Sanyo LP-XL50 projector touts uber-short throw

For those who picked up Sanyo's LP-XL40 wide-angle projector for its sensational short-range capabilities, we hope your wallet's prepared for an upgrade. The firm's newest LP-XL50 steps it way up by touting the ability to shoot an 80-inch image onto a screen with just 8-centimeters of space between the lens and the wall. Moreover, you can still squeeze out marginally smaller images from even closer ranges thanks to its newfangled optical engine. Specs wise, you'll find a 1,024 x 768 native resolution, 275-watt UHP1 lamp, 2,000 lumens, "blackboard mode" for mounting just above a classroom board, theft deterrent system to foul up those mischievous kids, a pair of VGA inputs, component, S-Video, and composite connectors, and a built-in two-watt speaker to boot. Unfortunately, it seems that you'll be waiting 'til late December to throw down your ¥600,000 ($4,931), but click on through for a few more looks for the time being.

[Via AkihabaraNews, images courtesy of Impress]

[paul34 @ Jun 13th 2007 9:54PM]

teehee, that first pic reminds me of that crazy "you can't project darkness" thing we had with that other thread about the handheld projector

[CharlieX @ Jun 13th 2007 10:35PM]

It looks like the projecting lens is housed in that triangular looking bit. So it's not 8cm from the wall... more like 14-16 inches.

[t-bone @ Jun 13th 2007 11:15PM]

That's just what I was thinking. Typically, the lens is in the front of the projector. It looks like they turned the projector around and added a mirror to bounce the immage back to the wall. Still, 80 inches from, let's say, 2.5 feet is still impressive.

[imax15 @ Nov 29th 2007 10:12PM]

i was wondering if you move the projector back from the wall, will the image get larger? another thing is does this projector support 16:9 format and has a HDMI input?

[Urza @ Jun 13th 2007 11:51PM]

...a 2 watt speaker? Is that a typo? I mean, why even bother? If you have the money to buy a projector like that, I would think you would be buying real speakers. I mean, god, that's almost too wussy to even be useful!

[P* @ Jun 14th 2007 1:32AM]

A 2W speaker is useful for those annoying business presentations when you want grab everyones attention with those gunshots and whoosh sounds that powerpoint comes with.

[taco @ Jun 14th 2007 2:34AM]

Is this similar to the actual projector bit inside a Rear Projector unit, but moving it to a Front Projection setup?

That said, it'd be nice if you really could project darkness :)

[XpacTa @ Jun 14th 2007 2:41AM]

Actually this looks like a normal projector with an attachment that contains mirrors to bounce the image back at the wall.

[Jay Style @ Jun 14th 2007 3:52AM]

Actually the space between the lens and the wall is 1 meter. (sez the japanese text) :)

"8 cm" is the gap between projector and wall.

[kaztm @ Jun 14th 2007 6:11AM]

Look here for various projection modes suggested by Sanyo:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070613/sanyo685.jpg

and more pics here:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070613/sanyo.htm

I tipped this news to Engadget yesterday...oh well.

[Eitan Mendelowitz @ Jun 14th 2007 11:34AM]

I think their specs are a bit diceptive - its a lot longer than 8 cm from the lens/mirror to the wall. I think the NEC WT610E is probably better.

[gshb @ Jun 14th 2007 6:31PM]

i hope they have a non-classroom version, sans crappy speaker and make the whole unit one color.