ViewSonic PJD7828HDL Home Theater Projector Review - Hardware Tour 2

ViewSonic PJD7828HDL Home Theater Projector Review - Hardware Tour 2: PJD7828HDL Lens Throw, Menus, PJD7828HDL Remote Control

As stated, the PJD7828HDL is a short throw projector, but not overly so. Not to be confused with Very Short Throw models which sit only 3-4 feet from the screen.

For larger or smaller screens, just break out your calculator – ie. a 120” screen is 20% larger so the closest would be 1.2 * 101 inches = 121 inches, and so on.

The 7828HDL has some built in fixed lens shift (all do). If placing the projector on a table-top, then the center of the lens should be 2.5 inches below the bottom of the screen surface. If ceiling mounting above, then 2.5 inches above the top.

For those needing lens shift, I remind you that the very similar, but more expensive, PJD7836HDL does offer adjustable vertical lens shift, however it is a small amount allowing that projector to be placed from 2.5 to 7.4 inches below the screen surface…

I don’t like the Viewsonic remote control! That said, I dislike about ¾ of all the projector remote controls that come with sub-$1000 projectors.

PJD7828HDL infra-red remote control

I understand – this is a bright – 3,200 lumen projector that is used for both the business/education markets and for home entertainment. In the real (non-home) world, one doesn’t expect to have a backlit remote control, as those projectors are rarely used in a fully darkened environment, but in a home, turning down, or off the lights, is pretty standard stuff, except, perhaps, for sports.

OK, I’ve bitched about no backlight – after that, it’s a fairly small remote (again, typical of a business projector), but thankfully not one of those credit card ones, nor near that small. The buttons, however, are pretty small, and pretty numerous, although more than a few are supporting the business/education features, that those of you buying the 7828HDL for home won’t need.

From the top left – the Power button is red – press once for on, twice for off. Next to it is a red LED that blinks whenever you hit a button (except the laser button, in that case it stays on as long as the button’s held down).

On the right side is a large green button with a star – that is the Favorite button that is used for whichever option you selected in the menus, including almost 20 options from the menus, from Brightness, to Color Temp, to Freeze, to Power Saving… the list goes on. I’ll give Viewsonic this, most companies with a “my” or “favorite” button usually provide just a few choices, Viewsonic provides a boatload of choices, so you just might choose one that is important, and convenient for you.