epson
Latest
Epson's P-7000 Multimedia Storage Viewer for photogs reviewed, cuddled
We hear quite a bit about these storage / viewing devices for photogs, so how 'bout a proper review in the run-up to the big Photokina show now just days away? If nothing else, PhotographyBlog's review of the Epson P-7000 describes how an $800 device can replace a laptop for serious, in-the-field photography. While recommending a second battery for heavy shooters, the easy to use P-7000 with that "stellar" 4-inch LTPS LCD comes away with high marks (4.5 of 5 stars) dressed in the opinion that it "far exceeds any other similar device" used by the reviewer. Now hit that read link for the full review.
CEDIA 2008 roundup
CEDIA 2008 was a whirlwind of new projectors, HDTVs and all sorts of other wares that home theater freaks just love. As always, we were here in the Mile High City covering every minute, but we completely understand if you missed anything. Just in case, we've compiled a summary of what all happened here in Denver, and make sure you head on past the break for the rest. Hands-onsHands-on: Sony shows off prototype 400-disc Blu-ray Mega ChangerHands-on with LG's BD300 Netflix / Blu-ray deckHands-on with the THX-certified QuietHome doorHands-on with Niveus Media's Denali, Rainier and Cargo media waresHands-on with Sony's SXRD BRAVIA VPL-VW70 and VPL-HW10 projectorsHands-on with Hitachi's 1.5-inch thick plasma prototypeHands-on / a look within Pioneer's Elite BDP-09FD Blu-ray playerHands-on with Toshiba's SRT REGZA HDTVs (and other old crap)Eyes-on with Sony's BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray player
Epson's PowerLite 1080p projectors hands-on
Epson's new trio at CEDIA wasn't all that spectacular per se, but three new 1080p projectors to choose from is always nice. The PowerLite Home Cinema 6100, Pro Cinema 7100 and Pro Cinema 7500 UB were all hanging out in Epson's smallish booth, and we stopped by to introduce 'em to our camera. See how they made out in the gallery below. %Gallery-31225%
Epson claims 1080p PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 is first under $2k, is badly mistaken
Look, we aren't kvetching about yet another 1080p projector for under two grand, but Epson's getting a tad carried away by claiming that its PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 is the first 1080p PJ under $2k. Sanyo's $1,995 PLV-Z700 notwithstanding, this 3LCD beamer is still a pretty good value, offering up a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 18,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and Epson's exclusive Dynamic Iris system, which allows light to be controlled precisely on a frame-by-frame basis. Additionally, the E-TORL lamp delivers 1,800 lumens to light up even a mildly lit room, and the 22dB operation should keep most folks sufficiently pleased with noise output. As for ports, you'll find two HDMI 1.3a sockets, an S-Video / composite jack and a VGA connector. Check it this November for $1,999.
Epson churns out 1080p PowerLite Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB projectors
The HD projector flood gates have officially opened here at CEDIA, and next down the waterfall is Epson. The company is introducing the PowerLite Pro Cinema 7100 (shown after the break) and 7500 UB (pictured above) today, both of which boast a full 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution using the latest-generation 3LCD chips. As for the former, it features an 18,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio while the latter comes up with 75,000:1. Hit the read link for lots, lots more details on the pair, but here's the low-down on pricing / availability. The Pro Cinema 7100 ships in November for just under $3,000; the Pro Cinema 7500 UB lands just before Christmas for around $4,500.
Epson calls "game on" with its EH-TW420 projector
We figure Epson just couldn't find a way to work "BFG" into its gaming-optimized 720P projector, the EH-TW420, due out next month in the UK for £650 ($1,200). It looks like a pretty standard 3LCD projector that shines 2000 lumens bright across 1280 x 720 pixels, but you can flip those panels into a 5ms response time "game mode" similar to that seen in Panasonic's PT-AX200. We're thinking gamer-oriented gear get a better reception with at least a different color scheme, but otherwise the features look ok: one input each for HDMI, component, composite and S-Video, and the unit packs a single 7-Watt speaker so you're not left in Marcel Marceau mode when you forget to bring your own to the next LAN party.
Epson rolls out all-in-one EH-DM2 projector
While we can't say we've ever felt the need for a projector with a built-in DVD player and a built-in "surround sound" system, Epson seems to think there's at least some folks that want a big box of compromises, and it's hoping its new EH-DM2 projector will be to their liking. This one's a 3LCD projector, and boasts an "HD compatible" resolution and an adequate 1,200 lumens of brightness, along with a few non-standard features like a USB port to let you view photos, DiVX compatibility from the built-in DVD player and, of course, those built-in 8W speakers that somehow promise to surround you with sound. Not exactly for everyone, to be sure, but the €600 price tag (or just under $900) is certainly reasonable enough, and it'll apparently be available as soon as next month.[Via About Projectors]
Epson stirs pot, conjures up 4-inch high-res LTPS LCD
It's one thing to take good pictures. It's another to show 'em off on a good display. Epson Imaging Devices has just made official its new 4-inch high-resolution LTPS LCD, which is featured in the forthcoming P-6000 / P-7000 photo viewers. The diminutive display has an 80-degree viewing angle (from all sides) and covers 94% of the Adobe RGB color gamut. Built upon the Photo Fine Premia technology, Epson is hoping that this newfangled screen will find its way into digital cameras and PMPs so owners can be proud of playing back photo slideshows on the go. Funny thing though -- we're never told just how "high" high-resolution really is. Is the sky the limit, or what?[Via Physorg]
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.
Epson's P-7000 and P-6000 photo viewers include speed and screen improvements
If you're the type of person looking to drop $600 to $800 on a photo viewer, you've probably got some pretty specialized needs for the thing, and Epson aims to please. A followup to its P-3000 and P-5000 photo viewers, the new P-6000 and P-7000 from Epson sport 640 x 480 4-inch LCDs, which have been newly enhanced with "Photo Fine Premia" tech to handle 94% of the Adobe RGB color space. The 6000 and 7000 models sport 80GB and 160GB of storage, respectively, and download shots up to 35% faster than before. The interface naturally allows you to browse through, sort and zoom in on your beautimous photography, supporting both JPEG and RAW files, and there's even a bit of PMP functionality for when you're bored of all that. They should be out in September for the aforementioned $600 and $800 price points.
Epson's Ensemble HD Home Cinema System now shipping
We're still rather bummed that Epson failed to add in a third option for its Ensemble HD Home Cinema System that included a Blu-ray player, but nevertheless, those interested in picking up a complete -- and we mean complete -- home theater system at once can finally do so. Said package is available with your choice of a PowerLite 1080p or 720p projector, a 100-inch motorized screen, upconverting DVD player, Atlantic Technology 5.1 speaker system, universal remote, every single cable you'll need to hook things up, a wire management track system and all necessary mounting brackets. Ready for the sting? You're looking at $6,999 for the 1080p system and $4,999 for the 720p edition.
Epson unveils ridiculously high resolution E Ink display
We've seen an A4-sized sheet of e-paper or two in our day, but Epson's new prototype display features an absurdly high resolution for its size: 3104 x 4128, clocking it in at something like 385ppi. According to Fareastgizmos, E Ink's supplying the, um, electronic ink, while Seiko Epson built out the low-temperature polycrystal Si-TFT glass substrate medium. Yeah, we've got a long ways to go before we'll all be reading the e-paper morning news on the way to work, but it can't be that long, can it?
Epson, Sanrio team up for two more Hello Kitty laptop designs
Don't bother asking if the madness will ever end; you know good and well it won't. Now that we're clear, let's focus on the latest Hello Kitty-blasted laptop: the May-bound Endeavor NJ2100. Available in either a floral-inspired or airplane-dominated theme, the predominantly Pearl White machine touts rather exceptionally modest specs (shocked?) including a 15.4-inch WXGA display, 1.86GHz Intel Celeron processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, an 80GB hard drive, 3-in-1 multicard reader, gigabit Ethernet / WiFi and Windows Vista Home. You'll also find a FireWire socket, four USB 2.0 ports, a PC Card slot and around one measly hour of battery life from the standard cell. Totally not worth the ¥147,000 ($1,409) asking price, but then again, cuteness demands a serious, serious premium these days.[Via Slippery Brick, thanks David]
Epson gets busy with five new multimedia projectors
Open up, as Epson's got not one, not two, but five new multimedia projectors aimed squarely at you (or maybe just your boss). Starting us off are three newcomers to the PowerLite Pro series: the XGA G5150NL / G5350NL and the WXGA G5200WNL. Respectively, each one offers up 4,000, 5,000 and 4,200 lumens, and the first two even support the Network Projector functionality found in Vista. Moving on, we've got the PowerLite 6110i ($2,899; pictured) and 1825 ($2,299), which both feature XGA resolutions and 4,000 / 3,500 lumens, but only the latter includes an 802.11a/b/g module for wireless projection. Hit up the read link for lots more details on the whole lot, just try not to get lost in there.[Via AboutProjectors]
Epson and E Ink partner on controller IC for e-paper displays
Epson and E Ink, two mainstays in the electronic paper realm, have pooled their resources in order to develop an all new display controller IC set to enable "faster navigation, multitasking and real-time pen / keyboard input." The S1D13521 chip is slated to be used in E Ink's Vizplex-enabled electronic paper displays (EPDs), and it'll also be making an appearance in said company's forthcoming AM300 Broadsheet prototype kit (pictured). In layman's terms, this device should speed up the user interface considerably, as it will enable the display to "perform up to 16 tasks in parallel and support smooth and responsive pen input devices for annotations and sketches." As for availability, we're seeing that samples ($18 apiece) should make their way out next month, while production quantities won't be able to scamper free until August.[Thanks, Jack]
Projector Reviews breaks down the best 1080p projectors
We know, trying to digest all of the 1080p projectors out at the moment is a fairly daunting task, but thankfully, the hard-working folks over at Projector Reviews took on the challenge for you. In its latest roundup of "best 1080p projectors," the Panasonic PT-AE2000U, Epson Home Cinema 1080p UB and JVC DLA-RS2 took home the gold in the entry-level, mid-range and high-end categories (respectively). Still, quite a few other beamers came exceptionally close to winning it all, so be sure and hit the read link below to figure out which one is right for you (and your budget).[Via AboutProjectors]
Epson pops Penryn in 13.3-inch NA801 laptop
For those wondering when you'd see an all new Endeavor from Epson (yes, all six of you), the time has finally come. Astonishingly enough, the outfit's latest 13.3-incher actually isn't half bad, and comes equipped with such niceties as a WXGA panel, your choice of Windows XP / Vista, Intel's 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo T8100, NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce 8600M GT, up to 3GB of DDR2 RAM, between 80GB and 250GB of HDD space, a dual-layer DVD burner and integrated Bluetooth. You'll also find gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, VGA, an ExpressCard slot, a multicard reader and a battery good for around 3.4-hours on a full charge. Reportedly, the 4.4-pound NA801 is set to ship later this month and start at ¥149,940 ($1,503), but you can drive that figure right on up if you're the CTO type.[Via Impress]
DoubleClick takes internet ads HD
We're not sure who asked for high definition-enhanced online advertising, but its here all the same. DoubleClick has announced its ability to deliver HD ads through Adobe Flash. The first one to take advantage is Epson's "Epsonality" ad campaign, created by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners and encoded in h.264. Questions of how much bandwidth this will take up aside, we're content in the knowledge that least on this site if such an ad pops up unprompted, few will complain about how annoying it is, just how badly its been compressed and how much better it would be on (insert format here).
Epson launches EMP-1825 business projector in India
Sadly, Epson's latest projector will end up spending entirely too much time in the boardroom and not nearly enough time throwing up Halo 3 Portal matches in the lounge, but we suppose that's the life of a business projector, after all. The recently launched EMP-1825 offers up an XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, 3,500 ANSI lumens, a USB 2.0 port and a CompactFlash slot for good measure. Most notably, however, is this thing's wireless skills, which enable it to beam out presentations without being tethered to a PC. Still, we'd like to see a resolution a little closer to 1080p before dropping Rs. 142,700 ($3,576).[Via AboutProjectors]
Epson introduces PowerLite 83+ and 822+ multimedia projectors
For those with under a grand to spend and an incessant hankering for a new projector, we've got phenomenal news. Epson has added two more 3LCD PJs to its ever-expanding PowerLite line, both of which feature an XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, a built-in Ethernet port for remote monitoring and control, an integrated ten-watt speaker and a closed-caption decoder to boot. As for the 83+, you'll find 2,200 lumens compared to the 822+'s 2,600, but other than that, the two are essentially identical. Good enough for you? If so, you can snag one immediately for $899 or $949, respectively.[Via AboutProjectors]
