Sony VPL-EX50

The Sony VPL-EX50 XGA (1024x768) rated projector has a neat, stylish design that would look good in any boardroom. The design also includes a built-in tilt angle of eight degrees that Sony has claimed will produce perfectly proportioned images.

It is not the smallest unit or the lightest we have seen at 280x315x110mm and 3kg. However, it is not so heavy that it will give users shoulder injuries lugging it around.
Inputs on the projector include two RGB inputs, S-Video and composite video, as well as standard stereo audio inputs. There is also an output for an RGB monitor and stereo audio and an RS232C serial interface for control.

The optical specification boasts an output of 2,500 lumens, a 900:1 high-contrast ratio, which is ideal for brightly lit corporate meeting rooms, classrooms or lecture theatres.

The VPL-EX50 uses Sony’s proprietary 0.63in BrightEra inorganic 3-LCD panel, which Sony says minimises colour degradation, achieves higher brightness and sharper images and results in exceptional reliability and longevity.

The VPL-EX50 is ideal for presenting in smaller rooms and gives a strong, bright, 2m diagonal image when the unit is just 2.3m away from the screen.

It is also bright enough to go to a massive 7.5m diagonal.

As this is a low-price model, the zoom, focus and height adjustment controls are all manual, but are easy to find even in the dark. The projector’s features can either be controlled from the top buttons or via the neat remote control unit.

The standard features expected on a projector at this end of the market are all there, including password access, keystone, image freeze and digital zoom.

There are also some unique features such as the ability to switch to six picture modes including; presentation, dynamic, standard, game, living and cinema.

Time taken to warm up came in at around 40 to 45 seconds for the first image – a lot slower than the quoted four seconds Sony claim – but cooling time is around 90 seconds regardless of how long the projector has been on.

We liked the VPL-EX50 and could find little wrong with it apart from the size and the tinny internal speaker. If the specification on the VPL-EX50 is a little too high there is an identical and much cheaper model in the VPL-EX5.

Distributors: Midwich, Computer 2000, Imago