Infocus IN1102

While there are many projectors that fall into the ‘portable’ category, many of them make significant sacrifices in resolution, brightness or colour quality. InFocus’ IN1102 breaks that mould, combining small size and low weight with impressive colour and brightness. Its only problem is a low level of contrast.

The IN1102 does not have interesting styling or a non-standard form factor — it’s a small and unobtrusive projector. With a two-tone grey colour scheme it does not look particularly stylish, but it is small enough that it does not stick out like a sore thumb.

At 6cm tall, 18cm deep and 21cm long, it is easy to carry in one hand or tuck under an arm when moving around. InFocus also supplies a carry bag with plenty of storage space for carrying all the necessary cables and accessories. With everything bundled into the bag it still weighs well under two kilograms.

At first look there are not many connections to be seen on the rear of the unit, with VGA, S-Video and composite RCA the most prominent. On close inspection, though, the DisplayLink port is visible, using a mini-USB connector like the one found on many MP3 players and Nokia mobile phones.

Using a DisplayLink cable is where the IIN1102 really shines. When connecting to the USB port of a computer the IN1102 supports scaling of any resolution, up to and including 1080p high-definition content. In addition, a virtual remote control is displayed on the computer’s screen when connected — allowing easy configuration and control of the projector remotely. Up to six projectors can be connected simultaneously to a single PC.

We tested the IN1102 over DisplayLink and VGA connected to a Xbox 360 and a Lenovo ThinkPad W700 (275854M) laptop. At the projector’s default resolution of 1280x800 we found the picture to be an almost perfect compromise of brightness, colour quality and sharpness — definitely one of the most impressive portable models we have tested.

At a rated 2200 ANSI lumens, projection brightness in a well-lit room was exemplary. We saw consistent colour and a vibrant picture even when overhead fluorescent lights were on. The projector’s sharpness was equally impressive — text and graphs within presentations were crisp and exhibited no bleeding.

Contrast is an area where the IN1102 is not so strong. This is understandable given its focus as a business projector, but if you are considering it for movie watching it may disappoint. Even with the low contrast colours were still vibrant and well separated, giving presentations and most video a pleasant image.

A lamp life of 4000 hours is on par with competitors, but the IN1102’s impressive specifications are what set it ahead of the rest of the pack. If you are looking for a portable projector that’s proficient at presentations, the IN1102 is a good option.