CEDIA Expo is all about the custom installation market, and few things require more custom installation than home theaters, so it’s no surprise that electronics and video system manufacturers are showcasing big screen displays and high-resolution projectors at the show—including Epson and Mitsubishi, which are showing off their Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB and HC6000 3LCD 1080p projectors, respectively.
First up, the Mitsubishi HC6000 builds on last-year’s well-regarded HC5000, improving the auto iris function for quicker black-to-light transitions and an improved 13,000:1 contrast ratio. The HC6000 also sports two HDMI connectors, a 1,000 ANSI lumen projector with a powered zoom, and award-winning Reon HQX image processing from Silicon Optix which offers 1080i to 1080p de-interlacing and a multidirectional diagonal filter. Mitsubihi says users should be able to get up to 5,000 hours of lamp life out of the HC6000 in low mode, and an easily-accessible lamp housing makes switching out lamps fairly straightforward. Expect the HC6000 to be available in October at a price under $4,000.
Epson doesn’t want to be left out of the 3LCD party either, announcing its new flagship Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB projector. The PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB uses the D7 chipset with UltraBlack and C2Fine technologies, which use 12-bit video processing in combination with a polarizing filter to deliver deep blacks and outstanding tone response. The projector can blast out levels as high as 1,600 ANSI lumens—meaning it can potentially be used in rooms with some ambient lighting. The unit offers two HDMI inputs, x.v.Color support, wide lens shift angles for setups in unusual rooms, and Epson’s OptiCinema 14-lens system for corner-to-corner image integrity. Expect to see the PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB in December with a price tag below $5,000.
