ViewSonic PJD5133

SVGA data projectors, with their relatively low 800 by 600 pixel native resolution, have become less common than their higher-res XGA (1,024 by 768) and WXGA (1,280 by 800) cousins, but they provide a lower-priced option that still offers image quality suitable for business or classroom presentations on small to mid-sized screens. As such, the ViewSonic PJD5133 provides reasonably good image quality and a solid feature set, including HDMI connectivity.

The PJD5133 is reasonably bright at a rated 2,700 lumens. Some SVGA projectors, such as the Optoma Pro160S, run as bright as 3,000 lumens, but the difference is modest, especially since perception of brightness is logarithmic (it takes a lot more than doubling a projector's rated brightness to make it appear twice as bright).

It has a decent set of connections for a portable projector, 2 VGA-in ports (which double as component video) and 1 VGA-out port; audio-in and audio-out jacks; S-video; an RCA composite video jack; a USB mini type B port for remote mouse control; and an HDMI port. A few other SVGA projectors, such as the Optoma Pro160S, have HDMI ports, but they're still relatively rare at this low a resolution.

The projector measures 9.2 by 11.2 by 3.2 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.7 pounds, which makes it quite portable, though it comes without a carrying case. ViewSonic sells a suitable case for a modest $19 direct. The lens has both zoom (1.1x) and focus wheels; both were smooth and responsive, and it was easy to bring the projector to a good focus. I found the remote control a bit finicky; it was a lot less responsive when I was to the left of the projector than in other positions, though the IR sensor is at the front of the projector.

Testing

I tested the projector from about 10 feet away from the screen. Our test image, measuring about 60 inches diagonally, stood up reasonably well in a setting with moderate ambient light.

I did our data image testing using the DisplayMate suite, at first over a VGA connection in the projector's PC color mode. Image quality was typical of an SVGA data projector, fine for basic business and classroom presentations. Colors were somewhat muted, and I noticed a slight green tinting in some grays. I tried several color modes; colors were brighter in ViewMatch (a mode designed to preserve color saturation even at high brightness) and Brightest modes, though switching to them didn't help with the tinting. Switching to an HDMI connection had little effect on image quality.

One place where SVGA projectors often suffer for their lower resolution is in displaying text, and the PJD5133 is no exception. The smallest white-on-black text was barely readable, and the next smallest size was somewhat blurred, as was the smallest black-on-white text. If you use a lot of text (and particularly small text) in presentations, a higher-res projector?such as the Epson PowerLite 93+ , an Editors' Choice XGA projector with superb text quality?would serve you better. The same is true if you want to project a really large image. But the ViewSonic is more than up to the job for workaday business presentations.

The PJD5133's video quality is suitable for short clips as part of a presentation. The main issue I encountered was the rainbow effect, a common artifact in DLP projectors in which people sensitive to the effect see little red-green-blue flashes in still or moving images, most often in bright areas against dark backgrounds. I'd noticed it in data images that tend to bring the effect out, but it was more pronounced in video, a little more apparent than is typical in a DLP data projector. People who are sensitive to it will likely be distracted by it, so it's best to stick to shorter videos with this projector.

It does have a consolation prize as a DLP projector: its 3D readiness using the DLP-Link system, although you need to get your own active shutter DLP-Link glasses. ViewSonic sells them for $109 a pair, although you can get active-shutter glasses elsewhere for considerably less. Still, they cost enough that you'd be hard pressed, say, to outfit a classroom with them.

Audio from the PJD5133's single 2-watt speaker was of decent quality but low volume, audible in a fairly small room or if you're close to the projector.

The ViewSonic PJD5133 is a respectable data projector with solid overall image quality, particularly for data. It's worth considering, along with the Optoma Pro160S and the Epson PowerLite S9 Multimedia Projector, if you're looking for a budget portable SVGA projector. For a similar price, though, the Editors' Choice Epson PowerLite 93+ offers higher (XGA) resolution and superb data and video image quality, including better text than the ViewSonic.

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