Stop! Thief! Toshiba's Mobile Projector Prevents Sticky Fingers

Keep your eyes on the projector, but if you can't, make sure it's secure and that nobody can walk into the conference room down the hall, unplug it and take off with a valuable asset. That's the idea behind one of the best features in one projector in Toshiba's lineup.

The Test Center recently had a chance to evaluate the TLP-WX2200U Mobile Projector from Tokyo-based Toshiba and found it to be a well-rounded unit with excellent color reproduction. Bulk aside, when it comes to quality, the projector is a contender.

Size
The first reaction when opening the box was surprise at its size. Although Toshiba is marketing the TLP-WX2200U as a mobile projector—weighing in at a little more than six pounds and with a footprint of 11.3 x 3.6 x 9.7 inches—this isn't a projector you'd want to be carrying around throughout the day. Even so, a nicely fitting, padded case is included with enough room for cables and accessories. At press time, the list price was $1,249.

Video Projection
With video input connections for S-Video and RCA Composite, as well as two D-sub 15-pin connectors (one of which can be switched to an output), the unit can project a diagonal screen size anywhere from 40 to 300 inches at a distance ranging from 4.2 to 32.4 feet. Compatible input signals include NTSC, PAL and SECAM in resolutions spanning 480p all the way through 1,080i.

Temperature
Like most other projectors, the TLP-WX2200U generates heat. At its peak, the top of the unit measured 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the side containing the fan's vent rose to 102 degrees. At the vent itself, reviewers charted a temperature of 130 degrees, which is within reason when compared to the competition. Curiously, the projector's fan discharged heat to the side of the unit, and could be felt on a tabletop two feet away. The projector also has a high-speed fan setting that further cooled all the surfaces of the device by about 2 degrees, but with such little temperature change and additional noise generated, the standard speed setting will more often than not be the best choice. Power consumption stayed steady with a constant draw of 284 watts, which is right in line with or below the 300 watts specified in the manual.

Antitheft
What really sets the TLP-WX2200U apart from the competition is its antitheft device. A removable, palm-size control panel on the projector is specially designed with a self-assigned password. When the panel is removed, the projector is no longer operable unless the password is entered on the included remote control or the panel is replaced. The model also offers password protection and key-lock security functions to prevent any unauthorized use.

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