Takeaway: Decent SD resolution, loud but boxy audio, USB can't power some TV sticks like Chromecast.
You’ll receive the projector, remote control, 5 ft power cable, 5 ft HDMI cable, RCA input cable, and an instruction manual. The projector is compact and light, weighing a little less than 2 lbs. It measures 7.5”W x 5.75”L x 3”H. On the front of the projector is the lens which comes with a plastic snap-on lens cap. The lens is 2.25” in diameter. On the right side of the unit are the ports. There’s a full size SD card slot, AV input, audio out, HDMI in, USB input, and USB out for charging a device. On the back is the remote control IR receiver, VGA input and power port. On the bottom of the unit there’s a screwfoot that can add about 1/2” of tilt which can also fully retract for level viewing. There’s also a 1/4” mounting hole for a standard tripod, which I prefer to use.
On top are the controls. You have the power button, input selector, return or exit key, menu selection arrows and OK button. The remote has additional keys and functions like playback controls, volume, menu, and mute. The remote requires 2 AAA batteries which are not included. Just behind the lens are two dials. The first, larger one, controls the image focus while the second smaller one is the keystone for adjusting focus pitch when the projector is projecting at an angle. The power cable for this unit tends to be too short to reach most outlets, so I typically need to run an extension cord. I mostly use this on a tripod, so I can place the projector anywhere in the room to control the size and height of the screen be changing the distance from the wall/screen. The 1200 lumens isn’t all that bright, so you’ll need really dark conditions to see the screen clearly.
The HDMI and other input methods seemed to work fine, but I found that the USB port can’t read my USB 3.0 thumb drives. Also, the USB ports didn’t provide enough power to run my Chromecast, which would power on initially but couldn't stay on. Since the remote control is infrared, it only works if you’re pointing at the receiver on the back. It won’t work from in front of the projector. While this projector accepts input resolutions up to 1080p HD, the native output resolution is only 800 x 480p which is standard definition, so higher quality video will be downscaled. At larger projected screen sizes, the pixels can be really obvious.
I was actually surprised at how loud the volume could get on this unit. It does sound sort of boxy and distorts at higher volumes, and it competes with the internal fan that can be quite loud. Using an external speaker hooked up to the headphone port improves the sound and makes it easier to drown out the fan noise. Overall, the contrast and color saturation appeared accurate to the source footage but wasn’t very deep or rich. Sometimes images looked a bit washed out or faded or perhaps too dim/dark. However, this entry-level projector works fine for a family movie night with the kids so you can watch theater style movies at home or even outdoors. It’s also fine for running slideshows at parties. Text can be a bit tricky depending on the size (though large captions were fine) so I don't recommend it for business presentations or powerpoint.
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