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   I bought the Optoma PK301 in the center of January, 2011. As everybody here, I suppose, I had been watching hours and also hours of Youtube videos and reading thousands of words in reviews. In order to raised help and explain my opinion to your account, who is considering this projector, without a doubt keypoints:
– I’m an University tutor, and my main use is featuring simple graphics and texts;
– My own classes have 40-90 students;
– Most of my classes are at night;
– I don’t need sound and hasn’t been expecting this pico projector to fill this.

So, YES, I can use it in the BIG room with 100 students. With the desk 5 to 6 meters away from the wall I can get a pretty decent big screen for them to easily read the texts and view some graphics. (wall needs being white os whiteish – it’s not good on a black-green board). Some individuals say it can’t be used in a very large room and I disagree. CRUCIAL: LIGHTS NEED TO BE COMPLETELLY AWAY FROM. I tried using this during our morning classes and, as expected, the lamp has not got enough lumens to make the projection seen at daylight (but i knew it and it’s really not bad for me).

   Your “fan” sound, which a lot of individuals say is too loud, is no problem for me. Even in a tranquil room its sound isn’t loud as well as annoying. I watched a movie inside my living room and with the film’s sound I could’t pay attention to the projectors cooler system (not any, the external speaker I hooked the idea up wasn’t very loud).Precisely what else… hum, it gets hot, really hot following a 1: 45 hours of class. I believe it’s normal and predictable. The initial few times I smelled “smoke”. It ceased following the third time I used the PK even though.

MY ONLY WARNING IS: THE VGA WIRE, AFTER LESS THAN 2 MONTHS INVOLVING LIGHT USE IS DEFECTIVE. Projection receives pink. If I hold the cable in as specific part (close to the ferrite) it stops. I’ve just sent a message to Optoma PK301. Let’s see how it ends.

I recommend this equipment, a number of my co-workers bought regular projectors along with I see them carrying heavy and elephant-like units to their classes. Here in Brazil we have a very popular saying for this. In English it looks like: “(the other regular-sized projectors) are cannons hitting a fly”.
IMO, for classes, your PK301 is dead on. Don’t listen to people saying it has nintendo wii resolution or it has a weak contrast. It is a Optoma Projector. Expect what on earth is reasonable. I can live with it as i think I can put the whole set (handy remote control, cables, tripod, power-supply, unit itself) during my backpack adding around 1kg to my own back.

BAD THINGS OVERVIEW:
– NATURALLY: POOR QUALITY VGA CABLE. BAD CONTACT NEXT TO THE FERRITE. WAITING FOR OPTOMA’S ANSWER.
– REMOTE CONTROL HAD TO BE BOUGHT SEPARATELLY. OMG…
– TRIPOD MUST BE BOUGHT TOO. Seriously, Optoma. Do you probably think your users would mind having to pay, let’s say, 15 dollars more, included on the price, for a “full set” Like the damn remote and a tripod? WOW , again…
– power supply could abide by the PORTABLE mentallity, right Optoma team? NEEDS to be smaller, but it isn’t bigger than the average ones.
– included cables are too short And possess I alrady said tha one is defective?

GOOD THINGS THAT HELP TO MAKE ME SMILE OVERVIEW:
– extremelly gentle, portable and small
– sports an execellent construction (at the least, looks like – feels sturdy…);
– recognizes the input Considerably faster than other unities I’ve ever observed (Samsung, Epson, 3M and BenQ). In 8 seconds you’re good to go!
– quiet unit;
– good resolution because of its size;
– good contrast for it is purpose;
– several cables included to produce you start (hope no additional breaks…);
– micro SD slot works pretty well, so you can really go portable, leaving your notebook at home as well as saving your smartphone’s battery;

I advise this item. But Optoma needs to utilize better cable suppliers…