Toshiba TDP-T90

More and more projectors are based on Texas Instruments' DLP technology, and the T90 follows the trend. DLP (Digital Light Processing) uses thousands of tiny, pivoting mirrors to reflect light through an RGB colour wheel. This high-precision process results in better video performance than more traditional LCD units. The obvious downside is the price - most DLP projectors tend to cost over £1,200. However, if image quality is top of your projector wishlist, models such as this Toshiba are ideal.

The overall specification of the T90 is impressive. A resolution of 1,024 x 600 pixels is complemented by a 2,000 ANSI Lumens brightness rating. The 200W lamp is stated as lasting 2,000 hours in standard mode and 1,000 more in Eco mode, where the rating drops down to 160W. The projected screen image will reach a maximum of 6.25m diagonally right down to 63cm. DLP also helps the T90 achieve an excellent 2,000:1 contrast ratio.

The first thing we noticed about the P90 was its quiet fan: the noise was negligible even after the unit had been on for a while - an impressive feat. It looks great too, with the gun-metal grey casing and silver faade giving it an attractive and professional air. Thankfully, build quality is also up to scratch, feeling sturdy enough for life on the road. At 2.9kg the T90 is just about light enough to carry around, with the supplied case making life even easier.

A pleasingly lightweight remote is supplied, which, aside from the omission of a laser pointer, offers all the control you'll need. The menu system is intuitive, and requires the minimum of button pushing to navigate. You'll only have to get used to the controls once too, as the projector's top-mounted buttons mirror the built-in menus, helpfully surrounded by a set of clear status lights.

All the connections are neatly tucked away at the rear, where you'll find two D-SUB inputs as well as a pass-through. We'd like to have seen a DVI port included at this price, but it isn't a critical omission. S-Video, composite video in and 3.5mm audio in and out ports are also provided. Networking isn't included as standard, but the T90 will accept a WLAN card (available later this year), which will include ad-hoc and infrastructure 802.11b capability.

The video performance of the T90 is excellent. Skin tones on video playback are accurate and image detail is excellently rendered. Blocks of colour were solid right to the edges, with colour balance a particular strong point. Text is sharp and remains legible even at small sizes. There are three colour modes available - Standard, High Brightness and True Colour - giving you the option to adjust the colour balance to suit your presentation. And for those on the road, the built in 1W speakers will also be surprisingly helpful. They understandably lack bass response but will be fine for spot effects or voiceover in a small presentation.

The quiet fan, stylish design and excellent image quality make the T90 an appealing product. If you're looking for a lightweight unit with good projection capabilities, the T90 should be on your shortlist. At £1,459, it's competitively priced, has a good range of features and would be a worthy addition to any business.

Author: Christopher Brennan