Rob McIntosh loves his movies. He loves them so much that he decided build his own home theater in order to show them all. He and his wife spent months designing building their theater to look like an old grandioso theater, only to find that Rob’s job was being moved across the country. In order to keep his job the couple traveled to their new home. Apparently, Rob enjoyed his theater just as much as he enjoyed his movies because when he moved, he took his home theater with him. Unfortunately, by selling his old house he had to leave a few components had to be left behind like the chairs, projection screen and projector. But this gave Rob the opportunity to start over and build the theater he loved for a second time. Because his wife allowed the second theater to be built, Rob named the theater after her nickname, BubbyMac. The new theater features a 120-inch screen from Stewart Filmscreen and a new Marantz VP-15S1 projector, which feature 1000 ANSI lumens, a 10000:1 contrast ratio, and full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The theater is decorated with many of the decorations from the old theater as well as some new antique looking items. Rob’s entire movie collection was scanned onto a digital library and can be accessed through the touch screen panel that is located just outside the theater.

[via Electronic House]

One of the most talked about pocket projectors is the BenQ Joybee GP1. This projector is state-of-the-art, featuring SVGA (858 x 600) resolution, a 2000:1 contrast ratio, and 100 ANSI lumens. The latest group to release their review of this projector is Crunch Gear. The first thoughts that the writers thought was that the GP1 was a little too big compared to smaller pico projectors. However, when compared to similar pocket projectors, the GP1 is one of the smallest. The writer also thought that the $500 price tag might deter a lot of potential customers, but they writer feel that looking at the specs will show that this projector is well worth it. The projector took only minutes for the writers to setup, after connecting the wires, and powering it up, the picture was on the screen in no time. The image was visible in a semi-lit room, but the writers thought that it does much better in complete darkness. The final thoughts that the writers made about the GP1 was, “Overall, the Joybee GP1 is a low-cost, low-power alternative to a power-hungry TV that’s easily portable and quiet. The controls atop the GP1 are lackluster and frustrating, so I suggest using the remote control. Input options are limited at the moment and it’s my hope that BenQ will offer accessories to change that in the future. But if I’m going to drop $500, I’d like to have options other than VGA and Composite from the get go. But it’s small, portable (except the power brick is huge) and allows me to play my Xbox 360 or downloaded movies within minutes. You just can’t beat that.”

[via Crunch Gear]

The Optoma EW330 is one of the company’s newest business projectors. This model features 2200 ANSI lumens, a 2000:1 contrast ratio, and WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Recently, a reviewer from LAPTOP released their hands on experience with this little projector. Shortly after opening the box, the writer noticed that the projector was a lot smaller than expected. The EW330 measures only 8.1” x 2.5” x 6.1” (W x H x D) and weighs less than three lbs. Connecting and setting up the projector takes little time and is fairly simple to do. The only problem is that the writer thought the remote control had too many buttons. He stated that the remote had 24 buttons in total and most of them only performed minuscule tasks. The projector was stated to have an impressive brightness, but the fact that there are up to 5 different brightness modes add some confusion to this feature. However, even with the projector’s problems, the writer concluded by stating, “If you’re looking for a widescreen projector that travels well, the Optoma EW330—which can be found for as low as $899 online—is a great choice. It’s light enough to go anywhere, and bright enough to handle most rooms. Our Editors’ Choice pick in this category is the $999 Casio XJ-S43W, because it presents a bigger and brighter image for just $100 more and has a slimmer (but heavier) design. Nevertheless, the EW330 is a great buy.”

[via LAPTOP]

Optoma is one of the leading manufacturers of DLP projectors. Recently, the company announced that three new models have been released in the Korea and other parts of Asia. These models use the popular DarkChip3 DLP display chip and they are all capable of displaying 2800 ANSI lumens and a 3000:1 contrast ratio.

First is the baby of the group, the ES522. This model features a SVGA (800 x 600) resolution and weighs less than 6 lbs, which makes it ideal for traveling. This model comes with a VGA, s-video and a composite connection as well as a mini USB port for a mouse. This projector will be released for only 790000KRW ($624).

Next is the ES526, which also features a SVGA (800 x 600) resolution. The major difference between this projector and the ES522 is that the ES526 comes with a second VGA port as well as a VGA output connection. Also the ES526 also has an adjustable lens for a more flexible projector placement. This projector is estimated at 850000KRW ($671).

Last but not least is the EX536, which feature a better XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. This model comes with all the connections that the ES526 has and weighs only 5 lbs. The projector is also paired with a 2 watt speaker system for any audio the user wants to play during their presentation. The EX536 will be priced at 1150000KRW ($908).

[via Cyber Theater]

Canon is proud to announce today the soon to be release of their latest projector, the LV-7275. This projector is specifically designed to be used with PC and laptops and is also the first Canon projector to be priced under $1000. The 7275 features 2600 ANSI lumens, a XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, and a 500:1 contrast ratio. The high brightness level means that the projector can easily display high quality images in a normally lit room. The 7275 comes with a variety of connections including VGA and DVI ports for new and old computers as well as a composite, s-video, and several audio inputs. For those with wired networks, this projector also has an Ethernet LAN port so that it can be monitored and controlled through the network. The LV-7275 has already been released in Middle East, but it will also release in the USA in August.

[via Slash Gear]

Casio is known for their super slim projector line. The XJ-S52 features 3000 ANSI lumens, an 1800:1 contrast ratio, and a native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. Recently, Cole Smithey got the opportunity to review this projector. The first thing he noticed was the projector’s incredible size and weight. This model weighs only 4 lbs, and measure only 1.7 inches tall, which makes it ideal to pack in your laptop case. The writer was also impressed by the quick and easy setup process that allows him to be completely setup in less than three minutes. Another positive aspect of this projector is its high zoom feature. This allows the projector to display various screen sizes and adds flexibility to the model’s placement. Fortunately, the review had almost no problems mentioned about the S52 projector. The final comment the writer made was, “While priced at over $1000, the XJ-S52 pays off handsomely on the investment. This is a professional unit from top to bottom that performs beyond expectations. If you need to close deals with projector presentations, the XJ-S52 is an ideal candidate for the job.”

[via Cole Smithey]

The Sony VPL-DX10 is one the many data projectors that are available in the industry today. This model features 2500 ANSI lumens, a 700:1 contrast ratio, and a native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. Recently, the writers from Digital Life got the opportunity to test the DX10 to see what it can do. The writer liked the fact that the projector was light enough to travel, weighting only 4.7 lbs. Paired with a supplied travel case, with a shoulder sling, this projector can be packed and moved easily with out being a problem for the user. Another quality the writers liked was the projector’s brightness. They were able to test the projector in a medium sized room with the lights on and the projector displayed the same quality image that it did when the lights were turned off. They also mentioned that the connection panel was suitable for most users, however; if you plan to use a Mac computer then you will want to look at other models because the DX10 does not support Macs. Their final comment about the DX10 was, “Overall, this is a competent, no-fuss unit that can be relied on for presentations in small-medium rooms. The only downside is, it’s not cheap.”

[via Digital Life]

What do you do when your children are successful score writers for feature movies? This homeowner decided to build a home theater in his spare bedroom so that the entire family could enjoy the movies on the biggest screen possible. The room is on the small side, measuring only 15 feet wide by 19 feet long, but it is still able to seat seven in two rows of theater style seating. The amazing part of this theater is the movie collection that goes with it. The owner has over 2000 movies in his library, and thanks to two mail-order DVD stores, the collection continues to grow each week. The majority of his collection is stored on the theater’s 24 terabyte hard drive, and can be accessed by using the theaters touchpad remote control. The 106 inch screen is paired with a Runco VX-55d projector, which features 3475 ANSI lumens, a 2000:1 contrast ratio, and full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The screen displays movies in an expanded CinemaScope format, which uses an anamorphic lens to stretch the picture to the size of the screen. But when the family wants to watch sports or regular TV, the owner can display the content normally and control motorized black panels to cover the sections of the screen that are not being used.

[via Elcectronic House]

The owners of this home theater wanted something they could use for every day use as well as special occasion. For this design they use a 60-inch plasma screen for daily viewing. The black walls give the room a sophisticated look as well as help blend the TV into the wall. During special occasions, the owners drop down a 110 inch Da-Lite screen, hidden in the ceiling, and turn on their Runco VX-22d projector, which features 1391 ANSI lumens, full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, and a 321:1 contrast ratio. The walls and ceiling of the theater are built out of AcoustiBlok material, which helps prevent sound from leaving room. The room is finished with comfy black leather chairs as well as a semi circle tan sofa in the middle.

[via Home Cinema Choice]

Do you want a phone that could do anything for you? Well Aleksandr Mukomelov from Yanko Designs might be able to help with his “Magic Stone” projector phone. This device looks like a smooth stone you would find in a lake but the surface is actually a touch screen display screen. The designer didn’t give a whole lot of details about what the phone can do other than it will have a holographic projector by using a series of lasers. The designer compared the holographic projector to what you would see in star wars, which is a 3D image of the person you are talking to. The phone also projects images on the wall and uses IR technology to allow the user to manipulate the image by making hand gestures and movements in a space above the phone. If the phone is manufactured, the designer says that customers would order their Magic Stone online and can customize it to be any shape, size, or color and have it mailed to them in a short amount of time.

[via Yanko Design]