Outdoor Projector

Weighing in at 2.4 pounds, the XGA HP mp2210 is the least expensive ($1,499 MSRP) projector in the market today that is at least 1500 ANSI lumens and under 3 pounds in weight. It performs well in data and video and is one of the quietest in its class. Its small form factor, light weight, and excellent light output make it highly suitable for mobile presenters. The mp2210 delivers excellent contrast and above average video quality for a 4-segment color wheel that is common among the highly mobile DLP projectors. Video settings tend to be highly personal, and HP provides the ability to adjust color temperature, gamma, and white intensity for any of three setups.

The fall release of the hottest new home theater projectors is coming to be an annual event, stimulated in part by the fall holiday buying season, and in part by the CEDIA trade show that takes place in early September. Sanyo’s release of the PLV-Z4 constitutes this company’s strongest product yet in the consumer home theater market, and we’ve had a great time getting to know it in the past couple of weeks. We would have liked to continue our exploration of its potential for another month, but it is time to stop and report what we know thus far. This is one of the most versatile products we’ve ever seen, in that it can be calibrated to accommodate a wide range of room and viewing environments.

Panasonic has been rolling out highly competitive widescreen home theater projectors using LCD technology since early 2002. The first models, the PT-AE100, the PT-AE200, and the PT-AE300 were lower resolution products. However, with the introduction of the PT-AE500 in late 2003, resolution was boosted to native 1280×720, and since that time the product line has enjoyed ever increasing market acceptance. Last year’s edition, the PT-AE700 hit the ball out of the park with an increase in contrast rating to 2000:1, and the addition of a very long 2.0x zoom lens that made the product usable in a wide variety of room environments.

BenQ’s latest projector has been in the works for some time. Announced at CES 2005 back in January, the PE8720 has finally arrived. With a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and a super-high quality lens, the BenQ PE8720 can bring a dazzling picture into your home.