Epson has rolled out the PowerLite S1, their first sub-$1,000 ($999) digital projector. The portable projector is due to ship in June with brightness of 1,200 ANSI lumens, a resolution of 800 x 600, a contrast ratio of 400:1 and a lamp rated at 2,000 hours (the lamp can be replaced for $199).
Using three new Epson 0.5-inch LCD panels, it’s built for both video and presentation applications and is expected to ship next month. The PowerLite S1 weighs seven pounds and has a slide-out handle to facilitate carrying. Epson says that the projector is built in a way that “dramatically reduces light leakage, which contributes to extremely quiet operation, as low as 33db.”
For presentations in small rooms, you can deal with limited throw distance by projecting a 60-inch image from 50-inches away. Basic image adjustments can be made with features such as digital keystone correction (+/- 15 degrees) and by using a newly designed and simple series of menus that are accessible with one push of a button on the upper panel of the projector. A monitor-out feature lets you view the projector content from a separate display device.
Since many presenters often bring projectors home for entertainment purposes, such as watching movies or playing video games, Epson says it’s employed several video features including a high-end component video input and pre-programmed color modes that enhance images associated with different applications and video sources. These modes, as well as the aspect ratio (either standard 4:3, or wide format 16:9 video) can be selected with the push of button on the included remote control.
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