Casio XJV1 Lamp-free projector: Review

With boardrooms and classrooms around the world relying on projectors for the bulk of the big-screen technology because of the sheer value you can get per inch compared to a big-screen TV there’s always room for improvements in the technology.  We’ve taken a quick look at the Casio XJV1 lamp-free projector.

It used to be that the “lamp hours” was a key metric when deciding which projector to buy, and don’t get started on the replacement cost of some of those bulbs.  Casio’s LED Laser Hybrid system turned that on its head a few years ago allowing a better total cost of ownership with the replacement bulbs no longer being a factor.

And if its good to be green then this technology is a winner for you.  Better power consumption and no old bulbs going into landfill or requiring disposal.

This is quite a compact unit, though it’s not really one for your home theatre.  It has a relatively fixed throw with only a slight zoom adjustment, and has a limited number of inputs.

There’s also no on-board speaker so any sound has to come out of the Audio Out into something else you have to get things going.

For an old school VGA input you’ve got a wider range of image customisation available.  Moving the image on the screen rather than having to adjust the projector itself.  Sadly with HDMI inputs many of those disappear.

Office installations, and education uses would benefit from a small, lightweight projector like this – particularly given its low maintenance.

At just on or slightly under $1000 its solid value as long as you know what you need and want in terms of inputs from the get go.  Plenty of other projectors have more inputs and built-in sound – but I suspect that’s not the focus of this market.