Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour 2 Posted on March 19, 2015 By Art Feierman 1. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Home Entertainment Projector Review - PJD7822HDL Overview - PJD7822HDL Projector Highlights2. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Special Features - PJD7822HDL - A classic Crossover projector - Streaming - No MHL...but - Lamp Life and Eco Modes - Gaming - Viewsonic PJD7822HD 3D3. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour - Overview and Lens - Control Panel - PJD7822HD Inputs and Connectors4. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour 2 - PJD7822HD Remote Control - Lens Throw - Viewsonic PJD7822HD Menus - Optional Wireless Presentation Gateway5. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Picture Quality - Picture Quality - For Business Use - Out of the Box Picture Quality - PJD7822HD - Skin Tones - A test of "how good" - HDTV and Sports Viewing on PJD7822HD L6. Viewsonic PJD7822HD L Projector Review – Picture Quality 2 - PJD7822HDL Black Level Performance - Dark Shadow Detail - PJD7822HDL - Overall Picture Quality7. Viewsonic PJD7822HD Projector Review – Performance - Viewsonic PJD7822HD L Brightness - Color Temp, Cinema, Pre-Calibration - PJD7822HDL Brightness - Calibrated - Affect of Zoom Lens on Brightness - PJD7822HD Best Mode Color Temperature - Post Calibration8. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Performance 2 - Sharpness - Audible Noise - PJD7822HD Gamma - Image noise9. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Calibration & Settings - Color Temperature - Out of the Box Color Mode Measurements - Basic Settings - Post Calibration Grayscale - Grayscale Calibration (RGB)10. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Advanced Calibration Information - About this Calibration Information - CMS Calibration - Mike's Calibration Notes - CMS - Calibration Charts11. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Business Portable – Home Projector Summary - PJD7822HDL as a Business Portable Projector - As a Home Entertainment Projector - Brightness and Picture Quality12. Viewsonic PJD7822HD Projector Review Summary 2 - PJD7822HDL Warranty - The PJD7822HDL Competition - Value Proposition13. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Home Entertainment Projector Reviews – Specifications PJD7822HD PROJECTOR – HARDWARE TOUR Page 2: Remote Control, Lens Throw, Menus, Optional Wireless Presentation Gateway PJD7822HD Remote ControlViewsonic’s remote control is a slightly smaller than average remote, with black finish. Since this projector can be used for business/education, or home, we would have liked to see it backlit for home use, but in all fairness, at this price point very few remotes will be. Looking at it another way, at least Viewsonic has provided a “real” full sized remote, not one of those small credit card remote types. Let’s look at the controls. As usual, we’ll start at the top, and mention an occasional tidbit about the function of some of those buttons. The Power button is top left. Press once for On, twice to power down. Across from it is the Auto (sync) button, mostly used if you aren’t getting a stable image from an analog PC input. This is one button you may never have to press. The next three buttons relate to Source selection. There’s Computer on the left, and Video across from it. Video toggles you through not just Composite and S-Video, but also both HDMI inputs. Below and on the left again, is a Source button which brings up the full Source menu. Across from it is the Mode button which brings up your choices of Color modes (Dynamic, Movie, etc.). Moving further down, you’ll find the navigation controls. There are four arrow keys in a diamond configuration, with the Enter button in the center. Just below to the left is the Menu button blue), and to its far right, the Exit. In between those is Viewsonic’s “My Button” which is a short cut key allowing you to select a shortcut to a feature you expect to use frequently. Selecting the function is done on the On Screen Display menu. Click Image to EnlargeNext up comes some buttons showing off this Viewsonic’s cross-over – business type functions. There are left and right remote mousing buttons, and Page Up and Down to their right. To take full use of this, you’ll be running USB between projector and computer, which is standard stuff for remote mousing capabilities. Just below on the left is a button labeled Mouse – yep, press that to engage the remote mousing functions above. Ten buttons to go. Three run down the right side – Volume Up, Down, and Mute. In between Mouse, and Volume Up is a button with a magnifier image for digital zoom. That allows you to enlarge part of the image for a closer look. Pressing it brings up a zoom bar that shows you where you are in the zoom process. Digital zoom can be especially helpful when looking at drawings, or highly detailed images, so that folks not close to the screen can see better. It’s easy to use, btw! The Lock button allows you to lock, or unlock the Control Panel. This can be handy preventing a student, or a child at home from messing with the controls on the projector. To its right is the Freeze button – which freezes the image on the screen. Next comes the test Pattern button (one built in pattern) and next to it, the Blank button, which as you just guessed, blanks the screen (lamp is still on). Almost done. Bottom left: Dynamic-Eco, for up to 30% additional power savings. Note this cannot be engaged for several minutes after power up, unless you are using the Smart/Restart feature. Presentation Timer – That’s right, it brings up the Presentation timer menu. That will allow you to have a running timer on the screen. And finally – bottom right – the usual Aspect (ratio) button. No surprises there. The overall layout is pretty well thought out, but the buttons are small and well packed together. I don’t suppose that will bother most folks but the remote mousing functions being in the center of the remote (good for balance) are pretty crowded for someone with large hands. Range of the remote is good, not exceptional. It would have been helpful if Viewsonic had a rear IR sensor as well as one in the front. I could get reliable remote usage with a total distance better than 25 feet – Standing about 18 feet from the screen bouncing the IR off of the screen to the projector about 8 feet back. I’d probably want that total distance to be shorter if I was doing remote mousing. Lens ThrowThis is a 16:9 aspect ratio projector (1080p). To fill a 16:9 screen that measures 100 inches diagonal (2.5 meters), the projector – as measured from the front of the lens to the screen – can be placed as close as 101 inches (2.55m), or as far back as 131 inches (3.32m). When it comes to lens offset (there is no lens shift), the image tilts upward, when the projector is level so that the bottom of the projected (100″ diagonal) image will be approximately 6 inches (2.5cm) above the center of the lens. That’s a nice amount of lens offset, especially for business / educational use, because the screen is likely to be mounted so that its bottom is slightly higher than normal table height. If you are ceiling mounting the projector, then, of course, the top of the projected image would be about six inches below the projector lens. That’s also a reasonable amount. Without lens shift, this projector really isn’t very practical for placing on a rear shelf. But the relatively short throw of the lens, makes it unlikely that “back of the room” would work anyway. (It could be mounted upside down on a rear shelf if the distance works, and you want it up high so people aren’t walking through the image.) Viewsonic PJD7822HD MenusThe Viewsonic’s menus are reasonably laid out. If I have a complaint, it’s that the main menu for controlling image settings, which is where most people spend time, is second, not first, creating an extra step. Type size on the menus is a little small, but not enough to be an issue. If you are far enough back that you can’t read the menus, you ar probably beyond the range of the remote control. Menus could have a little more contrast. That would be nice. But all considered, (remember as a reviewer I spend far more time with menus than normal human beings), Viewsonic has done a good job of them. The image player here shows all the major and most sub-menus. I’ve added comments in the captions where a clarification or comment makes sense. PJD7822HDL Projector Menus Image Menu This menu covers, a wide range of things from Color management settings to 3D, to aspect ratio. Picture Menu Select the color mode, adjust brightness, contrast... Saturation not available from video HDMI sources Inputs and Control Source Select HDMI settings, Dynamic EcoMode Timer (how long before it kicks in) Settings Menu Menu Language, CEC, Timer, Control Panel lock... Advanced Settings Audio, Menu, Lens settings, Closed Captioning, Presentation timer (very useful to some presenters) 3D settings Offers all the usual choices when 3D content is fed. Supports Blu-ray 3D CMS Sub-menu The color management system. here's where individual colors are calibrated Advanced Picture Choose gamma settings, and choose from 4 preset color temps. T3 and T4 are best Audio settings The basics - mute and volume control nothing fancy here On Screen Display How long before menus go off, where on the screen do you want the menus? Presentation Timer Presenters will know what to do with this. Timer appears as small type in lower left corner: 00:00 format Security Lock the Control Panel, Power Password for Security Use up to a six digit passcode Info Menu Nothing to adjust this one tells you what's going on, from resolution to source to lamp hours Optional Wireless Presentation GatewayI did not get one of these to work with, so can only report on what capabilities it adds. Essentially it does provide almost all the wireless presentation capabilities one might want. The MSRP is $229, for this add on, shown here. Per Viewsonic, here’s what the WPG370 brings to your party: Full HD 1080p wireless streaming powered by Intel WiDi Mirroring feature for Windows PCs and Macbooks Mobile app for streaming content from smartphones and tablets PC-less slideshows from a USB flash drive – video, audio, photo HDMI digital output for resolution up to 1080p Multiple inputs: HDMI, VGA, USB, audio SPDIF, audio RCA, LAN Dual band wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Latest wireless encryption – WPA2, WPA, WEP Wi-Fi Miracast ready receiver Web-based virtual remote control Palm-sized, light weight Apple Mac compatible Not a bad list, but it is an expensive add on. Still worth it if you need these abilities. 1. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Home Entertainment Projector Review - PJD7822HDL Overview - PJD7822HDL Projector Highlights2. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Special Features - PJD7822HDL - A classic Crossover projector - Streaming - No MHL...but - Lamp Life and Eco Modes - Gaming - Viewsonic PJD7822HD 3D3. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour - Overview and Lens - Control Panel - PJD7822HD Inputs and Connectors4. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour 2 - PJD7822HD Remote Control - Lens Throw - Viewsonic PJD7822HD Menus - Optional Wireless Presentation Gateway5. Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Picture Quality - Picture Quality - For Business Use - Out of the Box Picture Quality - PJD7822HD - Skin Tones - A test of "how good" - HDTV and Sports Viewing on PJD7822HD L6. Viewsonic PJD7822HD L Projector Review – Picture Quality 2 - PJD7822HDL Black Level Performance - Dark Shadow Detail - PJD7822HDL - Overall Picture Quality7. Viewsonic PJD7822HD Projector Review – Performance - Viewsonic PJD7822HD L Brightness - Color Temp, Cinema, Pre-Calibration - PJD7822HDL Brightness - Calibrated - Affect of Zoom Lens on Brightness - PJD7822HD Best Mode Color Temperature - Post Calibration8. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Performance 2 - Sharpness - Audible Noise - PJD7822HD Gamma - Image noise9. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Calibration & Settings - Color Temperature - Out of the Box Color Mode Measurements - Basic Settings - Post Calibration Grayscale - Grayscale Calibration (RGB)10. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Projector Review – Advanced Calibration Information - About this Calibration Information - CMS Calibration - Mike's Calibration Notes - CMS - Calibration Charts11. Viewsonic PJD7822HDL Business Portable – Home Projector Summary - PJD7822HDL as a Business Portable Projector - As a Home Entertainment Projector - Brightness and Picture Quality12. Viewsonic PJD7822HD Projector Review Summary 2 - PJD7822HDL Warranty - The PJD7822HDL Competition - Value Proposition13. ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Home Entertainment Projector Reviews – Specifications Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Hardware Tour Viewsonic PJD7822HD DLP Projector Review – Picture Quality