Sony VPL-FH30 WUXGA 3LCD Projector Review

Sony VPL-FH30 Projector Highlights

Sony VPL-FH30 Projector Overview

The Sony VPL-FH30 is a high brightness (4300 lumen rating), high resolution (WUXGA - 1920 X 1200) LCD projector that is targeted for use in a large venue like an auditorium.  The VPL-FH30 has a complete set of connection options for a PC, Mac and other video sources, including the traditional VGA cable, DVI-D, HDMI, 5-BNC component video, S-video and composite video.  In a break from the normal location on the rear panel, the FH30 provides all connections on the front panel, along the bottom.

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The VPL-FH30 is network connectable (through its LAN input) allowing for control of the projector, as well as monitoring the projector’s status, scheduled maintenance and problem notification remotely.  As likely uses of this projector would include medical school training and medical imaging presentations, Sony has included a gamma setting that conforms to the grayscale requirements of the DICOM standards.  This is routinely used to provide a clearer picture of X-ray images (see details in the Special Features section).

The FH30 comes with a standard 1.6x manual zoom lens, but Sony also offers two optional lenses and a (required) lens adapter.  These lens options are explained in more detail in the “Special Features” section below.

The VPL-FH30 is one of a family of similar projectors.  These include (from bottom to top in features and price) the VPL-FX30 - an XGA (1024 X 768) projector rated at 4200 lumens, the VPL-FX35 – also an XGA projector rated at 5000 lumen and the VPL-FH35 – a WUXGA projector like the FH30, but rated at 5200 lumens.  All of the above projectors have vertical and horizontal lens shift, can use the same interchangeable lenses and have the same networking capabilities.  Only the VPL-FH30 and FH35 have an HDMI input.