Next week, the upgraded Auckland Observatory will open to the public. In a previous post, the observatory was upgraded which totaled to around $2 million for digital projection technology. According to chief executive Craig Garner, “The fact that we’ve got the whole known universe mapped in 3D is quite a powerful tool.” The Zeiss projector system was recently replaced by Sony SXRD projectors by the help of ASB Trust, the Lion Foundation and Auckland City Council. With support of the public, this planetarium will provide wider display of digital astronomy shows in the 360-degree dome theatre. According to Manager Victoria McArthur, “The screams and whoops were just amazing,” when referring to the schoolchildren that were a test audience. The planetarium will be open April 1st, 2008.

[via Stuff]

There are various important points to look at when buying a projector screen and this review gives you great insight into features you might not have noticed about screens. The size of the projector is relatively important; this is because of the seating distance from the screen and the brightness of the projector. There should be a middle ground with regard to the brightness of the projector. To increase the contrast ratio of your image in ambient light, it is ideal to use a gray screen, as a white screen should be used in a darker room. According to the review “This material works best with DLP or bright LCD, D-ILA (direct-imaging light amplifier) or LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon). It’s important that the projector is bright, as a gray screen will absorb a certain amount of light emitted by the projector.” When you use these features, it’s important that you adjust your light levels and contrast to adapt to the color black that is not produced from the projector.

To prevent black bars, some projectors are able to use masking, which increases the price of the projector. With regard to reducing the “pincushion” effect, you can use a curved screen which allows the image to wrap around and appear normal. But in order to make the viewing as realistic as possible, you should utilize transparency by putting the front speakers behind the screen. Issues with screen application, are primarily choosing the wrong screen, visual moiré patterns, and roll-off. If these issues are tackled, then viewing should be a pleasurable experience with minimal problems.

[via Electronic House]

With the projector market advancing the way it is some manufacturers finding it difficult to keep up, BenQ Canada Corp., a leader in projector technology announced that this year the focus of their marketing campaign will be in projector and LCD monitor sales. In 2003, BenQ made an impact on the industry with its previous marketing endeavors; doing so well at that time, the company changed its strategies. Mike Booker, general manager at BenQ Canada stated that “We’re at a stage now where a lot of companies are replacing their projectors because they’ve hit their maturity. BenQ can benefit from this trend.”

[via IT Business]

The Optoma TX7155 projector has many features and is lightweight, according to this reviewer. At 3.2 pounds, the TX7155 has VGA, composite, S-Video, audio connectors, HDMI port, and a remote control. With regard to the lab results however, in default presentation mode, according to the reviewer, “the projector registered only 1699 Lumens; we had to switch the projector to its Bright mode to pump its score up to 2264 Lumens. Although this score follows an industry tradition of being about 10 percent short of its advertised value, it’s still plenty bright for most typical business applications.” With the DLP engine, the contrast ratio was 229:1. Overall, the verdict is that the price of $1,100 is worth is due to the lamp life and the performance of the device.

[via Laptop Magazine]

As the projection technology advances, so will the theaters with upscale promotions such as luxury theaters with VIP seats that cost about $15 to $35 a ticket. Not only has the theater seating changed, but the projector technology itself through three-dimensional imaging. When the movie “Beowulf” in 3D was played, theaters were sold out, this movie alone brought in enough revenue to make cinemas seriously think about the possibilities of more 3D movies. Other movies such as “U2 3D”, and “Hannah Montana” were also movies that did rather well at the cinema due to 3D technology. When doing a price comparison, we can see that “Dolby 3D Digital Cinema is somewhere between 20,000 and $30,000 to bring a complete 3D experience technology into theaters.” The screen doesn’t have to change, so both standard and 3D movies can be played in the same theater. The only issues with 3D movies is the bulky glasses that you have to wear, but only time will tell when technology will make these obsolete.

[TG Daily]

At a trade show in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Runco showed the VX-22d and the VX-22i projectors which are compatible with the CineWide lens options. While both have some of the same capabilities including digital DHD controllers, advanced Vivix II video processing, scaling and aspect ratio control, the differences are that VX-22i has built-in video processing, and the VX-22d has external processing. Additionally, the VX-22d offers AxiShift horizontal and vertical lens capabilities. Also on display at the show included the RS-900 projector that also is cable of the CineWide lens option, and the RS-1100 projector features more connectivity options, improved video processing, and a larger throw lens. With regard to entry level quality projectors; they showed the RS-440LT, and the RS-440. Runco specializes in CineWide, which is an exclusive technology that eliminates black bars and uses every pixel to create high resolution images.

[via Twice]

The Canon LV-7365 projector is just one of the many excellent projectors Canon has in their lineup. This projector shares a similar to design to the other projectors in its series, namely the body and smooth finish; it is also well ventilated due to the front metallic grill. The projector has a lamp that can be changed every 3000 hours and connectors such as D-SUB, DVI, composite, and DVI. According to this reviewer, “The higher intensity lamp enables the projector to give a good quality picture in a fully lit room with the largest of screen sizes, and we were easily able to get a decent 8 foot image in a normal indoor environment.” Due to all of the great features, this projector makes a great package, and in this review the verdict is that it’s good for intensity, HDCP support, but they couldn’t find anything negative that should be included in the review.

[via InterWeb]

With a fresh look, new features, and glossy panels, you can’t go wrong with the Dell M209X projector. Weighing just 2.6 pounds, this ultra-portable device really outshines the competition with 2000 Lumens, including HDMI input ports and DLP imaging engines that use BrilliantColor technology. According to the reviewer, “On our lab tests, the M209X did quite well. Its brightness score of 2125 Lumens was refreshingly above its advertised value of 2000. Thanks to its DLP technology, the contrast ratio was equally impressive, at 640:1—although well below the 1800:1 claim. Unfortunatly, Dell’s new color-handling technology wasn’t very effective: Yellow shades were still dull and mustard-like, similar to other DLP projectors such as the InFocus IN15.” On the upside, the lamp is claimed by Dell to last 3,000 hours, and 5,000 in low-power mode. The verdict on this gadget is that it’s worth the price at $999 because not only does the image quality perform nicely, but it is more portable, better contrast, and has a shorter cooldown time.

[via Laptop Magazine]

As an update from a previous post, the NBA game that was scheduled to be played in 3D has created quite the interest since yesterday when it was televised. According to viewers the game was clear, realistic, and very sharp compared to some of the best home televisions due to the 4096×2160 (4K) resolution. In order to get the full effect of the three-dimensional game, the viewer would have to look straight at the screen; if you turn your head slightly the 3D effect will diminish. The enjoying broadcast was also commercial free, and during the timeouts and halftime, there were shots of other features that viewers don’t normally see in the background, primarily players in huddle and cheerleaders. It is projected that the interested in 3D cinema and broadcasting technology will increase in the coming years.

[via The Dallas Morning News]

Today in Austin, Texas SI announced a new motorized projector screen, with a design that is loaded with features. With a “Super Flat” rigid screen tensioning system this screen is sure to outperform the competition. The screen includes a 12 volt trigger, IR / remote, 24 inches of black drop for home theater application, and easy to set adjustments. To ensure the perfect projector image, these performance series set of screens will make installation and adjustment easier. The screen retails for around $1,649. SI, founded in 2003 is one of the leaders in consumer technology, insuring the very best in quality and availability.

[via SVConline]