3M MPro150 - Review Summary
A bottom line summary of the 3M MPro150 Projector's pros and cons and capabilities.
9/23/2010 - Anthony Arrigo
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3M MPro150: Bottom Line
3M has produced a Pico projector that strives to be competitive against based on its specifications. The projector is well designed and is well thought out. I liked how they put inputs in logical places and made navigating the menu system easy because of the nice control panel. Overall, just a very nice design. For instance the focus is in the front where would expect it to be and the inputs for all your video signals are in the rear. Controlling the functions of the projector can be done from the top. The buttons designed in such a way that getting used to adjusting things without looking down should come easily after a little use.
One thing I really liked was the bendable tripod stand. It was really easy to use and since it features a mount screw that is compatible with most digital cameras, you can use as double duty to take pictures with. And, what better platform to share those pictures, than using the 3M MPro150.
Brightness at a manufacturer rated 15 lumens is on the low side, but video quality is satisfactory. As mentioned, we measured 9 lumens in our lab. Since the 3M MPro150 is a native 640x480 projector with the ability to only accept a 480i video signal, I can't recommend the 3M MPro150 for much more than showing images and some documents from your PC. In regards to saying it is decent for office documents, I think only certain documents with little data would be acceptable. You can feed the projector higher resolutions for showing spreadsheets, but even if you have the image set at 50 inches diagonal, you still are going to have a hard time viewing certain office documents.
Overall, the 3M MPro150 is lacking the resolution that it would need to acceptably display the kinds of files it claims to be able to project, though it would work well enough for Powerpoint sized type and images. It features a nice picture if you do not feed the projector for compressed content, but does not do the best job projecting higher resolutions. With the high price point, carefully consider the pros and cons before purchasing the 3M MPro150.
3M MPro150 Projector: Pros
- Has a microSD card slot for loading presentation slides
- Accepts HDMI Has a USB port to read files from
- Project up to a 50 inch image
- AVI, MOV, MP4, 3GP (Common video formats are converted using 3M Pico Video Encoder*)
- Has a fairly long battery life of 120 minutes
- LED light source rated at 20,000 hours
- Well laid out and convenient tripod stand
3M MPro150 Projector: Cons
- Not very bright at 9 lumens
- Low resolution at 640x480
- Largest image size it can project is 50 inches diagonal
- More expensive than projectors with more features and higher brightness
3M MPro150 Projector: 20 Questions Answered
1) What is the native resolution and what is the max resolution?
Native Resolution is WSVGA(640x480). Does not accept higher resolutions signals from a laptop.
2) Largest image you can project and how far do you have to be to achieve it?
You can achieve a 50 inch diagonal image and you must be 42 inches away from the screen.
3) Standard battery life?
120 minutes is the standard for the MPro150.
4) Does it have internal memory, and how much?
Yes, has 1Gb built-in memory. The microSD card has 2GB memory built-in
5) What light source technology does the projector use?
Uses LED light and lasts an estimated 20,000 hours.
6) What is the native aspect ratio and does it support other aspect ratios?
Native aspect ratio is 4:30 but does support wide aspect ratios like 1280x768.
7) What is the throw ratio?
1.8:1
8) Does it have a remote control?
Yes, it comes with a full featured remote control. .
9) Does it have a full featured control panel on the projector?
Yes. You can control all the projectors functions.
10) What type of warranty does it have?
1 Year limited parts and labor. 90 days on the battery.
11) Does it have a focus adjustment?
Yes. However does not have a zoom adjustment. Must be physically moved to produce a smaller or larger image.
12) What inputs/ouputs does the projector have?
One input for video signal that accepts a VGA cable, a RCA cable. Also accepts HDMI through a mini HDMI port.
13) Is it compatible with smartphones? Which ones?
Yes, with optional cable. Project images from your PDA or iphone.
14) What files types can be used for a presentation. Document?
You can view files created in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Adobe PDF's. You can also share graphic files like Jpegs and movies from your smartphone.
15) What light source technology is used in the projector?
The light source is LED technology rated to last 20,000 hours. Most likely will have next generation model before needing to replace.
16) Will it accept HD video sources and what is the highest resolution it will accept?
The highest resolution it will accept is 1280x768 through the VGA adapter. HD video sources are accepted via the mini HDMI port and will accept a 480i signal.
17) What cables does the projector come with, WHAT might I need?
The projector comes with one VGA cable to connect your laptop and one RCA cable with R and L audio. The projector does come with AV adapters which can be used to connect component video. An optional cable is necessary to connect an iphone, or ipod device. Check with your sales representative before purchase since not all cables are supplied depending on your geographical region.
18) How much outboard memory can be used by the projector?
The projector can accept up to 2 GB MicroSD card.
19) What is the highest brightness in standard mode with just battery and brightness with expansion pack or AC?
Highest brightness is 9 lumens. The MPro150 only has one mode of brightness.
20) What environment is this projector best suited to be used?
Dark environments with no ambient light for best viewing. However, it can handle a tiny bit of ambient light and be acceptable.
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