Planar has announced that they will be releasing two new projectors in March. First is the PD8130 DLP projector. This model features 1000 ANSI lumens and a 10000:1 contrast ratio. It also has HDMI, DVI, component, composite, and s-video connections. The PD8150 projector is the big brother of the PD8130. The PD8150 features the same 1000 ANSI lumens but has a greater 15000:1 contrast ratio. The PD8150 also comes with dual HDMI connections. Both models present full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution.

[via Broadcast Newsroom]

BTX Technologies have recently announced that they have designed a new cable kit that will help people connect their cameras and projectors to their systems. The solderless control cable kit comes with a three foot cable with a male or female DB9 connection on one end, and a blunt cut on the other. You also get the MaxBlox hood to attach to the blunt cut. This universal kit was designed to connect any projector or camera with a D-Sub connection. The solderless control cable kit is on sale for $23.

[via Ecoustics]

If there is one thing Sony knows it’s how to build a sturdy projector. The VPL-CX155 is not the best in the market but it does have some good points about it. The CX155 features 3500 ANSI lumens and native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. It also comes with a variety of connections including s-video, composite, component, and RGB. The reviewers at ZDnet.com recently released what they thought of the VPL-CX155. One of the favorite aspects of this projector was the networking features. They also enjoyed the 22dB noise level and how easy it was to set up and take down. They were disappointed with the quality of the images as well as the fact that there was no WiFi or Bluetooth features. Their verdict about the VPL-CX155 was, “The well-built and stylish Sony VPL-CX155 is easy to use and features impressive networking capabilities. However, for a business projector with such a high price tag, poor image quality and a lack of Wi-Fi may leave users wanting more.”

[via ZDnet]

Mitsubishi has recently announced the release of two new XGA (1024 x 768) resolution projectors, the XL1550U and XL2550U. The XL1550U features 3100 ANSI lumens and a 400:1 contrast ratio, whereas the XL2550U has 4000 ANSI lumens and a 600:1 contrast ratio. These models were designed for large meeting halls, churches, conference rooms and auditoriums. They also feature a side replacement lamp to allow the projectors to be changed with out having to take the projector off its mount. They also have a variety of lenses available to allow for any circumstances you may have. The XL1550U is expected to sell for $3995, and the XL2550U will sell for $4495.

[via Street Insider]

Epson has recently announced the release of the EMP-DM1 home theater projector. This model was announced last summer and is just now hitting the market in India and other parts of Asia.  The DM1 features 1000 ANSI lumens and a 300:1 contrast ratio. It also has the ability to scale up to SXGA (1280 x 1024) resolution. The main feature is the built-in DVD player that can play both DVDs and CDs. The DM1 is also light weight and can be transported from the home to your work.

[via Tech Tree]

Musion has created a state-of-the-art system that allows people to be in two or more places at once. The Eyeliner projection system uses an old magic trick to project a 3D image of the person onto a piece of glass. A hidden projector combined with some mirrors creates a 3D image onto a sheet of glass. Some of the people who have used the Eyeliner System include Madonna, David Beckham, Al Gore, and more recently Price Charles. The system connects the user to the destination though the internet and also allows the user to be at multiple locations. Musion also is going to launch their Virtually Live project that allows pop bands to perform “live” in five nightclubs simultaneously. This technology can also be designed for public use to allow traveling parents to be able to interact with their families while on the road.

[via Times Online]

Screen Research is a world-class provider of high quality projection screens. Recently, the company has announced the opening of the North America branch is Livermore, California. Screen Research has been supplying home theater screens to parts of the US since 2003. One of their major products is the ClearPix Screen. This product uses their patented ClearPix2 fabric. This fabric is designed to allow speakers to be mounted behind the screen and sound to travel through it uninterrupted. The new facility started taking responsibilities for US sales January 1st 2008.

[via HomeToys]

The Sanyo PLV-Z2000 is another one of those full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution projectors. It also features 1200 ANSI lumens and a 15000:1 contrast ratio. The people at Ultimate AV Magazine recently released their review of the PLV-Z2000. They liked the low noise level (19 dB) as well as the quality picture that was displayed. The only major problem was that the black levels needed improvement. Their conclusion about this projector was, “for $2,699 (after $300 mail-in rebate), you can’t expect perfection. The price/value proposition that this projector offers is excellent and if you are in the market for a 1080p projector in this price range, the Sanyo PLV-Z2000 should be near the top of your audition list.”

[via Ultimate AV Magazine]

It looks like Godzilla isn’t the only monster to be terrorizing Tokyo any more. As a publicity stunt to promote the new movie “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep”, The city allowed the creation of a 50 foot tall Loch Ness Monster in the middle of Tokyo Bay. This huge beast isn’t constructed using robotics, instead, they set up several water sprays that shoot water upwards resembling a fan. These walls of water were used as a projector screen with projectors, synchronized with music and sound effects, showing the beast coming out of the water and looking around at the onlookers. This is one of the first times that this technology has been used for marketing, however this water screen technology is used every day at Walt Disney World MGM Studios for their Fantasmic show.

[via Gizmodo]

The Panasonic PT-LB51EA is great for any business man on the go. Weighing only 13 lbs, this model features 2000 ANSI lumens and an XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. The reviewers at ZDNet had the opportunity to give this model the once over. They loved the fact that this model was light and able to produce a 300 inch (diagonally) image. They also enjoyed the colors reproduction that it could produce. Their main problem was that this projector was very loud for its size. Also they thought the contrast and light distribution was not that great. Their final thought was, “A very portable and usable machine with an attractive price tag.”

[via ZDNet]