Toshiba TLP-T701U - Aug/Sep '03

Toshiba TLP-T701U

As more and more people are making presentations in a variety of places, having a smaller, lighter projector is a good idea. Toshiba decided to build a relatively small, light projector with a pretty substantial amount of power — the TLP-T700U. The projector weighs only 7.4 pounds, has a footprint of 11.7-by-12.3 inches and stands only 3.8 inches high. It generates 2,000 lumens and has Extended Graphics Array native resolution (1,024-by-768 pixels). The projector has a nice, compact design and is very easy to use. It’s basically plug-and-play with most contemporary laptops. In short, Toshiba had a good idea and made it a reality.

To make things even better, Toshiba packaged the TLP-T700U with a remote control unit that has a self-contained laser pointer and some useful utility software. Toshiba also included wireless networking. The projector comes with 802.11b connectivity. Understanding that a noisy projector creates a distraction during a presentation, Toshiba built the TLP-T700U with a very quiet fan (35 decibels). The projector lists for a very reasonable $2,799.

I tried the projector under several different lighting conditions and found it performed satisfactorily in almost every circumstance (actually, I used the sibling TLP-T701U, which is identical to the TLP-T700U except for the addition of an integrated document camera). I did a presentation one morning in a large room that was dominated by natural lighting. We used two projectors for the presentation, in part to compare the 2,000-lumen Toshiba to a 3,000-lumen unit (which was substantially larger and heavier than the Toshiba). There was some drop in brightness between the projectors; but nowhere near what we expected. The Toshiba projected an image that was usable and satisfactory, just less vibrant due to the strong natural lighting. The Toshiba favorably impressed the speakers and audience.

In making presentations, I have often found a document camera quite useful, sometimes essential. Documents you have captured in electronic format can go from the computer through the projector to the screen. What about the document you see for the first time in court or at the arbitration hearing? If you bring a scanner with you, you can scan it into the computer and then project its image. That takes some time and can be distracting. If you have a document camera, you can immediately project it onto the screen from the camera through the projector. Also, small 3-D objects don’t fit into scanners. Document projectors, however, can project them onto a screen in a size large enough for all to see easily.

Toshiba recognized the advantage of having a document camera, but that increased the asking price by $800 to $3,599. The TLP-T701U has the same specifications, features and accessories as the TLP-700U. The only difference between the two is the addition of the document camera, which is permanently attached to the projector. The camera and extension arm easily fold down into a cradle that protects the lens for packing and travel. The cradle and folded camera extend less than 3 inches from the back of the basic projector and add only 1.6 pounds to the projector; the combination unit weighs in at 9 pounds. The camera is a useful, very serviceable addition to the projector and the combination is, in my opinion, pretty clever. Driven by a one-third-inch charge-coupled device that generates 810,000 pixels, the document camera generates a very acceptable image.

As with any converged technology, combining two or more functions into a single unit means compromise. The compromises all exist on the camera side. The F 2.8 lens focuses manually and the camera has a 3x digital zoom. I would have liked it better if the camera focused automatically, had an optical zoom and built-in lighting, but the trade-offs would have been larger size, more weight, and undoubtedly, more money.

Downside considerations relating to the combination unit include: (1) the integration of the camera and projector means the location of the projector dictates the camera’s location; (2) the top of the projector serves as the table for items to be projected (documents larger than a standard page might be difficult to handle); and (3) the camera comes with only the most basic feature set.

My sources at Toshiba tell me Toshiba will replace the TLP-T700U/T701U in the near future with its new TLP-T720U/721U units. I have not seen the new units yet, but Toshiba said the projectors will be clones of the T700U/T701U except the new units will boast 2,400 lumens and cost $400 more than the older units ($3,199 for the TLP-T720U and $3,999 for the TLP-T721U). That means you can wait a bit and pay a little more to get the more powerful projectors, or you can move quickly to snap up one of the 2,000 lumen units while they still exist. You can always take a chance on finding a discount on older units as they are discontinued, knowing in the worst case scenario, you will have to pay $400 more for a new unit and get an extra 400 lumens of brightness.

Toshiba America Information Systems, Computer Systems Group
(800) TOSHIBA

www.toshiba.com

Price: $2,799 for TLP-700U; $3,599 for TLP-701U

Reviewed by Jeffrey Allen, a general practice attorney with an emphasis in real estate, business transactions and litigation based in Oakland, Calif.

Aug/Sep '03 Issue

PROS
The TLP-T701U offers a good combination of function, form, utility and cost.

CONS
The combined unit gives you advantages in terms of size, cost and portability but costs you in flexibility in terms of your manner of presentation.

VERDICT
The TLP-T701U projector has worked flawlessly for me. I have no reluctance in recommending it.