Affordable projectors usually have one or more glaring weaknesses that make themselves quite apparent the moment you pull them out of the box or switch them on. Not so with the Canon LV-7285. It costs just Rs 40k, which is plain affordable in projector speak.
The LV-7285 is a 3LCD projector with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels (4:3 aspect ratio) and a rated brightness of 2600 ANSI lumens. It has manual focus and zoom, a grab handle at the back for easy portability and enough inputs. It has composite, S-video, DVI and VGA inputs (with audio input for each one). An audio/video output is also supplied, which comes in handy if you want to connect another display. Plus of course, it weighs only 3.3 kg, which is only slightly more than the average 15-inch laptop.
The exterior is a smart-looking white and grey that is thankfully resistant to scratches, fingerprints and smudges. There is a built in 7 watt mono speaker which is good enough for the odd presentation, not for video. And it runs a quiet 29db in operation (quiet mode), which goes up to an acceptable 35db in normal mode.
Setting it up is fairly simple. Once you connect the video source and power it on, you can use the optical zoom to adjust image size. A couple of adjustable legs let you angle it, and the automatic keystone adjustment takes care of the rest, keeping the image nice and straight. The LV-7285 can create an image, 107-inches in diameter from a distance of 12 feet.
Before talking about the performance, it should be mentioned that the LV-7285 has an auto iris feature which a lot of more expensive home theatre projectors have. This feature helps to increase the contrast ratio by
automatically adjusting the brightness levels depending on the scene. The adjustment happens quite fast, so that the eye cannot perceive the changing levels of brightness. That being the case, it kind of straddles both business and entertainment uses. The only hitch being that it?s a square (4:3 aspect ratio) projector, while most movies and videos are now widescreen.
With a sufficiently large screen (100-inches or more) and from a distance of 5 feet or less, the screen door effect is clearly visible. The screen door effect refers to the visibility of fine lines separating each pixel, and actually looks like a mesh. This effect diminishes as you move away and is obviously minimised with higher resolutions. And I am happy to see that even a Rs 40k 3LCD projector can deliver truly awesome results with video. Colours are vivid and details are nicely rendered. You do need to use a screen for maximum effect though. Projecting on a plain wall leads to some loss of colour, brightness and sharpness. You don?t need a dark room to view the images properly either; brightness levels are good enough to see a presentation or watch movies even with a fair amount of ambient light.
There are some other good points. The supplied case has sufficient padding and there is an infrared remote control for all basic functions. It also has a built in Ethernet port for network connectivity; for remote monitoring of the projector using a Web browser. This kind of feature is useful in a large setup with multiple projectors (like in a university), because a central administrator can monitor all the units without actually going to them.
Any complaints? This is a 3LCD projector, which means that it uses three LCD panels (one for each of the primary colours) and a lamp to create the image you see. But LCD panels do have a finite life, and the quality of the image does vary over time. The main competing technology is DLP (by Texas Instruments), also called DMD or Digital Micromirror Device. With DLP, each pixel is represented by a micro mirror. DLP is widely known to have consistent performance throughout its life.
Overall, the LV-7285 is great value and a good option for those looking for a first projector on a budget. SOHO owners will be especially happy, considering that it be used for a business presentation one minute, and yet entertain the kids with a giant movie screen the next.
? CyberMedia www.LD2.in
Mail:talkLD@cybermedia.co.in