ViewSonic PJ503D and PJ513DB DLP Projectors Review

Viewsonic’s PJ503D and PJ513DB according to user forums are considered as performance value projectors for a budget price. They are versatile projectors suitable for small offices, classrooms and home theater use. Both DLP projectors have a native SVGA (800 x 600 pixels) resolution but will support 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p and 1080i video sources.

ViewSonic PJ503D Projector

Both projectors weigh in under 6 pounds and therefore is lightweight enough to be considered as portable making them more attractive to business which need to share a projector around. Another bonus for businesses and those who want to move their projector around is the digital keystone correction facility ( +/- 7 degrees) providing setup flexibility through quick squaring up of the projected image. The PJ513DB also adds zoom capability for distance from the screen flexibility and a built-in speaker.

Contrast ratio is an important factor in producing a quality image and the ViewSonic PJ503D and PJ513DB come with an excellent contrast ratio value of 2000:1. Brightness is also excellent with the PJ503D’s 1,500 lumens being more than adequate for a home theater setting and able to cast a reasonably bright image even with some ambient light. The PJ513DB with a higher 2,200 lumens brightness will give an even brighter image for viewing in bright ambient light conditions.

To boost video processing performance ViewSonic have included motion adaptive deinterlacing. The projectors do not come with a remote control but adjustments can be make using an on-screen menu.

Replacement bulbs are a considerable cost of projector ownership but, ViewSonic help out with comparatively long 3,000 hour rated life when used in the whisper quiet low power mode. The projection lamp comes with a long one(1) year warranty – compared with the far more common 3 month warranty. The overall projector warranties are also very reasonable at 2 years for the PJ503D and 3 years for the PJ513DB.

Connections

RGB (15-pin HD, D-sub cable), Composite (RCA jack), S-Video (Mini-Din 4-pin), Component (VGA DB-15 to HDTV/component cable), 8-pin mini-Din for RS232

Onboard controls

Display mode, brightness, contrast, keystone, aspect ratio, blank screen, color temperature, user color, video(sharpness, saturation, tint), display (phase, H. position, V. position), advance (auto source select, eco mode, lamp hours, lamp reset, auto shutdown, OSD timeout, menu position, factory reset)

Resources

Specification PJ503 PDF

Specification PJ513DB PDF

Projection Screen Selection

8 Tips to Extend Projector Lamp Life

Replacement Projector Lamps and Bulbs

User Reviews and Prices for ViewSonic PJ503D and PJ513DB DLP Projectors

Follow the links for Amazon customer reviews and prices for the

ViewSonic PJ503DB DLP Projector and
ViewSonic PJ513D DLP Projector

Prices and Customer Reviews at Newegg.com for

ViewSonic PJ513DB DLP Projector

Check the price at TheNerds.net for the

ViewSonic PJ503D1500 Lumens DMD Projector

Specification Differences Between PJ503D and PJ513DB

	PJ503D	PJ513DB
Brightness Lumens (max)	1,500	2,200
Display Size (in.)	37.5–150	37–162
Minimum Projection Throw Distance (in.)	38	59
Noise Level (dB) Normal/Eco or Whisper-mode	30/27	32/28
Zoom/Focus Control	–/Manual	Manual/Manual
Integrated Speakers	No	1×2-watt
RGB Inputs/Outputs	1/–	1/1
Limited Warranty	2-Year	3-Year

Specifications for ViewSonic PJ503D and PJ513DB DLP Projectors

Projector Type	0.55″ DMD, DLP
Resolution	800×600 SVGA
Lens	Manual focus
Zoom	no (PJ503) yes (PJ513)
Keystone Correction	Vertical ± 7º
Display Size	38 to150 (PJ503) 37–162 inches (PJ513) (diagonally)
Lamp	160W (PJ503) 180W (PJ513), 2,000 hours normal, up to 3,000 whisper eco mode
Brightness	1,500 (PJ503) 2,200 (PJ513) ANSI lumens (max)
Contrast Ratio	2000:1
Aspect Ratio	4:3 (native), 16:9
Computer/Video	NTSC M, NTSC 4.43, PAL, SECAM, HDTV (480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i)
Integrated Speakers	no (PJ503) 1×2-watt (PJ513)
Compatibility	PC Analog: from VGA up to SXGA (scaled) Mac Analog: up to SXGA (may require a Mac adapter)
Connectors	RGB Input 15-pin HD, D-sub cable (x1) Composite Video Input RCA jack (x1) S-Video Input Mini-DIN 4-pin (x1) Component Video Input VGA DB-15 to HDTV/component cable* Control 8-pin mini-Din for RS232
Power	Voltage 100-240 VAC, 50/60Hz (universal) Consumption 250W (typ)
Noise Levels	Normal mode 30 dB (typ) Whisper mode 27 dB (typ)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	Physical (mm) 263mm x 108mm x 218mm Physical (in.) 10.35″ x 4.25″ x 8.6″
Package Contents	Projector, power cords, VGA cable, remote control, lens cap, ViewSonic Wizard CD, Quick Start Guide