NEC MultiSync LT150

NEC's MultiSync LT150 is the latest in a new breed of lightweight projectors to use Texas Instruments' DLP technology in place of an LCD to produce a clearer, brighter image.

The LT150 is tiny - the size of a large textbook - and weighs only 1.5kg. It has a native resolution of 1024 x 768, but makes a good effort at other resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 using NEC's AccuBlend technology.

There's no zoom lens, which is a bit of a disappointment, but the projector is so small it can be positioned more or less anywhere. And, at a distance of 2m from the screen, the image size is more than 1.2m across - large enough for a presentation to a small group.

Getting connected

Installation and setup is quick. All the connectors are at the rear including RGB, S-Video, composite video, USB mouse port and a mini DIN 8-pin PC control port.

With an optional cable, you can use the port to control the projector from your PC. A Type II Compact Flash (CF) slot takes CF cards for standalone presentations without a PC connected.

The air ducts are on the left side of the projector. The fan is fairly quiet and the exhaust is a warm waft, rather than a hot gust.

Remote control

The card-style remote control offers fairly limited options. In addition to the power, menu, source and auto adjust functions that can be accessed from the projector, there's a software pointer, help button, picture mute and magnify buttons that zoom in on the centre of the screen or the pointer location.

For most occasions this is all you're likely to need, but an optional presentation remote has dedicated buttons for the PC Card functions.

Although you can't connect PC Cards - only CF cards in an adaptor - this is one of the LT150's most useful features. You can store a presentation on the card and replay it automatically, or use the remote to advance slides without a PC connected. This means you only have to carry one bag.

As the PC software wasn't provided, we were unable to test it, but it appears to work by converting PowerPoint files to jpegs.

Picture this

The LT150's picture quality is among the best we've seen from a mini-DLP projector. At 800 ansi lumens, the 130w lamp provides the same level of illumination as other mini-DLP models including the Philips UGO X-Lite reviewed in the February 2001 issue of PCW.

The two projectors use the same Plus light engine, but the NEC projector's picture quality is markedly superior. Every pixel is pin sharp and rock solid from the centre right into the corners, and colours are sharp and reasonably well saturated.

The contrast is a little flat and shadow detail is quite poorly resolved, though this is a criticism you could make of any DLP projector. In general use for text display the LT150 provides one of the crispest most readable images you're likely to find.

Video images

The LT150 also does well with video images. NEC puts this down to its proprietary Vortex technology that involves improved gamma correction, and low-level detail enhancement to improve shadow detail and produce more intense blacks.

While there was little evidence of this when we viewed the DisplayMate test screens, the LT150 turned in an excellent performance playing DVDs in a darkened room with a screen-to-projector distance of more than 6m.

On the road

For anyone who spends a lot of time on the road, the LT150 is a godsend. Being able to leave your PC behind and travel, set up and present with just the projector, makes the whole process much simpler, and knocks a couple of kilos off the baggage tally.

Its compact size and cool running also make it a good choice where space is limited or for impromptu demonstrations in the classroom, IT suite, or as part of a home theatre system.

Contact
NEC: 0645 404 020 www.nec.co.uk