Event Coverage

Epson Launches World's Brightest 3D Home Theater Projectors and More

By Ng Chong Seng - 18 Nov 2011

Epson Launches World's Brightest 3D Home Theater Projectors, and Many More

Epson Launches World's Brightest 3D Home Theater Projectors, and Many More

For the uninitiated, Epson has been the number one projector maker for the past 10 years running, according to an independent research carried out by FutureSource Consulting. In 2010, it has a worldwide market share of 22.1%. Similarly, closer to home in Singapore, Epson is also the number one projector brand with a market share of 22%, based on Q2 2011 data from FutureSource Consulting. In line with the company's goal to stay ahead of the competition, Epson Singapore has just held its biggest ever projector launch in Southeast Asia today - a total of 13 new models are announced for education, business and home users. Naturally, we've all the highlights.

 

Epson's First 3D Home Theater Projectors are Also the World's Brightest

Despite being a leader in the projector market, Epson doesn't have a 3D home theater projector - that is, until now. And we've not one but two models: the 3LCD-based EH-TW8000 (2,400lm) and EH-TW6000 (2,200lm). Both sport the same image engine that has a 480Hz refresh rate, which gives the projectors their world's brightest claims. In layman's parlance, the higher the refresh rate, the shorter is the blackout time (which is the time the images transit from one frame to another); since the lenses are closed for a shorter period of time, the 3D images are brighter. According to Epson, for 3D image brightness, the EH-TW8000 is rated at 5.1fl (foot-lambert), while the more affordable EH-TW6000 is rated at 4.1fl.

The Epson EH-TW8000 is the company's flagship 3D/full HD home theater projector. The 480Hz frame refresh rate is twice as fast as other 3D projectors.

Both models sport Epson's C2Fine (Crystal Clear Fine) technology and vertical alignment-type inorganic LCD panels. The pricier EH-TW8000 also has a manual lens shift mode with a wide lens shift range; this allows for installation flexibility. A frame interpolation technology is used to reduce image blurring. It's also capable of 2D to 3D conversion.

There are a couple of features unique to the EH-TW6000 too. For example, it has a horizontal keystone slider. It also does automatic vertical keystone detection and correction. An Auto Color Optimizer automatically adjusts color and brightness settings to suit the ambient lighting. It also has built-in stereo speakers (2 x 10W).

 

A 720p HD Projector for Apple Mobile Devices

Another interesting projector launched today is the MG-850HD. It's the world's first HD projector with a dock for an Apple iPod, iPhone, or iPad. When docked, the projector will also charge the device.

The MG-850HD lets you dock either an iPod, iPhone, or iPad. It has integrated stereo speakers for audio playback.

 Playback isn't limited to videos; you could project presentation slides, photos and more.

All that being said, it's easy to forget that the MG-850HD is actually a full-fledged HD projector. It has a native 1280 x 800-pixel resolution, video inputs for HDMI, component, composite and D-Sub (VGA), and a brightness rating of 2,800 lumens. The projector has a slider for horizontal keystone adjustment; it also does automatic vertical keystone correction. Like the EH-TW6000, an Auto color mode adjusts image settings to suit the ambient light conditions.

 

New Education & Business Multimedia Projectors

As shared by Ms. Tan May Lin, General Manager for Epson Singapore, one of the company's key priorities moving forward is to become a dominant player in the education segment. Today's event also saw the announcement of several education and business multimedia projectors in Epson's EB-400 series, EB-1800 series, and EB-S/X/W series.

The WXGA EB-425W and EB-435W are two new short throw projectors capable of a 60-inch projection from about 61cm away. Brightness is rated at 2,500lm and 3,000lm respectively.

When fitted with an optional ELPIU03 module, the projector gains interactive capabilities. The interactive pen works like a computer mouse; there's no need for an dedicated interactive whiteboard as any hard and flat surface can be used.

The EB-1800 series is Epson's latest full-featured projector series, with brightness up to 4,000lm. The EB-1880 and EB-1860 have a 1024 x 768 native resolution, while the EB-1850W has 1280 x 800.

The EB-1880 has a Multi-screen Display feature that allows one computer to use up to four projectors to show four different images or a single panoramic image across four screens.

Compared to their predecessors, the four new models in the Epson EB-S, W, and X series have improved brightness of up to 3,000lm. The EB-X12/X14 and EB-W12 also come with an HDMI input. All four models allow for horizontal keystone adjustment.

Prices for Epson's New Projectors/Interactive Unit
Model Price
EB-S12 (SVGA) S$699
EB-X12 (XGA) S$899
EB-W12 (WXGA) S$1,099
EB-X14 (XGA) S$999
EB-1850W (WXGA) S$2,199
EB-1860 (XGA) S$1,999
EB-1880 (XGA) S$2,299
EB-425W (WXGA) S$1,649
EB-435W (WXGA) S$1,799
ELPIU03 Interactive Unit S$599
MG-850HD (WXGA) S$1,299
EH-TW6000 (3D/Full HD) S$2,999
EH-TW8000 (3D/Full HD) S$4,299
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