If you need a projector with XGA (1,024-by-768) native resolution and an ultra-short throw, be sure to include the Hitachi CP-AX2503 ($1,395) on your must-see list. Not only can it give you a big image in a tight space—with a measured 98-inch (diagonal) image at 13 inches from the front of the projector in my tests—but the image quality, for data images at least, is nothing short of excellent. The combination makes it our Editors' Choice for XGA ultra-short-throw projectors.

Like the Epson PowerLite 585W ($944.00 at Amazon) that's Editors' Choice for WXGA (1,280-by-800) ultra-short-throw projectors, the CP-AX2503 ($864.00 at Amazon) has the advantage of being built around three LCD chips rather than a single DLP chip.

The three-chip design guarantees that the CP-AX2503 will be free of the rainbow artifacts (flashes of red, green, and blue) that tend to show with most DLP projectors, including, for example, the Canon LV-8235 UST . It also ensures that the color brightness and white brightness match, so you don't have to worry about differences between the two affecting either color quality or the brightness of color images. With many single-chip DLP projectors, that can also be an issue. (For more on color brightness, see Color Brightness: What It Is, Why It Matters.)

The key disadvantage of the LCD design is that, unlike most DLP models, the CP-AX2503 doesn't offer any 3D support. For most applications this won't matter, since most people don't need 3D. If you need it, however, this obviously rules out the CP-AX2503, and you should be considering DLP models like the Canon LV-8235 or the Ricoh PJ WX4130N, which is our Editors' Choice for lightweight ultra-short-throw projectors.

Basics, Setup, and Throw Distance

The CP-AX2503 weighs 9 pounds 8 ounces and measures a relatively large 5.6 by 14.8 by 14.2 inches (HWD). Hitachi rates it at 2,700 lumens, which is appropriate for a small to midsize room. Like most ultra-short-throw models, it's most likely to wind up permanently installed with a wall mount, which is available as an option ($234). Mounting the projector just above the screen keeps it out of the way and makes it almost impossible to cast shadows even if you're standing next to the screen. However, you can also simply rest the projector on a flat surface just below and in front of the screen.

Still another alternative is to get the optional tabletop stand ($242). The stand holds the unit in a vertical orientation, with the image projected downward to the table's surface, turning the table into a projection screen.

Whichever position you choose, setup is mostly standard for an ultra-short-throw projector, with a focus control and no optical zoom. However, Hitachi adds one highly welcome extra, with a motorized focus that you can control from the remote, so you can stand far enough back to see the entire screen as you focus.

Image inputs on the side panel include two HDMI ports; one composite video port; and two VGA ports for computers or component video, one of which can be set for monitor-out. In addition there's a LAN port for sending images (but not audio), as well as for controlling the projector over a network. Two USB Type A ports let the projector read files directly from a USB memory key or take advantage of the optional Wi-Fi dongle ($99).

Hitachi did not provide the Wi-Fi dongle for my tests, but according to the company, in addition to letting you connect to your network through an access point, it will let you connect to the projector directly. Hitachi offers free apps for both displaying images and controlling the projector from an iOS or Android device.

For my tests, I set the projector up with a 98-inch (diagonal) image at its native 1,024-by-768 resolution. I measured the front of the projector at roughly 13 inches from the screen. The window near the back, where the image emerges, was an additional 11 inches away.

Brightness, Image Quality, and Audio

Using the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommendations, and assuming a 1.0 gain screen, the CP-AX2503's 2,700 lumen rating is bright enough for roughly a 190- to 260-inch (diagonal) image in theater-dark lighting. With moderate ambient light, the appropriate size would drop to about 125 inches. You can also switch to one of the Eco modes, a lower brightness preset, or both, to lower the brightness for smaller screen sizes. The 98-inch image I used was certainly bright enough for a typical level of light for an office or classroom.

The projector offers particularly impressive quality for data images, handling our standard suite of DisplayMate tests without any problems worth mention. Colors were suitably vibrant, eye-catching, and nicely saturated in all modes. More important for most data applications, the CP-AX2503 handled detail extremely well. With text, for example, white characters on black were crisp and highly readable at sizes as small as 6.8 points. Black text on white was equally readable at 6 points.

See How We Test Projectors

Video quality is necessarily limited by the native resolution, which scales wide-format HD video down to nearly standard-definition resolution. In addition, colors in our test clips tended to be a little washed out. However, the quality is good enough to be watchable for long sessions, which is more than some data projectors can manage.

Also on the plus side, the 16-watt mono speaker delivers excellent sound quality along with enough volume to fill a small to midsize room. You can also plug an external system into the stereo audio output

If you need an ultra-short-throw projector that you can carry around easily, you might want to consider the Editors' Choice Ricoh PJ WX4130N, despite its WXGA resolution, even if what you really need is XGA and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Similarly, if you must have 3D, you'll need a DLP-based projector like the Ricoh model or the Canon LV-8235 UST.

That said, in the more likely case that you don't 3D or portability, and if XGA is the right resolution for the images you need to show, the Hitachi CP-AX2503 offers excellent image quality for data, watchable video, and useful features like motorized focus, a combination that makes it our Editors' Choice for XGA ultra-short-throw projectors.

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