Digital projectors are attractive pieces of equipment, sometimes a bit too attractive for their own good. Nearly 200 were stolen from schools in the Metropolitan Police area alone in the first three months of the year. Epson has attempted to counter this loss of equipment by introducing a new projector, the EMP-X3e.

First glance at the device shows it's something different. Taking up most of its top panel is a bright orange, embossed, plastic panel, not easy to remove, with a message suggesting you contact your local constabulary if you see it in use outside a school environment. It would take some removing, but isn't the only form of defence the projector offers.

There's no power switch and the only way you can switch the EMP-X3e on is via the remote control. Keep the remote safe and the projector is next to useless. Even if you have it, there's a third barrier to illicit use, as you have to enter a four-digit PIN before the projector will start up. You can change the PIN whenever you need to, and by default it isn't 1234.

Taken together, these three counter-measures appear pretty effective, but is the projector worth them? The simple answer is yes. This is an XGA device, so it can display up to 1,024 by 768 pixels and, although it doesn't use a Digital Light Processor (DLP), it does use three LCD planes to provide a bright, 2,000 ANSI lumen display. This should be good enough for most classrooms, though you'll probably need to dim the lights.

There's a good range of input sockets, including S-Video and Composite as well as a standard analogue XGA input from a PC and a feed through to an external monitor. There are also left and right channel audio outputs.

Physical controls include easy-to-use focus and zoom lens handles, while the remote control provides access to on-screen menus that offer all the usual keystone and screen size adjustments. There's a digital zoom which can enlarge part of the screen and a built-in speaker with a 5W amplifier, so for many classrooms it may be all the audio you need. It's handy not to have to cart around active speakers with the projector.

The picture is crisp and shows both Windows applications and movie output without any noticeable blur. Colours are natural, though with a slight swing to the green part of the spectrum, and there's an eco mode, cutting the power when you're displaying in reduced light.

The EMP-X3e comes with a three-year, next-day warranty, which should boost peace of mind. At a price of under £900 (inc. VAT) and with the well-implemented set of security measures, it offers a practical solution to the problem of equipment theft, at a very reasonable price. The projector gives a good picture and supports a flexible set of input sources.