Military Training Technology magazine releases every year a list of the companies around the world that have made a significant impact on the military training industry. The magazine has a spectrum of fields companies can qualify under including distance learning, live training, virtual and constructive simulation, modeling, gaming, and many others. Companies selected for the list are based on various criteria like total military sales, innovations, and program effectiveness. Recently Barco was awarded the status as top simulation and training company as “world leader in high-performance, high-quality display system for simulation training applications.” One of Barco’s products mentioned for this award was the SIM 7D projector. This model features a QXGA (2048 x 1536) resolution and a 1000000:1 contrast ratio. The 7D was highlighted for its multi-channel setup features, which allows it to be easily linked to multiple projectors. This projector is also able to project on curved of spherical surfaces, making it ideal for domed shaped simulation screens. “I’d like to thank Military Training Magazine for honoring us with this recognition,” says Al Herman, vice president of Barco’s simulation business.

[via Barco]

Luminvision has recently announced their updated ADVIS Interactive Projection System. This system turns projectors and computers into interactive displays that can be shined on walls, floors, ceilings, or anywhere else. It is very similar to the Microsoft Surface, but on a larger scale. Instead of using touch-screen technology, the ADVIS system uses motion detection technology to pinpoint what part of the display is being touched. It also has multi-touch capabilities to allow many people to interact with the display simultaneously. The system was designed primarily for advertising and marketing but can be used for entertainment and educational purposes. This system comes with over 100 different effects to choose from and it allows users to use their own backgrounds or logos.

[via PRWeb]

The Sony VPL-VW80 is one of Sony’s newest home theater projectors. It features full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 800 ANSI lumens and a 60000:1 contrast ratio. It is part of Sony’s long line of projectors to have SXRD display technology. The SXRD display panel uses ultra small crystals to display the image, which almost eliminates the pixellation problems that occur with most LCD display panels. Recently the writers at Trusted Review got their hands on the VW80. The writers bring to light the inclusion of the intriguing high-end MotionFlow processor. This device inserts extra, newly calculated frames of image data to make high movement video appear to look more fluid and sharp. Another main feature that the writers mentioned was the 60000:1 contrast ratio, which is made possibly by an ‘Advanced Iris’ system. The system automatically adjusts the amount of light through the projector’s iris in response to how dark or bright a particular image is. The writers noted that the VPL-VW80 is loaded with mouth watering features, but the big question they asked themselves was do all these features constitute the £4,995 ($8882) price tag? Their conclusion was, “The VW80 is an excellent projector in itself, introducing Sony’s fascinating MotionFlow system to a lower price point, delivering SXRD’s best black levels yet, and reaffirming SXRD’s prowess in the sharpness and lack of video noise departments. Whether it truly justifies its £5k price tag, though, is another matter. It largely depends on just how much store you put in its MotionFlow system, to which end I strongly recommend that you try one before you buy one. For me personally, while MotionFlow has certainly grown on me since I first saw it, it doesn’t quite do enough - especially with the flawed Motion Compensation element - to persuade me that the VW80 is genuinely £2,000 better than, say, the JVC HD1.”

[via Trusted Reviews]

Sony has recently announced the VPL-CX130 projector. This model is designed with teachers in mind. It features 3200 ANSI lumens and a native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. The CX130 comes with dual RGB/Component connections as well as an s-video input and RCA A/V connections. This projector comes with a variety of functions for teachers and presenters. Some of the features include picture freeze, automatic picture element adjustment, fractional gain, and password protection. The VPL-CX130 is already available in China, and retails for 8300 Yuan ($1212). There is no word when this projector will be available in the US.

[via Cyber Theater]

Sony has recently announced their latest innovation, a single-projector 3D adaptor. This adapter is designed to work with all Sony 4K movie theater projectors, especially the SXR-RS220. The unit uses the full height of Sony’s 4K imaging device and displays 2K images to each eye simultaneously. The adapter has two new lens units, LKRL-A002 and LKRL-A003. Both units have an optical and a mechanical assembly for each eye image. Both units are designed to meet DCI specifications for 3D digital projection. The SRX-R2200 projector features 18000 ANSI lumens, a 2000:1 contrast ratio and a 4096 x 2160 resolution. It also comes with an integrated media block that enables the projector to achieve 4:4:4 RGB signals. The system is designed to allow movie theaters the flexibility to switch between 4K and 3D content. The 3D adapter will be available in March 2009, but unfortunately the retail price has not been announced.

[via Sony]

http://www.vimeo.com/1868142

If you thought the Microsoft Surface was impressive, wait until you see what Josh Santangelo has done. He took a Microsoft Surface and combined it with a Nintendo Wii Balance Board to give the screen pressure sensitive capabilities. The program demoed for this concoction is a circle creator program that lets you create different sized circles, depending on how long you press the screen. Santangelo then leans onto the sides of the Surface and the balls start to move towards him. The Microsoft Surface uses a projector to project a display onto the glass surface. It uses an IR camera to track hand placements and relates that information to a computer. The computer then puts the IR images and the display together. This pressure sensitive technology for the Surface would be excellent for a digital version of the labyrinth game.

[via Stimulant]

Panasonic has announced a new projector will be launched in Japan, the TH-AE3000. This projector’s features are 1600 ANSI lumens and a 60000:1 contrast ratio, which were made possible by a newly developed optical system. The AE3000 is expected to be the successor of Panasonic’s TH-AE2000 projector. The AE3000 uses 3LCD display technology to project full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, which is starting to be the standard for home theater projectors. This model also comes with a variety of connections including component, s-video, RCA and three HDMI inputs. The TH-AE3000 is expected to release next month and will retail for 3000€ ($4136).

[via Panasonic]

Digital Cinema Implementation Partners (DCIP) is a joint venture owned equally by exhibition industry leaders AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group, representing more than 14,000 screens in the U.S. and Canada. Recently DCIP announced a deal to install thousands of digital movie projectors starting next year in the US. Each new theater will cost about $70000 each. DCIP is receiving help from several major movie studios including Lion’s Gate, Paramount, Fox, Universal Studios and Disney. In order to show their films, the studios will be paying between $800 and $1000 per film. DCIP has also announced that they plan to make a separate deal with Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures to install digital projectors around the world. The deal with Sony will involve using Sony’s 4K SXRD projectors, the SRX-R210 and SRX-R220. The new theaters are expected to be able to display not only digital movies, but 3D movies as well. This is good news for the dozen 3D movies expected to debut next year. Both the DCIP and the major movie studios expect this deal to help lure guests back to the theaters and away from their HDTVs.

[via Gizmodo]

The Planar PD8130 projector is built to impress. It features 1000 ANSI lumens, full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. Recently the writers from Trusted Reviews got the chance to review this behemoth. The first thing they noticed when unpacking the PD8130 was how heavy it was. The circular design of the chassis did not help with carrying it from room to room either. Although the PD8130 is a chunky and awkward to carry, the writers do mention that this projector is designed for custom installation and comes with Planar’s installation professionals to mount and adjust the projector for you. Once the projector was turned on the writers were able to scroll through the helpful onscreen menu. One thing noted by the writers was that the projector appeared to be already calibrated before they received it. The writers did not have to make any adjustments to the projector to get the best possible picture. The picture displayed was one of the best features of the PD8130. The image was clean and crisp and was especially good during fast motion images. Their final verdict was, “In an ideal world, the PD8130 would suffer no rainbowing at all. And its black levels would be unbelievably deep. And its HD images might look so sharp you could cut glass with them while still retaining their cinematic feel. And it would run a bit more quietly. But then that same ideal world would also include trees that grew chocolate bars, no mortgages, teleportation, 50 weeks of holiday a year and babies that changed their own nappies and slept for 12 hours a night from birth. In other words, in the context of anything approaching reality, the PD8130 is yet another startlingly good product from Planar - and one that’s got us drooling like a thirsty dog at the prospect of its upcoming ‘Viper’ DLP three-chipper. “

[via Trusted Reviews]

LG Electronics is rolling out their newest and smallest projector, the HS102. This projector features SVGA (800 x 600) resolution, 160 ANSI lumens, and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. Its inputs include a RGB, composite, and a USB port. The main feature LG is highlighting is that the HS102 has a built-in DivX player. This feature allows a user to download movies onto the projector and play them with out needing an external connection. The HS102 is designed for travel, weighing only 1.7 lbs and its dimensions are 4″ x 2″ x 6″ (W x H x D). In addition, LG offers an external battery that can power the HS102 for up to two hours. The HS102 is now available on LG’s global website and is expected to retail for about $555.

[via Engadget]