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InFocus acquired by Image Holdings Corporation for $39 million
In a move that hopefully helps it bring home more of those slick Play Big projectors, InFocus is going to be acquired by Image Holdings Corporation for the tidy sum of $39 million, or $0.95 per share. The merger is expected to close in the second quarter, making InFocus a wholly-owned subsidiary of IHC,a company controlled by John Hui, one of the founders of eMachines. InFocus prez Bob O'Malley is saying all the right things, that its commitment to delivering innovative projectors hasn't changed, and since the company has made moves from expensive SD front projectors to the "knee" of the price/performance bend, we're willing to give them some time to figure it out.
InFocus ships X9 720p DLP projector for $1,099
InFocus' latest may not offer 1080p, but it also won't force you to sell your outhouse in order to stomach the sticker. This 720p beamer leverages DLP BrilliantColor technology and offers up 1,800 lumens, a 2,500:1 contrast ratio, a lamp life ranging between 3,500 and 4,000 hours and an array of ports including HDMI 1.3, component, composite, S-video and VGA. If you don't exactly have the coin to bring home the Play Big IN80, here's your man. It's available now for $1,099 (MSRP).
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]
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]
InFocus 1080p DLP Play Big IN83 projector gets official
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.
InFocus' 1080p DLP Play Big IN83 projector surfaces
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]
InFocus unveils Play Big IN1 DLP projector: $499 only at Woot
Woot -- your favorite low-cost Zune supplier -- is movin' on up. The e-tailer is touting yet another "Woot launch," which just so happens to be a brand new InFocus DLP projector aimed at gamers and those on a budget. The metallic blue Play Big IN1 features a 640 x 480 native resolution, S-Video / component / composite inputs, 500 ANSI lumens, a 1,500:1 contrast ratio, integrated stereo speakers and headphone / RCA audio outputs. Granted, even at $499 we'd expect the specifications to be a bit more... modern. Oh, and Woot's also throwing in a set of Wii component cables, so there's that, and for those unfamiliar with how Woot works, we'll just suggest that you pull the trigger now (if this piques your interest) and contemplate later.
