, adding it may have increased the size, weight, and cost of the projector. Weak onboard sound. The WUX10's audio performance is not commensurate with its video performance. The WUX10 has an onboard 1.0-watt mono speaker, which is usable in only one situation - when you are in a small room and don't need very good sound. If you have a need for anything other than minimal audio, plan to use an external audio system.
Canon's WUX10 is a fine example of a high-resolution data, graphics, and video projector. It puts out close to 3000 lumens and produces a clean, sharp image with plenty of pop. And it can even handle high definition film and video, if you want to take it home on the weekends. Canon's WUX10 is quite an accomplishment. It is an easily portable, super high resolution projector that can handle almost any signal you throw in its direction without breaking a sweat. It gives a new, attractive option to medical presenters, photographers, engineers, architects, museums, professors, and a myriad of other people and organizations who need brightness, high resolution, and excellent color balance, all in a portable package. It is easy to give this one 5 stars for performance. We are giving it 4 stars for value only because there is less expensive competition out there in WUXGA resolution that offers more robust onboard audio and lens shift. However, it remains to be seen whether the competition can match the brilliance and balance of the image produced by the Canon WUXG10. As a follow up to this review, we will be doing a shoot-out between the Canon and its primary competitors. |
We are the UK approved supplier for all of these projector brands
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Projectors.co.uk Number 1 UK approved provider of projector,projectors,lcd projectors,projector bulbs,projector lamps, projector hire,projector repair,projector installation,visualisers, interactive whiteboards latest news on projectors, projector reviews
Click our website for Best Prices and Expert Advice on OPTOMA PROJECTORS BENQ PROJECTORS CANON PROJECTORS EPSON PROJECTORS HITACHI PROJECTORS INFOCUS PROJECTORS SANYO PROJECTORS SONY PROJECTORS ACER PROJECTORS CASIO PROJECTORS VIEWSONIC PROJECTORS NEC PROJECTORS
Approved Dealer of all Projectors.co.uk © 1996-2009. Terms & Conditions 