AAXA M5 Pocket Projector Review – Hardware 1: Overview, Inputs and Connectors Panel, Lens
At 6 inches wide, 6 inches long, and 1.8 inches tall, the AAXA M5 is truly a small projector. Looking at the front of the projector, there is a recessed lens on the left. On the left side of the projector, there’s the On/Off switch, the power indicator LED light, and some inputs. Underneath those, you’ll find the focus ring, which is a ridged dial that’s super easy to use, and to the left, the air intake vents.
The back of the projector houses most of the inputs and connectors, which we will get into in the next section. Those are on the right side, when facing the back, and to the far left is another air intake vent.
Moving to the top, we have the mono 2-Watt speaker behind the control panel. The control panel, as expected, has buttons for navigating through the menus, and a Power On/Off button. There is a half-circle of blue LED lights to indicate that the projector is on (and to look cool, I imagine). To the right, when looking at the lens, there are two hot air exhaust fans.
The M5’s inputs and connectors panel is split up, just like it is on the M6. On the left side of the projector, when facing the lens, there is, of course, that On/Off switch, the indicator light, and the focus ring. Just above the focus ring, we have a slot labeled “TF-Card,” which takes micro SD cards. To its left is the USB port, which concludes the ways in which you can use the PC-Free Presenting feature of the AAXA M6.
On the back of the projector, starting from the right, we have the DC port for connecting to an outlet via the power brick provided. This is also how you charge the battery. To its left is a headphone jack and a port for connecting external speakers. Next to that is a single HDMI input, right above a classic VGA port. The tiny RF receiver is recessed and next to the HDMI port.
Using the HDMI or VGA ports, you can connect a computer to the projector. The newer Macs and PCs seem to be using primarily HDMI, but there are still some older computers that use VGA. It’s good to have the option. Between these ports and the PC-Free Presenting capabilities, there’s more than enough connectivity to get the job done.
The AAXA M5 has a manual, fixed lens. That is, there are no zooming capabilities – wherever you place the projector is as good as it gets. It’s a short throw projector, so you really don’t need to be placing it too far away to get a decent sized image. I have provided a chart with throw distances to help with placement of the projector. Some of you will be projecting the M5 on your wall, but for those with a fixed sized screen, the chart will come in handy – especially if you’re buying the projector for use in a small, urban-style apartment or dorm.
No lens cap, but I’m hardly surprised. I’ve only seen a lens cap on a handful of pocket projectors (I’m sure Art has seen more). The lack of lens cap is no downside, as the lens is so recessed that it will only require occasional cleaning with a microfiber lens cloth. As mentioned earlier on this page, the focus ring has grooves for easy movement and is located on the left side of the projector when facing the lens.
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