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Hitachi PJ-LC7 Portable Video Projector Review

Manufacturer: www.hitachidigitalmedia.com

MSRP: $795.00

Weighing in at only 4.6 lbs, the Hitachi PJ-LC7 video projector is a very economical solution for someone who requires a portable projector. It is very bright and functions quite well with the lights turned up.

Setup of the projector was very straightforward. We connected our DVD player up to the PJ-LC7 via a VGA-3RCA breakout cable (This cable is not included with the projector) and immediately had a picture up on the screen. The default picture out of the box is washed out and there is little color depth displayed on-screen. The PJ-LC7 has a number of pre-set modes, and we found that before any calibration was completed, the Cinema Mode provided the best on-screen color.

The remote is very easy to use. You can change the aspect ratio with the click of a button from the native 4:3 to 16:9, without having to go into the menu system. The remote also has Freeze and Magnify buttons, which allow you to freeze the picture currently on the screen, and zoom in. The one thing that I did not like was the fact that the remote was not backlit.

Using Digital Video Essentials, by Joe Kane Productions, we calibrated this unit. The calibration made this projector look much better than the default settings out of the box. The calibrated settings are as follows:

The brought out the color in the projector and only sacrificed a small amount of brightness. To restore the brightness, change the Whisper setting back to “Normal.” Unfortunately, even by soft-focusing the unit, we were unable to lessen the screendoor effect. The Hitachi PJ-LC7 projector has a manual focus.

In conclusion, I would recommend the Hitachi PJ-LC7 for anyone who requires a bright, entry-level projector for presentation usage, displaying an image no larger than 100” diagonal. This projector is not designed for home theater use, and for anyone seeking a projector in that market I would advise them to look at alternative units.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Very bright (1,500 lumens)
• Very affordable ($999.99)
• Lightweight (4.6 lbs)
• Very quiet, even with the output at full power

Cons

• Prominent screendoor effect
• Remote not backlit
• Skimpy paper manual (The full manual is provided on a CD that ships with the projector)

Specificatons

• Model Number PJ-LC7
• Liquid crystal panel structure 0.55” polysilicon active-matrix TFT x 3 with micro lens
• Resolution Video 540 TV Lines
• RGB 800 Dots x 600 Lines
• Colors 16.7 million colors
• Aspect ratio Native 4:3; or 16:9 Compatible
• Lens F1.65 (Fixed), Digital Zoom x 1.2, manual focus
• Throw ratio (distance:width) 4.75~24.25 ft (60” at 7.22 ft)
• Lamp 165W UHB
• Brightness 1,500 / Approx. 1,050 ANSI Lumens
• Expected lamp life Approx. 2,000 / 1,600 Hours
• Speakers 1 x 1W
• Power supply AC100-120V/AC220-240V, 50/60 Hz, Auto Switching
• Power consumption 240W
• Operating temperature 0 ~ 35°C (32° ~ 95°F)
• Inputs RGB VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA
• MAC 16”, 480i, 576i, 480p, 1,080i, 720p
• Composite Video NTSC, NTSC4.43, PAL (-BGDH), SECAM, PAL-M, PAL-N
• SDTV: 525i (480p), 625i (576i)
• Plug & Play DDC1/2B
• Acoustic noise level 32dB / 38dB
• Vertical keystone correction Fixed 6:1 Upward Shift, Normal at 8.4° Projection Angle
• Data input RGB 15-pin D-sub connector x 1
• Audio Stereo mini jack x 1
• Video input S-video Mini DIN 4-pin input connector x 1
• Composite video RCA jack x 1
• Component video RCA jack x 3
• Audio RCA jack x 2 (L/R)
• Control terminals 9-pin D-sub connector x 1
• RS-232C (Serial)
• Dimensions 11.22” x 2.87” x 7.94” (W x H x D)
• Weight 4.84 lbs.
• Supplied accessories Remote control, batteries (AA), power cord, RGB cable,
• Filter Cover for Ceiling Mount Use, Safety Instruction
• Guide, User Manual (CD)
• Lamp CPRS55/PJLC7LAMP (Part #DT00701)
• Remote control Part #HL02151