Casio XJ-A250V WXGA DLP Projector Review
Welcome to our projector review of Casio's new XJ-A250V Projector.
There will be additional, competitive information about the XJ-A250V, will be available in the full K12 Education Projector Comparison Report much of which is already updated from last year. This Casio XJ-A250 is one of the last three projectors reviewed for that new education report.
The Casio XJ-A250V projector earned our Runner-Up Best In Classroom Award in this year's 2011 Classroom Projector Report: The Best School Projectors for K-12 Education!
May 2011 - Art Feierman
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Casio XJ-A250V Projector Overview
The XJ-A250, or as it is officially known, the XJ-A250V, is Casio's newest Green-slim projector. Green-Slim is about Casio's projectors using their hybrid Laser and LED light source. We almost didn't get this Casio in, in time to be included in the school projector report.
Casio just launched (4/11), three additional new projectors (not yet available), with different features, which may be better overall for more permanent school use (mounted), but this Casio projector is considered as best fitting when a school has to share projectors and move them from room to room (and lock them up at night), or perhaps in the hands of a specialist teacher who travels from one school in a district, to another. Bottom line, the Casio is a micro-portable (sub-five pounds) first. As such, it has compromised the feature set accordingly, lacking the larger more powerful speakers many other projectors have, in favor of that enhanced portability.
Browser Shot Casio XJ-A250
This DLP projector is one of two thin projectors reviewed for the education report. The other, the Epson 1775W, isn't quite as slim, and lacks the Casio's extensive placement flexibility, but has a bit more sound (not much), networking and a number of other features. There are definite, real trade-offs, although both are pretty impressive portables. The Epson is actually lighter, but the Casio, is easier to pack into, say, a briefcase.
The Casio XJ-A250 offers up multiple brightness modes - different eco and bright modes. If you need maximum brightness, the projector ends up the noisiest of the field of fifteen covered in the report, but intermediate modes lower the fan noise.
This projector has a great warranty, and an extremely low cost of ownership based on no filters to change, and a light source that should outlive the rest of the projector. Of course there can be out of warranty issues over the life of any projector, consider: 4 hours a day, times 5 days a week, times 35 weeks a year (school year) equals almost 30 years!
For reference, thirty years ago, this summer, the first IBM PF shipped. If the light sources last as long as claimed, I don't think anyone will need a replacement.
Casio XJ-A250V Projector Highlights
- Hybrid Laser, LED light source, for 20,000 life
- WXGA resolution 1280x800, handles up to WUXGA, and 1080p
- Installable, but most suited for portable use, such as from classroom to classroom, school to school, business to...
- Very good brightness, plus years before light source loses much brightness. Brightest mode measured over 2500 lumens
- Long term low cost of operation (no lamp to replace, no filters)
- HDMI input
- Only one computer (analog) input, and no monitor out
- Similar XJ-A255V model offers wireless networking, PC free presenting
Specs for the Casio XJ-A250V
Click here for full specifications: Casio XJ-A250V
MSRP: $1420 -Street prices well under $1000
Brightness: 3000 ANSI Lumens
Imaging Technology: DLP
Resolution:
WXGA 1280x800
Contrast: 1800:1
Zoom Lens: 2:1 Manual Zoom
Audio: 1 watt mono
Lamp Life: 20,000 Laser/LED light source
Dimensions: 11.69" W x 1.69" D x 8.26" H
Weight: 5.0 lb. (2.3 kg)
Warranty: 3 Years Limited Parts and Labor, 6000 hours/3 years on the light source
Casio XJ-A250V Projector Special Features
Low Cost of Operation:
Hard to beat a long life light source for keeping long term costs under control. The warranty covers not only the projector for 3 years, but also the light source for 3 years or 6000 hours, with the light source rated as good for 20,000 hours. From a power draw standpoint, the XJ-A250V draws a maximum of 290 watts, and only 130 watts in its most efficient Eco mode.
Shown above: The very bright Casio XJ-A250V in a lit room, for reference, note the brightness of the MacBook Pro laptop (screen on brightest). The image size projected is 72 inches diagonal.
Networking?:
The XJ-A250V is not designed for networking. If networking is needed, then the extremely similar Casio XJ-A255V offers wireless networking (including 802.11n), and USB computer free presentations (ie. from flash drive), and can also interface with up to four Windows based PC's at one time.