Hall Research Technologies is a leading designer and manufacturer of audio/video distribution, switching, scaling, and automation products. Today they announced that they will be releasing their UH-1C HDMI over Catx Extender this year at InfoComm09 in Orlando, Florida, from June 17th – 19th. The UH-1C extender connects HDMI devices over long distances, where using HD cables would be expensive. This device offers a low cost possibility by using either a Cat5e or a Cat6 cable between a transmitter and receiver device. The extender can reach distances up to 200 feet for 1080i and 720p signals, or 150 feet for 1080p signals. In addition, the extender is compatible with all versions of the HDMI connection. Both the transmitter and the receiver require their own power source and come with personal adapters for each unit. Hall Research Technologies will publicly demonstrate the UH-1C at their booth (#4178) but the retail price has not been released yet.

[via Newswire Today]

Home theaters are suppose to be place to relax and unwind from the troubles of every day life. That is exactly why the owners of the Blue Water Day Spa thought when they decided to add a theater into their facilities. The theater is the size of a standard movie theater and features the latest digital projector system and audio technology. The theater can seat up to 28 clients into modern spa chairs. During the movie, guests will have the luxury of getting a full spa treatment and they can choose from one of four new treatments that are exclusive to the Theater Spa. The Athlete’s Message is designed for active people who are always on the go. The Tibetan Meridian Fire Therapy uses fire and hard massage techniques to cleanse the body of fat, excess water, and toxins. The Comfort Zone Monicelli Mud Treatment helps detoxify and soften the skin. And lastly the Biovegetal Enzyme Skin Pealing treatment uses organic products to restore the skin’s softness, smoothness and suppleness. “This unique concept is a Blue Water Day Spa exclusive,” said BWDS vice president Francis Ryan Simisim. “[It's] an essential part of [our] unrelenting effort to make going to the spa a totally enjoyable experience.”

[via Inquirer]

Epson is the number-one selling projector brand worldwide. In their continued efforts to help schools and other education facilities, Epson is offering their new Smarter Choices program. This program offers a free projector to every customer for every seven units they purchase. This buy seven get one free deal doesn’t sound practical for smaller schools, but for schools that need to purchase a lot of units will find this program can save them hundreds of dollars. The promotion is only available between now and July 15th and it only applies to the four latest projectors that were released, the PowerLite 84, 85, 825, and 826W. These models feature brightness levels between 2500 and 3000 ANSI lumens as well as either a native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution or a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. All of these models also feature a microphone input that allows a teacher to get their students’ attention with out having to raise their voice. These models are fitted with extra long lasting lamps, which can run for up to 6000 hours before needing maintenance.

[via Epson]

The WowWee Cinemin Swivel projector is one of the most anticipated projectors this year. Even though this projector is expected to be released in June in the US, it was recently announced that the Swivel will not release in Europe until September. The Swivel features 10 ANSI lumens, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a 480 x 320 resolution. the main feature however is that the projector can bend in the middle to help adjust the display. This feature is useful because it doesn’t limit the display to be placed at the level of the surface that the projector is on. The Swivel can even be placed on a table or floor and shine directly onto the ceiling with out help. The projector comes with an AV jack and a USB port for charging and displaying video from your computer. It also comes with a tiny 0.5W speaker system and a headphone jack for when you want to listen in private. The internal battery can run for up to 150 minutes, which is more than enough for presentations and movies. There is no word yet how much the Cinemin Swivel will retail in the UK yet, but it will be available in the US for $349.

[via CNet.UK]

Panamax is a world leading provider of AC power management solutions. Recently, the company announced the release of their first product that features power management, surge protection, and battery back-up, the MX5102. This device is designed specifically for home theater systems and protects all the electrical components from under voltage or overvoltage conditions. The battery backup portion of the MX5102 also gives the electronic equipment enough energy to power down correctly during a blackout in order to prevent damage to the devices. The MX5102 can be ordered as a standalone or a rack-mounted device and features linear filtration and surge protection as well as supplying UPS functionality through two of its 10 outlets. In addition, the MX5102 comes with 10 surge protected outlets, including two battery-powered outlets. The device is currently available now for $649.

[via Home Toys]

Microsoft is back with new features for their popular Microsoft Surface interactive table. This time they are displaying a program called VPlay, which allows a user to edit live video with a touch of the screen. The final video product is what you see in the box on right side of the display. By moving different video clip and effect icons, a user can change the video and see the final product almost instantly. A user can also mix the video with a second or third video by creating a chain like display that almost resembles those molecule models in chemistry. The icons also have their own specific controls that allow the videos to be rotated or flipped. The effect icons have similar controls as well, but are also affected by how close or apart they are to adjacent icons. The VPlay is only for show right now and no word yet on a commercial release.

[via Engadget]

Christie is a global leader in visual solutions for entertainment, business, and industry. Recently, the company announced that it will remain as one of the leading providers of digital equipment and continue to help independent theaters reap the full benefits of digital and 3D cinema. To stay on top, Christie has developed more customizable programs that provide marketing and sales support, technical advice and expertise, maintain spare parts inventory, and deliver a streamlined RMA process. “Independent theatres serve an important niche in the cinema marketplace. They cater to local audiences and provide a connection to their communities,” observed Craig Sholder, vice-president, Entertainment Solutions, Christie. “By working closely with certified Christie dealers who sell, install and service the independent theatres, Christie can offer a broader range of support that includes turnkey operations and the most advanced digital projection solutions. Because dealers act as an extension of the Christie organization, we ensure that they provide the same high standard of service our customers expect of us.” The conversion from old film projectors to new digital projector has been going for a few years, but only recently with the development of 3D movies has the technology really started to flourish. Many independent theaters as well as big name companies like Regal and Cinemark have been converting their theaters to digital systems that can display 3D content.

[via Christie]

Do you need a big display for your next presentation, but don’t have the space to carry a big projector? Then you might be interested in one of the many new micro-projectors that are revolutionizing the projector industry. Micro-projectors are some of the smallest projectors ever designed, ranging in size from the size of a thick book, to being small enough to fit in your cell phone. These miniature devices made a huge impression curing CES 09 earlier this year and they are expected to do the same in upcoming shows. Most pocket projectors typically fall into one of three categories based on how they display images. The first is the traditional optics-based style that involves using a white light source like a lamp or an LED. This style is the same style that bigger projectors use, but is usually limited to how bright the light source is and the lens system always needs refocusing. Another method is only found in pocket projectors right now and involves a trio of colored lasers. This laser style is a lot more compact than the traditional style and can be used in smaller devices. One of the major benefits that give this system an edge is that the lasers do not use a lens to magnify the image. This means that there is no need for focusing and the display will always be clear, crisp and full of color. A third method is currently still in development now, but when released will help push the pocket projector industry. A company called Light Blue Optics has developed a projector that uses holographic projection. This system can display a much brighter image and doesn’t require any lenses or mirrors that the two previous styles use. Not only will this developmental style provide a better image, developers are also looking to make this projection system able to sense when a user touches the screen, creating an interactive surface. There is no word yet when this style will be available.

[via Technology Review]

When people hear Marantz they expect high quality. The VP-11S2 is no exception, featuring 850 ANSI lumens, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Recently, the writers from Ultimate AV Magazine released a complete review of this projector. The VP-11S2 has been the flagship for Marantz projectors for a while now and it still is one of the leading high quality projectors. One of the ways that this projector achieves its high quality is by using a new film coating that is added to the lenses. This coat increases the contrast ratio and helps create bright crisp images. The writer commented that setup was rather easy. The projector doesn’t posses any automatic functions, which means that you need to adjust everything yourself, but for a home theater projector, once it’s setup you shouldn’t need to re-adjust it. The display itself was more than adequate. Shadow detail was fairly good and movement scenes were no problem for the 11S2. The final conclusion the writer stated was, “Marantz has lowered the price of its flagship design, but its made clear improvements in its overall performance. The level of detail the VP-11S2 delivered was staggering; you’d be hard-pressed to find better shadow detail anywhere. Although Marantz needs to put some refinement into its accuracy for both color and clipping, it will still be tough to find a better image out there.”

[via Ultimate AV Magazine]

NEC is proud to announce the release of two new projectors that feature dual lamp technology. The NP4100 and NP4100W are very similar and different at the same time. They both feature the latest in DLP display technology and can display a 2100:1 contrast ratio. The NP4100 is the brighter of the two with 6200 ANSI lumens, but it only comes with a native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. The NP4100W features a dimmer 5500 ANSI lumens, but comes with a much better WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. Both projectors come with a diverse selection of connections, including RGB, BNC, DVI, component, composite, and s-video. These models also come with several control options like LAN, USB, RS-232 serial port, two remote ports, and a screen trigger that can signal the motorized screen when to open and close. Weighing close to 40 lbs, these projectors are defiantly designed for fixed installation, and their high brightness ensures a full visible display no matter how much ambient light is in the room. The NP4100 and NP4100W are currently available through the NEC website, although the retail price has not been released yet.

[via InfoWorld]