It is incredibly simple to project a beautiful image on a black screen in broad daylight with these types of numbers. The lamps are two high-output 330-watters that are actually 20% more efficient that their previous models. The PLC-XF1000 projector is said to produce an image with a contrast ratio of 4,000:1 and make use of an improved QuaDrive optical engine that allegedly adds a so-called “Color Control Device to the conventional 3LCD system” for control of yellow light independent of the other colors.

This product is made for outdoor displays or digital signage and it shows.  There isn’t much in terms of resolution for this projector as it pumps out only 1024×768 pixels and has an Active Maintenance Filter to reduce maintenance costs and labor thanks to its unique cartridge replacement system. The Sanyo PLC-XF1000 is slated for release in December and will retail for $24,995… without a lens…

Keep in mind though, that as the camera shifts between the two screens, some brightness may be lost for a couple seconds while the camera lens adjusts.  Also, when the video is compressed into flash video for the web, there might be some artifacts visible.  These artifacts are strictly the byproducts of the compression and have nothing to do with the way the projectors perform.  There are problems with filming projectors work but I think this video does an incredible job of comparing the two projectors visually which is not a luxury most people are afforded.

So what does it all come down to?If you are looking to get into the full HD home theater projector market but have a limited budget, you can spend $1000 and get a 1080p 300-inch picture with really good black levels in a small easy to transport case, if you’re willing to sacrifice features.  On the other hand, if you are looking at upgrading to a full HD theater projector with an incredibly crisp image, some flexibility in how and where you install the projector due to a 2x zoom and lens shift, then the higher end LCD home theater projectors are what you are looking for.

Personally, I think that if you were to spend $999 on an Optoma HD20, a projector that’s truly worth the $999 price tag, you might as well spend the extra $300 and get a $5,000 projector in the Viewsonic PRO8100. I have said it before but this is in my opinion the best price going for a quality home theater projector.

If for some reason you have an aversion to ViewSonic, or you simply don’t have the extra $300 to drop on it, here are the links for the most popular high end LCD and entry level DLP home theater projectors.

High End LCD Home Theater Projectors

• Viewsonic PRO8100 (My favorite deal going right now. A $5,000 projector for $1,300)
• Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500UB(also a great projector for the price, but the price is twice as much)
• Panasonic PT-AE3000U(this one is a fan favorite for a reason, there isn’t a single rating less than five star on Amazon)

New Entry Level DLP Projectors

• Optoma HD20(seems to be the favorite, but it’s the only one currently shipping)
• Vivitek h3080FD(my pick for entry level DLP HD projectors, from stats only)
• BenQ W1000(big fan of BenQ and really looking forward to this little guy’s arrival)

All that being said, I look forward to this low-end 1080p projector more than any other this year. According to BenQ’s released statistics, it doesn’t quite measure up to the HD20’s contrast ratio, but as I’ve said many times before, and will say many times in the future, you simply can not trust manufacturer’s statistics. All three of the sub $1,000 DLP 1080p projectors sport the TI DLP chip so they are all very similar. Where they will differ though is in lenses and basically everything else that goes into making a projector.

I really can’t get enough of the case. Look at that faux leather texture on the silver part of the casing; it is stunning. The W1000 is by far my favorite of the cheap 1080p projectors aesthetically but we’ll have to wait to see if it outperforms the Optoma HD20 and Vivitek h3080FD. All three projectors should be on the market and shipping to happy households by the end of October but we should be able to compare the W1000 to the HD20 on October 5th. Be sure we’ll keep you posted.

The Viewsonic PRO8100 mocks others with it’s incredible 1080p resolution, 2Fine liquid crystal panel, the ever impressive silicon optix reon-VX high perormance video processor sporting the Hollywood Quality Video stamp of approval. It makes for stunning HD movies, videos and television while letting you control it with IR and RS-232 remotes for absolute unification with your current system. The PRO8100 also makes use of ViewSonic’s Percision Colour System technology to provide a very advanced and customizable colour tuning studio that is capable of 3D colour management, auto contrast and 33 levels of gamma correction. Among the other input ports on the back are two HDMI 1.3 and two component video inputs to make sure you can get everything plugged in.

My guess is that ViewSonic wants to take a nibble at the low priced 1080p projector pie. As the name behind the product gets better, the prices do get higher though. Vivtek stars us out with the h308FD at $999, followed by Optoma with the HD20 at $1099 and now ViewSonic with the PRO8100 at $1,346.06. I have to say that the ViewSonic PRO8100 is the best projector that you can buy for under $1,500. This is one of the best deals in home theater projector history. If you were looking, you’re not anymore. Go pick it up.

As I mentioned above, the 705HD makes use of Epson’s new three-chip 3LCD technology and a new energy eficient E-TORL lamp providing an incredibly bright image with impressive detail and no possiblity of a rainbow effect occurring or colour break-up. The inputs on the back include a USB 2.o connection, HDMI, component and even an S-Video input.

Photos on a flash drive can be plugged in to the 705HD’s USB port on the back and projected effortlessly as a slideshow.  There is also an auto keystone feature to make sure that the picture is perfect and all the corners are at right angles. Epson is all about ease of use and they are perfecting it on their latest models.

But my favorite part about the Epson 705HD is the price tag.  For only $750, you could be watching your favorite DVD’s in HD on the 705HD. You can probably pick one of these up around the same time the MovieMate 60 drops (Oct. 12th) but there is no official word yet.  Keep checking back.

It may look rather large in the picture but I assure you, it’s quite portable. it only takes up 5″ x 9.3″ x 3.4″ and weighs a measly 9.7 pounds. There is also a paddded carrying case for transportation that makes use of the projector’s built in handle. Epson really wants to make this a home theater that you can take anywhere.

It outputs at the new 16:9 ratio and supports widescreen HD content seamlessly.  It also makes use of recent plug-and-play technology so that you can connect your computers, flash cards, digital cameras, MP3 players and camcorders without incident. Epson has made it incredibly simple to plug in a flash drive and project a slide show.

Where the MovieMate will lack will be in resolution and display.  They really want you to have it in the basement for movie nights, but still have the ability to take it out to the pool at night for the kids.  I think that for what you pay, you get one hell of a good product.

The Epson MovieMate 60 should begin shipping October 12th so go get your pre-orders in.

Despite the price, the DLA-RS400 is a home theater projector. It projects an insane resolution capable of reproducing 10-megapixels. The machine comes both THX and ISF certified, as a $175,000 projector should, and mocks other lamps with a 3,500 lumen Xenon burning bright inside.  The incredible Xenon lamp can be controlled to eight brightnesses so that optimal viewing levels are always at hand.

In addition to all those numbers, the RS-4000 delivers an insane 10,000:1 native contrast ratio which utilizes the pinnacle of JVC’s new LCD technology and Wire Grid polarizers. Inside the 110lb box is an RSVP4 custome digital video processing unit which will switch signals, scale and process source feeds from all sort of media inputs such as gaming consoles, satellite receivers, and Blu-Ray players.  The projection zoom lens is said to be of very high quality to make sure that the best picture reaches the screen.  An ethernet port is present on the box to allow connectivity, in addition to network ports for controlling the RS4000 remotely from a PC or anything on the network the projector is currently connected to.  JVC is shipping the DLA-RS4000 before the end of the month so if you have $175,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you should go pick up one of JVC’s greatest achievements in home theater.

All of the projectors also make use of a brand new 0.7-inch full HD D-ILA device designed by JVC themselves. The projectors will also take advantage of a new wire-grid optical system to boost visual quality. Although the prices for these projectors might be higher than what you’d expect, the statistics should blow you away. The $10,000 DLA-RS35 and HD990 will boast insane 70,000:1 contrast ratios. The HD500 mocks the competition with a 30,000:1 ratio with the RS15 slightly ahead at 32,000:1. Similarly, in the middle of the new line-up, the RS25 and HD950 are packing a 50,000:1 contrast ratio.

As is the trend nowadays, all six projectors will be 1080p native making sure that you have the best picture available on your wall. Pricing for these bad boys runs from $5,000 to $10,000 and should begin shipping by the end of the month. I have to say that this is the most impressive line of projectors that I’ve seen from JVC both visually and statistically. I am really looking forward to what these will do in the real world. You’ll be sure that each one will get it’s own time to shine with a writeup and a review right here.

The new A600 is splashed with a glossy black finish and sports the same rounded edges as the A800 and A900. Samsung is trying to please everyone with this projector so in addition to the full HD capabilities, they made it weigh less than 13 pounds and kept it extremely quiet. The lamp is said to consume 220 watts of energy and last for 4,000 hours in economy mode and 3,000 hours at full brightness. It is also capable of an incredibly short throw ratio of just 1.99 which makes it perfect for mounting on the roof or playing from a table in front of you.

As per usual, Samsung makes sure it’s quite easy for you to plug your goodies into it. There are two HDMI inputs, an S-Video input, and both composite and component inputs. It’s also incredibly easy to connect to your PC. They have inputs for the much loved 15-pin VGA style input which makes it perfect for work presentations or streaming video from the web. Samsung’s new projector boasts 1,000 ANSI lumens blasting through a DLP optical engine with a 3,000:1 contrast ratio and a 6 segment colour wheel.

And all this from a company you trust for just $1795. When they start showing up on the internet, you know I’ll be the first one to show you where.

It offers a USB plug and play option wherein you only have to plug in a USB cable to both your computer and the projector to get everything to start working; it really doesn’t get any easier than that. Although I don’t put much stock into contrast ratios, this one boasts a 2000:1 ratio. I’ll let you make up your mind on what you think that means to Epson. It is easy enough to transport from the office to home weighing only 6.2 pounds and unlike other, less trustworthy companies, Epson offers a strong two-year warranty with the purchase of their product.

I think I would buy the Epson EX50 for the office and sneak it home on the weekends to watch movies. Granted, it’s not the best home theater projector you can buy for the money but it will certainly do the trick.If you’re looking for a projector that can do a little of both, this is your best bet.