We’re about to get yet another 3D-enabled piece of hardware, and this time, it’s a projector. Sanyo’s PDG-DWL2500J, announced today in Japan (press release in English), is not only “3D ready”, but it also boasts the world’s shortest projection distance (just 32cm to project images that are 80 inches in size) for projectors weighing less than 9kg. → Read More
It’s not that there’s a shortage of mobile projectors, but when DoCoMo (Japan’s biggest cell phone carrier) announces [JP] a model for its 55 million customers, it deserves a mention. DoCoMo specifically suggests using the F01 with Fujitsu’s uber-cool “Separate Keitai”, a cell phone that breaks into two parts (and that’s currently available on the Japanese market only). → Read More
While we’ve come to know Optoma mainly for their pico projectors, they do make larger versions as well. Case in point, their latest product line, the GameTime series. Targeted at computer and console gamers, the GameTime line use DLP tech from Texas Instruments support resolutions specific to the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3. → Read More
Short version: Half PMP, half pico-projector, and unfortunately, not quite fully baked. But the next one is going to be awesome. → Read More
You remember the MPro120, right? 3M’s little pico projector. I reviewed it some time ago and found it perfectly delightful, but it was missing a few features, such as onboard storage, that its competitors had.
The new version, apparently skipping a few digits, is the MPro150, and it fixes a lot of those little issues. It comes with a gig of onboard memory and has a MicroSD slot for you to fill… → Read More
This is interesting. You remember the Game Gun and Wireless Game Gun, right? The Redneck Techie’s liquor-fueled foray into the world of total immersion gaming? Well, a company called Microvision appears to be taking him on, though they seem to think they’re the first. → Read More
The pico-projector market is a new one, and the products are still evolving. It really wasn’t very long ago that this product’s predecessor, the MPro 110, hit the market. It got pretty lame reviews (before which I prematurely called it awesome), but that isn’t really indicative of the worth of this kind of device. A projector you can keep in your pocket? Genius. Now they just… → Read More
We’re excited about pico projectors here at CG, but the first wave of them has been somewhat underwhelming. Optoma, 3M and Dell have the right idea, but image quality just isn’t up to par yet (the new 3M one might change that). On the other hand, mini-projectors are a perfectly good option if you’ve got a decent surface to project on. Peter liked the Joybee, and this new one from Viewsonic looks… → Read More
I’ve been testing an HD projector here at the house and, in its initial, out-of-the-box setting we found that the picture was ridiculously “sharp.” The picture, I suppose, looked like an old Dr. Who episode where the action on screen is smoother than the background, creating a jarring disparity when watching movies with lots of movement. It’s sometimes called the “Soap Opera Effect.” We decided to… → Read More
I’m never sure whether a projector is a bargain or not, but one way to check is to compare it to similarly-priced TVs. For a grand you can probably get a low-end 42″ TV, or a nicer 32″ — and this projector offers a lot more than that.
Of course, projectors aren’t for everyone, but I think we can all appreciate the specs, rub our chins, and say “Well, if I did want a projector, I might just… → Read More
Available in the coming months from ViewSonic are three 3D-enabled DLP projectors (DLP Link and Nvidia 3D-Vision compatible) with 120Hz refresh rates. The PJD6211 and PJD6221 output 1024×768 XGA resolution with up to 2700 lumens and a 2800:1 contrast ratio. Both come with composite, S-Video, VGA inputs and a VGA out. The 6221 includes an RJ45 jack as well. → Read More
Although the demand for 8K projectors isn’t exactly blowing up, it’s useful for specialty stuff (digital dome projectors, scientific stuff, other applications you don’t think about) and for scrubbing through portions of your 28K footage. Evans & Sutherland was unimpressed with current projection solutions, however, and decided it’d be better to make a totally awesome laser projector that does… → Read More
Because of the growing number of consumer-level cameras with 100-megapixel sensors and camcorders shooting at 4240p, JVC has come out with a new 8K (that’s 8000 horizontal pixels) projector with 10,000 lumens of brightness and a 5500:1 contrast ratio. Finally, an ultra-high-def projector the whole family can enjoy! → Read More
Those eggheads at MIT are at it again, this time creating a “sixth sense” gadget. It’s basically a combined scanner and 3D projector (with a touchscreen-like surface). Say, for example, you’re at the store looking at different boxes of cereal. You scan the box of Lucky Charms with the gadget, which then scans the internet for, I don’t know, nutritional information and a history of the… → Read More
Last year, Texas Instruments announced that they had developed what they called their “pico” chipset for DLP projectors. This year, some of them are actually available. → Read More
See, this is what happens when an industry full of brave men and women work together to achieve a common goal – the goal, in this case, has been to keep shrinking projectors down until they’re basically invisible to the naked eye, right? → Read More
Peter has checked 3M’s MPro110 projectorette out and he says it’s pretty great. It displays up to 1280×768 (via VGA or RCA cable) at a size up to 50″, but with such a small light source that’s probably pushing it. The LED bit is said to last 10,000 hours, which isn’t saying much (that’s just how long LEDs last) but at least you know you won’t be… → Read More
If you’re a teacher or a business suit type and like to bore students and colleagues with boring video or presentations then ViewSonic has three DLP projectors for you. The 62 series all have 2x5W speakers, RGB, composite and S-Video inputs on top of the closed captioning functionality. Like whoa. With a native resolution of 1024×768 and 2000:1 contrast ratio with brightnesses of 2300… → Read More
In case you are in the market for a projector that cost more than the average, oh, Porsche, Sony has two new 4K SXRD projectors. The SRX-T110 and SRX-T105 both retain the previous generation’s 4096 x 2160 native resolution, but get a bump in lumens. The big boy T110 now spouts out 11,000 Lumens, with a contrast ratio of 2,500:1, with the T105 now at 5,500 Lumens and 2,500:1 contrast… → Read More
Epson’s two new top-of the-line projectors, the Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB were announced today at CEDIA 2008. Both feature true 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) resolution and use 3LCD chips with D7 technology to deliver substantially higher contrast and brightness. The Pro Cinema 7100 has an 18,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, while the Pro Cinema 7500 UB has brighter whites and darker blacks at… → Read More
For the discerning HD enthusiast who has it all, here’s the 4K2K D-ILA projector from JVC. It’s got a 10-megapixel optical system that can project things at 4096×2400 resolution – four times full HD resolution – all in a pretty small package. Granted, there’s not a lot of content available in 4X HD yet, but JVC suggests using the multi-screen mode to view up to four full HD screens… → Read More
The CEDIA lowdown: Both are 1080p with “Silicon X-tal Reflective Display” technology, which I’m sure is very nice thank you, and both allow RGB pixel adjustment down to 1/10px resolution. Both use the Bravia Engine 2 signal processor. VPL-HW10: 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1000 lumens brightness. $3500. VPL-VW70: The high-end one. 60,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 800 lumens… → Read More
CEDIA is set to begin tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean companies won’t be announcing products today. Mitsubishi just announced two Diamond Series 1080p projectors, HC7000U (pictured) and HC6500U, which both happen to be some of the quietest available on the market, secreting 17 dBa in low mode. The HC7000U is the flagship model and it has a 70,000:1 contrast ratio, which is attributed to the… → Read More
This thing just makes sense – lots and lots of sense. It’s the Honlai Qingbar MP101 and I have no idea if you can actually buy one. If and when you’re indeed able to purchase this doodad, you’ll be able to project 640×480 movies and photos from your iPhone (or iPod Touch) while charging the device at the same time. The bulb is apparently good for at least 20,000 hours and there’s a… → Read More
Here’s a new projector from Sanyo that’ll be here sometime in September for $1,295. It’s got two HDMI inputs, 1200 lumens brightness, a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 12-bit digital processor. Sanyo is touting the PLV-Z60 as a “price breakthrough” at just under $1,300. While that’s a good price for a projector that does 720p and has such a high contrast ratio, you can find competing… → Read More
Japan might have lost a battle in patent application filing to the US, but even a fantastic country such as Australia can’t beat them when it comes to miniaturization. It looks like Tokyo-based Nippon Signal (and not Mint Wireless based out of Australia) managed to develop what might be the smallest projector in the world. The device was recently showcased at Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS, a… → Read More
A company from the land of Oz has will release what it claims to be the world’s smallest projector this September. The company, Mint Wireless, teamed up with a Taiwanese manufacturer to produce the Mint V10. Measuring at a mere 125 x 55 x 23mm (or, 4.9 x 2.1 x 0.9-inches), the projector is able to project (go figure) a 50-inch image from as close as six feet away. The price seems hefty, at… → Read More
At 5,000 lumens, the new ViewSonic PJ1173 could function as a bat signal. This high performance projector supports 1080p with a native resolution of 1024×768 (wait, what? Ask them.) and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. They say it produces large crisp visuals, even in well lit rooms. With its picture quality and added features, the PJ1173 was developed to create an ‘experience’ for the… → Read More
Your next projector (or first projector?) may very well not have a lamp in it. Texas Instruments recently showed off some prototype devices using what it’s calling “PhlatLight” LED lighting. Cool, it’s like the “F” in FlatLight is actually “Ph” instead. That’s both radical and extreme at the same time. Anyhoo, TI claims that this new technology will eliminate the need to replace… → Read More
That silly Indiana Jones movie comes out today, and there’s no shortage of merchandise (read: junk) on which you can waste your money. Case in point: a “Crystal Skull Adventure Projector,” which projects some two-bit slide show of “exciting archeological discoveries,” as narrated by Indy himself. I have never seen an Indiana Jones movie. Should this awesome toy… → Read More
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