Epson America Inc. on Monday introduced the PowerLite S3, a new multimedia projector that features 1,600 ANSI lumens of brightness, 500:1 contrast ratio and native SVGA (800 x 600 pixel) resolution. Weighing 5.6 pounds, the new projector is aimed at business presenter, educators and home entertainment enthusiasts. The projector costs $899 and is currently shipping to Epson resellers.
The PowerLite S3 features composite video, S-Video, and mini d-sub 15 pin video inputs. It can be controlled through a USB 1.1 interface or an included wireless remote control. It’s HDTV-ready and supports 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
The PowerLite S3 will sound a verification tone to let you know the power is on; the projected image appears within five seconds. It can also recognize when cables from a computer or video device have been plugged in, and it will display that signal immediately. A new “Instant Off” feature lets you power down and unplug the projector immediately without needing to wait through a cool-down cycle.
The PowerLite S3 can project an image up to 60 inches from 5.9 feet, and includes plus or minus 30 degrees keystone correction, useful especially for ceiling installations, according to Epson. The projector’s 135-watt lamp is rated up to 3,000 hours of use and costs US$199 to replace. Adjustable video controls and pre-programmed color modes help users optimize their images for specific video applications, such as “Presentation,” “Theater” and “Game.” A special “Photo: setting optimizes black and white levels to make more detail visible in under- and over-exposed images.
Epson’s Web site had not been updated with information about the new projector as MacCentral posted this article.