Sony MP-CL1

A GENUINELY POCKETABLE PROJECTOR THAT’S GREAT FOR TRAVELLING NIGHT OWLS.

SCI FI MOVIES ARE responsible for that desire we all have to interact with holographic computers or project images onto walls and although it’s been possible to do this with ‘pico’ projectors in the past, Sony has launched the rst one that actually makes you want to.

e black metal chassis is no bigger than a large mobile phone and gives the projector an understated class that is re ective of the money you’ll fork out for it. In addition to a micro-USB charging port, there’s also a MHL HDMI output, 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB output, letting you use it as a powerbank. Like a number of pico projectors, the MP-CL1 uses LED-based projection so you don’t have to worry about focusing the device at any distance, having to replace an expensive projection lamp, or waiting for that lamp to warm-up before use.

e MP-CL1 isn’t the brightest projector, pushing a meagre 32 lumens (compared to around 1,500 for most home theatre projectors), but what it lacks in shine, it makes up for with an impressive 80,000:1 contrast ratio and a surprisingly high 1,920 x 720 resolution. While that lower brightness makes the MP-CL1 practically unusable in the daytime (a tablet half the price will show a 10-inch picture signi cantly better), re the device up in the dark and you’ll get an awesome image that looks excellent up to about an 80-inch projection size.

If you happen to have a recent smartphone, then you can use the Wi-Fi-based Miracast to connect to the MP-CL1 wirelessly, which will allow you to simultaneously connect to Bluetooth speakers without interference (or alternatively run speakers from the projector via the AUX out). It still surprises us that a projector this size can play through an entire lm with a 40- to 80-inch picture on a single charge — with sound. And what’s more, that 3,400mAh internal battery actually lasts up to two hours if you’re not using the projector’s own speakers, which are really a last resort option anyway.