Optoma EZPro 939 Multimedia Projector Review


Large screen displays are all the rave these days, but most low end large screen projection TV’s just don’t have the clarity and resolution for those wanting a good viewing experience, and the high quality plasma displays generally run anywhere from $3,000 - $10,000 USD. An often overlooked option is a good quality projector, which comes with a wealth of features and provide an excellent viewing experience. The Optoma EP 739 can currently be obtained for $1200 USD and up (less if you watch for sales), at many major online and offline retailers.

Today, we will take a look at the Optoma EP 739 Portable Projector. This is far from the ordinary ‘presentation’ projector, and with the right setup, can easily be used as a great home theatre device. With great resolution, it may even be used as a better way to view streamed media directly from your computer, or even for that 80” screen web surfing.

Features:

True 1024 x 768 XGA resolution with SXGA+ compression

Bright 2500 lumens rating with 2000:1 high contrast ratio

Lamp life of 5000 hours

Fully HDTV compatible (720p, 1080i)

DVI-HDCP, component , composite, & S-video input

Weighs 5.3 pounds

Adjustable cooling fan speed settings for higher altitude

Monitor loop through & remote mouse control

DDR DLP™ technology for detailed graphics & video

Image size: 24.6" - 246"

Compatibility: XGA, SVGA, VGA, VESA, Mac, SXGA+ Resized NTSC / PAL / SECAM, SDTV (480i), EDTV (480p), HDTV (720p, 1080i)


Setup

Setting up this projector was a breeze, and with Digital, VGA, Composite, and S-video inputs, there are plenty of choices for how to connect to various devices. The Monitor Loop through feature is great for users who want to be able to use this as a secondary computer display without having swap cables. Once the unit is plugged in, and video connections are made, powering up the projector will start a search feature which looks for connected video sources. When multiple video sources are found, a selection may be made using either the on unit controls, or via the supplied remote control.



Viewing

The first thing that is noticed when the Optoma 739 powers on, is that it is bright. Even in a room with moderate ambient light, the screen is easily viewable. One of the greatest surprises is the clarity when viewing a computer input – the screen and letters are easily readable both up close and from a distance. Using the SXGA+ compression produces very little deterioration of video quality, and for users with a wireless mouse and keyboard, web surfing from a barcalounger is now an easy thing. Watching a DVD through the Digital input gives amazing clarity that is superior to the majority of projection TV’s and is very close to many of the much higher priced plasma displays. Although the DLP feature has been said to cause viewing problems for some people, watching a 3 hour movie on an 80” screen proved very enjoyable. With the available composite inputs, even playing video games is a good experience, and only a hard-core gamer will notice the barely perceptible lag in screen response. The unit does produce a good bit of heat, so it should be placed in an area with good ventilation.

Pros:

Easy to setup and use, with a great compatibility of input sources, including HDTV.

Monitor loop through for easy use with computer systems.

Easily movable from room to room – can even be used outdoors at night.

Excellent picture quality for DVD’s, video games, and computer input.

Great price for the video quality

Cons:

As a projector, the path from the source must be kept clear.

Unit does produce quite a bit of heat when running

Projector should only be run for a maximum of 8 hours at a time

Overall

The Optoma EP 739 is great alternative for a home theatre setup, and provides exceptional video quality as related to price. The ability to use it as a presentation device, or even to surf the web, easily puts it above the majority of large screen displays which don’t have the resolution to properly display computer input. With the available input choices, and easy portability, this would make a great addition to the home electronics.

Rating

Quite a nice little projector

How does the S-Video compare to DVI? Or even the composite video? I really don't know......

kd1966 wrote:

How does the S-Video compare to DVI? Or even the composite video? I really don't know......

I rarely if ever use s-video, but the composite seems to work well when I use it to play movies from a stand alone DVD player. Of course the DVI provides the best viewing experience, but even the VGA, which I use with the pass through on my PC's second monitor provides a viewing experience as good or better than most large screen TV's. The one amazing thing as compared to most large screens, even plasma's is that at SXGA resolution, when running the PC on an 80" screen, the text is easily readable with little distortion.