Recently, I was looking for a replacement for a “consumer-grade” home projector from RCA. I happened to see one on sale at Target in their electronics department and thought it might be fun to have. The novelty of that unit wore off quickly, though, as it was only standard resolution (480 lines vertical, a standard in the US) and didn't have that great a picture.
I'm glad I thought to take a peek on Amazon, because this Roconia projector was available, and at a surprisingly good price for full HD. For comparison I considered a Vankyo unit, which now seems to be the more popular brand for home projectors at retailers like Target and Walmart.
But the thing is, the more I read about the Roconia projector, the more I was willing to give it a try. Amazon offered same-day delivery (between 2pm and 6pm) and, being a Prime member, I figured it couldn't hurt to try it, particularly with Amazon's decent returns policy.
I tried to find out what the “Roconia” brand was – who owns them, where they're headquartered, that sort of thing. All I could find out was that the unit was made in China. I saw at least one review decrying the cheap quality of Chinese goods but, as I said, I figured I could always return the unit if it had serious defects.
The deal-clincher for me was a YouTube video! There's a guy who showed the packaged unit, unboxed it, and tried it. He was pleased with it, so I figured I might be, also. And so far, it's a pretty sweet deal.
PROS
>> Logically designed – can stand it on its rear to point up at a ceiling without additional hardware or holders.
>> Comes with a screen sheet (a nice touch).
>> Very bright and sharp enough picture for the price.
>> Easy to use. Didn't use the manual much.
>> Very nice carrying pouch for it. It appears this unit is positioned for businesses not wanting to spend over $300 for an Epson or other top-shelf brand, and the carrying pouch is nice – it zips up completely, covering the unit and any accessories inside (the remote, the power cord).
>> Wireless projection options from Android or iOS devices. A very cool thing about the Roconia is that when you select the wireless connection option, all the instructions are projected to the wall for you to make the connection. No fumbling around looking for the quick-start guide. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is, is it possible to change the screen orientation on the Roconia's output image.
>> Two HDMI ports and a USB port built in.
>> Good sound. I wasn't looking for sound, but it's built in. With Bluetooth, though, you could attach it to an external speaker and have an even better experience.
>> Keystoning adjustment is a nice touch. This is a second wheel in addition to the focus which allows you to square the distortion of a projected image, if it's at a slight angle.
CONS
>> Some might find the fan a bit noisy
>> The unit does get a bit warm, so don't cover the vents.
SUMMARY
Whether this is for home or business use, this is a really great deal for a projector, and one that's full HD, too. Certainly, there's better ones from the likes of Epson and ViewSonic, but not at this price point.
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