X1 Brings Big Screen Home
Written: Apr 14 '04
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Pros: Flexible! Handles most any TV/PC need. Love the cables, labeled and color-coded!
Cons: No DVI port, HDTV cable was $14 extra.
The Bottom Line: Thrilled with big picture - I mean eight feet wide - in my home. I love it's flexibility, portability. Buy if price is a major factor.
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| uglyboy703's Full Review: InFocus X1 Multimedia Projector |
My 32" Magnavox TV has been on the blink for years - it has been very good to me, but at some point I expect it to die suddenly - but when, I have no Idea. So moving to the next level.
I did not want to overspend. That being said, what is overspending? A topic for a different forum, but I was thinking well under $2,000 USD. Even better if it were under $1,000, and better yet if it were HD-ready, would work with my PC, handled digital and analog formats, was portable, etc. My wish list was large, and I was willing to compromise.
As a computer professional, I've used projectors and seen them in use in a number of settings - from the get-go, wondering if - no, when - they would be configured for direct video output.
Now, I'm not a video expert. I watch alot of movies (Netflix), and have a small collection of tapes and now DVDs. Movies are books to me; I prefer firing up a video to cracking a book. That is not to say I've given up reading, but that's a discussion for a different forum, also.
I live in a condo. It's not Huge, and it isn't tiny. But I don't like having a TV evident anywhere, and have a nice enclosed cabinet for the TV. I'd like to be rid of the TV entirely. A larger or rear-projection TV would mean more floor space, and a plasma/LCD large screen would mean permanent wall space. I love the idea of things that can be "put away." Even better, can be portable. After a few weeks of enjoying the X1, I carried it with me on a 200 mile trip to New Jersey, to share it with a friend.
Has excellent specs, and is fairly easy to adjust. Great backlite on the remote, and an effective remote, too, reception-wise.
Works well with PC and TV, as big a screen as you care to project, is portable - comes with a nice carrying case, as well as almost every cable you might use - and the cables are conveniently color-coded and labeled with velcro wrap straps.
Does not have a DVI port, requires a separate cable to do HDTV (when I connected it to my Comcast digital box - I think it was $14 with shipping included), video aficionados may say that the picture isn't that sharp or are bothered by the screen-door effect.
I use a rubbery mat underneath it so it does not slide around. Have not yet tried a wireless connector. I'm sure the replacement bulb is expensive, but I guess I'll deal with that when I get there. Could it be more than buying another TV or projector? Doubtful!
Speakers are tinny sounding, but okay in a pinch - better than nothing.
The bottom line? I like it very much. I am confident there are sharper and brighter pictures available, but at a significant cost. When I purchased my X1, the list price was $1,699. The X1 can be had for under $1K, but it's a good deal at even more. I bought a Da-Lite screen for viewing, which retracts and is hidden behind a valance of sorts. Currently I still use my TV for broadcast, but occasionally will link up via S-Video. I use the X1 for DVDs, connected to my stereo for nicer sound.
Recommended:
Yes
Purchase Price (if leased, monthly payment): 1,300
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Epinions.com ID:
uglyboy703
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Member: Robert JT Moore
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
I would like to share what we know!
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