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Projector posts

Epson concocts world's first 4K HTPS panel, 4K 3LCD projectors closer to reality

by Darren Murph posted Nov 9th 2009 at 9:09AM

Oh, the beauty of progress. Just a few months back, Epson seemed fairly content showing off an HTPS panel with a WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) resolution, though today that very product just seems lackluster. Up until now, 4K x 2K projectors were reserved strictly for cinemas, businesses and consumers with a) more money than sense and b) room for a 200-pound beamer in their basement. The planet's first 4K-compatible high-temperature polysilicon (HTPS) TFT liquid crystal panel for 3LCD projectors measures just 1.64-inches and supports displays with resolutions as high as 4,096 x 2,160. Your guess is as good as ours as to when this stuff will actually hit the market in a functioning product, but yesterday is as good a day as any to start saving up.

[Via Akihabara News]

Hitachi exhibits 10-inch glasses-free 3D display

by Darren Murph posted Oct 16th 2009 at 8:19PM

Hitachi's face-recognizing, power-saving plasma may have been the outfit's show-stopper at CEATEC, but this little bugger here showed some pretty fantastic potential as well. The 10-inch 3D display, more formally known as the Full Parallax 3D TV, one-upped most every other 3D display at the show thanks to its ability to showcase dimensions sans any glasses. Unfortunately, the native resolution is just 640 x 480, and yes, it really is just 10-inches in size. In due time, the outfit hopes to scale up to screen sizes that may actually be appealing to end users by utilizing multiple projectors (each of which with a 800 x 600 resolution), though a 4K x 2K 3D display (of the glasses-free variety) is still probably a couple of trade shows out. At least.

[Via 3D-Display-Info]

Price check -- Runco's LS-3 projector within reach of mere mortals

by Steven Kim posted Sep 24th 2009 at 11:49AM

Runco LightStyle LS-3 projector
We'll admit that sour grapes coming from the direction of our wallets usually make us look right past Runco's offerings. It's great stuff from a good company, but let's just say if you slip the Runco logo into a Rorschach test, we won't come up with "affordable." So in case you missed it in our CEDIA blitz, Runco's LS-3 LightStyle beamer carries a MSRP of $4,995 -- not cheap, but not new car kind of money that we associate with the brand, either. It's a 1080p DLP projector that packs a list of Runco tech like ConstantContrast, Vivix enhancement, Runco image processing, that all together are good for 10,000:1 contrast. If you're fortunate enough to be in the market for something like a JVC projector, consider adding the LS-3 to your audition list and call us over for some popcorn.

NuVision crashes the projector party with LED-lamp P2, 3-chip P3

by Steven Kim posted Sep 15th 2009 at 7:33AM

NuVision logoNuVision has picked our favorite way to make a splash with a product sector entrance -- bring out models packing relatively unique tech. The P1, P2 and P3 DLP projectors should fit into NuVision's custom-centric product lineup quite nicely when they release early next year. Things start out pretty tame with the $8,999 P1, a UHP-lamped offering with (of course) 1080p native resolution. The P2 makes the game interesting with its LED lamp system that should pretty much cut the lamp exchanges down to zero if you can really control the ambient light in your theater; but then again, $18,999 would pay for a lot of bulbs. Finally, there's no denying the glory of a three-chip DLP setup, though, and P3 mates those three chips with a 300-Watt UHP lamp for the kind of no-compromise performance you'd expect from a $36,999 beamer.

JVC's trio of consumer-ish projectors still make wallets weep

by Steven Kim posted Sep 15th 2009 at 6:40AM

JVC DLA-HD990Did we mention that CEDIA was a whirlwind of activity? There are a few bits of good stuff we didn't manage to get our HD hands on, including the new JVC projectors aimed at folks who just can't swing the mortgage-busting $175,000 for the company's pick o' the litter. The DLA-RS35, DLA-RS25 and DLA-RS15 are available through the "professional channels" CEDIA targets, but the equivalent DLA-HD990, DLA-HD950 and DLA-HD550 are in the consumer lineup. Everyone of the 1080p, D-ILA beamers gets the 120-Hz treatment, HQV Reon video processing, motorized lens zoom and focus, horizontal and vertical lens shifts and of course, ISF calibration modes so you can get things tweaked just so. Sounds great, but you can't expect JVC to deliver this feature set on the cheap -- $5,000 for the HD550, $5,500 for the RS15, $8,000 for the RS25 or HD950, and an even $10,000 for the RS35 or HD990.

Runco shows up at CEDIA with loads of projectors and flat screen in tow

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 11th 2009 at 12:32PM


Following CEDIA tradition, Runco (oh yes, they were actually here) had plenty to show off, with new projectors and LCDs, apparently enough that we needed two separate rooms for the press conference. We switched rooms to experience the company's new QuantumColor LED-lit Q-750i, combining Luminus Platlight technology with its own engineering to create what it says is unsurpassed performance and unrivaled customization. Its showcased a few new color management wrinkles, customers can have a shot at making green grass pop without skewing other elements starting in November for around $15k. The company also had in store new Crystal Portfolio LCDs, some featuring its OPAL technology for outdoor situations, and a new round of LightStyle series projectors, for the kind of folks who only want to spend five or seven grand on a PJ, while the VideoXtreme line falls somewhere between that and the $100k+ crowd. Also mentioned? The company plans to keep selling its plasmas, even though a certain someone (cough, Pio) has exited the market. Peep the read links for all the details and jaw dropping prices.

Read - Runco Unveils the Future of Home Theater Projection (QuantumColor)
Read - Runco Introduces Five New Performance LCD Displays
Read - Runco Reveals Its Most Affordable VideoXtreme Projectors
Read - Runco Sets a Projector Benchmark with its LightStyle Series

JVC puts 4K DLA-RS4000 projector in your home... for just $175,000

by Darren Murph posted Sep 10th 2009 at 3:42PM


By and large, any 4K x 2K projector that we've seen -- be it at CES, CEDIA or any other trade show -- has been solely for looks. Oh sure, they're for sale, but they're only being sold to cinema owners and the select few that find themselves within the same tax bracket as Bill Gates and Lawrence Ellison. But the DLA-RS4000... the DLA-RS4000 is different. Introduced here in Atlanta, the ultra high-definition projector spots a native resolution of 4,096 x 2,400, enabling it to display up to four screens of Full HD content (you listening, college football / NFL fans?) at once. Naturally, it's fully ISF and THX certified, and it packs 3,500 ANSI lumens, a Xenon lamp, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, RSVP4 video processing unit, Ethernet port and an RS-232c control port. Interested in showing 1080p what's really up? Great! Crack open that wallet and yank out $176,000 -- $175,000 for the beamer, and a grand to rent the forklift you'll need to get a 110 pound box into your home.

InFocus' SP8602 projector puts the ScreenPlay line back on the map

by Steven Kim posted Sep 9th 2009 at 9:36PM

InFocus SP8602 projector
It's been a long time since InFocus has brought out a beamer under the ScreenPlay name, but the SP8602 is coming out guns blazing at CEDIA. The 1080p DarkChip DLP boasts a 30,000:1 contrast, but can also crank out 1,300 lumens for when viewing must compete with that big ball of fire in the sky. The SP8602 is packed with good tech, including a six-segment color wheel, TI's BrilliantColor, 10-bit video processing from PixelWorks and 120-Hz support to make sure the images thrown up on the big screen are eye-poppingly good. Heck, it's even ready if said screen is less than perfect -- vertical and horizontal lens shifts, automatic image flipping (ceiling mount is where it's at) and warping functions (don't use them unless you have to) should pretty much be able to deliver square images to all but the most compromised situations. Available in late October, but you'll have to hit up your dealer for pricing.

Mitsubishi rolls out 1080p HC3800 projector for $1,395

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 9th 2009 at 6:05PM


It's not always easy for a projector to stand out from the pack these days, but it looks like Mitsubishi has turned to one of the most tried and true tricks in the book for its new HC3800 model: offer a ton of features for a great price. That starts, naturally, with a full 1080p resolution, and things stay more than respectable all along down the line with 1,300 lumens of brightness, a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, a promised 5,000 hour lamp life (in conservation mode) and, get this, full support for anamorphic lenses in case you're really looking to top off your home theater. Best of all, the projector is set to run just $1,395, and should be available sometime in the third quarter of this year.

[Via About Projectors]

Sony brings projectors for everyone with VPL-VW85 & VPL-HW15

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 9th 2009 at 5:00PM


Along with the rest of its CEDIA 2009 announcements, Sony will be showing off new projectors. Up first is the VPL-VW85 (pictured above) which one ups the exiting VPL-VW70 and VPL-VW80 models by combining the company's 120Hz Motionflow frame insertion tech, 120,000:1 contrast ratio, 800 ANSI lumens, RS-232C and an anamorphic zoom lens in an $8,000 package. If that's too rich for your blood, the VPL-HW15 (picture after the break) offers a spec bump over the VPL-HW10 with 60,000:1 contrast ratio and a lower initial MSRP at just $2,800 when both of these launch in October.

Continue reading Sony brings projectors for everyone with VPL-VW85 & VPL-HW15

Epson's 2010 PowerLite Home and Pro Cinema projector lineup given US pricing, dates

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 8th 2009 at 7:34AM

We already snuck a peak at the European version of Epson's Home Cinema 8500 UB (the EH-TW4400) and Pro Cinema 9500 UB (EH-TW5500) at the big IFA show in Berlin. Now they're US official, and joined by newly anointed PowerLite Home Cinema 8100 and Pro Cinema 9100 models. The new 8100 doubles the reported contrast of the old 6100 (on paper anyway) which should equate to a visible black level improvement for an asking price of just $1,500 after $100 rebate -- very reasonable for a Full HD home theater projector of Epson quality. The 9100 adds support for an anamorphic lens, ISF certification for professional setups, a bundled ceiling mount and spare E-TORL lamp, and a 3-year replacement warranty for a beefier $2,600. Expect the 8100 to hit US retail in October along side the "sub-$4,000" Pro Cinema 9500 UB while the 9100 lands in November with the "sub-$3,000" Home Cinema 8500 UB. Your holiday slide-shows will never be the same.

[Via The Art of Home Theater Projectors]

Read -- PowerLite Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB
Read -- PowerLite Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB

Panasonic issues mildly revamped PT-AE4000 1080p projector at IFA

by Darren Murph posted Sep 3rd 2009 at 3:28AM

Panasonic's PT-AE3000 has gone over quite well in the home theater space, with its 1080p resolution and gorgeous image quality winning over more than a few projector junkies. But given that there's always room for improvement, the outfit has today introduced the PT-AE4000, an ever-so-slightly refreshed version that looks essentially identical to its predecessor. The Full HD native resolution and 1,600 ANSI lumens remain unchanged, though the contrast ratio has been bumped from 60,000:1 to 80,000:1 and Panny has outfitted it with a new "red rich lamp" and dynamic iris. Finally, this beamer supposedly eliminates those nasty Cinemascope issues that some users were seeing on the AE3000, though the estimated £2,000 ($3,255) asking price still feels a bit steep when you consider the alternatives.

ViewSonic debuts WPG-350 for WiFi video streaming, PJD2121 for portable SVGA projecting

by Ross Miller posted Aug 27th 2009 at 1:16AM

Don't let your instinctual attraction to glossy items fool you. While the PJD2121 pico projector on the right is certainly the shiniest, it's ViewSonic's WPG-350 wireless gateway that we're digging the most. Assuming you've pre-installed the appropriate software onto the pertinent Windows / OS X machine, connect the bridge to a VGA display of some sort, and stream all the 1024 x 768 presentation content you want over 802.11b/g/n WiFi. Sure, it's not HD, but at $199, it's not the worst value, either, and it's still half-lustrous on the top. Looking back at the projector, the little DLP shiner boasts 800 x 600 output, 400 lumens, and a 1,800:1 contrast ratio. A $499 price tag definitely undercuts the Samsung offering we saw yesterday, but it's still way pricey for SVGA.

Read - Press release
Read - PJD2121 product page
Read - WPG-350 product page

Sanyo releases LP-XU106, the brightest projector under 4 kilograms

by Laura June posted Aug 26th 2009 at 4:35PM


Sanyo's just announced a new projector, the LP-XU106. The projector weighs in at 3.4 kilograms, making it what the company calls the brightest projector in its weight class. And it is pretty bright -- at 4,500 lumens and a contrast ratio of 1,000:1. It also boasts Sanyo's "Easy Setup Function" to help out the projecting novices. The LP-XU106 will be available on November 20th, but there's no word on pricing as of yet. We'll keep you posted on that one.

[Via Akihabara News]

Mitsubishi's new 1080p midrange PJ contender is the HC6800

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 20th 2009 at 10:09AM


Mitsubishi is back with a spec bump to last year's well-received midrange HC6500 1080p projector with the HC6800. This model slots in below the king GT-styled HC7000 but increases its contrast ratio specs to 20,000:1 and does its big brother one better with a higher 1,300 lumens, apparently aimed at living rooms rather than the darker, more controlled home theater environment. Video processing is once again handled by the capable HQV Reon-VX chipset, this one is due in Japan September 15 for ¥250,000 ($2,647,) we don't expect to wait long for a U.S. date & MSRP.

[Via AV Watch]




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