The InFocus IN122a ($409) provides good value in a lower-resolution, portable business projector. It’s bright, has good text quality, and provides an ample set of connection choices. There are similar projectors with better overall image quality, but the IN122a ($700.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) is a well-rounded and capable data projector that’s good for schools and businesses on a budget.

The IN122a is the lowest-resolution model of a trio of nearly identical (except for price and resolution) budget data projectors recently introduced by InFocus. The InFocus IN124a ($800.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) provides XGA (1,024-by-768) native resolution, while the InFocus IN126a ($800.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)
offers WXGA (1,280-by-800) native resolution.

The IN122a has native SVGA (800-by-600) resolution, in a 4:3 aspect ratio that’s common in data presentations. It uses a DLP light engine rated at 3,500 lumens. The projector, black with rounded corners and a gently curving top, measures 4 by 11.5 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.2 pounds, making it easy enough to tote around. It doesn’t come with a soft carrying case, but you can buy one from InFocus as a $39 accessory. It has a modest 1.1X optical zoom.

The port selection includes two VGA-in ports (for connecting to computers); a monitor-out port; an HDMI port; an S-Video port; an RCA composite video jack, plus two audio-in ports; an audio-out port; a RS232 jack; a USB mini-B port to project the contents of your computer screen; a USB Type B port to connect to a computer for mouse control and to download firmware updates; and a USB Type A port that lets you run a computer-free presentation off of a USB thumb drive, or plug in an optional Wi-Fi adapter ($29). The IN122a also includes 2GB of internal storage.

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Data-Image Testing
I tested the IN122a from about 8 feet away from our 60-inch (diagonal) test screen. It produced a bright image that stood up well to ambient light. In data-image testing using the DisplayMate(Opens in a new window) suite, its image quality proved suitable for typical business presentations. Text quality was good; black type on white was sharp down to 6.8 points and white type on black was fuzzy at the smallest size. Colors were a bit on the dark side, with yellows looking mustardy. Some gray backgrounds showed mild green tinting; I noticed some green in grays in all color modes. I also saw some pixel jitter in images made up of closely spaced lines; switching from a VGA to an HDMI connection eliminated it.

Video and Audio
The IN122a’s video quality is suitable at best for short clips as part of a presentation. The main issue is the rainbow effect that is common among DLP projectors. It manifests as little red-green-blue flashes, particularly in bright areas against dark backgrounds. I saw such rainbow artifacts often enough that they would likely be distracting to anyone sensitive to the effect. Colors tended to be on the dull side, and I noticed posterization—the tendency for sudden shifts in color where they should be gradual—in several scenes.

Sound from the IN122a’s 2-watt speaker is weak. You might get by with its sound system in a small room, or if your audience is close to the projector, but you’re better off using a set of powered external speakers.

This projector lets you project DLP-Link-compatible 3D content, though you will need active-shutter 3D glasses for each member of your audience. InFocus sells them for $69 a pair.

Conclusion
For a bit more money, you could get one of the IN122a’s higher-resolution counterparts. The InFocus IN126a is a good choice if your presentations include very small text or detailed drawings. However, you’d best avoid using a VGA connection with it, as data image quality over VGA suffered more (compared with over HDMI) with the IN126a and IN124a than it did with the IN122a in our tests.

The IN122a is brighter than the comparably priced Epson EX3212 SVGA 3LCD Projector ($599.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , our Editors’ Choice for SVGA projectors, which is rated at 2,800 lumens; and unlike the EX3212, it can show 3D content. The LCD-based Epson EX3212, however, had much better image quality in our testing. Its data-image quality is excellent, and its (rainbow-free) video is considerably better than that of the IN122a. Although the IN122a is no match for the Epson EX3212, it’s still a good choice as a bright, modestly priced SVGA projector with a solid set of connection choices.