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Epson releases MovieMate 55 projector with built-in DVD player
We're not at all pleased by Epson's refusal to reveal the native resolution of its MovieMate 55, but judging by the $699 estimated street price, we'd bet it's no better than 1,024 x 768. At any rate, the 8.4-pound unit is designed more for sleepovers and summer camps than home cinema applications, as it boasts a built-in DVD player rather than a Blu-ray unit (and the resolution to match). You'll also find a pair of 8-watt speakers, 1,200 ANSI lumens, E-TORL lamp and a built-in handle for good measure. Snag one for the youngin' this October at resellers all across the land.
projectiondesign announces avielo HD projector trio, steers clear of the Shift key
While some outfits evidently operate with a dysfunctional Caps Lock key, projectiondesign is taking things to the opposite extreme by announcing the lower-cased spectra, optix and prisma. The aforesaid trio of DLP projectors is gearing up for a CEDIA debut, where they each will be showing off their 720p / 1080p resolutions, UHP VIDI lamp technology, RealColor management suite, 10-bit processing and HDMI 1.3 connectivity. For the full rundown of specifications (no prices, sorry), tag the read link -- and don't be shocked to hear a teaser about the helios (pictured) and two other unnamed units destined for Q4.
Planar announces Viper DLP HD projector
Planar has remained mostly quiet since CES, but given that CEDIA is within spittin' distance, it's no shock to see it making waves once more. Today, the outfit has revealed its first 3-chip HD projector, the DLP-based Viper. Other specs include a native 1,280 x 720 resolution, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 2,000 lumens and 10-bit independent dual image / motion adaptive processing. You'll also find an RS-232 port, twin HDMI 1.3 sockets and a jaw-dropping $15,495 price tag. It's shipping immediately for those with the requisite coin. Full release after the break. %Gallery-30156%
Vivitek introduces its very first projectors, forgets to make 'em memorable
Just what the world needs -- another pair of perfectly average projectors to choose from. Vivitek has boldly gone where so many others have gone before by introducing the D326MX (XGA) and D326WX (WXGA) projectors, both of which rely on Texas Instruments' DLP engine and boast rapid start-up / instant shutdown features, HDMI / component connectors, 2,600 ANSI lumens, a 2,500:1 contrast ratio, 5-segment color wheel and a 1-watt speaker for mind-blowing monaural sound. The units weigh in at just 3.2-pounds apiece, and both should be available now for $999 / $1,199 should you remember to look within the next 15 seconds. Full release after the break.
InFocus Play Big IN80 projector gets reviewed; it's a keeper
The crew at Trusted Reviews didn't waste any time getting their hands on the just-announced InFocus Play Big IN80 projector. Better still, they liked what they saw. Despite initial trepidations about how the IN80 would fare compared to the £400 cheaper X10, they found performance significantly better in the bigger brother. Better contrast (with an emphasis on deeper black levels) and higher brightness earned points, and overall the review pegged the IN80 as the "knee" in the price-to-performance curve. The only niggles that turned up were fan noise and DLP rainbow effects, perhaps more noticeable due to the IN80's brighter lamp. Sounds like a worthy competitor to the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080, but take our advice -- don't go looking for those rainbows; see them once and you're ruined! [Via AboutProjectors]
Sanyo offers up "entry-level" 1080p PLV-Z700 LCD projector
"Entry-level" and "1080p projector" don't often go hand-in-hand, but Sanyo's mashing the two terms together with its PLV-Z700. The Full HD beamer provides a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 1,200 ANSI lumens, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, twin HDMI 1.3b ports (along with an array of others) and a variable iris that can "control lens iris adjustment every 1/60th of a second." Unfortunately, the most tantalizing tidbit has been omitted for now (yes, the price), but word on the street has it shipping to the UK in October.[Via AboutProjectors]
InFocus minds the budget with its Play Big IN80 projector
While we won't complain about the performance or styling of InFocus' Play Big IN83 projector, the $6,000 price tag is a little steep. Sure, it's got that 1080p DarkChip4 DLP and styling that doesn't look like you "borrowed" it from the boardroom, but that $6,000 price tag gives us pause. InFocus is adding the Play Big IN80 model to the lineup to fill the gap, though. The specs put the IN80 above the company's X10 model -- it packs a 1080p DarkChip with BrilliantColor, can pump out 1300 lumens in the snow scenes and shares the design with its IN83 big brother, so you won't be tempted to try out your PowerPoints at home. Best of all, though is the MSRP £1,299 ($2500) when it ships in September.[Via AboutProjectors]
Lightspeed Design / InFocus team up on DepthQ 3D projectors
Although high-end projection makers have been figuring out this whole 3D beaming thing for awhile now, Lightspeed Design and InFocus are looking to bring the technology to a wider audience with the introduction of its DepthQ stereoscopic 3D projectors. Available in XGA and WXGA flavors, these PJs promise "rock-solid, 120Hz stereo 3D at 1,280 x 720 or 1,024 x 768 resolution" and feature Texas Instruments' DLP / BrilliantColor technologies, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and a total weight of just 6.9-pounds. Best of all, these undercut most other single-lens 3D projectors by coming in somewhere under $6,000 apiece, though exact numbers have yet to be disclosed.[Via AboutProjectors]
Mitsubishi's 1080p FL7000U projector now available for $15,000
New beater / better car? New HD projector? Pay off that second mortgage? New HD projector? C'mon folks, the choice here is crystal clear, is it not? Mitsubishi's 1080p FL7000U is apparently now ready for consumption here in the US of A, but that native 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 5,000 ANSI lumens and 1,000:1 contrast ratio will cost you a pretty penny. 1,499,500 of them, in fact, though we heard through the grapevine that you can find it somewhat cheaper on the streets.[Via AboutProjectors]
Ask Engadget HD: What's the best home theater projector?
Earlier this year, we allowed you all to exchange blows about whether an HD projector or HDTV was more suitable for high-definition aficionados. Now, however, we've received a question that caters to those leaning towards the former: "I'm looking for a projector for my wife's photography business. I would also like it to double as an HD home theater projector when not entertaining clients. I'm going to be projecting on an 88-inch screen with ample room to vary the throw distance. What are some specs I should be looking for to get great hi-res pictures to show nicely as well as watch some action flicks from my Blu-ray player? Should I go with DLP or LCD?" As you'll see, cost as a factor wasn't mentioned, but we'll go on and assume that SIM2's C3X is just slightly out of the picture. So, help this guy out, will ya? Are you madly in love with your current beamer? Would you recommend your neighbor's unit instead? Talk it up in comments below.Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Christie unloads DS+655, LW400 and M Series projectors at InfoComm
Although InfoComm 2008 has drawn to a close, there's still a few releases surfacing from the show. For whatever reason, Christie's introductions into the projector realm weren't noticed among all the others last week, but they're still worth mentioning. Up first is the pictured WXGA (1,280 x 800) LW400, which features a 3LCD light engine, 4,000 ANSI lumens and a lamp life of 3,000 hours. Next up is the DS+655, a single-chip DLP beamer that packs a 7,500:1 contrast ratio, SXGA+ resolution and 10-bit image processing technology. Lastly, we see the pricey new M Series, which includes a three-chip DLP engine, upwards of 5,000 ANSI lumens and resolutions up to 1080p. Browse around in the read links below for more specifics on each.[Via AboutProjectors]Read - LW400Read - M SeriesRead - DS+655
Panasonic reveals new DLP projectors: 12,000 lumens and pixels galore
Hmmph. Outside of Samsung's blisteringly hot SP-A800B, we're fairly certain Panasonic's latest duo are the most impressive at InfoComm. Putting those XGA / WXGA units to shame, the PT-DZ12000U packs a drool-worthy WUXGA resolution (1,920 x 1,200) and 12,000 lumens to boot. The PT-D12000U checks in with the same three-chip DLP engine and lumen count, but eases up on the pixels with just 1,400 x 1,050. Furthermore, both units boast a System Daylight View to keep things visible even in well lit rooms, and the built-in Ethernet port enables remote monitoring and control through a web browser. Just one problem with all of this, though: the $69,000 (PT-DZ12000U) / $59,000 (PT-D12000U) price tags. Must be that Auto Cleaning Robot -- good help is hard to find these days.
Hitachi brings up the rear with its CP-WX625 LCD projector
Although the flood has calmed to a trickle, we're still seeing a few more new projectors light up at InfoComm. The latest of which is Hitachi's CP-WX625, a WXGA (1,366 x 768) beamer packing an HDMI socket, 4,000 ANSI lumens, integrated speaker, side-mounted hybrid filter, a lamp good for 3,000 hours or so of PowerPoint projecting and a handful of other inputs more likely to be found in the boardroom / classroom. Mum's the word on a price or availability, but after one look at Samsung's SP-A800B, it's hard to really worry over units like this.
Samsung's 1080p SP-A800B DLP projector now available
It took nearly a year to get here, but shortly after being reviewed, Samsung's upscale SP-A800B DLP projector is finally available in the USA. Co-developed with industry legend Joe Kane, this 1080p PJ features a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1, a 95% aperture ratio, 16-microsecond response time and a full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Additionally, it hums along quietly at 25dB and gets backed by a two-year warranty. Sammy's not bothering to tell you the price, but we've heard it'll list for just under ten grand.
Casio cranks out Pro-Series Super Slim Projectors
And you thought the projector overload from InfoComm was all done. Think again. On the docket today is Casio, who is bringing out a new Pro-Series of PJs that looks quite different from your typical beamer. Both the XJ-SC200 and XJ-S50 series sport a "Super Slim" profile -- hailed by Casio as the industry's slimmest, in fact. Each of the 3.97-pound members will feature an XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, between 2,500 and 3,000 ANSI lumens, a DLP projection engine and VGA input, while a few even include a USB port for wireless connectivity through an optional WiFi receiver. Both the Super Color and Super Bright models are scheduled to ship in August and will range from $1,299 to $1,599 in price.[Via FarEastGizmos]
ViewSonic's PJ1173 projector is quite bright
Oh joy, yet another ho hum projector trying to look all cool at InfoComm. Next up on the walk of shame is ViewSonic's PJ1173, which falls right in line with the other lackluster beamers introduced today by the likes of Sharp, Mitsubishi and Toshiba. The unit includes an XGA (1,024 x 768) native resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, four-watt built-in speakers, an HDMI 1.3 socket and an admittedly respectable 5,000 lumens to light up auditoriums. Granted, this 15.8-pound beast does include an Ethernet port for network connectivity and management, but we're still not seeing the value when peeking that $3,799 price tag.
Sharp goes wild with projectors / LCD monitors at InfoComm
Never mind those guys cranking out just one or two new gizmos at InfoComm -- Sharp's busting out the big guns. The company is using the stage in Vegas to introduce a swarm of new gear including the XG-P560W 3-chip DLP WXGA projector, XG-C455W / PG-C355W 3LCD WXGA PJs, XG-P610X XGA unit and four new BrilliantColor DLP beamers (PG-F317X, PG-F312X, PG-F262X and PG-F212X). For those unfazed, it's also showcasing 46- (TL-M4600) and 52-inch (TL-M5200) professional LCD monitors meant for digital signage applications. As you can probably glean, there's way too much data on the whole lot to cover in this space, so we'll kindly direct you to the read link if you're hungry for more.
Toshiba intros TDP-XP1U and TDP-XP2U DLP projectors
Ah, the onset of InfoComm. Getting the presumed onslaught of new projectors rolling is Toshiba, which has just dished out its 4.8-pound, filter-free TDP-XP1U and TDP-XP2U. As for the former, you'll find 2,200 ANSI lumens, a 700:1 contrast ratio, XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, VGA / S-Video / composite inputs, DLP BrilliantColor technology, an integrated speaker and a three-year warranty. As for the eerily similar XP2U, it steps things up ever-so-slightly with 2,500 ANSI lumens and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio. Both beamers are expected to offer up whisper quiet operation (30bD in low mode) and see store shelves this July for $779 and $899, respectively.
Mitsubishi reveals HC5500 1080p projector, other forgettable ones
We've got good news and bad news. We'll go ahead and get the latter out of the way. Mitsubishi, like everyone else today, is introducing a few new projectors, two of which you'll likely care nothing about. Those are the education-focused XD500U-ST -- which packs a paltry XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution -- and the slightly less mind-numbing XD530U, which touts 3,000 lumens, an XGA resolution and wireless capabilities. Now, for the good stuff. The HC4900 (pictured) is being replaced by the 1080p HC5500, which is designed to operate at just 19dB in order to keep home theater enthusiasts smiling. Unfortunately, Mitsu hasn't seen fit to disclose pricing / availability details just yet (outside of the tempting $2,495 sticker on the HC5500), but hopefully all of that will come in due time. Full release after the jump.
NEC introduces NP905 and NP901W network projectors
With InfoComm just around the bend, NEC is making sure its two newest projectors don't get (too) lost in the shuffle. Up first is the NP905, which offers up 3,000 lumens, an XGA (1,024 x 768) native resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, built-in speaker and HDMI 1.3 socket. The 2,000 lumen NP901W comes in with a WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution, 400:1 contrast ratio and most of the same specs as its sibling. Both units include Windows Network Projector functionality within Windows Vista (wired or wireless access), a geometric correction tool and the highly-regarded Silicon Optix HQV processor. Catch 'em this July for $1,999.99 and $1,299.99, respectively.[Via AboutProjectors] %Gallery-25408%
