Projectors Reviews, price and comparision

Depending on your point of view is the Hitachi BZ-1 ($ 1,795 Street) either a slightly brighter, higher resolution, interactive version of the editor ' choice Hitachi CP A221N $1,300 road (4.5 stars), a slightly modified version of the Hitachi iPJ AW250N ($ 1,800 road, 4 stars), or a bit of both. Regardless of what description, decide to effectively cherry, it takes all the key features that make these models attractive and combines them into a winner hands down as the new editors' choice for interactive ultra short throw projectors.

Like the Hitachi iPJ AW250N the BZ-1 native resolution WXGA (1280 x 800), and a 2,500 lumens offers brightness evaluation and integrated interactivity. Like the CP A221N, it adds the one potentially important feature that is lacking the iPJ AW250N, namely: the ability mounting vertical without overheating, so you can create an interactive table top it directly on face. It is Hitachi LCD based like the two other models.

A possible problem for the BZ-1 is the lack of 3D support, a feature, you most DLP-based interactive projectors, such as for example the editors' choice Optoma TW675UTi-3D ($ 1,800 road, 4 stars) find. In this letter, but no other LCD-based business projectors offer 3D support, so that for the technology. LCD-based is also guaranteed that BZ-1 not the Rainbow artifacts indicating that they produce DLP projectors typically show because of the way color. So actually need 3D, is one of the LCD-based engine as an advantage.

The basics: Portability and Setup
The BZ-1 beautiful touches is part of its relatively small size and weight. Ultra short-throw projectors are designed typically for permanent installation, and they weigh typically about 15 pounds. The BZ-1 is small and light enough to easily by hand carry from room to room. Only 9.1 pounds and measuring 4.0 of 13.6 11.9 cm (HBT), it has easily enough, occasional travel serve as companion, if you need to provide interactive presentations on the road.

Except for the interactive feature, the installation is standard. An HDMI port for a computer or video source, two VGA connectors for computer or component-video, a pass through port VGA and S-video, and composite video connections include connection options for data and video images. In addition, a USB port can plug in a USB flash drive, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF or read PDF files directly.

A major difference between the BZ-1 approach to interactivity and the approach that use most projectors is DLP-based, you must calibrate the BZ-1, move every time you set it up or change resolution.

DLP projectors that use interactive function TI must not calibration, because the viewer overlays an invisible grid on the screen and the pen uses the grid to report where it refers. On the other hand, it depends on BZ-1 approach, a combination of infrared and ultrasonic signals between pen and projector. If you calibrate the two knowledge the projector where is the pen if you touch you to draw the screen, highlight, or not use the stylus as a mouse.

The good news is that requires only nine points with the pen touch calibration, and takes less than a minute. Also note that a benefit to the BZ-1 approach which is the pen much thinner than that get interactive with most DLP-based projectors. It is just about as thick as a highlighter, making it much more convenient to keep and work with, especially if you have small hands.

Looks good an overview over short distances,
What makes impressive ultra short-throw projectors is the size image to project that they from a certain distance. A picture 78 inches wide (93-inch diagonal) to obtain resolution in my tests, the native WXGA, I had the projector about 13 inch screen. Hitachi says, that the spectrum for the BZ-1 60-100 cm diagonal, with the front of the projector 4.7 15.4 inch up to screen.

Note that all these measurements from the front of the projector, the actual throw 11 inches more in any case is distance around. Is typical for shortest throw projectors, is the lens close to the back seems to be in a mirror which reflects the image on the screen.

The BZ-1 offers the same 2,500 lumens of brightness evaluation as the iPJ AW250N. This is not as bright as the rating at 3200 lumens, Optoma TW675UTi-3D, but it is more than bright enough for the size of the image, which I tested against typical levels of light in a conference room or classroom with. Keep in mind also, that the perception of brightness is logarithmic, so certain percentage increase lumen translate not to so large an increase in perceived brightness.

Image quality for data and video are among the strengths of the BZ-1. The projector has particularly good on our standard suite of display materials tests, with vibrant color; sharp, very readable text at small sizes; and no problems mention value.

Video quality was good for beamer. It is not in the same class as home theater projectors, but its good enough to you comfortable, in film can, as long as you are not too much of a perfectionist. I saw the same light color balance issue I saw with the iPJ-AW250N, such as with grayscale in night scenes on a clearly brownish tint. The image is to see but certainly comfortable for long sessions.

Interactivity and other problems

The interactive feature worked as my tests expected. As typical for Hitachi's interactive projectors, there is a slight delay between the pencil move and see the result, but the response time is fast enough with the pen feel natural. As with the most interactive projector, Hitachi offers a pen and offers also an interactive program, if you have not already.

A big difference between the iPJ AW250N and the BZ-1 is a modification of cooling, so that you provide the BZ-1 vertically can, without having to worry about overheating and shorten the life of the lamp. In this way, you can the projector to create an interactive table top and Hitachi, use, sell a table mount ($ 200 Street) to facilitate.

The lack of an option to use a vertical mounting was the only issue which the iPJ AW250N are held editors' choice. With the Hitachi BZ-1 provides that strengthen same - from the shortest throw a bright, high-quality image - and vertical mount add the ability, it is a simple editor ' choice pick. How it occurs, rather than replaces, the Optoma TW675UTi-3D. If you need 3D, is the Optoma projector is still the obvious choice. If you do not, and especially if you see a way to avoid Rainbow artifacts, the Hitachi BZ-1 is a better choice.

More projector reviews:
• AAXA P3
• Acer C120 projector
• InFocus IN1126
• Casio XJ-H1750-Pro series
• InFocus IN1124
• more