Panasonic was proud to announce today the launch of what they are calling the world’s first LCD 3D projector, the PT-AE7000E. This device is capable of displaying full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 2000 ANSI lumens, and an impressive 300000:1 contrast ratio. The projector is capable of displaying 3D content using the active shutter technique. The projector comes with 3 HDMI ports as well as a RGB, component, and several other ports as well. There is even a 12V trigger port to connect to automatic lifts, lighting, or other automated features. Chris Key, Marketing Manager for Panasonic New Zealand, said: “The AE7000′s light engine uses super high speed LCD technology that supports refresh rates at 480Hz, which is double the speed of the next fastest imaging technology available today.” Panasonic did not release a retail price yet for the PT-AE7000E.

[via Voxy]

Earlier this month, Acer announced the release of their latest pico projector, the C110. This device features 50 ANSI lumens, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a WVGA (854 x 480) resolution. Today, it was revealed that this projector is now available in Australia. The device is one of the few pico projectors to come from Acer and is capable of displaying HD content. It weighs less than a pound and is small enough to fit into any pocket. The C110 was designed to run off a connected laptop via a USB port. “Mobility and energy efficiency are two main trends in the projector market,” said Roger Chien, projectors product manager at ViewSonic “The PLED series transforms the projector from a cumbersome gadget to an incredibly lightweight, compact device that can be carried anywhere to meet all your projection needs. With a mercury-free LED light source and power consumption of less than 50 watts, these pico projectors are as eco-friendly as they are portable, making for powerhouse business solutions.” The C110 retails for just under $300.

[via Smart House]

NEC is a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions. Today, the company announced that their latest digital cinema projector, the NC3240S, has reached full Digital Cinema Initiatives Compliance for usage with 2K legacy third party servers. The NC3240S features 31000 ANSI lumens, a 2100:1 contrast ratio, and a 4K HD (4096 x 2160) resolution. It can also display 3D content onto screens measuring up to 105 feet wide. The testing was conducted by the Research Institute for Digital Media and Content at Keio University in Japan. “Introducing DCI compliance to this 4K model is a significant achievement,” said Pierre Richer, President and C.O.O. of NEC Display Solutions. “The full line of NEC digital cinema projectors, including the NC1200C, NC2000C and NC3200S models, offers this certification, which is mandatory for exhibitors utilizing digital technology. Compatibility with the demanding industry requirements is something on which NEC prides itself. Our ability to provide customers with exactly what is needed for current installations is crucial to our success.”

[via NEC]

Today, it was unveiled that ViewSonic has finally released their Pro8400 projector in India. This home theater model features full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 4000 ANSI lumens, and a 2600:1 contrast ratio. The projector is 3D ready and even comes with dual HDMI ports. The connection panel also includes RGB, composite, s-video, component, and several audio ports as well. The projector’s design features a long lasting lamp and a filter-free design that helps reduce maintenance checks. Ajay Sharma, Country Manager, ViewSonic said, “ViewSonic is optimistic about the growth of Projectors in India. This year we are focusing at the projector market in a big way. We are bringing in latest technologies, innovative products to suit different set of consumer demands. Pro8400 is a high-end projector designed exclusively for home theatres to satisfy discerning people who demand the best image quality available from cutting-edge projecting technologies.” The Pro8400 is priced at about Rs 125000 ($2557).

[via It Var News]

Earlier this month, Epson unveiled their new MegaPlex projectors for the home theater. Today, it was unveiled that the first of these projectors is now available, the MegaPlex MG-850HD. This device is the first projector from Epson to feature a built in Apple docking station. The docking station can accommodate a number of Apple products, including an iPad, iPod, and the iPhone. The projector is capable of displaying a 3000:1 contrast ratio, 2800 ANSI lumens, and a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. The projector is available now for just under $800.

[via Gizmodo]

The Optoma TW762 is one of the company’s latest business projectors. It features 4000 ANSI lumens, a 3000:1 contrast ratio, and WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. Today, the writers from PC Magazine released their review of this particular device. The writers complimented the projector’s brightness and thought it was powerful for a projector that is so light and portable. The writers also liked the connection panel, especially the included HDMI port to receive digital content. The writers liked the image quality, but they noted that it wasn’t the best that they have seen. Other than that, there weren’t a lot of complaints about the TW762. The bottom line the writers made was, “Rated at a bright 4,000 lumens, the 6.5-pound Optoma TW762 business projector manages to be both bright enough for a mid- to large-size conference room or classroom and portable enough to carry.”

[via PC Magazine]

One of the new home theater projectors from Vivitek is the H9080FD. This device comes with 800 ANSI lumens, a 100000:1 contrast ratio, and HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The writers from Audioholics got the opportunity to preview this device before it hits the consumer market. The first thing they highlight is that this projector s not for the cheap. Retailing for about $15000, this projector is not intended for buyers with a budget. One of the main features about the H9080FD is the LED lamps. This allows the projector to run longer between lamp replacements, but it also means a darker image. The brightness is not that great and will require a rather dark room in order to provide impressive image quality. The final statement the writers made was, “Are we excited about the Vivitek H9080FD LED projector? Heck yes. Sure, it’s a first generation LED projector – which means it is expensive, but we’ve been waiting for LED front projectors for what seems like forever. We were heartened by the color reproduction and sharpness of the images. While the $15k price tag means we’ll wait for the price to come down in future generations, we’re happy that LED has come on the scene with such an impressive offering. Pretty soon we’ll all be enjoying projectors with 20,000 hour lifespans rather than the 2000-5000 we’re currently stuck with.”

[via Audioholics]

One of the many home theater projectors to come from InFocus is the SP8600. This device comes with 1800 ANSI lumens, a 5000:1 contrast ratio, and HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Recently, the writers from PC Advisor released their review of the SP8600. The projector looks like a business room projector, but don’t let looks fool you. The device has an impressive diversity and is bright enough for business, but also provides an impressive image quality that’s ideal for home theaters. The projector was incredibly quiet, even in its boost mode, which was nice to see. The final verdict the writers made was, “We’ve seen budget 1080p projectors before, but few are able to offer the level of quality and features required to go beyond mere resolution and deliver smooth life-like moving images. The InFocus SP8600 takes such tasks in its stride and is available for less than the Vivitek H1080FD upon which is it based. This is a truly excellent projector at the £799 asking price.”

[via PC Advisor]

ViewSonic announced today the release of two new pocket projectors, the PLED-W200 and PLED-W500. Both devices have been announced in the past, but now they are finally on the retail market. The only real similarities are that they use DLP display technology and both have a native WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. The W200 is capable of displaying 250 ANSI lumens and a 2000:1 contrast ratio, while the W500 comes with 500 ANSI lumens and a 6000:1 contrast ratio. Probably the most remarkable aspect is that these tiny projectors are 3D Ready and are capable of displaying with a 120Hz frame rate. The projectors are able to be portable and come with a 1GB internal memory and slots for SD cards and USB flash drives. “Mobility and energy efficiency are two main trends in the projector market,” said Roger Chien, projectors product manager, ViewSonic. “The PLED series transforms the projector from a cumbersome gadget to an incredibly lightweight, compact device that can be carried anywhere to meet all your projection needs. With a mercury-free LED light source and power consumption of less than 50 watts, these pico projectors are as eco-friendly as they are portable, making for powerhouse business solutions.” The PLED-W200 and W500 come with a 3 year warranty and retail for $499 and $699, respectively.

[via Market Watch]

The Optoma GT750 projector is designed mainly for gamers. It features 3000 ANSI lumens, a 3000:1 contrast ratio, and WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution. Today, the writers from PC Magazine released their review of this particular projector. One of the main features the writers wanted to look at was the 3D capabilities, which were noted to be one of the better things about the TV. Another feature the writers liked was the short throw distance, which was capable of displaying up to a 322 inch image from only 16.4 feet away. Unfortunately the projector is not perfect and doesn’t come with a zoom or a lens shift feature. This makes setting up the projector a little difficult and requires precise positioning. The final comment the writers made was, “Optoma’s latest game projector, the GT750E offers a short throw, bright image, good quality audio, and 3D support for both DLP-Link and RF glasses.”

[via PC Magazine]