Talk about product overlap: just over a month ago, Mitsubishi introduced its XD500U, boasting a pixel count of 1,024 x 768 and brightness of 2,200-lumens. Now say "hello" to the XD211U, with the same pixel count, brightness, and BrilliantColor specs. The XD211U weighs in at 0.5-pounds lighter and does boast a new DDP 2230 TI microarray, however. The theft-deterrent security hook will protect the $1595 beamer from any grabby hands around the office or classroom. The projector might be secure, but you know some deadbeat is going to make off with the detachable keypad and render this thing unusable -- better order a spare keypad right up front.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Samsung's harder better faster "blue phase" (not to copy Blu-ray, just named for the color observed during its development) LCD panel is the first to demonstrate image-driving speed of 240Hz, surpassing current twisted nematic, in-plane switching or vertical alignment technology. In the quest for smooth CRT-style motion Samsung follows DLP manufacturers that announced plans to cross the 240Hz barrier at CES by manufacturing a display that aligns its own layers, simplifying manufacturing and ensuring uniform brightness without the need for an overdrive circuit found in today's merely expletive-inducing 120Hz LCDs. Don't expect these to hit shelves before 2011, coming first in TVs "that require high-speed video reproduction" -- like the one you'll buy that has a much bigger number than your next door neighbor's latest HDTV. For now, the only place to see the future is this 15-inch model at the Society for Information Display 2008 show in LA May 18.

Oh she's a chubster all right. But that's ProjectionDesign's F30, the world's first DLP projector capable of throwing a business-minded, WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) display. Perfect for native WUXGA laptop-based demonstrations, ProjectionDesign's flagship projector also sources 1080p content in addition to 4:3 formats as you'd expect. Inside this 4,300 lumen projector you'll find TI's DLP .95 chip and 2x 300W UHP lamps offering about 2,000 hours of life at full power (5,000 hours in eco mode). Inputs include DVI, HDMI 1.3a, VGA, and component to name a few. Price? You've gotta ask ProjectionDesign. In other words, too rich for you Mr. Middle Manager.

While we had every reason to believe that InFocus had another swank 1080p projector waiting to be unleashed last month, it's always good to see a little reassurance from the outfit itself. As of today, the Play Big IN83 is really real, and it's looking to deliver Full HD imagery to your screen later this month. Packed with TI's DarkChip4 DLP chip, this unit sports a native 5,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,600 ANSI lumens, HDMI 1.3, Pixelworks DNX 10-bit video processing and 2.35:1 Cinemascope / widescreen aspect ratio support for good measure. The pain? $5,999 through "exclusive InFocus resellers and installers." Check out the gallery over at Engadget HD (hint: it looks just like the IN82), and click on through for the full release.

Nah, Samsung's M310 isn't nearly as diminutive as its MBP-100, but it's still quite the cutie. Hailed as an Ultra Mobile Pocket Imager, this DLP device features a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 150 ANSI lumens, VGA input, SVGA native resolution and a pleasantly small footprint. Mum's the word on an official price / release date, but we've all ideas this is one case where more won't cost less.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Hey, you -- about to pull the trigger on a svelte new 1080p Play Big IN82? Hold your horses young buck, as it seems that the aforementioned unit's successor is just around the bend. Reportedly, the InFocus Play Big IN83 will house Texas Instrument's DarkChip 4 DLP chip and will feature a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 5,000:1 native contrast ratio, 10-bit video processing, an HDMI 1.3 input, automatic black level calibration, 1,600 lumens and a three-year warranty. Unfortunately, word on the street pegs this beauty at £3,500 ($6,948), so maybe that soon-to-be-discounted IN82 doesn't look like such a slouch after all.

[Via AboutProjectors]

If Mitsubishi's polite pair of projectors weren't enough to satisfy those impeccably high standards of yours, we've all ideas that Planar's duo won't let you down. First spotted at Runco / Planar's zanily themed booth at CEDIA, it seems that Planar is just now getting around to giving us a ship date that we can dutifully pencil in. The flagship PD8150 -- which checks in with a glorious 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 1,000 ANSI lumens and a 15,000:1 contrast ratio -- will finally ship in early March for $7,999. As for the $5,999 PD8130, which also hits the road in March, you can expect the same resolution with a slightly lower 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Pretty tempting, no?

[Via AboutProjectors]

Optoma announced a trio of DLP projectors due to be shipping over the next few months: models TX776, TX782 and TX783. The projectors pump out 4000, 4500 and 5000-Lumens, respectively. Each of these PJs put up a 3000:1 contrast ratio on the 1024x768-pixels. If you pick up the TX776 , we're guessing you'll use the DVI input; otherwise you can take advantage of HDMI input on the TX782 and TX783. Look for these models to show up in the "professional" (government/education) lineup in March.

We must have impressed Alienware's reps with our super-elite Crysis skills this evening, because it only took a little prodding for them to give up some more details on that awesome curved DLP display:

• It's definitely coming out in the second half of the year, but the model we've been seeing is just a late engineering prototype -- everything from the internals to the casing is probably going to change.
• There are four LED-backlit DLP projectors inside, which explains the lines in the image above, but the final version will show a seamless image.
• It's going to be an Alienware product, but it was developed by an ODM called Ostendotech.
• There's definitely some heavy-duty image-processing going on to make the images appear correctly -- the Ostendotech guy called it "the secret sauce" -- but most games will support it with very little effort, apparently.
• The ideal viewing position is directly in the middle at about two feet away. That's when the image seamlessly appears to wrap all the way around you, and it's just as sweet as you'd expect.
• Pricing information is still infuriatingly non-specific: the best we got was "more than a 17-inch flat panel and less than a Kia." Thanks, guys.

BenQ's been loosing mediocre DLP projectors overseas for some time now, and the latest yawner is heading straight to the Middle East. The CP220c features a way-below-par 1,024 x 768 resolution, 2,000 ANSI lumens, 700:1 contrast ratio, VGA / component / S-Video / composite inputs and a built-in mono speaker. Additionally, the unit weighs in at just 3.9-pounds, sports a Carl Zeiss lens and includes real-time automatic keystone adjustment. If you've managed to make it this far, you'll likely be disappointed to find that pricing deets are still a mystery though the PJ should be available now.

DLP is finding new life with the latest advances in illumination technology. We've already seen LED backlights, and now the technology is taking a page from the LCD world. Say "hello" to 240Hz display mode DLPs, with a 100% increase in motion reproduction -- diminishing returns for Hz increases, indeed. Working with LED manufacturer Luminus has produced contrast ratios of 500,000:1. But the ride doesn't stop there, as demonstrated by Mitsubishi's laser HDTV with a DLP heart. We'll be checking that one out, so stay tuned for the details.

At the same time as some manufacturers are getting out of the RPTV market, Texas Instruments is continuing to find ways to add legs to their RPTV light engine technology. We don't think anyone would try to argue that front projector setups are going anywhere anytime soon, but RPTVs need some extra features to give them an edge over its thinner competitors. The most intriguing new feature is "3D Ready" and with the correct equipment this feature can enable you to enjoy 3D entertainment at home. DualView also sounds pretty cool, the way it would work is that two gamers could play against each other on the same TV without seeing the same video, but unfortunately they'd have to wear some customized DualView eye-wear. Although these features sound interesting, who knows when they will be a reality, but we have already seen a few new sets featuring at least one of them.

You've already had a chance to see the DLP DualView technology in action, but just in case you needed an official word that it was here to stay (for now, at least), Texas Instruments has doled out just that. Essentially, the system enables two viewers to see two completely different images on the same screen so long as they're both rockin' a set of specialized glasses. Reportedly, TI hopes to make multiplayer gaming a whole lot more fun (and fair, we suppose), but you will need "a compatible source," a 3D-ready DLP TV and a pair of DualView glasses to get things up and running. 'Course, we've no idea how soon this stuff will hit the mainstream, but hey, there's nothing like fraggin' it up with a set of specs that just reek of 1980, right?

Don't get all frothed up quite yet because it's still only a prototype, but this sweet doublewide curved DLP display with LED illumination from Alienware will reportedly be available in the second half of '08. The curvature of the 2880 x 900 rez screen mimics peripheral vision, and in action the performance seemed pretty flawless to our Crysis-dazzled eyes (official specs report less than .02-millisecond response time). We did notice three faint vertical dividing lines that appeared to indicate four sub-panels making up this screen, but we may be willing to suspend disbelief in exchange for the potential of indulgent wrap-around immersion. There's not even an inkling of an MSRP on this thing yet, but you know we're gonna be keeping our eyes on this sucker for ya. Pics below and don't miss our video footage.

Tired of getting blasted by your bro (or sis) on split-screen mode? Not wealthy enough to pick up a spare console, game and HDTV to solve the dilemma? DLP's got a new prototype that's seeking to squash said quandary by allowing each gamer to see different on-screen images. 'Course, this new hotness requires that you both rock an uber-nerdy set of glasses, and if you're curious to see what Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont looks like with 'em on, click on through to take a peek.