Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO Pocket Projector- 4 oz.

by Optoma

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 2 x 0.6 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001L4L7AQ
• Item model number: EP-PK-101
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,608 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

  #22 in	Electronics > Camera & Photo > Projectors
  #14 in	Electronics > Televisions & Video > Projectors
  #9 in	Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Video Projectors > DLP Projectors

• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 2, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Introducing the amazingly versatile Optoma Pico, the smallest projector you’ve ever seen!  Its compact size and durability make it a must have for travel and on-the-spot presentations.

Features

* Easily share photos and videos from mobile devices * Project images on any surface * Ultra-light at 4 ounces including battery * Image size up to 60 inches * Vivid 1000:1 contrast ratio * DLP Pico technology * LED light source lasts over 20,000 hours * Recharge battery conveniently via USB or included AC power adaptor

Detailed Specifications

Projection Type DLP® Light Source LED Light Source Life Estimated at 20,000 Hours Contrast Ratio 1000:1 Weight 4 oz (114g) with Battery 2.8 oz (80g) without Battery Dimensions (W x H x D) 1.97" x 0.59" x 4.06" (50 x 15 x 103 mm) Battery Li-ion Rechargeable (3.7V, 1100 mAh) Battery Life Up to 1.5 Hours Power Input Mini USB Connector AV Input 2.5mm jack AV Input (Composite Video and Stereo Audio-In); PAL\NTSC(576i\480) Throw Ratio 1.9:1 (Distance/Width) Image Size 6" to 60" (0.15 to 1.5m) Proj Distance 10” to 102” (0.25 to 2.6m) Audio One 0.5-Watt Speaker Standard Accessories Power Adaptor, USB Cable, Tripod Adaptor, (2) Batteries, Standard A/V Cable (RCA to Mini-Jack), iPod Kit with Dock Connector (US only), Bag Optional Accessories 2.5 to 3.5mm Cable for Nokia® Phones Warranty 1 Year Limited Parts and Labor, 90 Days on Battery   Connects To * iPod, iPhone & iTouch with included bundled connection kit * Camcorders, DV-Cams and Digital Cameras enabled with standard composite AV Out with included composite cable * DVD Players and other video players enable with standard composite AV Out with included composite cable       Note: This configuration does not connect to notebook computers, PC’s PDAs, cell phones or other devices unless the device has composite output. Please make sure to consult your device’s owner’s manual.

Product Description

The versatile Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO projector is the smallest projector you have ever seen! Its compact size and durability make it a must have for travel and on-the-spot presentations. Small enough to fit in your pocket, bright enough to spark your imagination.

Optoma PK-101 with iPod Connection Kit

Connects to:
a) iPod, iPhone, and iTouch with included bundled connection kit
b) Camcorders, DV-Cams, and Digital Cameras enabled with standard composite AV Out with included composite cable
c) DVD Players and other video players enable with standard composite AV Out with included composite cable

Note: This configuration does not connect to notebook computers, PCs PDAs, cell phones, or other devices unless the device has composite output. Please make sure to consult your device's owner manual.

Make your video capable iPod, iPhone, or iTouch a mobile projection device. Use the Optoma PICO projector to:
1) Project video (project previously downloaded video content or project live uTube video)
2) Project photographs
3) Project a Powerpoint presentation (note Powerpoints must first be saved in .pdf format.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

124 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does a decent job, but not for everyone, January 21, 2009

By	F. Richards - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO Pocket Projector- 4 oz. (Electronics)

We purchased a few of these for work(to be used with both the iPhone and iTouch). I would probably give this projector 3 1/2 stars, but it was not an option. We have not been using this very long, but those that have used it have been very impressed (it is better than what we were expecting).

Are these for everyone? I would say no. The picture quality is decent, but it does not come close to larger projectors that don't cost a lot more than this does. My guess is that a lot of people will want this because it looks cool, but I'd bet that most people will not use it much once the newness wears off.

The image is decent when viewed in a very dark room. The lighter the room, the more the image gets washed out. It does not take much light either before the image is washed out and only usable if you are fairly close to the surface you are projecting the image on. Even in dark rooms, the image is on the dark side (whites will have a bluish tint). There is a built in speaker, but it's basically worthless so plan on connecting it to some sort of external speaker.

I realize that the review seems a little negative and I don't want you to think that we are not happy with these. Like I mentioned above, we have been very happy with what these can do. The media guys will not be using these to show HD video to clients, but they will get a lot of use. We have a number of people that travel a lot for training purposes. They usually have to pack around a laptop/dvd player, projector, external speakers, and all of the wires needed to connect everything together. They are usually in smaller rooms presenting to small groups. For this purpose, the projector is going to work very well.

Here is what we have put together. Instead of packing around the equipment mentioned above, our managers now have their iPhone or iTouch, the Optoma Pico Projector, and a set of mini speakers from a company called Grandmax (Grandmax.com). The speakers are powered from the iPhone and are not much bigger than the projector (the sound is excellent for the size). They are able to show videos, pictures, and PowerPoint presentations(you need a program to convert the PowerPoint presentation to a video to do this)and not have to pack a ton of equipment to do it.

It will be exciting to see where this technology goes in the future. However, as for now, this projector does a decent job as long as you can live with the shortcomings. It's not perfect and a lot of people will not be happy with the quality, but it has the potential to be a very worthwhile tool if you have a specific need that this projector can satisfy.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tons of fun to use!, February 22, 2009

By	Ivan A. Reyes "DJIA305" (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO Pocket Projector- 4 oz. (Electronics)

I've had this for about a week now. I've watched about three movies on it, played Gears of War 2, and watched the Cotto/Pavlik fights off pay per view on this.
We watched the boxing matches at my brother's apartment, we had the Pico on a tripod and connected to a 2.1 Logitech system. We were able to comfortably watch the fights on a 122 inch image on the wall! We actually could have gone bigger but didn't because of space restrictions. Mind you, the living room was about 90% dark, and the walls are light brown and not white. We were quite impressed!
What I've noticed though is that this thing is meant for VGA-type stuff. Yes, Gears of War 2 was playable, but it looked... like crap. This is the case when you try to play something that is meant to be played at 10801 or 1080p and view it through VGA. It's going to look bad.
I knew this before I bought the Pico. My main use for this is to watch DVD's and play Nintendo Wii off of it. So, if you are expecting high-definition off this thing, don't buy it. Only buy this if you're going to watch stuff on the go, and you understand its limitations. Yes, it is expensive, but it is the best of its kind, at least right now (until the Microvision Laser Pico come out, wow) and it doesn't feel like a 1st generation product.
Pros:
- 10 or 11 lumens... not that bad!
- you can get a suprisingly huge image size!
- I guess because of the DLP, the reds this produces are RED, like it glows red almost. You will notice this, trust me.
- ultra portible, smaller than my Ipod Touch 2G and LG Voyager.
- comes with 2nd battery, Ipod adapter... basically everything you need right out the box.

Cons:
- EXPENSIVE (however, I got mine for $349 through Microsoft Live cashback).
- You need a DARK, dark room to get the full effect
- "Rainbow" effect due to the DLP, but it's not that bad really.
- I have the feeling this is going to get outdated fast, since the technology is small enough to fit in cell phones.
- You need to know and expect its limitations, if you can't don't waste your money.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars works amazing with a Touch Pro or Fuze, February 18, 2009

By	The Evil Critic (everywhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO Pocket Projector- 4 oz. (Electronics)

It works exactly as describe. Actually, it will output much larger than 60" without much distortion. As long as you don't compare it to the very large tabletop projectors or much more expensive models you will not be disappointed. The brightness over-all is better than another model that I seen of equal price, but you still need a rather dark room for it to be effective, as I imagine is the case for most projectors. I'm pleased with it and would recommend it for what it's worth. It's a 4 oz device, not a 60" plasma HDTV.
Other devices are always "just around the corner", but if you aren't into waiting several months in hopes of prices to start lowering and with untested durability with new devices then this is a good choice. It's already been heavily tested and no malfunctions or defects or lifespan issues mentioned as of yet. However, the speaker is weak, and they probably should have left it off like many other projectors have done. Using a separate speaker system or headphones solves that issue.

As other posters have said, it does display a better image than others which are "suppose" to be better when comparing the listed specs.

Buy a cheap adapter so you can use your laptop with it...or just plug it into your phone like I do. It will work with any phone that has TV-Out. If you can see it on your phone, then you can see it with the projector. No conversions necessary. :)