Weighing a tad over 3kg, this is just about as portable as projectors get. The In Focus LP425 is a compact portable projector that can be used to display PC graphics, as well as S-video and composite video if required. It also has sockets for PC audio, although the built-in speaker won't be of too much use in a large auditorium. Installation is pretty simple; you just plug the cable into your PC or notebook and project away to your heart's content. There's a built in menu system for adjusting the large projected image, although there's no remote control mouse pointer as is the case with some projectors in this price range.

The LP425's native resolution is 800 x 600, and in our tests that seemed to be all that was required for good quality presentations. Should you require it, the projector can emulate a resolution of 1024 x 768, using a pixel compression technique. This does actually work, but in our opinion it's better to stick with the native resolution for the best results. As far as colour depth is concerned, this is a 24-bit device, offering 16.7 million colours. Using a metal halide lamp that's good for 2,000 hours of operation (and costs around £350 + VAT to replace), the LP425 is rated at 700 ANSI Lumens, making it one of the brightest projectors on the market.

The generic term for this sort of device is 'LCD projector', but in fact the LP425 doesn't use LCD panels at all. Instead it makes use of digital light processing (DLP), featuring an array of microscopic mirrors that reflect light, with one mirror for each pixel. It sounds fiendishly complicated, and it is, but it results in a strong, clear and bright image, offering good colour representation and high visibility, even in a meeting room with relatively bright background lighting.

Verdict
Four thousand pounds is, of course, a lot of money for a projector. But although there are cheaper models available, there are also considerably more expensive ones on the market, and the LP425 offers a nice balance of price and image quality. It's not suitable for everyone, but for businesses wanting a portable presentation tool, this should do the trick nicely.

Company: In Focus

Contact: 0500 213300

Tags: lumen (unit) digital light processing composite video lcd projector liquid crystal display personal computer value added tax native resolution