Epson America Inc. on Thursday introduced its PowerLite Home 10, a digital projector aimed at the burgeoning home entertainment market. the new projector displays 16:9 widescreen imagery and carries a suggested retail price of US$1,299.
The PowerLite Home 10 projects 480p native resolution (854 x 480 pixels), and can switch between three different aspect modes for viewing 4:3, 16:9 and letterbox material. HDTV-ready, the PowerLite Home 10 also supports 480i, 720p and 1080i video signals.
A built-in cinema filter enhances color and tones in dark scenes, and users can adjust the projection mode to match different room environemtns and source materials (settings include Dynamic, Living Room, Theater and Theater Black). Theater Black mode, for example, achieves a 700:1 contrast ratio.
The 7.9-pound projector features a 1.54x optical zoom lens, and can display an 80-inch image from six feet away. Its maximum projection size is 300 inches, from 24.9 feet.
The PowerLite Home 10’s backplane includes color-coded inputs for S-Video, composite video, component video and audio input. It also includes a mini D-sub interface to connect to a Mac or PC equipped with VGA output. An included remote control can also be stored inside the unit when it’s not in use.