Velocity Micro debuts Shine, 'smallest HD-capable' projector

Velocity Micro's upcoming sub-$400 pico projector offers native HD resolution of 1,280x768 pixels and accepts 1080p video.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.

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David Carnoy

Jan. 4, 2012 6:27 a.m. PT

2 min read

The sub-$400 Velocity Micro Shine has native 1,280 x 768-pixel WXGA resolution and weighs just 9 ounces. Velocity Micro

Up until now tiny pico projectors have been mostly disappointing. But picos like the Velocity Micro Shine are growing up a bit in an effort to offer better picture quality.

According to the company, the Shine's claim to fame is that it's the smallest HD-capable projector with a native resolution of 1,280x768 pixels (WXGA). While that's far from full 1080p resolution, the company says it can accept a 1080p (1,920x1,080) signal. It uses DLP technology with LED illumination and weighs 9 ounces and measure 4 inches on its longest side.

To be clear, this does not have a built-in rechargeable battery like many pico projectors; it must be plugged into a wall outlet. Most importantly, however, that 300-lumen spec you see below should mean the Shine is significantly brighter than the earlier, smaller pico projectors.

The projector seems a bit more geared toward Android smartphone and tablet users as well as Windows laptops, all of which are more likely to feature an HDMI output out of the box (Apple mobile products require HDMI converter cables). That said, Velocity Micro would be smart to offer an easy connectivity option for Apple users at launch.

No word yet on exact pricing (Velocity Micro says sub-$400) or availability, but we'll add that to the post as soon as we get word.

Note: The Shine is listed as "3D Ready" on Velocity Micro's Web site. The company says this means that the DLP chip supports a 3D input, but would require a software update for full 3D.