Presentation projectors have come a long way. As a longtime user of projectors, the Epson EX5230 Pro XGA 3 LCD Projector offers a lot for any company wanting to invest in a projection printer but also for those who tend to do webinars for their business.
I. What’s Inside the Box:
– EX5230 Pro projector
– Power cable
– Computer cable (VGA)
– USB cable
– Projector remote control
– Soft carrying case
– Batteries
– User manual CD
– Quick Setup Sheet
II. Setup for the LCD Projector
It’s important to note that if you are using a screen at work or traveling to a location with a projector screen, let alone a white wall, you will want to have some elevation for the projector.
For one, the zoom and side tilt is manual. The farther back you have the projector, the bigger the size of projections, the closer you are, the smaller the projection.
Because most people traveling with these will want the portability, what I have done is bring a small folding table enough to hold the projector even use a foldable smaller ladder that can support it. [as a lot of places are not equipped to elevate or hold a projector at times]
But the projector was very easy to use.
On the back of the unit is the power cord, red,white, yellow input, Svideo, USB-A and USB-B, computer VGA and HDMI inputs.
On top of the unit is the status for lamp, temperature, muting the sound, controlling via auto vertical correction and easy–slide horizontal image correction.
I used the projector on my laptop and tested with Windows 7.
I tested the projector for work projects on PowerPoint and the 3LCD, 3–chip technology and C2Fine technology giving 3500 lumens was quite evident as picture quality was very good in a dark room.
I tested a webinar (Streaming) and picture quality was good, also tested out YouTube and Skype which also looked good.
It’s important to note that this unit is NOT wireless. The EX5220 and the EX7220 are wireless.
The unit is also not WXGA widescreen, you will need to look at the EX6220 and EX7220 models.
I also tested the unit for other things such as watching programming in HD such as DVD, Blu-ray and connecting a DVR and picture quality was good. I also connected my PS3 and XBOX 360 which also looked very good. (Please note that I have a 7.2 receiver, which I am able to connect to the Epson)
But while the picture quality for this projector is good, it’s not 1080p HD and if you want the better resolution, then you will want to look at the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema projectors.
It’s also not too dark thanks to it having 3500 lumens.
As for the remote, the remote is quite simple to use and figure out. As for the bag, it is padded, so that is a plus.
For a business projector, the Epson EX5230 Pro XGA 3 LCD Projector is a very good projector for its price. But there is something VERY IMPORTANT that I have to mention.
For $50 more, you can get the EX7220 Pro which is wireless and WXGA. For those who are wondering what is the difference between XGA and WXGA:
XGA (1024 x 768), WXGA (1280 x 800), HD (1920 x 1080)
As the jump from XGA to HD is several hundred dollars more, the jump from XGA to WXGA is only $50. So, in a way, you get more bang for your buck purchasing the Epson EX7220.
So, while the unit is fantastic for its use. You would expect it to be much lower than the EX7220 in price. But it’s still a solid unit as other competitors offer a similar projector in specs but lower lumens. So, you are getting more brightness with this projector, so no worries about the XGA projectors of the past that were very dim.
I also recommend if you are planning to run via a laptop with HDMI or VGA, to purchase a longer HDMI cable and VGA (12-15 ft.) depending on your needs (the unit comes with a 4 ft. VGA cable). I recommend this for anyone wanting to purchase a work projector or for your company. As I have been in many situations setting up where 4-8 ft. of VGA or HDMI was inadequate.
So, I do recommend the Epson EX5230 Pro XGA 3 LCD Projector but if possible, for an extra $50, definitely go for the Epson EX7220 WXGA 3 LCD Projector as the wireless capability and the WXGA will be more beneficial for your business/company in the long run.
