Today’s smartphones let you enjoy video pretty much anywhere you might be. But the small screen sometimes means less enjoyment. With a pico projector like the ViewSonic M1+, a small device can give you a big picture and do it pretty much anywhere.
Like a Big Projector, Only Smaller
The M1+ is one of a class of display products called pico projectors. A pico projector throws a video image just like those used in home theaters or for business or educational presentations, but they are smaller and have less light output. Pico projectors are considered entertainment devices, although the M1+ can serve up business and educational presentations, as well. It just needs a much darker room than you would with a more powerful model. ViewSonic rates the M1+ at 300 lumens, while a more common standard-sized projector puts out anywhere from 2,000 to 3,500 lumens. Lumens aren’t a linear measure of light output; they’re logarithmic. So, the 2,500 lumens of a home theater projector doesn’t make it merely ten times greater than the output of the 300 lumen M1+; it’s actually much brighter than that. This is why the M1+ needs a darker room for optimal performance. The M1+ uses a 10-watt LED array that’s rated for a 30,000-hour lifespan. With a three-year warranty, you can be assured lots of hours of media watching.
It’s a Stand; It’s a Handle—It’s Both
The M1+ has a rather clever design. There’s a rotating handle that—when folded up—covers the lens, protecting it from damage (but not from dust). When folded down, the handle serves as a base for the projector and turns it on. If you move the handle 180 degrees to the rear, you can point the projector toward the ceiling if you and/or the kids don’t mind lying on your backs while you watch a movie. Additionally, if you would rather use a tripod (which doesn’t come with the M1+), there’s a threaded hole that works for most photographic tripods.
When you move the handle/lens cover upward, it serves as a carry handle. This is the position necessary if you’re using the tripod. Moving the handle so that it covers the lens turns off the projector, but not immediately—the internal fan needs to cool the LED lamp first (which is barely audible, even during quiet times in the video). This instant-off feature also comes into play if there’s an object close to the lens. Rather than reflecting the intense light onto the projector, the lamp turns off. You can also hold down the left-most button on the rear of the projector to turn it off.
Finally, you can set the projector to shut off if it detects a face (or another object) close to the lens. You need to enable this setting—especially if you’re using the M1+ around kids—because 300 lumens are enough to possibly cause eye damage if someone stares directly into the light.
Unobtrusive Controls and Inputs
The projector’s few controls are located on the rear panel. They consist of Plus, Minus, and Back buttons to navigate the on-screen menus, and an On-Off button which doubles as an Enter button. The included remote has similar keys, but it includes controls to access the Settings menu and to adjust or mute the volume. You can also perform these operations on the projector, but it’s awkward to use the Power button, and the Left and Right buttons.
The rear of the projector also features the dual, three-watt Harman Kardon speakers, which are nice on a projector as compact as this one. There’s also a strip of five white LEDs that light up when the projector is on to indicate how much battery life remains.
On the left panel is a swing-down cover, which hides the inputs, power jack, and focus control. The M1+ is a short-throw projector, which means you don’t have to place it far from the screen to get a nice size image. ViewSonic states that you can get a 100-inch diagonal image with the projector placed eight feet from the screen. You’re likely to use it with a somewhat smaller screen and at a closer distance most of the time. Keep in mind that the further from the screen the projector is, not only will the image be larger, but the screen brightness will be dimmer.
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Source : ViewSonic M1+: Big Pictures from a Little Projector
