Classroom Projector Report 2013: Standard Projector Award Winner

Best In Classroom Award

Best in Classroom Award - Standard Projector:  Viewsonic PJD6383S

The Viewsonic is a classic DLP projector but, even more so than the Optoma TW610STi, it offers up rather impressively good color.   With the blurring between "ultra short throw" and very short throw projector definitions, while Viewsonic doesn't claim ultra-short throw status, it's throw ratios are not signficantly different from two projectors we looked at that are considered ultra-short throw projectors.

The overall feature set of the PJD6383S makes it a fairly typical to be found in a classroom, however, with the added benefit of being able to be placed close enough to the screen to be wall mounted above the screen.   That's always a big plus, in that it makes it easier for the teacher to work at the screen or whiteboard without getting blinded by the light.   No, this Viewsonic's lens is not a zoom lens, and that too, is due to this Viewsonic projector having an exceptionally short throw.  It's really not needed.

There's tons of brightness, as this 3000 lumen PJD6383S measured very close to claim, coming in at 2966 lumens.  Sold!

The first image shown here was taken of the PJD6383S projector in its  brightest mode with those 2966 lumens.  Not bad at all for a brightest mode, with yellows being a bit green (skin tones also a bit green), and reds looking decent but a little dark.  That's much better than most of the DLP projectors we considered when in their brightest modes.

The second image is Viewsonic's ViewMatch mode, which like Movie mode, measured 2137 lumens.  Yellows and reds are dramatically better. Note the skin tone is a bit reddish, but these are default settings, they can be adjusted.

For the price, which seems to be under $700 street (not sure about additional education discounts), the PJD6383S comes with some respectable networking.  This Viewsonic projector is Crestron RoomView compatible, which means one of these can be controlled centrally with  up to 249 additional computers. We're talking school district central monitoring and when needed, control.  With the Crestron RoomView compatibility, administrators can remotely power up the projector and broadcast a message.  Thus in an emergency, a school district equipped with projectors like this could turn on every projector in the district and flash a warning message and instructions, for whatever the emergency (or other event).

Viewsonic's warranty is a very good one, although not up to the best.  True, it comes with 3 years parts and labor, as long really as any (the InFocus has 5 years parts/2 years labor - different enough, but not necessarily better.  We do like that the warranty includes a 1 p warranty, but better still is the first year Viewsonic Express service, their replacement program.

Why do we like this projector more than others?  Features are very good, including the networking, but the color handling helps set this Viewsonic projector apart.  The only projectors other than the high power ones we considered, that can rival and beat this Viewsonic for good color are the 3LCD projectors, a pair of Epsons, (and the high power/high priced Mitsubishi WL7200).  Neither of the Epsons in this year's report was a direct competitor for this Viewsonic projector, although the still current, but  a previous year winner, Epson's Powerlite 96W, would be serious competition.  That's only fair since both won the same award, just different years.