I'm not sure why more people have not reviewed this product but I think for the price this is a pretty good deal. This is the third pico type projector that I have bought over the years. I live in limited space so having large media playing devices (TVs/Monitors) is usually not an option especially since I tend to move every 2 years or so. This is the reason that I got interested in Pico Projectors in the first place imagine it a big screen TV that fits into your hand. All you really need is a white surface to project it on.But there are also pitfalls to this sort of thing. Battery life tends to max in these devices at about 90-120 minutes. The speakers they have generally are too quiet/small sounding for viewing with multiple people. Most also seem to have lumens under 20 so you really need a dark room.
Bearing this in mind and also the fact that I wanted HDMI quality I didn't have that many options. The ShowXX HDMI laser pico projector seemed the most ideal. Yes the battery life is poor at 2 hours but for the most part I just plug it in. And yes you need an almost completely pitch black room to really appreciate it. What was great was how small it was and the (mini) HDMI out meant that I could hook it up to more than just my Iphone/pad/touch. The sound was tiny since it came only from my attached device, but with bluetooth, I was able to hook up speakers to make the sound warmer. The picture was top notch but a little dark even on the brightest settings. The fact that it is a laser projector also meant that you don't have to focus it because it is always in focus. The disadvantages? It gets pretty hot, you can't put it on a tripod unless you by the VGA adapter which means then you can't use the HDMI or IPhone hook up either. It really only projects at 848x480. Also, it died on me or at the very least the bulb was becoming inconsistent sometimes it would work, other times it would cut out.
As I was deciding to buy a new one, I happen to run into the above device while in Miami at Brookstone. Although it was cheaper by about $70.00 I wasn't that impressed with the picture with the display model until I realized something I was in a fully lit store and I could still see the movie playing very well. I checked the specs on the model and low and behold the lumens are 85 a great deal higher than the ShowXX. Could I actually watch a movie with the lights on? Turning it over I saw also that it has a 1/4" hole for a tripod another plus. In the back was a USB (sadly only for charging other devices) but a full size HDMI (I just feel these are sturdier than Mini-HDMI). I decided to go for it and bought the device. The picture was so much better at home than at the store first off with the lights on. On top of that, with the lights out it's even more outstanding. No laser here, so there is a scroll wheel to adjust the focus. For some reason when I have this hooked into a media player, I can't use the bluetooth (or at least haven't figured out how to), but I could directly connect my speaker to the projector and get the same warmer sound so no fooling with the smaller speakers in the device.
My current set up has it attached to my Apple TV which allows me to stream from my Idevice to the projector directly that way I can still use my iPad for example without it being connected to the projector. Some may complain that you have to get the HDMI adapter for Apple iPhone/Pad devices in order to connect it but a) I already had one of these and b) a lack of a propriety connection means you can hook up any media player with an HDMI output socket (my Vaio Laptop, PS3 for example) without the need for a specialized adapter so it's more versatile. I have already tested it out with my computers and have liked the results. I don't think I will ever use this for presentations (where I work already has one), but blowing up pictures larger to trace them is a plus for some of the other projects I do. The lumens are bright enough that I can actually watch something with the lights on so it can be more like a regular monitor too. I pretty much always have it plugged in so I haven't really tested the battery. The resolution to my eyes seems almost equal to the ShowXX too, although I think the ShowXX delivers the sharper (darker) picture but not by much. Thus far I think it is a worthy successor to my last pico projector.
What I like the versatility, the ability to dock on a tripod without an adapter, 85 lumens, full sized HDMI slot, small size, little need for specialized adapters (depending on your device of course)
What I don't like I wish it was a laser projector I just think that is far cooler, would be nicer if it were smaller, I wish the USB connector would let you attach a thumb drive (just more convienient), battery life (although this is as good as the ShowXX just a general wish). Also although I can just hook it directly to my speakers, I would rather run the sound from my I device to my speakers via bluetooth (less wires over all and I just feel it looks cooler).
In fact given all my complaints, I feel like I need to knock off only 0.5-1 star (can't give it a 4.5 rating on Amazon which is really more accurate).
Is this as good as something more expensive of course not. But if you are on a budget and have more limited space this device with a little ingenuity added to help with the sound is actually a pretty good deal.
So I came across this Brookestone HDMI Pocket Projector. After reading several reviews, I ordered it hoping that this purchase will be well worth it.
Here are the specs:
85 lumens
854 X 480 native resolution, also accepts 1080p inputs
Built-in battery lets the projector runs up to 2 hours, and also as power bank for your mobile devices
Full HDMI sized input port
Small sized projector (your average external 2.5" HDD size)
2 built in speakers
It arrived from Amazon yesterday, well packed inside a larger box. Upon taking the projector out of its packing, I was really amazed at how small it is ( around the size of an 2.5" external HDD ). Although you cant fit it into your pocket and carry it around, it is still very small compared to traditional projectors that have their lamps burnt out so often. To be honest, I was sort of worried about its performance, given its small-ish size but then again its arrived (Cant turn back now, can I?). So I plugged it in to let it charge till fully charged before testing it (around an hour or so to full charge).
Plugged it into the HDMI port on my lappy and switched it on in my brightly lit room and I am getting ~30" screen size on the wall quite near in front of me. Despite being only 85 lumens and in a brightly lit room, the image is still very visible although a bit washed out. I was really really impressed by the picture it produced and was starting to feel confident that this little thing can deliver.
Next was to try its rated 60" size screen at long throw distance. Positioned the projector on the other end of my room, projecting it to the wall on the other end of my room ( I have a small room ). FYI this projector does not have keystone and zoom adjustments, so taking a moment or two to find the right position is needed. With the lights on, the image is very washed out so I switched off the lights and was blown away by the ~60" screen movie on my wall. It was vivid, color was quite accurate and of course very very bright.
After fine tuning the focus on this little projector, I settled down on my movie for about two hours. The fan noise on this projector was almost silent while watching movie and it stayed cool through out the operation time, it was no where near "hot" in terms of temperature. I think you can well go with 100" size with this little thing, but my room is too small and I do not have a larger wall to project to. 60" is good enough and I would prefer this over a smaller tv set. Heck, buying a 60" tv is out of the consideration because of the cost associated with it. And you cant possibly carry that 60" tv with you but with this tiny projector, all you need is a dimly lit room and a surface to project on ^_^
All in all, this is a worthwhile projector to have, at times I really do not believe that the image was projected from such a tiny device and that the brightness rating was just 85 lumens (it feels brighter than that). It does have a built-in speakers but I did not use it, I plugged in my own speaker for a fuller sound.
To sum it up, here are the pros:
Very very portable
Easy to set up and use
Bright 60" image
Runs cool and fan noise is minimal
Built in battery, lets it run for two hours and as a backup battery for your mobile devices
Almost instant on and off (No fan cooling period as in traditional projectors)
Long, long rated lamp life
Standard tripod mount hole at the bottom of the projector
Price, at $299.99 it is well within many people's budget
Of course, there are also cons:
Focus wheel, a bit too sensitive to the touch
Included HDMI cable is too short (You can purchase a longer ones though, not expensive anyway)
No Keystone and zoom adjustments
No remote
One side note though, this projector does not have built in media player which you could plug in a thumb drive and play movies off of it. Other products have this feature at a higher cost of the projector itself. I always leave my laptop switched on, and I do not have the habit of storing movies in a thumb drive so this feature is not important to me. But to some, this might be a deciding factor.
This is all for my review, thanks for taking the time to read and yes, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who is looking at purchasing a highly portable tiny projector. This is really a package of portability and quality... might be looking at purchasing a second set.The Brookstone HDMI Pocket Projector is a significant breakthrough in pico projector technology. There is no lag while using the projector to watch movies or play games, whether the content source is a PS3, a laptop, or a tablet, such as Amazon's own Kindle Fire HD.
IMAGE QUALITY:
The viewing angles are similar to an IPS display, about 180 degrees. People sitting at extreme angles can comfortably watch movies and even read subtitles.
By placing the projector about 12 feet away from my wall, I was able to achieve a reasonably high-quality 110-inch image, which prompted my aunt to declare my living room a theater.
SOUND:
While I'm certainly not a stickler for premium audio, even I must admit the internal speakers leave much to be desired. The sound is only adequate for a small room or a quiet meeting room, but it will not be loud enough to overcome excited, talkative children.
DESIGN:
The projector is less than an inch thick and only weighs half a pound, which is why it's such an attractive option for travelers and those with limited space. If its diminutive form does not entice you, then you're probably better off purchasing a conventional projector.
CONNECTIVITY:
The projector requires a separate, expensive accessory to connect to Apple devices. Apple sells the Lightning AV adapter for the iPhone 5, iPad 4, and iPad Mini for $49. For earlier iDevices, Apple sells the 30-pin AV adapter for $39.
FINAL WORD:
Despite its miniature size, the Brookstone HDMI projector delivers stunning high-definition image quality. It is the first pico projector that can realistically serve as a primary display. It's not the most powerful $300 projector, but it provides the most portability.
For a more detailed review, check the comments below.
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I purchased this product direct from Brookstone. My son was unhappy about the size of the TV in his room for gaming. Playing one player games was ok for him, but if he wanted to invite a friend, split screen gaming on a 32" flat screen was a pain. After seeing this in a Brookstone catalog, we headed to the store to see if they had any on display.The fine, friendly folks at the store had one plugged in on a table, projecting onto a surface about 3 feet away. I was impressed by its visibility and clarity in the brightly lit, glass-fronted store. After playing with it for a few minutes, the friendly sales person pointed to the back of the store, where a movie was playing. That was when I noticed that the projector was also displaying against a back wall, in a very large format. The images were a bit washed out, but given that this was a brightly lit store in the middle of the afternoon, I was suitably impressed. I purchased it on the spot.
Once I got it home, I plugged the Xbox into the projector, and turned it on. Spending a few moments finding the right placement and focus, I was certain that this would be a good experience. I turned on the XBOX, and was blown away by the sound that flowed from the device. In the small room I was in, it was massive sound, albeit a bit tinny. (I am used to laptop speakers, so this wasn't a major down side.) My kid was also very happy with the overall look of games on this device.
All in all, this is a very good purchase for us, as it provides a very large screen experience, in a small enough package that when we go visit family, we can now take our game system with us, and not have to worry about playing on a small screen.
Very satisfied with this product!
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I saw this at an airport store, less than 10 feet from a wall of bright glass. The screen was playing somthing in 1080p and I could see it. The manager moved the projector out of the demo box, and we expanded the image size by moving more into the bright room. I could still see the image with blues.Ok, this is not perfect or overly bright as a larger 4000 lumen desktop. However, it is no bigger than a Blackberry. The ultra light weight makes it very sensitive to motion, and to focus.
Too bad my Bkby does not have a mini HDMI port. The projector works on my Droid, and with a Display port to hdmi cable, it works on my HP Laptop. Also works on every other device I have with an HDMI out. Places I do to present have large projectors, and want a file to load on their machine to project. Some of my files I do not want to give out. This works well presenting to a group of 4 or so in a normal office or small conference room.
Bad news, my grandkids love it too. So, I bought a second projector, and the $40 Ipad adaptor, and they watch movies, play games on the ceilings, in the car [in daylight too] and anywhere else they can get under foot. Runs well on the Ipad, ok on the Ipod versions.
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