Sharp XR- 40X projector

The sharp XR-40X has a sleek and stylish metallic silver-colored body in a small form factor to enhance portability. Apart from being sleek looking and portable, this projector does not lack input options: it has a DVI-D, Component Video, VGA, S-Video, and Composite Video inputs.

It comes with a full function wireless remote control that you can not only use to control the projector but also use it as a mouse after connecting your computer to the projector using the projector's USB port. Texas Instruments' DLP technology has been used to good effect here for bright and crisp visuals.

Another good thing about the XR-40X is that it comes with a much faster 3X max speed color wheel which ensures that all projected visuals have a uniform color, while the common rainbow effect is minimal. This projector has a native resolution of 1024x768, while it is compatible for a resolution of up to 1400x1050 in SXGA+ mode and it also supports 1080i HDTV input and is capable of producing visuals in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The short throw zoom lens projects images on a wider area from a shorter distance. This feature is always useful since you don't need to place the projector far away to get a large picture.

We tested it for both business productivity and entertainment; with a number of standard and high-def videos, presentations, and with games like PGR4 and Halo 3 using our Xbox 360. Overall, I saw minimal color bleed with vivid colors and rich contrast. The fan noise was barely audible, and even though it was throwing out some hot air, there was no difference in performance, even after 3 hours of rigorous testing. The startup and shutdown time is quite less, and added features like direct power-off and auto restart helped save time.

You do have many choices in the projector market, with prices starting at about 35k (for some Acer and Benq models), but this price range pushes things up a notch with the addition of DLP and a higher native resolution. Having said that, the Sharp still offers more professional features at a lower price than some of it's competitors, making it a highly recommended buy.