Several months ago, we had the chance to make friends with the tiny Benq Joybee projector, which left a most positive impression on us. The fact that LG has decided to present the portable projector market with their own solution just months after even setting foot in it only goes to prove that it’s a market niche with potential. Welcome the model HS201.

It’s not like you can find a plethora of this kind of devices on the market so that you have anything to compare with; it’s basically down to the aforementioned Benq and a single Samsung model. It’s simply a new mobile concept that has yet to capture the attention of the audience. The dimensions of this projector enable you to carry it around at all times, and since a small carrying bag is included in the bundle, this process is significantly simplified.

As is the case with other projectors of the sort that we’ve met up to now, the story of the short VGA cable is once again repeated, which means that you can forget connecting this device with a desktop PC without buying an extension cord. LG is probably expecting people to connect this projector to notebook computers primarily, which would eliminate the need for a long VGA cable. Luckily for us, the projector has a standard VGA connector, which makes finding and connecting longer cables much simpler. We have to underline this fact because manufacturers’ practice is often to install a non-standard connector onto the device itself, which complicates things immensely. LG has evidently invested effort into the number of available input/output connectors as well; we believe that even the most demanding of users won’t have anything to reproach in this regard. Small dimensions and an asymmetrical design make for a likeable look, and we have no doubts that LG HS201 will fit into any environment nicely. The bundle also contains a tiny remote control, which holds a separate place in the carrying bag, making it unlikely that you’ll lose it. The button configuration is good, response is immediate, and the IR port at the back of the projector ensures good coverage.

The front of the white casing is covered in all possible standard/feature stickers, while all of the commands, intuitively placed, are located on the top. The settings menu is very rich and simple to use, and you’ll have no problems projecting the image on a wall or ceiling, since the geometry/fine tuning parts are excellently done. Depending on the type of material you intend to play back (film, presentation, images…), there are a few predefined modes which will accommodate the desired image type and optimize image quality to the max. The focus ring has been replaced by a scroll wheel on the side of the projector, usually in charge of zooming in on the picture. Unfortunately, the total span of the manual focus wheel is too small and imprecise, so you’ll spend considerable time if you’re striving for a crisp-clear image.

Heat is as present as on any projector, especially during intensive use, but within normal threshold, so you don’t really need to worry about this; the heat is nicely dissipated through numerous openings, while the fan-induced noise is reduced to the bare minimum. A significant contributor to this is the fact that the projector is using the LED lighting technology. LG has opted for a LED lamp instead of the usual one, which has a specified lifespan of an incredible 30.000 hours. The main advantage of LED technology is that brightness doesn’t fade a single bit over time, keeping the same level of intensity as the first day, but on the other hand, its maximum brightness cannot compete with fully fledged classic lamps, which means that you’ll be forced to darken the room in order to watch something adequately during daylight.

The 800x600 resolution is hardly spectacular, but is nevertheless more than enough to enjoy DVD or DivX films, TV or any presentation. Since it uses power-saving technologies and shuts down automatically after a preset inactivity period, power consumption is significantly lower compared to typical projectors.

Technology has lamentably not yet reached a sufficient development level for these devices to be fully powered by integrated batteries, which would indeed make them ideal companions. In that scenario, you’d be able to buy a larger bag and carry a projector alongside your notebook, therefore becoming less dependable on purely the available video connectors.