With its glossy, piano-black finish and egg-shaped design, Toshiba's TDP-ET20U is sure to open eyes. And that's before you even switch on this $1400 all-in-one digital projector, slot-loading DVD player, and sound system.
The TDP-ET20U offers a lens with an unusually short focus. This translates into dramatic flexibility in terms of where you can position the projector. You can put it barely 2.5 feet from the projection surface--about half the distance required by competing models--to get a projected image measuring 5 feet diagonally. The myriad cable connections reside up front, an unusual approach that keeps cables safely out of the way, presumably, of passersby.
Available connections include component, composite, and S-Video outputs; coaxial digital audio inputs and outputs; and a composite audio output. You also get an HDMI input, but the video-optimized projector outputs images only at 848-by-480-pixel resolution (far less than full high definition), in a 16:9 wide-screen aspect ratio. The lamp's rating is 1200 lumens; the contrast ratio is 2500:1.
Image quality from this DLP projector's six-segment color wheel was reasonably sharp and satisfying, though in my informal movie tests, the images on my shipping model lacked punchy colors and some details in dark shadows. The integrated Dolby Digital 5.1 surround-sound speakers won't compete with those in a dedicated surround-sound setup, but they gamely handled a movie sound track.
The TDP-ET20U is costlier than competing all-in-one home theater projectors; however, the unit's compact, chic design and short-focus lens make it a contender.
Melissa J. Perenson