Oping to close this quality gap with a lineup of newly announced digital projectors designed for home theater front projection.
The new projectors are being marketed to consumers, video enthusiasts, and custom installers, respectively. All produce true 1080p native resolution, using 3LCD 3-chip technology. Epson claims this technology produces artifact-free images, and accurate registration for crisp-rainbow-free edges, and more detail and accurate color.
Front-projectors
Epson MovieMate 25, a DVD/music player combo with 480p resolution and 16:9 widescreen projector. It includes a multi-format DVD player and self-amplified speakers. While it makes the home theater experience more available, the lower resolution would not be sufficient to satisfy more demanding photographers. It will be available in October for around $1,999.
Epson PowerLite Home 20 is also entry-level, 480p resolution. It’s a front-projection model and unlike the self-contained Moviemate, must be connected to a DVD player, Cable TV, gaming device, digital camera, etc. to work. Epson claims it achieves a 1000:1 contrast ratio, up to 1,200 ANSI lumens of brightness, 6 reset color modes, and short-throw flexibility. The projector comes with an 80-inch pull-up, floor-standing 16:9 wide screen, which comes with a carrying case. It will be available in October for around $999.
Epson PowerLite Cinema 550 is a step up both in quality and price. Resolution is boosted to 720p, 3000:1 contrast ratio, and 1,400 ANSI lumens of brightness. New digital noise reducing technology and a cinema filter is claimed to provide rich blacks and improve color rendering. It is available now, at $2,499.
Epson PowerLite Cinema 800 is Epson’s flagship front projector, and is similar to the 550 except that it is claimed to achieve 5000:1 contrast ratio, 1,600 ANSI lumens, and 10-bit color to project over a billion colors. It is expected to retail for $4,499.
Rear Projection HD Displays
But the products that may be of the most interest to photographers are the CrystalPRO HD displays. Available with 55- and 65-inch screens, these rear-projection units are the first Epson projectors to offer 1080p native resolution. According to Jodi Maugham, product manager, Home Entertainment Division, Epson America, “Epson’s new 3LCD engines deliver true 1080p resolution, which means which means there are actually 1,920 x 1,080 pixels on each of the three LCD chips. The end-benefit for consumers is full-time color and full-time resolution that gives them superlative high-definition detail and accurate color performance.”
Availability is expected for January 2006; pricing has not yet been announced.
