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The MP180 is a highly versatile office projector. It’s a short-throw model, which means it can project large images even when very close to a surface, and it can be hooked up to a source via VGA or component inputs (using an adaptor), display files from internal memory or a microSD memory card or copy them to internal memory over Bluetooth, and even browse the web over Wi-Fi.
Built-in office document and PDF support means you can read documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly from a memory card, and there’s also support for MPEG4 and H.264 movies and MP3, AMR and AAC audio files. BMP and JPEG image files can also be displayed. A resistive touchscreen interface lets you browse files, access settings and even browse the web, using the touchscreen to control a mouse and an on-screen keyboard. It’s extremely fiddly, but if it means not having to carry a laptop around with you then it may be worth it.
Pico projectors use LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) chips. These are like a mirror with a liquid crystal layer. An LED light source is used, reducing power consumption and meaning the lamp lasts a long time (the LED lamp in the MP180 has an estimated life of over 20,000 hours). The upshot is a tiny projector that can project an 80in-diagonal picture at about two-and-a-half metres, with a built-in battery that lasts for about two hours. The MP180’s versatility makes it ideal for travelling business people, but it’s not without its flaws.
For a start, the MP180 only produces 30 lumens of brightness, so unlike normal business projectors designed for use under harsh office lighting, the MP180 should either be used in a darkened room or at very short range. The second limitation is a physical one: the desk stand that comes in the box is a three-legged tripod stand with flexible legs, which screws into a standard mount on the MP180’s underside. The legs don’t keep their shape well and so provide a rather shaky foundation; it would be wise to either invest in a proper tripod or a Joby GorillaPod.
Despite these niggles, it’s hard not to be impressed by the MP180. Although it has a native resolution of 800×600, it can accept an input of up to 1,280×800, compressing it. We found that image quality was ample for presentations and even films looked good when projected to a size of around 28in. With the lights out, colours were deep and rich, and contrast was surprisingly good; skin and other natural tones looked realistic and animated films were bursting with colour.
There’s a pair of internal speakers that are fine for operating system sounds, but for music or films it’s probably a good idea to connect a set of external speakers to the 3.5mm audio output. There’s also an optional cable (£35 from www.personalprojector.co.uk) for attaching Apple products, such as iPods or iPhones, directly. There’s no remote control, though, so you’ll have to use the touchscreen, and this is tricky to use without shifting the projector around.
The MP180 is a useful product for travellers wishing to lighten their luggage. Its versatility means all you really need to carry is your files on a microSD card and the projector, although the two hours of battery life mean that carrying the power supply around with you is a good idea. The only problem arises when your audience also need the lights on to take notes. However, the Samsung SP-H03 pocket projector has the same battery life, can also read from flash drives, and costs over £100 less.
