InFocus X9 - Review Summary

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Art Feierman

Bottom Line

he InFocus X9 home theater projector is a well thought out projector for the average consumer. It performs exceedingly well in the three areas that should appeal to those wanting an affordable, and enjoyable. home theater experience. That's right, this projector should please "the rest of us." I'm referring to those who are not the hard core enthusiasts that so love the technology and finer points of performance.

The three impressive strengths of the InFocus X9 are brightness, ease of use, and very good color accuracy. When I say color accuracy, I mean without having to fool with lots of adjustments, let alone a full calibration. I realize that a large portion of home theater projector purchases are made by enthusiasts, but it will be products like the X9, that will go a long way to expand the base of home projector owners. The X9 should be able to attract buyers who are, (dare I say it this, so close to the election?) "regular joes."

The X9, will likely prove a very successful entry, that will woo many who otherwise would just walk into Best Buy and buy an LCDTV or Plasma, and never get to enjoy the sensation of a movie, favorite TV program, or sporting event on the large screen. I'm one of those (a little humor here) who thinks that a 46" plasma or LCDTV is the perfect size for your kitchen or 3rd bedroom. But seriously, the theater experience starts around 90" diagonal (which is about four times the size of a 46 inch), depending on your room

InFocus X9 Projector: Cons

❮ ❯

No RGB grayscale balance controls for the enthusiast who wants to get the best possible calibration of the image
Credit card remote is small, possibly easy to misplace (check those sofa cushions first, if it's missing)
Projector is dependent on the credit card remote, for all adjustments except power on and off, so don't lose it, and keep a spare "button" battery around
Very limited image control if Brilliant Color is turned off

2x color wheel - translates into more potential owners seeing the rainbow effect, than some other DLP home projectors with 3x or 4x color wheels If you don't see rainbows - or they are rare and don't bother you, (normally only visible on DLP projectors when bright objects move quickly across a dark background or vice versa), don't worry about this point.
Zoom lens range is only 1.1:1 even less than most other DLP projectors (1.2:1), although, in fairness, that normally translates to only about 10 inches less placement range. 3LCD projectors are far more flexible in terms of placement

InFocus X9 Projector: Typical Capabilities

About average price for a 720p projector
Range of the remote control
Audible noise is higher than most of the LCD home projector competition, but average, or slightly below average among the DLP home projector competition