Projector Review - Eiki LC-XNB2U & LC-NB2U, Canon LV-7325, Mitsubishi X70

Eiki LC-XNB2U and LC-NB2U

$7,995 (LC-XNB2U) and $5,995 (LC-NB2U)

Pros: A bright, colorful projector equipped with motor-driven zoom lens. PC Card slot for computerless presentations. Good video performance.

Cons: Not as lightweight as many other projectors on the market.

Weight: 9.2 pounds (Eiki claims 8.8 pounds). Data and power cord plus remote control weigh an additional 1.8 pounds.
LCD size and resolution: XNB2U: 0.9-inch XGA (1,024 x 768); NB2U: SVGA (800 x 600).
Optics: Three-panel, dichroic-cube system with optical integrator, microlens array and polarization conversion. Motorized-zoom and -focus projection lens.
Lamp: 150-watt UHP.
Measured brightness: XNB2U: 1,173 ANSI lumens; NB2U: 1,072 ANSI lumens (average of wide- and narrow-zoom settings). XNB2U: 1,220 ANSI lumens; NB2U: 1,079 ANSI lumens in the wide-zoom setting. (Eiki claims 1,200 ANSI lumens max.)
Measured ANSI contrast: XNB2U: 159-to-1; NB2U: 186-to-1.
Connections: One 15-pin standard computer data input with audio. One combined composite and S-VHS video input with stereo audio input. Projector includes an RGB monitor output, audio outputs and a serial connection for mouse or computer control.
Video compatibility: Accepts most popular video sources up to SXGA.
Speakers: One 1-watt, built-in speaker.
Accessories included: PC Card slot and laser-pointer IR remote control.

The navy blue XNB2 and light gray NB2 projectors are upgrades from the previous Eiki Notebook series of LCD projectors, the XNB1 and NB1, I reviewed last year (January 1999). These new units have been extensively revised, losing half a pound in weight and practically doubling their light output. Eiki has raised the price a bit to pay for these improvements -- the new models' prices are $300 to $800 more than last year's prices, depending upon whether you take the W unit without microlenses and PC Card slot or the U unit (reviewed here) with both microlenses and the PC Card slot. The new price is worth the increase in performance, though.

Eiki increased the old unit's light output by using a 150-watt UHP lamp in place of the 120-watt lamp the XNB1 and NB1 projectors used. It also installed microlens arrays on both the XGA and SVGA systems and enhanced the general optical system. The resulting performance is mighty impressive. I measured 1,220 ANSI lumens in the XNB2U's wide-zoom setting, which is more than the advertised 1,200 lumens. The SVGA-resolution NB2U is also rated at 1,200 lumens, but measured 1,079 ANSI lumens in its wide-zoom setting, which is within the 10 percent margin of error I am willing to accept. In the average between wide- and narrow-zoom