InFocus X9

by Hugo Jobling
Price as Reviewed $1,099.00

InFocus already wowed us with the launch of the X10 a short while ago, offering a great 1080p DLP projector at a fantastic price and it look set to do the same thing with the X9. The x9 sacrifices a Full HD resolution, being merely 720p (a.k.a. HD Ready), but by doing so comes in at a fantastic low price, and doesn't skimp much elsewhere, either.

The 1,280 x 720 resolution is provided by a Texas Instruments DLP chip and is backed up by a 6-segment colour wheel. InFocus claims the X9 has a 2,300:1 native contrast ratio and can produce a 1,800 ANSI lumens brightness, which is about in line with the X10 - so image quality should, resolution aside, be pretty similar.

Connectivity isn't a particular strong point of the X9, with a single HDMI port, Component connector, composite input and S-video in, as well as a VGA port. However, with a projector using an HDMI switch box and having a single cable running to the device is almost certainly a preferable option anyway, so the lack on inputs isn't exactly a problem.

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Toshiba TDP-XP1U

by Rich Malloy
Price as Reviewed $555.00 - $779.00

Toshiba’s TDP-XP1U looks rather pedestrian. And why shouldn’t it? With a suggested list price of only $779, it is clearly a budget model. The good news is that this value-priced projector is bright, boasts XGA resolution, and generates sharp and steady images.

At 4.8 pounds, the TDP-XP1U is not featherweight, yet it remains easily portable. And its easy-to-use features are limited to recognizing the current input (video or computer) automatically and adjusting accordingly.

The array of connectors on the back panel is rather sumptuous by bargain-projector standards. In addition to the standard input ports (VGA, S-Video, composite video, and mini audio), there are also output ports for a second display (useful for desktop users) and audio. There’s even an old-fashioned serial port.

The worst feature of the TDP-XP1U is its remote control, a tiny credit card–size device whose membrane-style keys had to be pressed repeatedly in order to get any response. Fortunately, only one key is highly useful (the On button) and that is repeated in a much more responsive way on the top panel of the projector.

On our lab tests, the TDP-XP1U performed quite well. It was the brightest XGA budget model we have tested, scoring 2155 lumens—almost 3 lumens per dollar. Other numbers were not so complimentary, however. Its contrast ratio was acceptable at 322:1. Its image size (37 inches diagonal at a 60-inch distance) was one of the smallest we have seen in recent months. Its warm-up and cooldown times were decidedly leisurely, particularly the latter at no less than 2 minutes.

The TDP-XP1U did much better in our qualitative tests, though, where it displayed very sharp and steady images. (Its main ease-of-use feature may be its ability to be easy on the eyes.) We were particularly impressed by its ability to resolve very dark and light grays. And, best of all, we appreciated its exceptionally quiet cooling fan. Indeed, in low-power mode, we could hardly hear it.

With an outlay of only $779, you can’t go wrong with the Toshiba TDP-XP1U. But consider that you will probably want to throw away the remote and replace it with a $60 laser pointer.

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BenQ PB6200

Price as Reviewed $1106 - $1795

At 5.6 pounds, this DLP projector is not an ultralight, but it has the combination of features and price to make up for the extra weight. XGA resolution (1024 x 768) and 1700 lumens brightness provide images clear and bright enough to be seen in a normally lit conference room. A 2000:1 contrast ratio makes the images crisp. Add a lamp life of 2000 hours and you have a portable projector that's a true road warrior for mobile presenters.

* 12" DDR DMD DLP™
* Native Resolution - 1024 x 768
* Compatible up to 1280 x 1024
* Brightness - 1700 ANSI Lumen (maximum)
* Contrast Ratio - 2000:1 (peak)
* HDTV compatible supporting up to 1080i
* 8 Preset modes

Pros: I chose this specifically for showing DVD's and HD TV. I have it set up on my ceiling and I have a 110" screen (2.4m wide) at a throw distance of 4.5 metres. To tell you how good it is, my visitors mouths drop open in amazement the moment they see the screen image. Noone is prepared for what they see. When I evaluated DLP projectors I realised that they probably source their DLP engines and the lenses because most projectors in a price range have identical output specifications. The only thing that seems to be unique to projector manufacturers are the input processors. I like my Benq because it has a simple and intelligent input processor. The picture is bright and sharp when using Component Input. The machine can be used on most voltages and automatically senses PAL 50Hz or NTSC 60 Hz so I can play DVD's purchased from other countries (using my miltizone Toshiba DVD player). I found the differences in picture quality using S-video (soft images) and composite (colour bleeding) reported by other reviewers to be confirmed - except that using Cable TV on Cartoon programs gives excellent results. I see no evidence of the dreaded rainbow effect often attributed to DLP projectors. I used it to watch the Athens Olympics using my Set top box in Standard Definition mode. The Lord of the Rings is specacular, as is Cher, The Coors and U2. It is such compelling viewing that walk in visitors just drop to the chairs when they see the shows of larger than life people on the screen.

Cons: The machine is very fragile so it is not a good idea to have it on a coffee table if kids are around. They have no idea. It is also not a good idea to position it where people could look into the lens - there are strenuous warnings about the dangers of staring at the light source. You can't just turn it on and off to watch the news. You need to structure your viewing to have a block of time set aside. Be prepared for late nights! The fans are slsightly audible during quiet movie sequences. The complexity of formatting the picture when switching inputs is disruptive if I am trying to put on a show for my friends: The 16 by 9 format is automatic for HD TV from my DG-TECH 2000A+ receiver. Most music DVDs are 4 x 3 Most DVD movies are in Letterbox format. My VCR and Cable TV are in 4 x 3 format via composite input only. The only way to set the screen format is via a menu using the remote control. Since the PB-6200 automatically senses the input source and the input signal, it would help if it also could sense the input screen format. It was very fiddly to set up. I found that matching equipment is the biggest challenge - and that applies to all systems it is not just a problem with this machine. But for example, I have a Denon amp which only switches S-Video. So I had to buy a game switch to be able to switch the component outputs. When buying a new DVD player to get component output, I did not realise until later that I could have bought one with progressive scan - which would have improved my picture. While the Benq can play NTSC, my TV cannot, so I have to retain my old DVD player which converts NTSC to PAL for the TV. I chose a 10 metre S-Video, and a composite cable from my Benq supplier. But I spent weeks figuring out which cables to choose to run to the ceiling. I found Jaycar electronics the most helpful and best priced people for cabling. In the end I used a 10m VGA cable, a male to female adaptor, a VGA to RGB BNC plug with RCA converters - which doubles as the component plugs for the Benq. Sound ridiculously complicated? Well - it was a choice to do this, or pay 3 times as much for an integrated system and for a professional to set it up.

Overall: It is absolutely fantastic value for money and brilliant for people who don't want to pay for workplace features which they don't need (such as laser pointers, multi input processing, speakers, timers etc). I compared the specifications with similar machines from Electroboard, Optoma, Panasonic etc. The Benq 6200 has a 200w bulb which I think makes it brighter. I would need to spend more than twice as much to get a better projector. My family and friends love it! And best of all, I am the only person who knows how to operate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We don't use it during the week but from Friday night to Sunday night we run it extensively.

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NEC NP50

Price as Reviewed $1,181.57 - $1,191.99

It's easy to save time and money on presentations with NEC's NP50 multimedia projector. Almost fully automatic, this projector starts up, focuses, corrects keystone, and shuts down on its own. All you really have to do is plug it in and get down to business. The eye-catching design, small footprint, and light weight of the NP50 is complemented by its incredible functionality. The NP50 also comes with integrated features to improve color accuracy, white/black levels, provide wall color correction for projection on non-white surfaces, image magnification, and lamp protection with direct power off.

Dimensions (HxWxD) 246 x 72 x 177 mm
Weight 1.6 kg
Projection technology DLP
Contrast Ratio 1600 : 1
Max. resolution 1024 x 768
Brightness (lumens) 2600 ANSI lumens
Projection distance 1.4 to 13.4m
Projection image size 33- to 300-inch
Aspect Ratio 4:3
Estimated lamp life 3000 hours

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InFocus X10

By John Archer
Latest Price £907.68

Once in a while a product comes out of nowhere and blows out of the water any preconceptions we might have of the AV market. Cue the InFocus X10 projector...

This is a pretty bold start to a review, I guess. But I promise I'm not being sensationalist just to keep you reading. The X10 really does rewrite the rulebook, completely shifting our established frame of reference when it comes to evaluating other projectors in the future.
The key to our excitement about the X10 lies in the following, simple facts: it's a Full HD DLP projector selling for under £900.

This totally demolishes the previous lowest price point of any other Full HD DLP projector we've seen; even Optoma's ‘cheapo' HD80 still costs you around £1,750 new.

Our searches did uncover another Optoma DLP model, the 8000X, going for around £1,000 - but we've seen absolutely zero marketing for this product, and it also seems to be available through extremely limited distribution channels. So it hardly seems poised to make the same sort of waves we're predicting the X10 will. Having said that, rest assured we're already doing our best to get hold of an 8000X for review.

Anyway, getting back to the X10, its price also seriously upsets the Full HD LCD applecart. For instance, we struggled to find Panasonic's good Full HD PT-AE2000 or Epson's disappointing Full HD EMP-TW1000 going for less than £1900 as we put this article together.

In fact, from what I can gather from InFocus representatives, one of the reasons InFocus has been so aggressive with the X10's pricing is that it really wants the model to boot LCD out of the home cinema projector market altogether.

But you know, it's hard to resist the thought that its price is so low it might be in danger of making it tough for any projector maker - including InFocus itself! - to make any sort of margins going forward. Time will tell, I guess.

Still, in the short term at least these sorts of concerns aren't really our problem as punters at all. In fact, such price-slashing madness is amazingly good news for the reams of people out there who'd love to indulge in home cinema in its most large-scale form but never thought they'd be able to afford the necessary high-spec projector.

And believe us, the X10 really is high spec, despite its lowly price. For starters, as well as that key Full HD pixel count, it's got all the connections you'd expect of a projector costing many times more, including two Deep Color-compatible v1.3 digital inputs (one HDMI, and one all-purpose M1-DA input for which the necessary HDMI adaptor is provided).

The X10 also claims a very respectable 2,500:1 ‘native' contrast ratio - as in, a contrast ratio which, unlike the figures quoted by most LCD projectors, does not depend on a brightness-reducing dynamic iris system to achieve its full extent.

Even better, though, the X10 does have OPTIONAL manual iris adjustment that you can select from its onscreen menus, complete with various settings. With this you can expand the projector's claimed contrast ratio to 7,500:1 - a really outstanding figure for the sub-£1k market.

Also rather remarkable for the X10's price is its claimed maximum brightness of 1,200 ANSI Lumens, making it bright enough to deliver the key ‘D65' colour standard calculated to produce the most natural results when watching video footage.

There's a much wider selection of video adjustments at your disposal with the X10 than you might expect too, including multiple gamma presets; optional overscan removal (an essential item on a Full HD projector); colour space, temperature, gamut and control tweaks; a flesh-tone adjustment; the software part of Texas Instruments' BrilliantColor system; and even, incredibly, all the facilities you need to have the projector professionally calibrated to suit your particular living room conditions by a certified Imaging Science Foundation engineer. This latter feature was once deemed as a premium trick for only the most discerning of buyers. Not any more, it would seem.

So far the X10 has done nothing but massively surpass the expectations raised by its price point. And for the most part this continues into its ease of use, too.

To help you set it up, for instance, its unusually large, matt black body is positioned on a swivelling, tilting foot mount, making it a doddle to get the image in the right place on your screen. Further assistance comes from digital vertical image shifting and keystone correction, and there's a passable amount of optical zoom, too. Though I do have a bit of a gripe here, for oddly the lens is a slightly long-throw affair, meaning it requires quite a large room to deliver a really big picture - not, perhaps, an ideal situation for a budget model.

Before we get into seeing how the X10 delivers on its seemingly remarkable specification level, it does have one potential Achilles' Heel lurking among all the facts and figures: a DarkChip 1 (DC1) DLP chipset.

In case you're not familiar with the DarkChip story, some of the very latest projectors, including InFocus's own IN83, are starting to use DarkChip4 technology, and we've been through DarkChip2 and Darkchip 3 along the way. So you can get a sense of how relatively ‘over the hill' the X10's core DLP engine is, at least on paper.

Which just goes to show how pointless it is to judge something ‘on paper'. For in reality, the X10 doesn't perform like a DC1 projector at all. In fact, remarkably, its pictures have more in common with a few DC3 models we've seen.

Also nothing short of remarkable is how bright the picture looks. DLP projectors at the X10's sort of price point traditionally struggle to give images any real dynamism, but there's dynamism aplenty on show here, even during the dark scenes that make up National Treasure 2's final half hour in the Olmec caverns.

Of course, brightness alone does not a great video picture make. But don't worry; while the best picture quality on the X10 is achieved with the iris slightly closed (I personally set it to between 64 and 73), the resulting loss of brightness isn't at all severe in the context of the benefits you reap in terms of black level improvement.

With the iris slightly closed the black levels you can achieve are simply in a different world to anything - repeat, ANYTHING - else we've seen anywhere at anything like the X10's price.

And still we're not even close to being done with the good news, for the X10 is also streets ahead of its price point with its colour saturations. They're both radiantly rich - as is spectacularly apparent during the HD Disney logo that precedes the National Treasure 2 presentation - and, even more remarkably, terrifically natural in tone. For instance, all the faces on show in the lecture theatre where Ed Harris's character drops his historical ‘bombshell' are rendered with emphatically authentic toning, even though this scene is, by its nature, rather dark. There's not a PC-biased colour tone in sight.

For starters, the X10's picture is almost unbelievably sharp. While watching the nice-picture-shame-about-the-movie Blu-ray of National Treasure 2, the definition in the actors' faces during the bright White House egg hunt sequence is little short of jaw-dropping. There's exceptional fine detailing, total crispness, and a complete absence of video noise. What's more, the outstanding detail levels also help generate a terrific sense of depth to the image, revealing every last subtlety of focus as the image trails into the distance.

Actually, the detailing here is so cute that it slightly reveals the shots of the White House for what they actually are: a special effects addition achieved through the miracle of blue-screen…

I'd really doubted that a projector as cheap as this one could deliver the full benefit a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel count can bring to an HD movie. But as well as the detail and lack of noise already noted, I was also struck by the purity of colour blends, as the X10's extra pixel density does away with the vast majority of the ‘colour banding' problem that can afflict budget projectors.

Finding any explanation at all for how InFocus has managed to make the X10 so cheap is a monumental effort. In fact, I couldn't find one. The bottom line is simply that if the X10 were £500 more, it would still look like a bargain.

This is not meant to imply, of course, that the projector is perfect. Thankfully for the rest of the projection market there are two or three areas where you can get improvements if you spend more.

Potentially the biggest problem is the X10's susceptibility to DLP's rainbow effect. This refers to stripes of pure red, green and blue that can flit about for a split second in your peripheral vision, or over very bright parts of the image, as a result of the machinations of DLP's colour wheel mechanism.

I was definitely slightly aware of this happening on a few occasions while watching National Treasure 2, especially during the dark scenes toward the film's end, where bright points of light stand out against predominantly dark backgrounds.

You can reduce the rainbow effect's impact on the X10 by closing the iris to limit the image's brightness, and personally I consider the issue a small price to pay for all the remarkable things the X10 gets right. But I know some people are more susceptible to the rainbow effect than others, so it's definitely something you need to be aware of. Maybe you should try and get a demo of the unit before you buy, just to see if the rainbow effect is particularly bothersome for you.

A far less troubling issue is some extremely low-level grey pixel noise over very dark parts of the picture, though this is seldom if ever distracting. In fact, you might not even see it at all if you don't go looking for it. Which of course you will now that I've mentioned it here. Sorry…

A final point would be that motion doesn't look quite as fluid or crisp as we'd ideally like. But again, this is seldom a distracting issue, and I'm almost embarrassed I mentioned it at all given that we're talking about a Full HD DLP projector costing under £900.

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Sim2 Domino D10

By Alex Kidman
Price as reviewed £1357.45 (Exc VAT)
£1595.00 (Inc VAT)

Design

Sim2's projectors have always had style that befits their premium price tag. While nobody is likely to spend anywhere near as long staring at the projector as they are its projected images, it's still nice to know that the tens of thousands of dollars you've spent on, say a Sim2 Domino 80 or Sim2 HT3000E went on some spiffy design features.

So what then, of the D10, Sim2's entry into the budget space? Well, before we start, we should point out that Sim2's definition of "budget" might not match up exactly to yours; the D10 will still cost you one dollar shy of four grand. It is budget, however, compared to a top-of-the-range Sim2 projector such as the C3X 1080. To give it some perspective, for the price of one C3X 1080, you could buy no less than eleven D10 projectors.

The D10's casing is matte black and rounded at the corners, and there's no mistaking that this is a simpler, cheaper unit than the usual glossy Sim2 offerings. There is a plus side to this simplicity; it's all rather easy to set up. Within minutes of unpacking our review sample we were watching crystal clear images projecting before us. Like the projector that it controls, the remote control for the D10 is plain and functional.

Features
The D10 is a DLP projector with a top resolution of 1024x768, or in layman's terms, 720p. It can handle 1080p content, but will scale it down. The projector uses the Texas Instruments Darkchip2 chipset; not quite as spiffy as the Darkchip3 you'd find in the D80.

Yet, the feature that places it above the competition is a full implementation of Texas Instrument's BrilliantColor technology. Whereas most DLP projectors will use a three-colour wheel (RGB) arrangement, BrilliantColor adds another three segments -- cyan, magenta and yellow. The effect of BrilliantColor should be to accentuate colour differences, leading to more realistic and richer colours.

We'd love to give you a brightness rating for the D10, but nowhere in the documentation -- or on Sim2's Web site -- is it stated. Perhaps they forgot. The contrast ratio is rated at 2000:1, however.

The D10 offers a full range of inputs, including S-Video, composite, component, D-Sub, DVI and HDMI. That makes it obviously suitable for high definition video -- not quite "full HD", but close -- as well as a myriad of other projection chores.

Performance
We've yet to be disappointed by a Sim2 projector, but then, given the average asking price for one of their little black boxes of wonder, we'd be very upset if the performance failed to live up to expectations. Things change once these products enter the semi-budget arena, though -- and we're somewhat tougher critics. So, first up are our criticisms of the D10. In full performance mode, the fan is noticeably noisy, even in a large display area. We were also somewhat surprised at how long the fan-assisted shutdown took.

Other than that, we were impressed at how good a 720p signal looked coming out of the D10 -- especially during the more rigorous Displaymate video tests. The D10 delivered excellent visuals with good and subtle contrast -- especially considering the relatively meagre contrast ratio it offers.

We were impressed with the D10's video performance -- arguably more than one could expect to be from what is only a 720p projector. Still, we can't overlook the asking price, and it leaves us wondering-- can Sim2 actually make a true "budget" projector, or is it beyond them?

Connections

* Composite
* 1

* S-Video
* 1

* Component
* 1

* HDMI
* 1

* DVI
* 1

Display

* Screen resolution
* 1280 x 768 pixels

* Mininum projection size - Diagonal
* 1270 mm

* Maximum projection size - Diagonal
* 6350 mm

General

* Dimensions (H x W x D)
* 1450 x 347 x 316 mm

* Weight
* 4 kg

Image

* Imaging technology
* 0,65� DarkChip2 DMD

* Aspect ratio
* 16:9

* Contrast ratio
* 2000 :1

Other

* Other Features
* Memories/Overscan, Full BrilliantColor technology

Projectors

* Projector system
* DLP

* Projection Lens
* High quality optics with manual zoom and focus adj.

* Colour Wheel
* 6 x

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Sanyo PDG-DSU20B

by M. NURRIZQI PUTRO UTOMO
Price as reviewed $470.00

This Sanyo PDG-DSU20B is a multimedia projector designed to work with a lap top and screen so you can do presentations or whatever where you want your computer screen projected. I also use it connected to a TV and VCR so you can project the image onto a larger screen, for showing to a whole room full of people.

It costs GBP233 (about $470) at the moment from the BT shop - that's the cheapest price I can find at the moment - I used mine at work, so I don't know what the one I used actually cost.

It is a portable projector, so you and your latop can go anywhere, and bore people to death by powerpoint slide, on a global scale.

It weighs a little over 6lbs, which is not bad, but if you can get the bloke in IT to set it up for you and carry it over, then I'd do that if I were you.

It is a fabulous example of the genre.

Firstly it's intelligent. It recognises when you've plugged something into it and you don't have to press a dozen buttons just to get it to talk to your laptop. I have a system with multiple things plugged in quite often and when you switch one of them on, it knows you've done that, it knows which one and it goes straight there! Oh joy! It is arguably more interactive than the bloke in IT, becasue it never scratches its head, sucks its teeth and says, "Oh my goodness what ever did you to do to this then?" in a patronising male tone.

Secondly it is very bright and you can adjust the contrast, and it has a big lens so you still get a reasonable size of picture even if the projection screen is a long way from the actual projector. If you do a lot of mobile projecting you'll know how often you walk into a room which has no black out blinds and one piddling table about half a mile from the screen, with a plug through a window on an extension cable that is precisely two inches too short for the task.. Or maybe that's just me. And the bloke in our IT department.

So all in all - it is quick to set up, and almost idiot proof; projects well and you can adjust all the stuff like the contrast, the keystone etc so you get a good picture without having to lug a 150 page manual in Swedish along with you and spend three hours failing to work out how to switch it off.

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Casio Super Slim XJ-S35

by Rich Malloy
Price as Reviewed: $1,799.00

One of the company’s two new models, the Casio Super Slim XJ-S35 weighs more than all three of the above battery-powered projectors combined. Nevertheless, this four-pound model certainly qualifies as a tiny projector because of its exceptionally low profile. At only 1.7 inches thick, its shape resembles a small notebook computer. This unique form factor should fit easily into almost any laptop carrying case.

In addition to its thinness, the XJ-S35 sports a number of interesting features. Its fold-down lens cap will be difficult to misplace, and most presenters will love the remote-controlled focus and optical zoom capabilities. In fact, the exceptionally large 2X zoom ratio gives presenters tremendous flexibility in where they place the projector. Unfortunately, the remote lacks a laser pointer or any type of mouse emulation. The XJ-S35 does, however, come with a USB input port for laptop-free presentations.

In our performance tests, the Casio pumped out 2091 lumens, actually outshining the advertised value of 2000. Its contrast ratio was 439:1, which while not exceptional for a DLP projector, is more than sufficient for most presentations. The cooling fan is a bit noisy, but the projector features an “Eco” mode, which drops the fan noise considerably and throttles back the brightness by only 25 percent.

The Casio Super Slim XJ-S35 includes a generous three-year warranty. A version without the USB port (XJ-30) sells for $100 less. If you want big-projector power in a sleek design, this is the one to get.

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InFocus IN15

by Rich Malloy
Current Price: $1,169.00 - $1,565.96

The IN15 is remarkably thin at just 1.7 inches. You’ve probably read hardcover books that were thicker. And while this model is pricier than other XGA ultraportable projectors that offer similar brightness, InFocus sweetens the deal with convenient features.

In the case of the IN15, thin doesn’t mean light; while it fits into our ultraportable category, its weight of 3.9 pounds is heavier than the 2.7-pound Dell M209X and the 3.2-pound Optoma TX7155. With all its accoutrements (such as the included AC, VGA, and composite video cables), the weight is closer to 5 pounds.

We can deal with the extra weight given this projector’s surprising number of special features. First there’s the motor-driven optical zoom: Just press a button on the remote and the image zooms to double its size—much larger than the 10 percent increase on almost all other projectors. The IN15 also produced one of the largest images we have seen: 52 inches diagonal at a distance of only 60 inches. Like the optical zoom, focusing is also motor-driven at the touch of a button.

For those who like an absolutely rectangular image, the projector will automatically correct for any keystone or trapezoidal shape problems. We also like the flip-down lens cap that is not only handy but also impossible to lose.

Like most credit-card–size remote controls, the IN15 remote lacks both a laser pointer and any buttons for navigating a PowerPoint slide show. It does, however, have buttons for controlling this model’s motorized focus and optical zoom features. There is also a handy button for switching to low-power Eco mode that drops the noisy cooling fan down to a more tolerable volume while lowering the brightness by only 20 percent.

With such a small size, a few features had to be omitted. These include an S-Video connector, USB port, and an audio speaker. However, speakers on portable projectors are usually so mediocre that it’s a minor loss.

On our lab tests, the IN15 did fairly well. It scored a brightness level of 2271 lumens—below the advertised value but within the traditional industry margin of overstatement. The contrast ratio was good, measuring 488:1. As is typical for DLP-based projectors, the yellow colors had a dull mustard-like look. In general, images seemed a bit fuzzy, caused by significant “comet tails” on individual pixels.

We knocked the older Casio version of this projector for its expensive $499 replacement lamp. The InFocus replacement lamp is a much more reasonable $365 (at www.superwarehouse.com). Too bad the IN15 requires a rather slow 61 seconds to cool down.

The IN15 is an attractively slim and full-featured projector. However, the nearly identical Casio XJ-S46, which costs $100 more, includes a speaker and a USB connector that lets you attach a wireless LAN adapter or run slideshows from a thumb drive without a PC. If you can live without those features, the IN15 is a solid choice for presenters on the go.

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Dell M209X

by Rich Malloy
Price as Reviewed: $999

With its recently announced M209X, Dell is introducing a new style for its projectors. Where older models were more streamlined with rounded corners and edges, this device features a black, boxy, angular design highlighted with stylish glossy panels. This cigar-box–size model weighs just 2.6 pounds, and at just $999, it not only fits squarely in the ultraportable camp but can also claim membership in the budget category.

A Brighter and More Portable Projector

Intended as an upgrade to Dell’s venerable 3400MP ultraportable, the new M209X outshines it by 500 lumens, with a claimed brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens. It has an HDMI input port and is less expensive at introduction. Dell also claims to have fortified the normally deficient color-handling capabilities of DLP imaging engines with multicolor processing and their new BrilliantColor technology.

Continuing a Dell tradition, the M209X is bundled with a high-quality carrying case and a set of cables equipped with Velcro straps for easy storage. But whereas earlier Dell models included every cable you could ever use, this new model lacks cables for its component video and USB ports.

The M209X’ remote control is fully featured, including the all-important laser pointer and a pair of Page Up/Down buttons. But again, you will need to supply your own USB cable to get those latter buttons to work. This new remote design is very stylish, but that style gets in the way of usability: The button labels are amazingly tiny and printed in an almost unreadable blue color on a black background. Fortunately, the laser button is equipped with a pair of bumps to make it easy to find.

Dell M209X Performance

On our lab tests, the M209X did quite well. Its brightness score of 2125 lumens was refreshingly above its advertised value of 2000. Thanks to its DLP technology, the contrast ratio was equally impressive, at 640:1—although well below the 1800:1 claim. Unfortunately, Dell’s new color-handling technology wasn’t very effective: Yellow shades were still dull and mustard-like, similar to other DLP projectors such as the InFocus IN15.

One nice feature (though we couldn’t test it) was the lamp life. Dell claims that the lamp will last 3,000 hours in standard lamp mode and a startling 5,000 hours in low-power mode. The lamps in most other projectors are rated at 2,000 hours in standard mode, or 3,000 hours in low power. We should also mention the sprightly cooldown time. In default mode, it took a leisurely 1 minute and 32 seconds, but when you switch the projector into Quick Shutdown mode, the cooling fan cuts out in just 11 seconds, and is relatively quiet to boot.

Verdict

Light, bright, and fairly low priced—what’s not to like? Oh, right, the remote control. But you can use the money you’ll save buying the $999 Dell M209X to pick up a nice pointing device and any cords you need. Those looking for a new projector will have a hard time choosing between the Dell M209X and the Optoma TX7155. Both have a similar price tag and features. But, at just 2.6 pounds, the Dell is a bit more portable, shows better contrast, and has a shorter cooldown time (in Quick Shutdown mode). Its long-life lamp and well-cushioned carrying case will have your wallet—and your back—thanking you.

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NEC NP100

by Rich Malloy
Current Price: $399.95 - $594.99

While it’s not the first sub-$500 projector on the market—a distinction that belongs to the Sanyo PDG-DSU20N--the NEC NP100 may be the most impressive. With strong contrast, plenty of brightness, and a good picture, it’s an excellent budget model for both work and play.

Design

Like the slightly older Sanyo PDG-DSU20N, the NEC NP100 has a slick white design. According to the company, it weighs 5.3 pounds, easily making it the lightest budget model. On our scale, however, it was even lighter, at just 5.1 pounds—a very rare case of a projector weighing less than claimed. The top panel is unique: It’s a recessed cavity just deep enough to accommodate the projector’s credit card–size remote control. But be careful not to lose the remote, as no menu control buttons are on the projector itself.

Performance Tests

On our tests, the NP100 did fairly well. We measured the brightness at 2081 lumens, which is higher than NEC’s claim of 2000 lumens. The contrast ratio was also impressive at 711:1, one of the best we have seen for all projectors and certainly the best for a budget model. On our qualitative tests, the images were quite sharp, with very little flicker or noise. The colors looked good—even the yellow shades that are often such a problem for other models.

NP100 Entertainment

Of course, such a projector is bound to be used for entertainment applications as well as pie charts. The NP100 did quite well in this regard. The native SVGA resolution was not quite high enough to display 1080i HDTV really well, but it was good enough for regular digital TV and DVDs. The cooling-fan sound was a bit noisy during a movie, but you can lower it by switching to Eco mode with barely a noticeable drop in brightness.

A Few Caveats

The NP100’s image size was a bit small, at 36.5 inches diagonal at a 60-inch distance. Uniformity of brightness from the corners of the image to the center was also low, at 60 percent. And the cooldown time was an irritatingly long 2 minutes.

Long Lamp Life

One cost factor often overlooked when buying a projector is the cost of its lamp. NEC prices the NP100’s replacement lamps at $179, one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. The company also rates the lamp at a very long 3,500 hours in regular mode and 4,000 hours in the low-power Eco mode.

NEC NP100 Verdict

If you have a few extra dollars to spend, we would opt for NEC’s more versatile and higher-resolution XGA version of this projector, the NP200, which is still a bargain at $649. However, the NEC NP100 does a good job with typical presentations at an amazingly low price. And with an introductory rebate of $50 (which ends on June 30), it’s also temporarily the least expensive, at an astounding $449.

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