Vivitek’s Qumi is the size of a paperback book, yet it’s an HD projector. And it’s also 3D-ready (via DLP link). How cool is that? LEDs light up a single 1,280 x 800-rez DLP chip, and a manually focused lens aims the party. It is a bit of an oddity, though: too big to be a true “pocket projector” (it’s also A/C powered) but not quite bright enough to be an inexpensive theater projector.
On a 100-inch, 1.0-gain 16x9 screen, the Qumi’s light output is just over 3 footlamberts. But that’s not the point. Shrink that size to 60 inches, and you get just shy of 10 ftL. Not bad for something you can throw in a backpack.
On the back you’ve got a rather odd collection of connections. Instead of an SD card slot, there’s Micro SD. Instead of HDMI, there’s Mini HDMI. So you’ll need to buy specific HDMI-to-Mini HDMI cables to hook up most sources. (One cable comes in the box, but it’s barely longer than the projector itself.) You also get a USB port to screen movies and photos from a flash drive. There’s an A/V input and a “Universal I/O” slot that’s used for another included cable that breaks out to RGB PC. Sound coming from the Qumi’s tiny built-in speaker is audible, but just barely.
The menu is surprisingly elaborate, with a User setting offering all the basic picture controls, color temperature, and more. Performance-wise, it’s surprisingly good, though I admit I’d be impressed with anything this small putting out an HD image. In the Warm mode it measures slightly cool. The picture is detailed, the colors are rich (a bit too rich), and the contrast ratio is decent. Overall, not bad.
Qumi excels as an easily portable projector, one that creates a bright, “big TV” picture wherever you want. (Look here for our full review) – Geoffrey Morrison
