Presentation Salvation: Portable LCD Projectors Slim Down

September 10th, 2007

When it comes to effective business presentations, let’s face it : The Ross Perot kit a long stick and graphs pasted onto pieces of pasteboard just doesn’t cut it anymore. Modern sales presentations demand the right showcase.

LCD projectors address this market, and I was impressed with a pair of new ones from Sharp and Sarif. Each projector is small enough to fit under an airline seat, light enough to lug (under 16 pounds), compatible with both Macintosh and PC platforms, and capable of handling video signals in any of the three major international formats NTSC, PAL, and SECAM.

With a footprint of 15.3 by 10.4 inches, Sharp’s XG-NV1U NoteVision may be small, but it can project a very big picture from 32 by 24 inches (40 inches diagonal) to 20 by 15 feet (25 feet diagonal). The remote control doubles as a mouse and has a built-in laser pointer.

The Sharp NoteVision has a suggested list price of $7995, about $300 more than the Sarif Shuttle LT800N. The Shuttle is smaller and, at 13.9 pounds, lighter than the 15.4-pound NoteVision. And because the Shuttle operates in a vertical position, it has a tiny 6.5-by-9-inch footprint. Sarif leaves out the S-video connector that Sharp includes. However, the Shuttle has a built-in cable-ready tuner, which Sharp omits.

With other data/video projectors like Vidikron’s Helios selling for as much as $14,000, both the Sharp and Sarif represent a real value. While I like the built-in laser pointer and brighter picture of the NoteVision, the Shuttle’s built-in tuner, larger image, better price, and significantly smaller footprint make it a slightly better deal.

For the complete story, see the April 1997 issue of PC World.

Entry Filed under: Shop & Buy