NEC LT170 - General Performance

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Art Feierman

Getting it there - Unique carry case(s)

NEC combines the unique shape of this projector with a minimalistic carry case (and a 2nd one for the cables). They are lightly padded and have shoulder straps.

Sound

For your presenting, the LT170 projector comes equipped with a .5 watt speaker, fed by a single stereo mini jack. Small projector, small speaker, small sound – it's exactly what you expect from something this small. If you need some real sound handling, buy a bigger projector or carry around a portable sound system (another 5 – 10 pounds and several times the size of this projector

Noise

NEC claims 38 db in full power (1500 lumens), and 34 db in economy mode, (1350 lumens). Neither is an especially quiet spec. While some models, like Sony’s CX61 are definitely noisier, and a few are quieter, these specs put it just a tad to the high side of average for a projector of this size. Believe me there are bigger projectors too, that are noisier than the LT170. While you will hear the NEC LT170 in the conference room, you won't have to raise your voice to compete with it.

Rugged

NEC’s LT170 may not be waterproof (it’s not, trust me, I asked), despite their emphasis on ruggedness (the pdf brochure shows people caught in a downpour), but it does have the following going for it:

Recessed lens
Recessed zoom and focus
All recessed controls (jog dial, buttons – none stick up.
Even the connectors are slightly recessed.

Portrait Mode

The LT170 is one of the first projectors that can be used in "Portrait" mode, this feature is really for users of Windows Tablet computers, which often work in portrait mode.

DLP Projector Offers Sealed Light Path
In addition NEC touts one unique feature in a projector this size– a “sealed light path”. Translation: The assembly from the light source to the lens is sealed, to keep out dust and other debris. Few portable projectors have a sealed light path, although NEC has successfully promoted it on the their LT220, 240K and 260K DLP projectors. Generally, it’s a nice touch, and may keep an annoying large dust particle from settling where it may be detectable on the image. As portability goes, nothing would be likely to get to such a spot, with any projector, unless the projector is turned on, so it’s primarily a benefit if you are using it in a very dusty or smokey room. More importantly keep the projector's filters clean! That applies to any projector.