I need a new television. I don't have the money to buy what I really want — or rather, I don't want to spend the money at this time. Tired of playing my Xbox 360 on a mediocre TV with a mediocre size and an off-center picture, I decided to try the EyeClops Mini Projector. I knew it probably wouldn't have a high-quality picture, but from the available information, it seemed like a decent short-term solution.

And it is. If you plan to use it in a pitch-dark room and don't care about losing your game and possibly ruining your vision. The EyeClops Mini Projector, while great for portable big-screen visuals, just doesn't make the cut as a viable option for console gaming.

The mini projector is a toy. It projects content up to 60 inches, connects via RCA cables (composite video and stereo audio) to anything that has the capability. You can plug it in with the AC adaptor, or you can use the battery pack, which takes 4 D batteries and doubles as a base so that you can connect the device and tilt/aim the image. But, despite the technical aspects, it's definitely a novelty item and was made for kids.

The graininess and insufficient brightness of the projected image don't allow for decent viewing — even at a closer range. The EyeClops Mini Projector has the capability of focusing in and out, but it's minimal. And there's no way to change the brightness of an image. In fact, there's no way to change any visual settings other than focus. I tried to play Halo 3 with the image projected on my ceiling, but the quality was so bad that I could barely see my radar, let alone any red dots on said radar. I wasted a lot of time (and health) stopping to adjust the focus in hopes I'd be able to kill easier.

I eventually gave up on using the mini projector for Halo and tried it with 1 vs. 100. Happily, I could at least see the text and questions and information clear enough to be content playing the game. I may try other games using the projector, but I'll make sure I won't need to see any details. Surprisingly, the sound quality of the mini projector is quite good. It's loud and clear — which is good since you can't actually see what's going on most of the time.

Overall, I'm fairly disappointed with the EyeClops Mini Projector. Sure, it's a toy. However, I had low expectations going in to my purchase, and those weren't even met. I was hoping for at least a crisp and clear smaller image. This device may be good for children or for anyone who absolutely must have some sort of big-screen image while they're outside camping or barbequing. Just don't expect much quality. It's only $100, but I'd say skip this purchase until the price drops or until something better comes along.