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If you’re on a tight budget and need a capable SVGA data projector for your business or school, the Epson VS240 SVGA 3LCD Projector ($359.99) is worth a close look. Given its price, it’s no surprise that it lacks an optical zoom, and the fact that it’s an LCD model means that it doesn’t have 3D capability. It has a solid range of ports, and its long lamp life means that running costs will stay low. The VS240($573.98 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) is bright enough for use in a small to midsize conference room or classroom, and has solid data- and video-image quality.
Design and Features
The VS240 is a white-and-black projector with rounded corners. It measures 3.2 by 11.7 by 9.2 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.3 pounds, making it reasonably portable, although it lacks a carrying case. Behind the lens is a focus wheel, but it lacks an optical zoom, which isn’t unusual for an SVGA projectoreven the Epson EX3240 SVGA 3LCD Projector ($543.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , our Editors’ Choice, doesn’t have one.
A slider for horizontal keystone correction, which lies behind the focus wheel, helps square off the image even if the screen is tilted relative to the projector. The VS240 can’t project content in 3D, which is the case with the vast majority of LCD projectors. DLP-based models such as the BenQ MS524 ($798.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) can project in 3D.
The VS240 ($573.98 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) has native SVGA (800-by-600) resolution at a 4:3 aspect ratio. The projector employs a light engine that uses 3LCD technology, which Epson helped develop. It has a rated brightness of 3,000 lumens for both color and white brightness. (Our testing has demonstrated that LCD projectors may have a significant brightness advantage in displaying colors, even when their white-light brightness is equal.) It has lower resolution and price than the otherwise nearly identical Epson VS340 XGA 3LCD Projector ($698.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and the Epson VS345 WXGA 3LCD Projector ($579.17 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , and falls short of bothespecially the VS345in terms of data- and video-image quality.
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The VS240 has a solid range of ports for a low-price data projector. They include an HDMI port, a VGA port (which doubles as component video), three RCA jacks for composite audio/video, a USB Type B port that supports USB plug and play to mirror the contents of your PC’s display, and a USB Type A port for use with either a USB thumb drive or an optional ($99) Wi-Fi adapter.
For an LCD projector, the VS240 has a long lamp life, with a rating of 5,000 hours in Normal mode and 10,000 hours while in Eco mode. Even better, Epson sells replacement lamps at a mere $79. This combination promises to help keep running costs down.
Performance
The VS240 filled our test screen with a 55-inch image (measured diagonally) from about 8 feet away. The image stood up well to the addition of ambient light. In DisplayMate(Opens in a new window) testing, the VS240’s data-image quality proved typical for an SVGA projector. Both white type on black and black type on white are easily readable at sizes down to 9 points.
Colors are bright and reasonably true, although I noticed a color balance issue in which some test images with gray backgrounds had a mild green or red tinge. This was true across multiple color modes. Mild pixel jitter was visible in certain test backgrounds over a VGA connection when I first turned on the projector. I eliminated it by altering the Sync setting using the remote control, and it didn’t show up at all over an HDMI connection. As an LCD projector, the VS240’s data images are immune from the potentially distracting rainbow artifacts often seen in images from DLP-based projectors. The VS240’s image quality isn’t quite as good as that of the Epson EX3240, which also is slightly brighter (3,200 lumens) and has a louder audio system (2 watts, compared with the VS240’s 1-watt system).
See How We Test Projectors
Video quality is suitable for short to mid-length clips as part of a presentation. As with data images, the VS240’s video is free of rainbow artifacts. Colors are sometimes slightly off; some test scenes appeared overly red, for example. Audio is soft, suitable for a small room.
Conclusion
The Epson VS240 SVGA 3LCD Projector does a good job as a bargain-priced, SVGA data projector aimed at a school or a business. It can’t quite match the Editors’ Choice Epson EX3240’s image quality, it is slightly dimmer, and it has a weaker sound system. But although it’s not our top pick as an SVGA data projector, the Epson VS240 comes in at a lower price, and its image quality should be fine for typical presentations. It’s a good choice if your school or company needs a basic data projector that can handle occasional video for a minimal outlay of cash.
3.5
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The Epson VS240 offers solid data-image quality in an SVGA data projector at a bargain price.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/epson-vs240-svga-3lcd-projector
