Sony VPL-CS5

Sony's VPL-CS5 is rather large, but is still a good-looking, easy-to-use £1,620 LCD projector.

The CS5's plain silver and white exterior gives little away - there are no menu controls, the lens is hidden away behind a protective cover, and so are the input ports. The only external controls are the Power/Standby switch, an input selector and an enigmatic 'tilt' bar.

A peek behind the port cover reveals a VGA connector, USB port, S-Video and Composite video connectors, and an audio-in socket.

Connect a PC and power cable and the CS5 divulges more secrets. Native resolution is SVGA (800 x 600), though it will scale a signal down capably from XGA (1,024 x 768).

The lens is manually focused via a ratchety sidewheel to produce a very sharp, bright image and can be zoomed in a similar fashion up to 1.2x.

The tilt bar controls a motorised leg that raises and lowers the front of the projector - this can also be done using the remote, which is very professional.

As an added bonus, the keystone adjustment is automatically set for the tilt angle, and these settings are stored for reconfiguration next time you power up.

All other menu functions, including digital zoom and remote mouse, are operated from the remote.Sony rates the light output at 1,800 Ansi Lumens at the high (165w) lamp setting, and this projector would make a good choice where ambient light is likely to be a problem.

Picture quality is razor sharp and very bright, even on the low (150w) setting which increases lamp life and reduces fan noise.

Although good for Powerpoint presentations, the CS5 didn't do so well with video material, which had a harsh, cold quality.

SPECS

• 1,800 Ansi lumens
• 165w lamp power
• 800 x 600 native resolution
• VGA, S-Video, USB (remote) audio out
• 2.7kg

Price: £1,620.33 (£1,379 ex VAT)

Contact: Sony 08705 111 999
www.sonyhomecinema.com