Customer Reviews

Optoma EP1691 WXGA DLP Multimedia Data Projector

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is an exceptionally compact and well designed projector.
The menus are intuitive. The features are practical.
At 2500 lumens it is perfectly adequate for all but the brighest rooms.
Some projectors are difficult to figure out the keystone correction controls... this one is simple.
I think it's worth the $1,000 I spent on it.

I selected this model for its size and portability and wasn't disappointed in either. It also had good light output and excellent resoulution. On a recent business trip I used it for presentations up to six hours per day without a glitch.

We are located in Denver and purchased this product. It constantly shuts down with a temperature error. After sending it in for 6 weeks (Poor service is another issue) and having the mother board replaced, we are now told by Optoma support that it's an altitude issue and not even the "high altitude" mode will resolve it. They also tell us there is nothing they can do. I'd recommend steering clear of Optoma products.

I recently purchased the Optoma EP1691 projector, and have been exceptionally pleased with its ease of transportation (it's so small) and its ease of use. I used it at a recent board meeting and will never go back to paper for board meetings again. This projector puts out a great image and its simple to use.

The only thing worse than a product that's dead on arrival is a product that's not quite dead enough on arrival...

I bought the projector in July, but didn't need it right away. I turned it on, it worked, I turned it off. Elapsed time about a minute.

Last week I pulled it out for a client meeting. It fired up, displayed a nice image, and then... dark. The LEDs started flashing, a code with means "Fan3 error." Helpful. So now I'm projector-less, waiting to see what Optoma's response is, and dreading a RMA.

I'll re-review the projector when I get a replacement, but an out-of-the-box fan error doesn't speak well for Optoma's quality control.

** UPDATE **

Got an RMA from Optoma, and sent the projector back. I was stuck with shipping. Turnaround was about a week. The projector itself works well, but is a little noisy. All in all, a decent product, with OK support. I've changed my review from 1 star to 3 stars.

The projector performs very well. It is lightweight and bright enough for conference rooms. The only problem was with the shipment of the product. We ordered the equipment with overnight delivery for a meeting and the equipment did not show up. The explanation was bad weather.

We got the Optoma EP1691. The image was sharp and the 2500 brightness lovable. It worked great at first. My kids loved the huge Wii screen on the wall and when I needed to take it for business it was great to have the projector.

First, the SVGA connector started cutting out if you didn't hold the cable in the right position. When the screen cut out you could wiggle the cable and get the picture back so rather than complaining we just lived with it. Then the screen developed a lighter blotch on the lower right of the screen. Still useful but a little distracting if the picture was bright.

Then just after 2 years the projector went into "sleep mode". Dead! Nothing will wake it up.

I called Optima tech support and they said there was nothing that could be done over the phone. The warranty only lasts 2 years and unfortunately the projector worked for just short of 26 months before it died completely. Optima couldn't make any exceptions regarding the warranty but they offered that if I were to pay shipping plus $100 something they would quote repairs that would probably cost $500 to $800.

Or I could junk the machine. Either way, the effective cost of ownership was over $400/year.

Although it would have been nice if their policy would have allowed Optima to repair a just out of warranty unit I suppose that can not be expected.

That said, had Optima had a policy of taking care of customers I would have given a review that once made aware of problems Optima went out of their way to ensure customers were taken care of.

As it is, they held to policy. But really, the unit had not one but three distinct quality related failures in a 26 month period. The total cost of ownership was over $400/month and that was without having to replace the outrageously expensive bulb.

Optima left me with the choice of paying almost as much as I had paid in the first place to fix their 2 year old machine or purchasing something else. Fortunately, Amazon has an Epson projector that has higher brightness and resolution for only $550. Christmas is coming.

Had this projector for months and it has worked great. Quick to come up, bulb lasts because it shuts off after not being used, even if on. Laptop has had no problems connecting to it and it has worked all the time, without any failures or issues. Great product.

I purchased this projector about 1 year ago. I use it mainly for playing XBOX 360. I am extremely impressed with the brightness(I have a room with no windows, but this projector is still bright enough to see decently with the room light on). The picture quality isn't quite as good as a 1080i HDTV, but at the price, it's PLENTY good. I currently have the picture in widescreen format at about 82-1/2"....trust me, this size of picture with the great picture quality, makes a HUGE difference when playing games like Modern Warfare 2....you can take out snipers from across the map with a gun using just the iron sights!

The connection that I use from my XBOX is the VGA...you will probably want to buy a 25' VGA extender to connect to the projector...I currently have my XBOX 360 at the front of the room. You can get a VGA extender pretty cheap, but you will want to make sure the the quality is decent. The initial one that I bought was pretty worthless...picture was decent, but there was a pretty intense "double image". I bought a better quality VGA extender, and what a difference it made! I also have my Wii hooked to the AV plug in the back....the Wii doesn't have great graphics to begin with, so this isn't a big deal.

One of the best benefits of this projector is the portability...When traveling, most of my buddies (even the ones with HDTV's), require that I bring my projector. It's like gaming in a movie theater!!

This projector is a little bit noisy, but nothing that will deter from your movie or gaming experience. I highly recommend this if you are on the fence between getting a $2,000 HDTV....save the money and get this projector...you won't be disappointed.

The only thing that is keeping me from giving this 5 stars, is a slight horizontal line towards the top of the picture. I usually don't even notice it, and haven't taken the time to check with Optoma on getting it fixed.

Highly recommended projector. Ultra portable and very good image, and most important is that the price is very affordable.