Projector

September 4, 2008 – JVC expands its award-winning line of D-ILA home theater projectors with the launch of four new full high-definition models, including two THX Certified* models. The new JVC projectors establish new benchmarks in performance and value, breaking new ground in color accuracy, black levels, ease of use and flexible adjustment. Like current highly-acclaimed JVC projectors, they achieve unprecedented contrast ratios without the use of an auto iris, and in fact the two THX Certified models offer a 30,000:1 native contrast ratio -- the highest among all currently available home theater projectors.

The new projectors are the DLA-HD750 and DLA-HD350, to be marketed by JVC's consumer group, JVC Company of America, and the DLA-RS20 and DLA-RS10 from JVC's professional group, JVC Professional Products Company. The DLA-HD750 and DLA-RS20 are both THX Certified (for all worldwide markets) to ensure accurate and exceptional picture quality in the home theater environment. A trusted cinema and consumer brand, THX certification provides JVC a means to further differentiate its projectors from competitive offerings and communicate a clear message about quality to customers. Read more

September 3, 2008 - Panasonic Projector Systems Company, Unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, announced today the debut of its newest LCD home theater projector, the PT-AE3000. With full high-definition 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) native resolution, the PT-AE3000 gives home theater enthusiasts a higher level of picture quality entertainment, producing crisp and clear images through new state-of-the-art projection technology.

As an evolution of its award winning predecessor, the PT-AE2000, the PT-AE3000 delivers a captivating 1,600 lumen brightness and powerful 60,000:1 contrast ratio. To achieve sharp and detailed reproduction of fast moving motion images, Panasonic has developed and equipped the PT-AE3000 with new Frame Creation Technology optimized for large screen viewing. And for easy adjustment to different widescreen movie formats like 21:9 or 16:9, the projector is also upgraded with a Lens Memory Load feature which is capable of memorizing and restoring zoom/focus positions for multiple aspect ratio flexibility. Read more

September 3, 2008 - Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America’s Presentation Products Division, known for award-winning, high-quality, high-definition presentation and display products, is announcing its Diamond Series of projectors designed for the finest high-definition home theater environments.

Mitsubishi’s new channel strategy for its 1080p HC7000U and HC6500U premium projectors signifies the quality and value of its products for end-users and profitability for its loyal channel partners. These new projectors are available exclusively through custom home theater systems integration and high-end retail channels. Read more

August 28, 2008/PRNewswire/ -- SANYO, one of the world's largest manufacturers of LCD and DLP projectors introduces the PLV-Z60, a 720p LCD projector that features SANYO's innovative 3D color management system, a high contrast ratio of 10,000:1, an installation-friendly lens shifting function, and many of other features representing a step forward in price performance for a home theater projector.

The bright PLV-Z60 is equipped with three wide 16:9 HD LCD panels that produce a 1280 x 720 pixels (2.76 million) image. A 12-bit digital processing IC provides video decoding, scaling and gamma curve generation and coupled with the projector's 10000:1 contrast ratio, the PLV-Z60 delivers exceptional picture quality with deep, rich back levels and beautifully saturated colors, even when ambient light is present. Read more

August 26, 2008 – Building upon its leadership position in the projector industry, Epson America Inc. today announced the Epson MovieMate 55, the latest model to join the industry’s top-selling line of combo projectors. By combining a high-quality projector, a CD/DVD player and stereo speakers in one portable unit, Epson MovieMate 55 gives consumers an affordable, easy-to-use and convenient solution for home entertainment in the living room, on a vacation, and even outdoors.

Within moments, Epson MovieMate 55 allows consumers to view their favorite movies in larger-than-life sizes – up to eight times larger than on a 40-inch widescreen TV – by simply plugging the unit into an electrical outlet. Featuring a new brighter lamp and Dolby Digital audio, MovieMate 55 delivers instant home cinema on-the-go. Consumers can enjoy watching DVDs and playing video games when connected to Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame consoles. They can also play music from MP3 players and videos from an Apple iPod on the big screen. For even more versatility, MovieMate 55 plays photo slideshows from photo CDs and USB flash drives and can connect to a PC or Mac to show content from the computer. With 3-chip 3LCD technology and E-TORL lamp, consumers will experience brighter, natural colors that pop off the screen. Read more

July 2008-Italian manufacturer SIM2, whose striking high-performance home theater projectors are known worldwide for their pristine video, has added a new, aggressively priced model to its popular DOMINO series. SIM2 DOMINO D60 DLP front projection system delivers stunning 1080p full-HD imaging at the highly competitive $5000 US price point, where with SIM2's reputation for superb performance and unequalled style it will stand as a unique solution for discerning yet budget-conscious home theater enthusiasts.

"We now have three offerings under $10,000 that compete against anything else in this hot category," said Charlie Boornazian's SIM2's VP of Sales and Marketing. "It's important to our dealers that we offer a complete range of projectors that answer their full range of customer needs, and the new D60 delivers incredible 1080p picture quality and a tremendous value." Read more

June 18, 2008 – Optoma, a leading manufacturer of award-winning digital projection and display devices, introduces the first Pico projector based on the DLP Pico chipset. Smaller than most smart phones, this new micro-portable projector fits in your palm and is the ideal companion to ultra-portable media devices such as iPods, PDA's, smart phones and digital cameras.

When connected to an ultra-mobile device, the four-ounce Optoma Pico Projector allows users to share photos and videos, and enjoy a far better visual experience with an image that is up to 100 times larger than the small screen of the source device. Read more

March 2008—Meridian Audio Limited has chosen the 2008 Electronic House Expo (EHX), held March 11-15 in Orlando, Florida, to debut its latest high-definition video projector, the MF10. Meridian, a British firm long accepted as a world leader in advanced digital audio and video technologies for music and home-theater systems, has already established itself at the top of the high-end projector market; with the new model, this position is sure to be enhanced.

“Over the last two to three years, core technologies for HD video projection have advanced to significant new performance capabilities,” says Norm Steinke, Chief Operating Officer of Meridian America. “With Meridian’s unique engineering experience and proprietary design, and with our rigorous hand-selection and calibration programs, we are now able to offer fully reference-grade equipment at rational cost, enabling a new level of home-theater excellence.” Read more

January 10, 2008 – Runco is again expanding the brand’s Video Xtreme line of 1080p DLP projectors with the introduction of its VX-22i featuring CineWide with Autoscope. The VX-22i joins the prestigious line of Runco 3-chip projectors, building upon the best-selling platform of Runco’s VX-22d and featuring an integrated, advanced all-digital controller. Like the Runco VX-22d, the VX-22i offers a high-definition integration projector, tested and certified by the THX Certified Display program with legendary Runco 3-chip projector performance and screen-filling power.

Combining the video controller/processor into the projector, the Runco VX-22i offers an integrated solution for the discerning home theater enthusiast. Integrated into the projector chassis, Runco’s acclaimed DHD controller features HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connectivity for optimum compatibility with a broad range of source components. The widely-heralded DHD has been such a success that Runco focused the engineering changes only to those necessary for optimal 1080p performance with the new projectors, retaining the features and performance that have made its proprietary DHD so popular. For the ultimate in viewing flexibility and enjoyment, the VX-22i has Runco’s exclusive award- winning CineWide and CineWide with AutoScope technology. This ground-breaking solution can transform a superb home theater system into a true home cinema experience, reproducing 2.35:1 CinemaScope movies with unparalleled accuracy and full vertical screen image height, eliminating useless black bars. Read more

January 8, 2008 – Epson is again driving innovation in the world of digital home entertainment technology with the launch of a new projector that delivers true 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) resolution and contrast ratios measuring up to 50,000:1. The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB takes advantage of the industry’s newest-generation 3LCD optical engine – the D7 chip set with C²Fine and new UltraBlack technology and is designed to give do-it-yourself home entertainment aficionados the industry’s best image quality yet for projectors in the sub-$3,000 price category.

Designed to maximize the viewing experiences of virtually any high definition content, the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB can produce display sizes up to 120 inches, which is more than eight times the display area of a 40-inch big screen television. The primary objective for this projector is to produce an unforgettable high definition viewing experience with movie theater impact in virtually anyone’s home. The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB is now available in the U.S. through authorized Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets. Additionally, Epson America is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate with this model, bringing the total cost after rebate to $2,799. Read more