New Sony VPL-HW30ES 3D Home Cinema Projector

Wow!  This is cool.  The announcement of the VPL-HW30ES first appeared almost a week ago, over in Europe.  I heard Read the rest of this entry »

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New Panasonic Home Theater Projector – From Infocomm

6/15/11 Update: Panasonic’s first 1080p 3D home theater projector, was just announced here at Infocomm.  The forthcoming 3D projector from Panasonic, will be shown at the CEDIA show in September, and will ship sometime after that, but before year end. They released little information beyond that, but visit Art’s home theater blog to learn all we know, and some speculation, or click here to read the Panasonic press release (one sentence long).  This Panasonic 3D home theater projector will eventually replace the PT-AE4000. -art

Greetings all,

Panasonic will have a new 3D ready home theater projector before the end of 2011. Figure that will be after the CEDIA show – which means after September.

This is exciting news. As many of you know, Panasonic has only been selling one home theater projector, the PT-AE4000, for the last year since they discontinued the lower cost PT-AX200U. The PT-AE4000 also happens to be almost two years old. Unlike others – they didn’t announce any new home theater projectors last year at CEDIA. For years Panasonic was the number one seller of home theater projectors in the US, but when you cut your product line in half, that’s got to cost you market share.

This new 3D Panasonic home theater projector doesn’t have a name yet. When Panasonic announced it the other day, they provided almost no info beyond that there will be one. In fact it was a single sentence announcement. I think Panasonic felt it important to let the world, and its fans know their still in the game! Panasonic also introduced a number of commercial projectors but that’s news for our other blog.

Pricing is totally unknown but, since they did say this projector would replace the PT-AE4000, I’ll speculate only this:

Panasonic may well be priced well below the other 1080p 3D projectors out there from Sharp, Sony, and JVC, all of which are at least $4495 (JVC), The Sharp is $4995 – that would be the already reviewed XV-Z17000 projector. The others are the $8000 JVC, the $12000 JVC, and the $10,000 Sony VPL-VW90ES.

Panasonic wouldn’t even tell me if it was 3LCD or something else. All previous Panasonic home theater projectors have been 3LCD. I’ve already seen some blog sites say it is, but, I’m pretty certain they didn’t hear that from Panasonic – so, call it a rumor.

Remember that the PT-AE4000 sells for under $2000. I figure it would therefore be unlikely that Panasonic would replace it with a projector costing twice as much or more.

So, if my guess is correct, it should price somewhere between $2000 ($2K is unlikely but, you never know), and $4000. My “best guess” based on no information but that “replacement” statement, that it is the forthcoming 3D home theater from Panasonic might price at $2995. I’ll be really impressed if I’m right (at the price and that I guessed it).

Now that would be truly exciting. Unfortunately we’ll almost certainly have to wait 3 months until CEDIA to find out.

Otherwise not much exciting news here at the show, for home theater (it’s a show for the commercial display industry (including projectors of course).

But I do have a few rumors to report about more home theater projectors, which I’ll write in separate blogs while flying back from Orlando to San Clemente (California) tomorrow evening. Stay tuned! -art

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Meet Pete – Our Gaming Projector Blogger – Gamers Welcome!

Greetings All,

I would like to tell you about a new blog launching on our site in the next few days.  More importantly, t0  tell you we’ve got an expert to blog on the topic of gaming and projectors.

Gaming!  As we all know, one popular aspect of owning a projector at home is that you can not only watch movies, sports, TV, but also play games.  Games and gamers, come in Read the rest of this entry »

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Runco LS10d home theatre projector – Review in final stages

Greetings,

Runco's 3 chip DLP LifeStyle LS-10d projector

Just a quick note.  I’ve finished working on Runco’s $27,995 LS10d projector, and am in final write-up mode.  Lisa’s finishing the last of the image processing tonight (resizing, cropping, etc.).

Look for the review to go live late tomorrow.  It’s almost half way completed now, and I’ve still got a couple of hours of writing left in me tonight.

Let me just say the LS10d lived up to its expectations.  I was looking for basically a 1080p equivalent to the 720p LS-7.  That’s what I found.  There is an interesting twist or two, because I’m reviewing the LS10d – the one with the outboard image processor, the DHD4, which is not an option for the lower resolution Runco projector.

I really hope they let me keep it for a few extra months.  If so, my JVC won’t get watched.    The Runco LS-10d is one sweet ride onto the silver screen.  A complaint?  it doesn’t do 3D…   -art

Posted in New Projector Reviews, News, Products | 6 Comments »

Home Theater Projectors – Action at CES -Panasonic Projectors

Time to fill you in, re what I learned at CES about home theater projectors.  As someone pointed out, the last blog mostly focused on pico projectors.  (Hey, they may not be “home theater” but they are “portable” theater, and techically, with some pushing 300+ lumens, they are as bright as some of the home theater projectors we’ve reviewed (at least their best modes).

No, I’m not recommending trading in your  Epson or Panasonic home theater projectors Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in 3D Games and Gaming, 3D Movies, 3D Projectors, News, Opinion | 11 Comments »

Pico Projectors at CES – and Pico Projector Cameras and…

Very cool!

Last night I attended the Digital Experience (the major Press only event) at the CES Show, and pico projectors and pico projector containing devices were in abundance.  More than 100 vendors were showing off their technology, mostly at small 10×6 foot table top booths.  I liked the pico projector cameras and camcorders I saw.  Not bad! Read the rest of this entry »

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December Projectors Update – and Projector Reviews new Home

Greetings all,

OK, I haven’t been writing much.  Today is the 27th day Projector Reviews Inc., myself, Lori, etc. are now living in our new home.

That also means it’s 28 days since we moved out of the last house, with all my gear packed up, and my two viewing rooms there, abandoned.

I’m back in business!  Soon to be better than ever!  Here’s the scoop on the two new rooms: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in About our website, Industry, New Projector Reviews, News | 12 Comments »

More Projector Reviews Site Changes – and More Projectors

Greetings all,

We continue to improve our projector site, and I just wanted to bring you up to speed on some of the new changes.

Also, I’m open to suggestions for further improvements – keep things modest though – I’m talking the site, not individual reviews, at this time.  Please post any suggestions only to this particular blog page.

OK, let’s talk about some new tabs found on the masthead (the top) of all pages. Read the rest of this entry »

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Projectors – Upcoming Reviews

Greetings all you fans of projectors!

Let me say, this is a strange year.  Normally by the later part of October each year, I’m knee deep in new projectors – for home theater, to review.  This year, seems we’re off to a late start.  Of the new projectors reviewed so far – the Mitsubishi HC4000 projector, the Sanyo PLV-Z4000 projector, and the Epson Home Cinema 8350 projector, are all updates from those projector manufacturers’ key  projectors in last year’s line-up.

On the other hand, there are a number of essentially new projectors to review this fall, in which I’ll include any home projector that is 3D ready.   Coming up, when available, will be projectors from JVC’s new 3D RS projectors, the RS40, RS50, and RS60, as well as the HD250 which should be most similar to the older RS15.

Epson will have their R series projectors (no, not 3D)- all new, but like the JVC projectors it’s probably a few more weeks before those are available to reviewers.

So, you ask, what’s next:

This weekend the last of the pico projector reviews goes live – the AAXA P1 Jr. – at only $119.  Tony will start a review of the new, 2nd generation InFocus interactive projector, the IN3916 projector.

Though I was hoping to work in some other projectors before tackling another Epson, an 8700UB arrived at my door yesterday, and went into my theater last night.  It literally is sitting on top of the Epson 8350 projector who’s projector review posted about a week ago.   I’ll just say this for now.  The 8350 projector, may have improved blacks compared to the older 8100, but it’s definitely not a match for the 8700UB.  That should answer a huge question many of you have been waiting for.  I was watching Iron Man 2 and switched from the 8350 to the 8700UB.  The difference in black levels is still dramatic.  End of that conversation for this blog.

People I’m still slowly writing about 3D.  I’ve got to get a couple of short 3D focused reviews – actually more informational than review focused – since I’m not sure a real review is in order – considering the state of 3D and projectors in most segments – especially home.  Those projectors include the LG CF3D, which is more commercial projector than home, but it is equipped with HDMI 1.4… and it is 3D.  It works.  The other is less a projector, than the Lightspeed system.  Those guys seem way ahead of the curve compared to the other DLP projectors using active glasses, and their system… well, wait and read…

That said, I’m dying to get one of those 3D JVC’s in here, and, since I have a bit of content, I “can’t wait”.

Panasonic: Panasonic has had me stumped for quite some time, as to what’s going on this year.   Panasonic reorganized back in April.  My contacts simply haven’t been able to give me a good feel for what’s going to happen in home theater projector space, this fall.  Finally, I have something informative to say.  Yesterday I was told, one thing, I already knew – that the PT-AX200U projector is “end of life” that is, it’s going away.  There is no announced replacement, and if one does surface, I’d be surprised (if still 720p), if it resembles the AX200U (that’ just a guess).  They just put too many features into the PT-AX20u projector for it to compete price wise with the competition.

But, it’s the 1080p side of Panasonic that everyone’s wanting to know, and finally.  Panasonic emailed me two important things, that I couldn’t be sure of till now:  1.  Panasonic fully intends to continue to be a major player in home theater projectors, and; 2.  Panasonic does have a new projector under development.  (Best I can tell, it’s months away.  I now suspect it may be announced at CES in January, but, that folks, is another guess.  Want one more?  Panasonic has always used Epson LCD panels in their home theater projectors, but it’s quite possible that Panasonic will go to Epson’s “R” reflective panels, or perhaps even DLP since they produce lots of DLP projectors on the education and business projector side.  Regardless, though, the good news is that Panasonic says they want to continue to be a major competitor, and that means more choices.  Amen to that.

Sony, as usual, is the hardest company to read, in terms of review units.  With them, it’s “not yet, not yet”, with most requests, but on the other hand, they occasionally surprise me with.  We can ship you one this week, just when I’ve given up hope for a while.  Nothing from them yet.

Gamers and 3D’ers on a tight projector budget – I just received the Optoma $399 3D adapter, the Optoma XP8000, that will allow you to take HDMI 1.4 Blu-ray 3D from your (new) HDMI 1.4 player (or upgraded PS3 – hooray), and convert it to 3D that can be accepted, most likely by most of the lower priced 720p and WXGA 3D projectors (from Optoma, BenQ, and several others).  Unlike big ticket 3D projectors like the new Sony and JVC projectors, those 720p projectors are mostly under $1000 – aimed at gamers – or the education market, but now can be real HD (ok 0nly 720p) 3D movie projectors.   I’m excited, and have machines here to test.  The Optoma XP8000 will make for a short, most likely one or two pages, but I hope to complete it this week, or during the move, next week. I could turn out to be a great new product, and offer additional 3D choices to many of us.

I’ll update when I have word on more for ya!   Meantime, as I stated, the next mainstream home theater projector to be reviewed will the the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB – because it has arrived, and of course I’ll discuss, the non-identical twin, the Pro Cinema 9700UB projector at the same time. -art

Posted in 3D Movies, 3D Projectors, Blu-ray, New Projector Reviews, News, Opinion | 28 Comments »

CEDIA Home Theater Projector Sightings –

Greetings, from CEDIA in Atlanta!

OK, I’m going to blow through a whole bunch of projectors (and things) I saw yesterday, and today.  I had hoped to get you all a good amount of detail on the new Epson “R” projectors, and have it posted by now, but I’m still awaiting an email. Tomorrow I hope, I’ll have it for sure come monday.  Here goes.  I run through the projectors pretty much in the order of my meetings.   Read the rest of this entry »

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