All Projectors Feeds

BenQ unveils new affordable 1080p projectors

Adam Hartley — 1208961847

BenQ has just made our day by releasing the latest in its range of full 1080p high definition projectors – the W5000 and W20000.

Both projectors feature BenQ’s Senseye technology, Texas Instruments’ 1080p DLP DMD chipset and a HQV high-performance video processor.

Cinema seats in our shed

If ever we needed a reason to buy those cinema seats that we have been eyeing on eBay to install in our roomy garden shed, the fact that BenQ’s W5000 retails for an impressive £1,399 including VAT is it.

The W5000 offers a contrast ratio of 10000:1, while the W20000 (priced at £2,499, inc VAT) offers 20000:1

Iris aperture tech

"The projectors enhance image contrast via their Dual Iris technology, so that bright images become brighter and dark images become darker," BenQ’s press release claims.

"DynamicBlack digitally examines source video to determine the appropriate iris aperture for the level of light present in a given scene and opens and closes the projector iris accordingly," it added.

"Built to deliver ultra-high contrast, both projectors allow consumers to see visuals on-screen just as they would see them in real life."

GTA as it was meant to be played

The projectors both feature four viewing modes: Cinema, Dynamic, Standard, and Photo and support multiple video formats including 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

"Whether it is HDTV, Blu-ray DVD or video games, consumers can enjoy the latest video formats in full HD," reads the release.

A BenQ rep informed TechRadar earlier today that the quality of both projectors should not drop off until the projection was 'in excess of 300 inches' which, our quick ready reckoner tells us, is an impressive 7.62 metres. Come to think of it, we're not sure if our unused shed is quite that roomy.

Rockstar's GTA IV releases next Tuesday, bucking the trend for games to come out on Friday. Come faster, next Tuesday, come faster...

Latest pocket PMP projector from Hong Kong

1208518217

If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong in the near future, then you may want to pick up one of these snazzy new pico projectors from Sunview.

The Sunview PMPP features an LED-illuminated iView IPL630 projector inside, which can display up to a 53-inch VGA resolution on the fly, but only at a brightness of 9 lux.

The PMP also features a 3.5-inch LCD, a remote, an SD slot and Windows CE core.

We should hopefully have more news on Euro pricing and availability very soon.

How to get your own drive-in movie theatre

Anna Lagerkvist — 1202913149

It may still be too cold to watch movies outside, but fancy the thought of installing your very own movie theatre in your backyard?

Backyard Drive-in is a new portable outdoor projection system which is able to show movies, live sports broadcasts (think the Beijing Olympics and Euro 2008 action this summer), TV shows and even let you play video games out in the open air.

Accordingto the manufacturers, Backyard Drive-in is easily set up ‘in minutes’, and will display life-size images on its giant area screen which offers a viewing area of more than 13 feet wide by 9 feet high.

Lightweight framework

The projection screen is made of an engineered fabric designed to withstand wear and weather. Holding it up is an expandable aluminum framework designed to be as portable and lightweight as possible.

"Provided you've got the room and the privacy, an outdoor screen like this could be enormous fun if we're lucky enough to have a long, hot summer," Steve May, senior editor of our sister magazine Home Cinema Choice told us.

Practical problems

"The concept does come with some practical problems to solve though," May said. "Potential buyers though should consider both how they'll run both power and a video feed to the projector, and where exactly the projector would be mounted. And unless you live in an isolated spot, neighbourly consideration should be given to any accompanying sound system. A full on 5.1 system just isn't appropriate for most people. Wireless headphones could be a good solution. Of course, if you just want to play Wii Tennis with your mates under the stars, sound takes a backseat to the gameplay anyway."

The Backyard Drive-in is available in two sizes; the Large Screen costs $1,049 (£534) while the Extra-Large Screen will set you back $1,449 (£738).

So, apart from rainy weather, there’s really nothing stopping you from having a couple of beers and a barbeque with the movie of your choice...

New projector capable of anamorphic projection

Audley Jarvis — 1202813069

Cineversum has announced that its latest generation Full HD projector – the BlackWing Three – is now available in the UK.

The BlackWing Three features two HDMI 1.3 inputs for direct connection to a Blu-ray or HD DVD player and is capable of projecting a Full HD image resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

The BlackWing Three features improved 3-LCOS technology with three D-ILA 0.7inch LCOS panels and an improved light engine capable of 30,000:1 native contrast and 900 lumens brightness. New Color-Select filters further enhance the projector’s colour reproduction.

The 2x optical zoom has a 1.4-2.8:1 throw ratio with +/- 80 per cent vertical and +/- 34 per cent horizontal lens shift, and the projector is also compatible with the new Cinvesum Theatre Concept Kit enabling anamorphic (2.35:1 ratio) projection.

The BlackWing Three is available in the UK exclusively through AWE Europe, priced at £8,199.

The six-million dollar home theatre man

Audley Jarvis — 1202748687

You’ve got to hand it to Jeremy Kipinis – in terms of taking the biscuit for the most outrageous home cinema set-up, his $6m (£3m) system must surely be an entire truckload of chocolate covered Hob-Nobs ahead of anything else out there.

The six-million dollar system is called the Kipinis Studio Standard, and its owner proudly claims that it’s the “Greatest show on Earth.” With no fewer than 16 18” Snell sub-bass units, 30 McIntosh MC-2102 Amplifiers, eight Snell THX Music and Cinema Reference towers, a Sony SRX-S110 4K projector capable of producing 4096 x 2160, and a giant 18 x 10-foot Stewart screen it’s certainly an impressive beast.

In addition to screening movies from Blu-ray, HD DVD or standard DVD (up-scaled, naturally), the KSS can also be used to watch TV, browse the internet, view photography slideshows, or just listen to music with. It really can do everything bar wash the dishes. Better still, its many functions can all be accessed from a single, touch-screen tablet.

Naturally a home cinema this big is going to require some sophisticated housing and so it is with the KSS. According to its owner the KSS sits inside a custom-built 2250 square foot, two-story hall with a vaulted ceiling. The floor is one-inch-thick solid maple flooring on four-inch tall pine studs, which sits on a solid 16-inch reinforced concrete foundation isolated on solid steel girders all the way down to bedrock. Clearly, Mr Kipinis doesn’t like to do things by halves.

While most journalists who’ve been lucky enough to receive an invite have been wowed by the KSS, the system is not entirely without its critics. No online article about the KSS is complete without more than a few negative comments from home cinema enthusiasts. Many centre on the fact that $6m is simply too much for the benefits, while others have questioned the logic of placing vibration-sensitive tube amps directly in front of 18” sub-woofers.

Whatever your own view, it’s certainly the most over-the-top home cinema set-up we’ve seen and for that alone, Mr Kipinis should be saluted.

New 1080p projectors on the way

Audley Jarvis — 1202231499

Projection specialists InFocus and Planar are launching a trio of projectors in the UK able to display at 1080p Full HD.

New from InFocus is the IN83 Full HD 1080p projector, the latest addition to the company’s ‘Play Big’ range. Fully loaded with the latest Texas Instruments' DLP DarkChip4 technology with BrilliantColor, the IN83 offers a native 5000:1 contrast ratio to ensure deep blacks and bright whites.

With an optimised video brightness of 1,600 max lumens, the IN83 is capable of projecting Full HD across a screen up to 430cm wide that's easily viewed even during the daytime. The IN83 also features Pixelworks DNX 10-bit video processing technology and two HDMI 1.3 inputs. It’ll be available from March onwards at a cost of £3500.

Planar, meanwhile, have two new models - the PD8150 and PD8130. Both units are housed in curved, highly lacquered piano black cabinets and feature 1080p DLP architecture, customised video processing and high-performance optics.

Using DLP Dynamic Black and BrilliantColor image enhancement, alongside Gennum VXP video processing both of the Planar models are able to produce images with a contrast ratio of 15,000:1 at 1,000 max lumens. Each unit also gets two HDMI 1.3 inputs.

Both Planar units are expected to ship in March. The PD8130 will retail for £3,400 while the PD8150 will cost £4,400.

Sony sheds light on new Bravia projector

James Rivington — 1201627215

Sony has announced the imminent launch of its range-leading Bravia VPL-VW40 1080p projector in the UK and Europe. The projector, which has a dynamic contrast ratio of 15,000:1, launched in the US several weeks ago and is now ready to make its debut on British shores.

The Sony Bravia VPL-VW40 is a heavyweight projector in every sense, capable of 1080p Full HD and benefiting from Sony's enduring SXRD technology.

Bravia projection

"The VPL-VW40 will have a strong appeal for the price-conscious Home Theatre enthusiast who does not wish to compromise on quality," says Nicola Plump, product manager, Projectors, Sony TV Operations Europe.

"It offers features typically only available on far more expensive projectors, principally Full HD and SXRD. You get a high contrast ratio too, and projection on to screen sizes up to 300 inches. There's nothing else offering so much at this price, which is why we expect this projector to be a very popular product."

We spoke to Sony earlier today and it said that an exact launch date for the Bravia VPL-VW40 has yet to be firmly nailed down; nor has a UK retail price been set. In the US, however, the Bravia VPL-VW40 retails for around $3,000 (£1,509) so you can expect that price to be more towards the £2,000 mark when it does eventually go on sale here.

Get the full feature list for the Sony Bravia VPL-VW40 1080p projector

New Sim2 D80E projector boasts 1080p quality

tech.co.uk staff — 1198108800

Home cinema and projection specialist Sim2 has announced an updated version of its D80 projection unit. The new model is called the D80E - 'E' for 'Evolution' - and is capable of projecting a three-metre wide uncompressed 1080p picture.

The D80E borrows much of its technology from Sim2's multi award-winning HT3000E projector, but packs it all into a more compact unit. Better still, whereas the HT3000E costs £10,000 and the old D80 cost £7,000, the D80E will retail for £4,500.

Cinema quality

At the core of the D80E is a Texas Instruments DarkChip3 0,95inch 1080p chipset. This utilises the Digital Light Projection (DLP) technology that's used in most cinemas and widely recognised as the leading projection technology.

The D80E also incorporates Texas Instruments' patented BrilliantColor technology for enhanced colour, alongside Osram's Unishape lamp technology system. As a result the D80E boasts a response time 500 times faster than that of a standard LCD system, says Sim2.

The projector also uses Sim2's ALPHAPATH light engine, which is an optical engineering solution that enables to projector to be compacted into a much smaller unit and weighing in at just five kilograms.

Tech.co.uk spoke to Mark Franks, marketing manager for Sim2 UK, who told us that the new projector shows how the trickle-down of technology eventually benefits consumers: "The D80E outputs a 1080p image and uses the same kind of high-end technology featured in the HT3000E, however this has all been compacted into a much smaller unit that costs under half as much."

The D80E is available now priced £4,500.

Why projectors are cheaper than you think

Neil Mohr — 1193788800

Nothing can quite match the beguiling attraction of the big-screen. Yes, LCD and plasma TVs are getting bigger and better all the time - take a look at Pioneer's 60-inch beauty the PDP-LX608D or Toshiba's lovely 37-inch 37X3030.

But for true 'home cinema', you've just got to have a projector.

The barriers to projector ownership aren't as high as they used to be. There are plenty of home projector options these days. For every £5K Optoma ThemeScene HD81, new and second hand models can be picked up on the cheap, some for as little as £300.

Modern projectors are also versatile. They'll plug straight into a DVD player or a PC, giving you an instant BIG screen that you can measure in feet rather than inches. Feeling lazy? Optoma's DV11 combines a DVD player and a projector to make things even simpler.

Projectors 101

When looking for a projector there are five important attributes to look for: its brightness (lumens), contrast ratio, noise, resolution and aspect ratio.

For home cinema use brightness is probably the least crucial as, more often that not, you'll be watching films in a darkened room. Ensure your projector is at least 1,000 lumens and not much more than 2,000 lumens; more than this and it'll actually be too bright for your living room.

Instead, contrast ratio is the crucial factor. This measures how well a display - not just a projector - generates light and dark colours. The bigger the ratio the purer and deeper the blacks are, and the richer the bright colours will look.

A projector with a low contrast ratio - anything that sinks below 800:1 - will start to show washed out dark colours and muddy blacks. Many older LCD projectors can have ratios as low as 300:1 and these should be avoided.

The art of noise

Audible noise is the natural enemy of the projector. As you can imagine, having a bulb burning as hot as the sun, trapped inside a tiny plastic box, is a recipe for a meltdown.

While adding a huge fan fixes the problem, it's not very easy on the ears. So a projector that delivers a decibel level of less than 30dB is ideal. Less than 34dB is acceptable, but anything over this will be distracting, even for loud sections of a film.

Then there's resolution. High definition is all the rage these days, but if you don't have any high definition content, or access to any HD channels, then it's a somewhat irrelevant option. An SVGA projector, with an 800 x 600 resolution, is the minimum requirement for watching DVDs and standard def TV programmes.

Of course, we don't think you should seriously consider the SVGA option. XGA projectors with 1,024 x 768 resolutions are everywhere at the budget end of the projector market. Consider these as "fake HD" models.

Considering a 1280 x 720 display contains 921,600 pixels, a widescreen XGA movie will use around 579,584 of the available pixels, significantly better than the 354,400 viewable via an SVGA display.

4:3 vs. 16:9

All of which leads us to the aspect ratio. Most budget projectors - of the SVGA and XGA variety - have 4:3 aspect ratio dispays. The newer HD projectors use a 16:9 ratio, which obviously makes far better use of the available display and is ideal for movies and gaming.

And finally, I'm often asked whether an LCD projector is better than a DLP projector. Whilst DLP projectors on the face of it have far better contrast ratios, they do suffer from the 'rainbow effect', a colour shimmer that can sometimes be seen along bright edges in dark scenes.

Some people see the rainbow effect more readily than others and once you've spotted it you'll find it difficult to ignore. The effect is linked to the speed rating of the projector's colour wheel and a 4x rating is really the minimum to look for.

Best buy options

You don't have to spend big money on a projector. While many of the models in our recent Top 10 HD Projectors article cost thousands, there's now a gaggle of projector options for less than £500. Failing that, there are lots of second-hand options up for grabs on the likes of eBay.

Here are my current top online favourites:

Optoma DS302

At sub-£300, this bargain 800 x 600 DLP projector offers a 2000:1 contrast ratio from a tiny 1.9Kg unit. It also runs whisper-quiet at 27dB. As a budget DLP unit though, you should expect some rainbow effect.

BenQ MP620c

If you want the extra resolution of an XGA projector, this £440 BenQ model fits the bill perfectly. The contrast ratio isn't as high as we'd like (it's only 700:1 and, yes, that breaks the 'not below 800:1 rule I mentioned earlier), but it it is exceedingly quiet and offers both component and DVI inputs.

Optoma HD720X

Available exclusively on the web for under £500, this has to be the lowest cost HD-ready (1,280 x 720) projector we've seen on the market. Similar to the luscious Optoma HD70 - but with a reduced 2000:1 contrast ratio - this represents a great HD buy and an HDMI input.

Mobile phone projectors one step closer

James Rivington — 1191193200

Imagine a world where convergence has gone mad, and mobile phones can do pretty much anything. As technology improves, that world is almost upon us. If Light Blue Optics has its way, mobile phones will soon have built-in pico projectors so that we can enjoy video footage projected onto walls and screens.

An industry-leading developer of holographic laser projection technology, Light Blue Optics (LBO), has announced that it has secured £12.7m million in funds to develop its portable mini-projector technology.

Founded in 2004, LBO has developed an innovative holographic laser projection technology that allows full colour, high-quality video images to be projected onto flat or curved surfaces. Eventually these projectors could be as small as a sugar cube - tiny enough to fit inside mobile devices like phones and portable video players.

Mobile phone projector

LBO's novel approach to projection delivers a unique combination of enabling features including an ultra-wide throw angle, in-built laser speckle reduction, infinite focus, low power consumption, no moving parts and a robust design that naturally lends itself to miniaturisation and low-cost manufacture.

Light Blue Optics' CEO, Dr Chris Harris said, "The closure of this US$26 million funding round will allow us to accelerate our product development and commercialisation programme towards the high-volume manufacture of miniature projection systems.

"LBO has world-beating technology, excellent customer traction across a wide range of markets, a strong investor syndicate and is ideally placed to become the world's leading supplier of miniature projection systems," he said.

Of course LBO doesn't have it all its own way - Texas Instruments and MicroVision are also working on pico projector technology with partners that include Motorola, Mitsubishi, Samsung and Toshiba.