When making purchase decisions, buyers for educational institutes usually consider a number of variables. The equipment must be functional, reliable and easy to use. It must be equipment cost-effective, and should be tailored to the requirements it will be used to satisfy. It should offer sufficient safeguards in an environment densely populated by students, instructors and support staff from the world over.

Hitachi feels that it might have found an answer to some of these concerns with their ED-X10 projector. The company insists that its compact, affordable projector is designed solely for educational institutes, with ease of connectivity, flexible performance and competitive cost being given careful consideration. The ED-X10 is a compact and affordable LCD projector, delivering performance, optical zoom and easy interfacing. But in a competitive market, these features may not be enough to distinguish it from other good offerings in the projector segment.

But according to Hitachi, its BECTA approved projector scores points with its anti-theft features. Designed specifically for open environments accessed by a large number of people where equipment can’t be physically secured, the ED-X10 comes equipped with multiple features that discourage potential thieves from running off with the bright orange projector. For starters, the projector is PIN code protected,which means that users will have to enter the pin before the projector may be used. The projector also contains a transition detector, which notices if the machine is being connected to different IT equipment. A customizable start up screen offers another layer of protection. According to Hitachi, the projector also comes equipped with a security bar and ultra destruct labels.

While even these security measures may not be enough to deter determined pilferers, Hitachi’s emphasis has been on making the projector sufficiently foolproof to discourage casual theft. The projector comes supplied with a Teacher's remote in addition to a standard one. The Teachers remote is easy to use, with buttons that can be personalised to map onto the most commonly used functions and tasks.XGA resolution,My Screen Memory Image Store and Whiteboard/Blackboard/Greenboard modes come as standard on the ED-X10.

Overall, Hitachi’s offering is a value-for-money proposition for most educational institutions, balancing reliability, affordability, connectivity and compact design to deliver a well-rounded product. The ED-X10 is a compact and affordable 3LCD projector that delivers.