Cool New Stuff : PP at Infocomm 2008

Projector People has a team of technology investigators that are scouring the showroom floor looking for the hottest new products and ideas in projection technology. Here are a few quick notes. We should have photos and more information in future posts. Whenever possible we will link to other tech sites covering the technology too.

Sanyo Introduces 4LCD

You may have heard of 3LCD technology which is employed in about every LCD projector we carry. The 3LCD panel includes, as you would guess, 3 different panels. One green, one red, and one blue, which through some wizardry create the color you see on screen.

Well new 4LCD from Sanyo does color one better. Sanyo has added a yellow and green layered panel to compliment the red and blue panels which produces about 20% more shades of red and green color than is possible with 3LCD. The image, it is reported, should look more like a CRT monitor than it will a 3-chip DLP projector.

Sounds cool, but what’s the catch? Currently the panel is only available on one very high end Sanyo projector. The Sanyo PLC-XP200L is not exactly portable at 25 lbs., but it packs a wallop with 7000 ANSI lumens of brightness and should produce some great looking rich, saturated images.

The Sanyo PLC-XP200L projector is expected to ship in September and has a MSRP of $9,999. [ Read more here ]

Canon Projectors Even More Photographer Friendly : Add PictBridge

Already a popular choice for photographers, Canon has added a feature that is sure to please professional picture takers. The new Canon REALiS SX80 will include a USB input that supports PictBridge connectivity. Just plug your digital camera into the projector to display your photos. No computer required. The SX80 uses LCoS technology, has native SXGA+(1400×1050) resolution, and is expected to list for $3,999.

Also new from Canon is the REALiS WUX10 which is reported to be the world’s first WUXGA resolution (1920×1200) projector. List price is expected to be about $12,999

[ read more here ]

New Up-Lifting Screen from Elite

Elite screen manufacturers are the first screen company to develop a screen (called the Kestrel) that rises up out of its case. Partly sweet for it’s cool factor (your 84-100 inch screen rising up out of your cabinet), but also a nice option for home owners with high ceilings who don’t want to drop the screen from a great distance, and who want to keep their walls looking clean and modern. List price looks to be about $1,599.

Also new from Elite, the Mirage, a high gain whiteboard that comes in sizes of 60,80, and 96 inches. More on this later.

That’s all for now! But stay tuned for more from our roving reports on the floor at Infocomm 2008!