Toshiba TLP-S30U review: Toshiba TLP-S30U

Review summary
When Toshiba first introduced the TLP-S30U LCD projector nearly a year ago, it was not only very bright--the company claimed 1,400 ANSI lumens--it also had an extremely aggressive price of just $1,299. Since then, however, a handful of competitors have dropped their prices to the same level. And although the TLP-S30U still ranks among the brightest entry-level, SVGA projectors we've seen, newer models--especially smaller, lighter DLP projectors, such as the Dell 2100MP--have largely surpassed it in both features and performance.

The Toshiba TLP-S30U has a simple, box-style design. For a budget LCD projector, its dimensions--10.8 by 8.1 by 3.1 inches (W, D, H)--and weight (4.9 pounds) are about average, but compared to like-priced DLP projectors, the TLP-S30U is on the big-and-heavy side. Its travel weight, including accessories, comes in at 6 pounds, while its black nylon carrying case has a moderate amount of cushioning, despite being surprisingly compact.

"="" --="">/sc/20723840-2-200-DT1.gif" width="200" height="150" border="0" /> The Toshiba is slightly large and heavy compared to similarly priced DLP projectors.

"="" --="">/sc/20723840-2-200-DT2.gif" width="200" height="150" border="0" /> Don't miss the TLP-S30U's keystone correction--press the Auto Keystone button on these controls and watch it go.

Setting up the projector is easy, but it's not as automatic as we'd like. The projector cannot automatically detect whether it is connected to a computer or a video source; you must press the Source button and toggle through the possibilities, then push the Auto Set button so that the projector can choose the optimal phase angle and frequency.

The projector's lens protrudes slightly from the left side of the front panel; a thin lens cap on a tether provides a modicum of protection. The optical zoom range of 1.2X is average for these projectors, but the projector must sit nearly seven feet from the screen to cast a one-meter image, one of the longest distances for the group of projectors that we tested.

The Toshiba has by far the best keystone correction we've seen. If your projector's image is trapezoidal instead of square, like a keystone, just press the Auto Keystone button on either the remote control or the top of the projector. The unit automatically calculates the angle and adjusts the image to a rectangular shape. It works perfectly.

The Toshiba TLP-S30U's basic set of connectors lies on the back panel: VGA and component video (with an optional cable) through the VGA port, plus composite video and S-Video. Toshiba graciously provides both computer and stereo composite-video cables for the audio jack. The small, monaural, 1-watt speaker can get quite loud, but it sounds tinny. The TLP-S30U's VGA-out connector is a nice treat; it lets you display an image simultaneously on another monitor or projector.

"="" --="">/sc/20723840-2-200-DT3.gif" width="200" height="150" border="0" /> The Toshiba's connectors are basic but functional.

"="" --="">/sc/20723840-2-200-DT4.gif" width="200" height="150" border="0" /> Want a laser pointer or a way to control your laptop? This remote doesn't have it--and you'll have to pay an extra $139 to get those features.

The remote control included with the TLP-S30U controls all of the capabilities of the projector, but it cannot interface with your laptop for useful tasks, such as advancing to the next PowerPoint slide. Nor does it have a laser pointer. Toshiba will sell you a $139 Mouse Remote that fills both these voids, but that's small comfort.

The TLP-S30U needs a little more maintenance than other projectors we've tested. The air filter requires cleaning every 50 hours of use--about twice as often as most projectors. The company also recommends replacing the air intake, the exhaust fans, and the air filter every two to three years. Replacing the bulb module requires a little finesse and the loosening of two screws. To lengthen the 2,000-hour life of the $388 lamp, you can set the projector to a low-power mode. Unfortunately, this mode lasts only until you turn off the projector.

Toshiba's TLP-S30U is one of the brightest projectors we tested, delivering 1,163 lumens (close to its spec of 1,400). With its low-power mode turned on, brightness drops by 18 percent to 953 lumens, which is still adequate for most small-room applications. More important, the noise level drops by 30 percent, making the TLP-S30U quieter than the average for this class of device.

In regular operation, the TLP-S30U is noisy, hot, and slow on the uptake. Its fan is the loudest we've tested, at 41.2 decibels. And the air emitted through its exhaust port measures a toasty 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Its 1-minute, 6-second warm-up time is almost twice as long as that of any other projector we've tested. The cool-down period was interminable at more than 3 minutes.

The TLP-S30U performed moderately well on our imaging and qualitative tests. The 186:1 contrast ratio is low, especially compared to the 400:1 that Toshiba claims. Its 6,750-degree kelvin (K) color temperature is only a hair's breadth away from the ideal, sunlight-white range of 5,500 K to 6,500 K. In our other tests, this projector did an excellent job matching the colors of a typical monitor--meaning you'll see fewer clashing color combos during your next presentation. The reds and blues were right on the money. The greens shifted just slightly toward yellowish. We could distinguish shades of gray over almost the entire range of 255 shades; some had a greenish tint, but there was no banding or streaking. Only one test slide showed any flicker. In our DVD test with The Matrix, complex motion was quite smooth, with no artifacts. As is the case with many LCD projectors, however, the grid of fine horizontal and vertical lines separating each pixel was readily visible.

The Toshiba TLP-S30U comes with a two-year limited warranty. Extending the warranty to three or four years costs an extra $359 or $529, respectively. Toshiba has a special toll-free, 24/7 support number for digital projectors (877-523-8324), but neither downloads nor support is available directly through Toshiba's Web site. Online support is available with Toshiba's Ask IRIS feature, which attempts to understand your question but seems to return only references to irrelevant documents. We could not find any tech-support e-mail address.

The TLP-S30U comes with a multilingual owner's manual and a one-page quick-reference guide. The manual covers all of the basic functions of the projector, but the copy we received included references to pages that do not exist, which seems to be standard for this family of projectors. The printed manual includes only the first half of the pages. To see the full version, you have to access the CD-ROM or download a copy from the Toshiba Web site.