Dell 2300MP Projector with 2300 Lumens, XGA Resolution Review

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(More customer reviews)After having access to various projectors through employers for several years, I decided to purchase the 2300MP for both home entertainment and business use. In my current setup, I have the projector connected to a TimeWarner DVR (SA 8300HD). Audio is run from the DVR to a stereo computer speaker and subwoofer system (see review Dell Champagne speakers). It is a quite impressive arrangement. At first glance, many viewers' draws drop when they first see the screen, which is merely projected on a beige painted wall.
With a throw of approximately 11 feet, it creates a screen 7'2" across. The formula for the maximum screen size is: diagonal = 0.618*dist + 0.0192. However, this is somewhat misleading as the distance changes with the incident angle (think Pythagorean Theorem). Yet, if any single characteristic of projectors can be considered a handicap, it would be the limitations imposed by the lens distance to the screen.
Distance also affects brightness as there is less light intensity per square area. However, brightness is not a problem with this projector. One of key selling parameters of DLP projectors is the number of lumens, which describes the total visible light output. Low-end portable projectors are generally under 1000 lumens. At 2300 lumens, this projector is bright enough to hold presentations in a daylight-filled room. In fact, the projector is so bright that I have to navigate through the sluggish management menus to reduce brightness when there are scenes with snow-filled landscapes.
While the projector comes with a remote to operate the management controls, the whole system of operating the projector is a big cumbersome. This problem is compounded when the projector is mounted on the ceiling. In certain instances, it is difficult to determine if the projector is on. The small green status LED's are difficult to see from a distance. As a testament the quietness of the fan, it is barely audible and completely unnoticeable when there is any background noise. Unfortunately, in about one out of 25 times, the projector just doesn't start properly. This sometimes necessitates a hard kill by unplugging the unit. Some of these difficulties may present a difficulty for the non-technical user.
Having a separate tuner (owned and maintained by Time Warner) and projection device is a very, very clean setup. This separation allows for added flexibility as evolving video input options that are separate and distinct from the projection device. Despite the distance limitations, the setup is a great space saver. Moreover, the portability is incredible as it only weighs 4.9 pounds. In my case, the [pre-existing] wall is the viewing surface so there additional hardware such as screen.
Before I purchased this projector, purveyors of competing products warned me about the rainbow effect which appears on certain images when displayed via a DLP projector. The rainbow effect is a strange artifact that only some viewers can see. Basically, prismatic colors form around certain objects with parallel lines such as a pinstripe shirt. In the first couple of weeks I occasionally saw the effect. However, I have not seen it in the past several months. In general, the picture is fantastic. It appears that most anomalies exist in the video source because DVD's appear crisper than recorded DVR movies, which in turn appear better than live broadcast television. With a great picture, portability and tremendous flexibility, the Dell 2300mp represents the future of entertainment.
Pros
Giant, high resolution pictures for entertainment or business
Portability
Flexibility
Great performance for the price
Multitude of inputs (svideo, PrPbY, RCA, VGA)Cons
Long Startup Time/ Occasion Failed startup
Sluggish management controls
Required skill to setup
Some limitations on setup (screen size vs. distance)
Electrical consumptions and heat generation
No HDMI


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The Dell 2300MP Projector is an ideal combination of high brightness and XGA resolution. With 2300 ANSI lumens (max) brightness and a super high 2100:1 (full on/full off) contrast ratio, the Dell Projector projects bright, captivating and stunning images from anywhere in a mid-sized room. This advanced projector features DLP DDR technology powered by the DDP2000 and native XGA (1024x768 pixels) resolution with auto sync to UXGA for sharp, clear projections. With 1.2x manual zoom and manual vertical keystone correction, the Dell 2300MP helps you project that perfect picture. It provides incredible connectivity with support for PC, multiple video and RS-232 inputs and a full range of television and video standards - including NTSC, PAL, SECAM and HDTV (480i/P, 576i/P, 720P, 1080i). To preserve lamp life and improve acoustics, an Eco-mode is available which allows 2500 hours of life from the lamp. The multi-language On-Screen Display (OSD) allows image adjustments and the ability to change a variety of settings. Sporting a ventilation-optimized design, the Dell 2300MP Projector easily blends into conference rooms, classrooms, and homes. It comes complete with a sleek hard carrying case which allows easy, no hassle transportation from room to room and a full feature IR remote control for those times when you need to be in a different part of the room from the projector.

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