There are quite a few bright, portable 1280x800 projectors already on the market, so does it make sense for Casio to jump in the pond with their new XJ-A250 for $1,400? It may when its revolutionary hybrid Laser/LED light source is anticipated to last 20,000 hours, thereby eliminating the cost of replacement lamps. In addition, features not found on many mobile projectors, such as a powered 2:1 optical zoom/focus and auto keystone adjustment, make the package even more interesting. The XJ-A250's case is super slim for easy transport in a laptop case or briefcase. It starts in a few seconds and stops instantly with no cool down required, so it is convenient for presenters on the go. On first glance, it looks like a pretty good contender in its class.

There are matters for concern, however. Our sample unit missed its brightness spec of 3,000 lumens by a large margin, settling in at about 1850 lumens after a fifteen minute warm up. Also, color balance is well below average for this class of product, and picture control adjustments are incapable of bringing color balance into a normal range. So if you typically have presentation material that requires accurate color display, this is not the projector to use.

Design: Casio has packed a lot of projector into a very small case. Standing just 1.7" in height, the XJ-A250 is one of the lowest profile projectors on the market. That translates into a lot of convenience for those carrying it on the road. Just slip it into your briefcase or even some of the roomier laptop bags and head for your presentation. If you need it, a form-fitting bag that holds the projector and cables is supplied.

Image Throw Angle: The centerline of the lens is 9" above the bottom of the image for a 100" image at a 16:10 aspect ratio. That means if you put it on a conference table, you will need to tilt the projector upward by extending the front elevator foot. The projector can be adjusted further by unscrewing either rear foot to correct any horizontal leveling issues.

Auto/Manual Keystone Correction: Since many users will be routinely tilting the projector upward to get the image high enough on the wall, they will enjoy the auto keystone correction feature which senses the angle of the projector and automatically squares up the picture without any need to fuss with keystone controls. The XJ-A250 can auto adjust the image from 0° to +30° vertical (where the top of the image is wider than the bottom). However, if you need to handle ±30° vertical correction, you can use manual keystone control.

Connections: One HDMI port. One 15-pin Dsub VGA port for either RGB or component video signals. One RS-232C control port. One 3.5mm mini-jack for either audio input or composite video. Casio supplies a special composite video cable that has three RCA connectors on one end and a 3-way mini plug at the other for the mini jack.

Preset modes: The XJ-A250 offers four projection modes (Standard, Graphic, Theater, and Game) as well as a blackboard setting. However, these modes are only available when the unit is in eco mode, so they do not function when the projector is at its brightest. Each has its own color bias and brightness suitable for its particular environment. There is no user memory for storing your favorite image adjustments, but each mode retains your adjustments until changed. Color temperature presets consist of Normal, Cool, and Warm settings, which have relatively limited impact on color balance. User adjustments to red, green, and blue can only be made in Normal mode.

On-Screen Menus: Nine on-screen menus may seem like a lot, but they are straightforward with minimal layering. Navigation is easy, but the menu cannot be moved from the center of the image when making picture adjustments, so seeing their effect is difficult.

Remote Control: The remote for the XJ-A250 is well laid out with high contrast icons and lettering that is easy to read even in a dimly lit room. A built-in pointer can be moved with the directional keys, and three direct function keys control brightness, Eco mode, and aspect ratio.

Advantages

Reader Comments(4 comments)