Epson Adds To its Home Theater Line of Projectors

Epson has announced a new addition to its 3LCD line of home theater projector: the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD. With the 705HD, the company promises high-quality movies and gaming, and big screen HD performance for an affordable $750.

The projector has a 720p high-definition solution that works for a range of big screen activities including movies, gaming, TV shows, sports, videos, and can even play music from an iPod. The 750HD is meant to be consumer-friendly with features and performance that make home entertainment a pleasurable experience. It has a brightness 2,500 lumens of color and white light output and features four pre-set color modes. It features HDMI connectivity and USB 2.0 Type A digital connection for slideshows, along with other connection options including Component Video and S-Video.

The 750HD features Epson's trademark three-chip 3LCD technology and exclusive energy efficient E-TORL lamp which puts out optimum light uniformity and helps deliver quality move theater-like images and removes the potential for "rainbow effect." The 200 watt high efficiency design uses less energy for up to 5,000 hours of life. The projector is sleek and compact and easy to step-up and install with the Epson Universal Mount and 1.2x optical zoom and Instant On, Instant Off technology with allows for zero waiting time when you start or shut-down your projector.

The projector will be available in October through online audio/visual specialty retailers, select retailers nationwide, and the Epson online store and will include a two-year limited warranty with toll-free access to Epson's PrivateLine technical support.

Epson will also soon be selling the MovieMate 60, a 16:9 native resolution projector with a built-in dvd player and two 10 watt speakers. The MoviteMate 60 has a brightness of 2,000 lumens and will sell for about $650.

Optoma's PK102 Pico Projector

Last week, Optoma finally released its PK102 pico projector in the United States and it's selling for about $265 - just $35 more than the PK101.

As a matter of fact, the PK102 and the PK101 have a lot in common. They have the same native resolution (480 x 320), the same traditional DLP engine, and a slightly higher contrast ratio - 2,000 : 1 (up from the PK101's 1,000 : 1).

But there are some improvements from Optoma's original pico projector, which was, according to Engadget, considered the "industry's poster child." The PK102 is slightly smaller and features 4GB of internal memory. It also has new connectivity options including composite video input and a universal port which is capable of receiving VGA and component video signals. It also has a built-in speaker and can play MP3 files.

NEC's New NP4100W Large-Venue Projector

This week, NEC announced its new NP4100W wide-aspect professional installation projector. The projector is designed for large, wide-format screens in rooms with minimal lighting such as auditoriums, training and network centers. It is powered by a DLP engine and rated 5,500 ANSI lumens with a 1,280 x 800 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2,100:1 contrast ratio.

The projector uses optional bayonet-style lenses that support screen sizes of 40-500 inches at distances of between 2.8-304 feet and is capable of dual or single lamp operation. Settings extend lamp life by allow for multiple light outputs, and the lens shift features allows vertical and horizontal flexibility that makes projector placement in any room a simple task.

It features BrilliantColor, AutoSense, and DynamicBlack. Its input panel has DVI-D with HDCP, RCA, s-video, component, 15-pin and BNC, and an RJ45 connection makes for easy hookup to LAN. The projector also features remote diagnostics that allow the operator to make adjustments from a remote location.

The projector features an ECO mode which increases lamp life up to 50% with decreased fan noise. In ECO mode, power consumption is 315W when running the single lamp and 580W when running the double lamp. It has security features such as password protection and the ability to deactivate buttons on the cabinet.

NEC will begin shipping the NP4100W in September. The estimated price is $5,500. The projector will come with a three-year parts and labor warranty including a year with InstaCare.

ViewSonic’s New WPG-350 Wireless Presentation Gateway

The new WPG-350 Wireless Presentation Gateway from ViewSonic allows you to connect to any display with a VGA output, wirelessly, and it's so simple to use. Just plug the WPG-350 into your projector, wirlessly connect, and present your content. It's a must-have for any office or business professional!

The WPG-350 is not just easy to use, it has other great features, as well. It is fully compatible with both Windows (XP and Vista) and Mac operating systems and features WiFi protected setup for secure configuration. It is equipped with VGA pass-through for extra display and features a presentation remote. The gateway supports up to 1024x768 resolution with full high speed wireless support, full-motion video up to 1080p and up to four presenters simultaneously with split screen capabilities.

Flash memory for the WPG-350 is 8MB while SDRAM memory is 64MB. It has a wireless connectivity rate of 802.1 1b/g/n and features RGB-in, RGB-out, 3.5mm stereo jack, RJ-45, dual antenna, DC-in (12V), and IR 3.5mm connectors. The WPG-350, weighing not quite half a pound, is 5.25 x 3.6 x 1.2 inches, making it convenient and easy for travel and storage.