Looking at cheap projectors for your Home Theater? You won’t do much better than InFocus IN72.  

With over 19 years of experience in this market, InFocus is one of the top producers of front projector technology. Even a budget model from InFocus isn’t what you’d call a “cheapie.”

Enter the InFocus IN72. It’s a glossy black projector with a stylish profile. It has a swivel base that sits on a stand or can easily mount to a ceiling. What’s most attractive about this projector is its price; it retails for somewhere around $800. Be warned of price tags putting the total price below $600; InFocus has a healthy rebate offer on this particular model, but you’ll have to fork out the cash up front. InFocus puts the price at $600 after rebate – but you can find it cheaper on the streets. That’s a pretty good price considering this very model retailed at over a thousand dollars last year.

Why so cheap? This is a 480P single chip DLP projector. These types of projectors can usually be found discounted, but lesser brands probably won’t sell you one for much cheaper than this. The IN72 is compatible with HD formats 1080p/24, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i and 480p. But it only has a native resolution of 854 x 480. Does its lack of 720P or 1080P resolutions mean it projects a bad picture? Not on your life! This is enough resolution to provide you with a bright, clean image – and depending on the source, you won’t even miss the added resolution of more expensive models. 

One Bright Picture

If you’ve ever experienced HDTV front projectors, you know that ambient lighting levels are critical to control. Too much light in the room and your viewing experience is ruined with washed out colors and no shades of black. The best advice is to only use a projector in rooms where you have absolute control over lighting. And room lighting isn’t the only thing you have to control; internal brightness is another critical element to projector technology.

Brightness in a projector is measured in ANSI Lumens. Manufacturer’s rating for total lumens is seldom accurate when put to the test. Most products receive a maximum rating higher than it ever achieves in independent testing. According to ProjectorCentral.com, the test of IN72 got a healthy 625 ANSI lumens even though InFocus gives their product a spec of 900 ANSI lumens. A score of 625 is still surprisingly good, considering many more expensive projectors have been rated at 900 lumens but fall well short of even producing 600.

Another good attribute of this projector is its variety of inputs. It features HDMI, component, S-Video, composite, M1-DA and an RS-232 for external control.

InFocus IN72 Features:

·         ANSI lumens: 900

·         Contrast (full on/off): 2000:1

·         Light Engine: 854x480 16:9 0.6" DLP chip with a 4x, 6-segment color wheel

·         Video Compatibility: HDTV 1080p/24, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p.

·         Data Compatibility: Computer resolutions up to XGA.

·         Connection Panel: One composite video, one S-Video, one set of RCA component inputs, one HDMI input, one M1-DA port, one RS-232 port for an external control.

·         Lens and Throw Distance: 1.20:1 manual zoom/focus lens. Throws a 100" diagonal image from 12.8' to 15.4'.

·         Lamp Life: 3,000 hours, regardless of lamp setting.

·         Warranty: One year.

This appears to be a solid product for an entry level home theater. It’ll provide a bright 480P image that’s perfect for most video gaming and DVD videos. It’s compatible with HDTV sources but it’s not going to provide the detail you’d get from much more expensive 720P or 1080P projectors.

Thanks to ProjectorReviews.com for the images of InFocus IN72