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Projectors at InfoComm

Aug 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By Jeff Sauer

New products on display could change our view of projection.

When was the last time a new projector model really grabbed your attention? If you were at InfoComm 2005, the answer may have been this past June in Las Vegas. As always, projector manufacturers tried to outperform and out-value each other with lower prices and claims of more lumens for the dollar, and that type of progress always deserves a nod. But this year also featured a couple of new products that at least have the potential to change the way we think about the technology. And that's always exciting.

How about small? We've had sub-2lb. projectors for a couple of years now; can the industry get smaller? Mitsubishi's PocketProjector is a 15oz. projector that's less than half the size of the previous smallest projector available. It's also small enough to fit literally in the palm of your hand or an overcoat pocket. Is it the next road-warrior, quick-presentations special? Maybe, but probably not. It was first shown as a technology demonstration at CES in January and that might give you a hint that maybe its market isn't as a PowerPoint display.

The PocketProjector has only SVGA resolution and only 20-or-so lumens, and that's a major step backward in terms of performance. However, it's due to sell for $699 for the base version (more if you add a battery pack), which is less than anything currently on the market. This raises some questions: Who is going to use it? And what are they going to do with it? Mitsubishi freely admits that it really doesn't know. Yet, it's had interest from all types of users, most with ideas for front projection that have never been explored.

Automobile makers might integrate it for displaying dashboard information or for backseat entertainment. Younger consumers might find it a compelling take-anywhere display for group gaming. Retailers might use it to augment retail signage with information or simple mood enhancement. And for video professionals, it could become the most portable in-the-field production monitor ever. It's hard to say because it's a unique product, but its size and price probably give users some room to explore. And you can bet that if they find something, the PocketProjector could open the floodgates for future front projection.

On the other end of the spectrum in just about every way, Sony is now shipping its LCoS-based (Sony calls its version SXRD), “4K” resolution (4096×2160) digital cinema projectors. That's four times the resolution of high-definition video. It has the attention of the movie industry and may have the ability to kick-start a more rapid conversion to digital cinemas around the country. Sony offered a technology demonstration of a 4K projector at InfoComm 2004, but this year it is formally shipping two versions: the 10,000-lumen SRX-R110 and the 5000-lumen SRX-R105.

Slightly more traditional models

While the PocketProjector and the digital cinema SRX-R110 stir the imagination, they are ultimately more about the future than for today's user. For video viewing today, Optoma has a projector that might also bring more users to front projection. The MovieTime DV10 is like no projector you've seen before: It's an 8lb., pod-like device that includes built-in 2.5W stereo speakers and a DVD player. It's designed to come out of a cabinet and sit on a coffee table for large-screen movie viewing, with no cable hassles except the power cord, and easy home theater movie-watching results.

The projector inside is a DLP-based, 480p native model with 1000 lumens of brightness and a reputed 4000:1 contrast ratio. It has S-Video and composite inputs, plus component via a 15-pin adapter, for viewing sources other than the built-in DVD. However, those specifications are probably less important than Optoma's creative approach to showing consumers and video professionals that front projector can be an easy movie-viewing solution. And, at a retail price of $1,499, it can be quite competitive with other solutions, like digital RPTVs and flat panels.

Panasonic's PT-LB30U is a lot more traditional a projector than those others. It's a typical business-oriented, three-LCD-based microportable with 3000 lumens and a 400:1 contrast ratio. But it also has some clever technology that makes it easier to set up and use in a variety of situations. Panasonic's Daylight View technology leverages a built-in light meter to sense the ambient light around the projector and adjust the image accordingly. However, rather than simply raising or lowering the brightness, Daylight View adjusts the color balance to maintain the best perceptible colors and the highest contrast. The PT-LB30U also features built-in wireless connectivity via 802.11 b/g for even greater setup flexibility.

The other exciting projector news at InfoComm 2005, of course, is that prices continue to come down on conventional projector models. Several companies — like BenQ, Toshiba, NEC, and Optoma — now offer DLP-based, 2000-plus-lumen XGA projectors with street prices that should hover right around the $1,000 mark. Dell even introduced a very small (compared to everything except the PocketProjector) 2.4lb. XGA model, the 3400MP, for $1,399. NEC's 2.2lb. LT20 is similarly priced at $1,495. Both claim 1500 lumens and about a 2000:1 contrast ratio.

Epson introduced two LCD-based SVGA PowerLite models, the 1400-lumen, 7lb. S1+ and the 1600-lumen, 5.6lb. S3, both of which will sell for less than $800. Those will compete with NEC's LCD-based VT37 for an estimated $795 street and DLP-based models like Dell's SVGA 1100MP for $749.

Naturally, none of those inexpensive projector models are as innovative as the PocketProjector or the MovieTime DV10. Yet, just the same, it's hard not to get excited by the three-digit pricing because that is ultimately going to be what drives the majority of the market. And, even if those affordable models aren't native widescreen and aren't likely to achieve the highest motion video quality, they have established an obvious sweet spot in the front-projection market over the last year that continues to drive the industry forward.

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