Optoma PRO160S 3D-Capable DLP Multimedia Projector
The Pro160S is rated at 3,000 lumens, and uses a light engine employing Texas Instruments’ DLP (digital light projection) technology. It has a native SVGA (800 by 600) resolution, a 4:3 aspect ratio befitting a data projector.
The black (part glossy, part matte) Pro160S weighs 5 pounds and measures 4.0 by 11.2 by 7.6 inches, making it easily transportable in the included soft carrying case. The Pro160S is identical in dimensions and appearance to the Optoma Pro260X, and—except for color—the Pro360W,which is white. It even has the same selection of ports as the others: VGA-in; VGA-out; RS232; composite video; S-video; audio-in and audio-out jacks; and HDMI (a rarity among SVGA projectors).
The Pro160S’s data image quality is fine for use in typical business situations, though you might not want to use it in presentations where exacting color and tack-sharp text are important. Some gray test images had a slight reddish tint, while other images were tinted slightly green, and bright yellows were slightly muted.
The Optoma Pro160S provides support for displaying 3D content for use with DLP-Link glasses. The glasses are extra, though, costing about $65 a pair.
There are not as many SVGA projectors in the Pro160S’s weight class as there once was, with manufacturers migrating to higher-resolution models. With, an 800 by 600 pixel native resolution it is enough for typical business presentations, unless you need a really large image. Though its image quality isn’t the best there is, the Optoma Pro160S gets the job done in delivering data presentations,PowerPoint, Excel, and the like and at a lower price than you’d pay for higher-resolution models.
Reviews
This is my first projector and I highly recommend it. I bought it to do PowerPoint presentations in training sessions for small groups of ten to twenty. The projector is easy to set up with my Toshiba Tecra laptop (I’d never done this before but it was easy to figure out). The only complaint I would have is that the cord is a bit short; many of the rooms in which I used this had a conference room table in the center and an extension cord was needed for the closest socket more than six feet away. Not a big deal, but a minor inconvenience.
The projector does run hot even after a 30 minute presentation, but I could pick it up soon after turning it off and pack it with no concerns. The image is bright enough in a small room even with some lights on (but not right over the screen, of course). The remote was pretty much useless for PowerPoint; I could not get it to advance slides, so I had to use the laptop. Maybe there’s a way, but I couldn’t find it. Also, there is no focus on the remote, but once you get the initial focus set, you really shouldn’t need to change it for the same presentation, unless you have to move your projector. In fact, I don’t use the remote for anything now so I don’t bring it with me. The carrying bag is sturdy and the projector fits in tightly, which keeps it stable during transport.
I considered other projectors, especially those where the image can be straightened when you have to project at an angle (I don’t know the technical term for this). I wish this had that feature for top/bottom and side corrections, especially with that short cord when we could not find an extension or projector table. Still, I’m happy with this purchase and it meets my needs once it is all set up.
