The upgraded line of Christie M Series 3DLP projectors (including Roadster and Mirage models) boast enhanced performance, portrait capabilities and a 500 hour increase in the 450W lamp.

Building on seven years of success, the updated Christie M Series models continue to be ideal for flat or curved screens in rental staging applications as well as large auditoriums, board and conference rooms, houses of worship, and post production in either single or multiple projector setups.

All enhanced Christie M Series 3DLP projectors are 3D upgradable and deliver "clean, crisp images" on large screens.

Rental stagers will continue to enjoy Christie M Series’ ability to cut through show lighting while both rental staging and permanent installation applications will benefit from the improved high-efficiency 450W dual-mercury lamp, ensuring bright, brilliant images for 1750 hours before a lamp change.

“Christie M Series has long been considered an industry workhorse and with portrait mode, an improved 450W lamp that adds 500 hours, as well as a new, easier to use remote featuring a greater range, Christie M Series is better than before,” says Mike Garrido, senior product manager, Christie. “There is also a dual input DisplayPort module allowing greater digital connectivity for the enhanced models.”

Christie M Series at a glance:

• Eighteen Christie M Series projectors are now portrait-capable.
• Extended life on 450W lamp models.
• More user-friendly remote control.
• Dual input DisplayPort module allows for greater digital connectivity on the product when shipped.
• Dual mercury lamp operational in single lamp mode for built-in redundancy.
• Deliver high brightness on large screens, cutting through ‘show lighting.’
• Hot swappable lamps can be changed while projectors are in use.
• 3DLP image quality for lifelike images.
• 3D capabilities operate in either active or passive stereoscopic modes in the Mirage models, and include triple flash capability for smooth images when displaying Blu-ray content.
• Embedded Christie Twist image warping and blending, and optional Christie AutoStack software to align Christie projectors in minutes.
• Multi-window processing for small tiled and blended arrays means no external processors.
• Patented embedded LiteLOC technology monitors and manages brightness levels, saving time and money.

The Christie M Series is now shipping with a 3-year parts and labour warranty.

Go The Christie M Series Upgrade

In USA, Epson unveils an expanded line of full HD 1080p Ultra-Bright Pro Cinema Projectors, the Pro Cinema G6970WU, Pro Cinema G6570WU, Pro Cinema 4855WU, and wireless Pro Cinema 1985.

Featuring up to 6000 lumens of color brightness and 6000 lumens of white brightness1, Epson's aims its latest projectors to provide custom installers, sports and AV enthusiasts with versatile solutions specifically designed to provide exceptional image quality and wireless connectivity in large, open ambient light environments… yes, direct competition for traditional flat panels.

Designed with custom installers in mind, the Pro Cinema G6970WU, G6570WU and 4855WU are equipped with a suite of advanced features for easy installation and flexible setup, including vertical and horizontal lens shift, centered lens design and Arc Correction. In addition, Faroudja DCDi Cinema technology produces state-of-the-art image quality without introducing artifacts.

These models can even project content from two HD connections, side by side, with the Split Screen3 function. For added value and customization, the three models include a ceiling mount and extra lamp.

The Pro Cinema G6970WU and G6570WU offer a total of 6 lenses each – standard, rear, two middle and one long-throw – enabling installers to choose the lens best suited for the space. A quick-release lever provides fast, easy lens exchange. HDBaseT connectivity, ideal for large home installations, integrates full HD video, audio, network and control commands into a single CAT 5/6 cable that may be extended up to 328 feet – significantly reducing installation costs by eliminating additional cables, signal repeaters and labor.

Pro Cinema G6970WU adds HD-SDI (Serial Digital Interface) connectivity to extend the signal 300 feet supporting high frame rates and color depth.

The Pro Cinema 1985 wireless projector lets users can stream media from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop using wireless projection with Miracast and Intel WiDi. The projector features built-in sound and two HDMI ports to connect cable and satellite boxes, gaming consoles and more. In addition, the Pro Cinema 1985 supports MHL-enabled devices, including Chromecast, Roku 4 and Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Go Epson Ultra-Bright Pro Cinema Projectors

LG Electronics launched the world's narrowest bezel UHD video wall at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai.

With its super slim bezel size, the VH7B Direct Backlit LED Display video wall measures 0.9 mm and caters to sectors including airports, shopping centres and hotels.

The ground breaking video wall display features LG's webOS for Signage smart platform, which takes advantage of the built-in high-performance system-on-a-chip (SoC) sync playback that eliminates the need for an external PC or media player to play contents for daisy chain, helping to reduce the total cost of ownership.

LG's webOS for Signage enables a variety of web-based applications across multiple platforms, as well as the ability to write applications using HTML 5. The advantage of this platform is the ease of management and customisation for third party solution providers which makes lives easier for all stakeholders.

In addition to the global debut, LG showcased the 98" ULTRA HD 4K premium signage display, 84" 10-point touch white board, the new ultra-stretched 86" display, and the innovative LG beacon solution demonstrated on 10" compact touch screens.

Also on display was the UHD premium Hospitality TV UX960H designed to provide a connected guest in-room experience. These solutions cater to a range of vertical industries including retail, education and hospitality.

Go LG’s VH7B Direct Backlit LED Display Video Wall

Christie launches its Christie FHQ552-T, Christie FHQ842-T and Christie FHQ981-L flat panels in three sizes (55”, 84”, and 98”).

All three are ideal for meeting rooms, offices, lobbies and architectural displays, and can be banded with Christie Brio, Christie Spyder and the Christie Pandoras Box media server.

The Christie FHQ552-T features 10-point touch capabilities, built-in speakers and an Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) slot.

Replacing the FHQ841-T is the Christie FHQ842-T -- a versatile 84-inch display, perfect for large-format presentation and collaboration applications. With built-in 10-point multi-touch capability, the Christie FHQ842-T can be used in interactive applications or whiteboard and meeting room scenarios.

“For an affordable LCD solution with multi-touch capabilities, end users should look no further than the Christie FHQ552-T and FHQ842-T,” says Andy Clipsham, senior product manager, Christie. “Both models are plug-and-play, offer professional-grade durability for peace of mind and are compatible with Crestron or similar systems.”

UHD, premium performance, low cost of ownership…the Christie FHQ981-L 98-inch flat panel suits business, education, houses of worship, small control rooms and digital signage applications. Providing a seamless canvas and an alternative to traditional 2 x 2 tiled 46-inch displays, the 98-inch flat panel is compatible with digital signage devices and media players including Christie Spyder and Christie Pandoras Box. The FHQ981-L is equipped with built-in speakers, multi-window capability, along with an OPS slot for compatibility with digital signage devices and pluggable media players.

“The Christie FHQ981-L delivers premium performance and image quality for commercial applications at a low cost of ownership,” Clipsham added. “This versatile ultra-HD flat panel display offers plug and play simplicity and manages up to four feeds simultaneously.”

All three Christie flat panels have a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Go New Christie Flat Panels

Coming soon to a projector near you… HLD (High Lumen Density), a new LED solid state light source developed by Philips Lighting and branded under the trade name of ColorSpark.

A new digital projection technology that removes the need to turn off lights or close curtains, Philips ColorSpark is 3X brighter than existing LED projector technologies

This technology breaks through the Etendue limitation of current LED projectors that have limited their light output. HLD technology now allows projectors to reach the 3000 ANSI lumen level with the prospect to reach beyond 4000 lumens in the future.

In early 2016, the first announced projector brands, Optoma and Hitachi, will bring HLD-enabled projectors to market with more than 3000 ANSI lumens.

Philips ColorSpark High Lumen Density (HLD) LED is a user friendly technology that powers up and down instantly, requiring no start-up or cool-down time, and provides the ideal color representation for home entertainment, as well as classrooms, conference rooms, entertainment venues, retail stores and malls. The scalability, ease of installation and maintenance, energy use, cost and overall performance should prove highly appealing to the digital projector market.

“Until now the projection market has not seen projectors capable of exceeding 2500 Alm with LED technology,” said Leo Schouten from Philips Digital Projection Lighting. “Now, for the first time, LED based projectors will also be able to compete with non-projection display technology in any environment with the lights on and curtains open.”

In a new white paper, Insight Media explains some of the limitations with solid state projection technology and then details how the HLD technology solves these problems and the benefits that this breakthrough enables.

Insight Media also made a survey of 300 people to compare the images of four different unmarked projectors using different solid state lighting technology. The survey examined if a new LED-based light source developed by Philips Lighting would be bright and colorful in a normally lit room and if the images might be preferred by the survey participants.

Details of the test set up, calibration, test images, survey questions and results are all contained in a white paper prepared by Insight Media.

Insight Media says, “We believe this truly is a game changer for the projection industry that will reshape product development plans for all, so understanding how this technology works and its potential impact is important. That is why this white paper has been written.”

Go White Paper on the ColorSpark HLD LED Solution

Many industry observers will tell you that InFocus created the market for projectors by developing and selling the first digital projector. Yet, isn’t it a little ironic that "the inventor of the modern day projector" has had to spend the last 10 years diversifying (as the projector market matured into a huge competition distinguished by dwindling margins.)

Of course, InFocus still sells projectors, lots of projectors. But new InFocus products and services now focus on bringing people and teams closer: from MVP100 video phones to Mondopad (the first-ever large-format, touchscreen), to all-in-one video conferencing and collaboration solutions.

Continuing that trend, the company recently announced LightCast Technology, which allows users to display content from laptops, smartphones and tablets on a variety of InFocus devices, including Mondopads, JTouch Whiteboards, and the new DigiEasel smart displays.

And now the transformation of InFocus may be complete: new CEO Mark Housley (a long-time board member promoted at the end of September 2015 to CEO) announces the acquisition of Jupiter Systems, adding video wall, control room, and smartphone solutions for end-to-end collaboration.

InFocus Corporation has acquired video wall and enterprise collaboration innovator Jupiter Systems.The acquisition expands InFocus’ offering to include display wall processor technology and "bringing a 360-degree view of operations to any control room, conference room, and mobile device."

This acquisition says the company, enables InFocus to provide end-to-end collaboration solutions and become the single provider for customers’ collaboration technology needs.

“We know our customers need collaboration technology on their smartphones and tablets, at their desks, in their conference rooms and in their control rooms. With one provider offering simple, enterprise-ready solutions that work together seamlessly, we can serve the full set of our customers’ requirements with powerful, integrated solutions. The convergence is inevitable and we intend to lead it,” says Housley. “Now InFocus can be that one-stop-shop for complete end-to-end solutions.”

Effective immediately, Jupiter Systems, which operates and manufactures in Hayward, CA, becomes an InFocus’ branded product line for control room and enterprise collaboration solutions. All Jupiter employees are now InFocus team members and both the Jupiter product line office in Hayward, and InFocus corporate headquarters in Portland, Oregon will operate business as usual.

No word yet of the significance for European distributors: but one can assume the current distributors of each company will stay in place while the company explores any possibility of synergy.

Go InFocus Buys Jupiter Systems

Eiki International launches its EK-800U single chip DLP projector which can be installed in any vertical angle (360 degree vertical configuration).

It’s specified at 12,000 ANSI Lumen brightness and a 5000:1 (DA:ON) contrast ratio. The WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution EK-800U inputs include VGA, HDMI, HDBaseT and 3G HD-SDI.

Integrated with powered zoom and focus as well as vertical and horizontal lens shift (V: +- 60%, H: +/- 25%), the new model also has image blending, warping, color matching.

It’s a high quality, top-of-the-range installation projector but despite the good specs, the most interesting feature is its ability to meet any configuration angle when installing. For example, it can even be mounted to show content in portrait mode.

Go Eiki EK-800U, 360 Degrees Vertical Configuration

Christie picked up the award for Projector of the Year for Boxer 4K30 at the AV Awards in UK.

The Award was given by the panel of judges at the annual event organized by AV Magazine in UK who said, “At last there is a 30,000 lumen projector that isn’t the size of a small car.”

James Belso, senior sales manager for the UK and Nordics, accepted the award on behalf of Christie with enthusiasm, saying, “I can’t say how pleased I am about Boxer being recognized. We had an internal launch at our global headquarters - with the boxer Lennox Lewis as guest of honour. The entire team came back with a buzz; we all knew we were on to a winner as soon as we saw it.”

Belso built on the judges’ tongue-in-cheek observation: “To halve the size of a projector and introduce a host of features at the same time isn’t easy," he commented. "Boxer was the result of vision and over three years of work by Jeevan Vivegananthan, our senior director of product management, who I would really like to mention.”

Vivegananthan worked with some 30 engineers to bring the vision of Boxer to life; and throughout, rental stagers across the world were asked what they wanted in the ideal projector. “We knew we had the technological ability to build a 30,000 lumens projector at 68Kg,” he says. “We went backstage with our customers to see their challenges. For me, being able to see customers’ reactions was one of my greatest rewards. We spend years building their wish-list.”

Go Christie Boxer 4K30: Projector of the Year, Says AV Magazine Awards