- Photo: Acer
CES 2010, Avatar and various Pixar films have made 2010 the year of 3D. While most of the coverage on the Internet has been on 3D TV, this article looks at what 3D-ready projector manufacturers have in the pipeline, as well as on shelves right now. But first, an important note: for 3D technology to work properly, one needs to ensure the projector has a frequency of 120Hz, and a resolution of 720p at a minimum is advised.
In the pipeline
Optoma, a trusted entity in 3D projection technology, showed their wares at CES, in the form of the GT720. The 120Hz 720p projector demoed 3D and 2-D well when displayed at CES, but was unfortunately drowned out due to the focus 3D TV.
Currently Available
- Photo: Mitsubishi Electronics
Other manufacturers like Mitsubishi have 3D-ready projectors available today, such as the gorgeous Mitsubishi Electric XD600U. This unit, although 120HZ, disappoints in that it has a resolution of 1024×768, which has an aspect ratio of 4:3 in a world where virtually all content is being made in 16:9. And, at over £1000, not even its aesthetics make it a justifiable purchase.
Additional Offerings
The Acer H5360 is easily one of the more popular 3D-ready projectors. At 1280×720, it sticks to a more contemporary 720p (16:9) aspect ratio – although connoisseurs are still clamoring for 1080p 3D projectors. In addition, while affordable, imperfect black levels and limited keystone features stop this projector from being great.
For Early Adopters Only
Viewsonic and BenQ are the other noteworthy manufacturers in the 3D projection realm. Viewsonic’s PJD6221 projector launched with similar specs to the Acer H5360, but was marred by several problems, not least of which was projecting 3D content properly.
- Photo: BenQ
BenQ’s MP670 is another 3D-ready projector, with standard features and available at a budget price. The native aspect ratio of 4:3 – like the Mitsubishi – may very well be a deal breaker for some.
This list, though not exhaustive, gives an overview of the options available in current 3D projection. What is clear is that the 3D projector market is still in real world R&D mode, and these early projectors merely echo that sentiment. Average feature sets and unreliable performance are marks of first generation hardware, and it’s probably a good idea to wait at least another six months before jumping into the 3D TV or 3D projection space.
Tags for this article: 3d projectors, 3dtv, benq, Viewsonic
