The ViewSonic PJ258D was released in 2007, and at the time, it featured a novel tool that hadn’t been introduced in many projectors: An iPod docking station. Not an iPhone, but a port for an iPod! That’s how dated the projector sounds these days.
And that feature was the biggest selling point. The DLP-based projector was just average in other areas. For example, it offered 2,000 lumens, broadcast images in the XGA 1024×768 native resolution, and it originally retailed for $1,399 MSRP. Today, those aren’t very impressive specs, and in 2007, they weren’t that impressive either. Yet, with its iPod dock, the PJ258D did find buyers who were looking for a solution to play video from an MP3 source.
ViewSonic PJ258D: The Pros
The PJ258 did a few things right, and in some ways, it paved the way for more modern budget DLP-based projectors. Here are a few of the ViewSonic’s best features:
- Lightweight Design: Weighing just 3.9 pounds, the PJ258D was a super portable projector. Even today, 4 pounds is considered light for a projector. Plus, the ViewSonic featured a sleek piano-key black case, which was before its time.
- iPod Connectivity: The iPod dock, at the time, was a novel innovation. Now, we can see the limitation of the technology. Technology is constantly changing. The PJ258D wouldn’t support today’s iPhones. This feature, though, is built into a range of projectors today, and in many ways, the PJ258D was one of the first to popularize the idea.
- Average Lamp Life: In 2007, the average lamp life for a single-chip DLP projector was about 2,000 hours. The PJ258D was rated for 2,000 hours, with a boost to 3,000 hours in economy mode. Today, many operators are looking for replacement lamps. Fortunately, a PJ258D replacement lamp starts at $239, a small price compared to the original MSRP. The lamp part number was also known as RLC-025.
Viewsonic PJ258D Rear Inputs
ViewSonic PJ258D: The Cons
Outside of the iPod dock and lightweight design, the PJ258D was limited in a few areas. Image quality left something to be desired, and its built-in speaker delivered barely useable audio.
- Poor Audio Quality: The PJ258D was equipped with a 1-watt mono-speaker. In the quietest of places, that might suffice, but it still wouldn’t be great. The audio performance was sub-par. Fortunately, the projector had an audio-out connection, and external audio was a must for this projector.
- Below-Average Image Performance: Early reviews noted a similar problem: The PJ258D was prone to the rainbow effect. Although it delivered 2,000 lumens of light with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, the image was average at best with noticeable rainbow effect.
- Limited Connections: For a projector released in 2007, the PJ258D had a decent range of connections: S-Video, Composite-Video, and VGA inputs. Today, that would be considered a below-average range.
The PJ258D offered a new feature in 2007, an iPod dock, but apart from that, it wasn’t a great projector. There were better similarly priced projectors that were released that year. Even so, the projector performed OK, and it was ideal for iPod early adopters. If you own this model, MyProjectorLamps offers the best price on a PJ258D replacement lamp.