Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America introduced a new extreme short-throw line of DLP-based front projectors earlier this week. Mitsubishi's WD380U-EST and XD380U-EST projectors are both said to use high-quality, extreme short-throw lenses as opposed to mirrors in order to cast large images from short distances.Mitsubishi gave these projectors a sleek design which is said to make installation more flexible, operation cleaner and provide less image degradation as well as less general wear and tear as a result.
The first two projectors in this new line incorporate a lot of things like USBA + B inputs, support for computer-free presentations, LAN display, a built-in 10-watt speaker, audio standby, closed captioning and 3D-ready capabilities. The high-brightness models shell out 2,800 and 2,500 lumens of brightness and also incorporate a filter-free design for a low cost of ownership according to Mitsubishi.
Both the wide format WD380U-EST and the XGA resolution XD380U-EST operate very quietly producing only 28 dB of sound and even offer up to 6,000 hour lamp life when it is run in low mode. Both of these models also include a 3,000:1 contrast ratio.
According to Presentation Products Division Product Manager for Mitsubishi Wayne Kozuki, "It's technological prowess that we use to create imaging wonder, not smoke and mirrors. We're one of the first brands to offer such a revolutionary lens-based design in our ultra-short-throw projectors, and with Mitsubishi's quality, you can rely on our product performance. They are truly state-of-the-art."
New lenses enable these projectors to have that kind of short-throw focus performance and also allow them to project up to a 70-inch WXGA image from less than 23-inches away. The new models also create a great image and help prevent shadows on the screen or projector surface that may be distracting.
Both projectors weigh about nine pounds which allows them to be easily transported and easily maintained. Teachers can convert their class presentations into .PTG files or .JPEG images and then save them on a USB flash drive. They can then plug the drive directly into the projector and start teaching, no computers involved.
These devices also support WiFi connectivity if you still want to use a PC or laptop but you don't want to mess with all those cables. These two projectors also have an internal 10-watt speaker and include HDMI inputs as well as an RS232 connector and RJ45 input for third-party remote management products.
Both come with a three-year limited warranty on parts and labor as well as a one-year limited warranty on the lamp. Mitsubishi also offers an Express Replacement Assistance (ERA) Program that has next business-day replacement for down units that are under warranty. The WD380U-EST is expected to have a retail price of $1,699 and the XD380U-EST is expected to have a $1,499 retail price.
Source: TWICE - Mitsubishi Adds Short-Throw Projector Pair
Are Great for Business Meetings
Most business class projectors will do a good job displaying your PowerPoint presentation. If you have a small presentation group, a 2000 lumen LCD projector will be able to produce a nice and clear picture. For larger audiences you should consider a 5000 lumen LCD projector.
CES 2011 made a lot of waves in the world of projectors showing off a wide range of 3D HD projectors that accept content over HDMI. The thing that makes this special is that most of the 3D projectors on the market could only receive content from a PC via VGA or DVI, which reduces the image to a less than stellar 480i quality. That all seems to be changing, however, with the new styles of 3D projectors that will be hitting the market which can output in HD and even transform existing 2D content into 3D content.
New from Mitsubishi is the HC3800, a DLP 1080p which falls somewhere between really good projectors that do not have the best leading edge image quality for around $1,000 and fully featured 1080p projectors for around $2,000 and up. The HC3800 has a bright picture with good contrast to allow for use on a large screen in a darkened theater atmosphere but it is also good enough to be used in your personal living room. 
