Smart Stylus Adds Up

Derek Miller writes:

DUNCAN — Duncan High School Algebra I teachers are doing something to help their students. They’re getting out of the way.

Instead of standing by the overhead projector and in front of the projector screen, the teachers will be using projector systems affixed to the ceilings of their classrooms. They will also be using electronic notepads, which work with the projectors through a computer connection. Whatever is written with the stylus on the notepad appears on screen.

The projectors were installed Monday in three Algebra I classrooms and secured in a fourth.

Algebra I teacher Sam Holthe said, “One benefit is I’m out of the way now. Another benefit is I can control the class.

“It’s really an amazing thing.”

The installation of the projectors extended from Holthe’s use of the items in the classroom. After his projector and notebook were purchased with grant money, he gave Superintendent Sherry Labyer and Assistant Superintendent Glenda Cobb a demonstration on how the mechanisms work.

The demonstration led to the purchase of the equipment for the other classrooms.

Projection Industry Players Align to Set New Standard

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, leading projector manufacturers
and technology providers united to endorse a new international specification
that will allow users to evaluate the color performance of digital projectors
to ensure their investment delivers the most impact and the greatest effect.
The new specification called "Color Brightness" measures color light output.
With the fast-paced development of vivid color content and the rapid adoption
of high definition video, the quality and impact of the color produced by a
projector has become extremely important.  Leading industry players in support
of the movement include 3LCD manufacturers Epson and Sony.
   From the classroom to the boardroom to the living room, vivid color
improves communication-enhancing attention, comprehension and learning.
Current industry specification metrics fail to highlight the differences in
color light output among competing products and technologies -- leaving it
virtually unreported.  Despite the overwhelming use of color today, the
industry has continued to rely largely on specifications that only measure
black and white performance such as brightness and contrast ratio.  There is
growing consensus for the need for an effective, easy-to-use projector
measurement metric -- Color Brightness.
   "We are focused on delivering a higher standard of image quality," said
John Kaloukian, director of the Professional Display Group at Sony
Electronics.
"Image quality is a function of high color and high brightness.  That is
exactly what the Color Brightness specification communicates.  Based on
industry accepted methodologies, Color Brightness makes a lot of sense for
communicating the importance and impact of color."

Toshiba's Wireless Short-Range Projector

From Yahoo:

Our Last Gadget Standing competition will be taking place next Wednesday, and all the finalists duking out it next week have been announced. There will be plenty of wafer-thin and monster LCD and plasma displays at CES, but newer DLP projectors able to produce a comparable image without taking up much space in the living room are quickly becoming a consumer's cheaper alternative.

One of my picks included the Toshiba TDP-EW25U DLP projector, which I've had the pleasure of checking out during my holiday vacation. I say "pleasure," because after spending time with this particular projector, it will be very hard for me to go back to playing Rock Band or watching movies on a regular screen.

One of the features that really impressed me is the "extreme short projection" capability it has to produce a 60-inch image from a mere 2.4 feet away. During my review, I placed the projector about five feet away from the wall, which produced a massive 120-inch image on the wall. Good thing I had plenty of wall space.

Setup was quick and painless, and the image quality was amazing. The TDP-EW25U DLP projector is extremely bright, thanks to its powerful 2,600 ANSI lumens, and the picture is sharp, due to its 1,280 by 800 pixels of resolution and 2,000:1 contrast ratio. The projector has plenty of connections, including a LAN and USB port, two RGB connections, two video inputs for composite and S-Video, and two components (shared with computer inputs).

Hitachi Brings Short Throw Capabilities to Education and Corporate Markets With CP-A100

LAS VEGAS--(Business Wire)--Offering a new level of versatility and performance to the
education and corporate markets, Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous
Platform Systems Division is unveiling the CP-A100 3LCD projector.
This revolutionary new model features a very short throw distance,
eliminating the problem of presenters obstructing the projected image
by standing in front of the screen. Additionally, the CP-A100 offers
networking capability, allowing multiple projectors to be controlled
and monitored from a single location.

The CP-A100 boasts an extremely short throw distance: at 1.6 feet
you can project a 60 inch image. This not only prevents image
obstruction, but also means there are no shadows interfering with the
image and no light in the presenter's face. The versatile CP-A100 can
be placed vertically as well as horizontally, as well as inverted for
ceiling mount applications, making positioning of the projector more
convenient.

Adding to the user's convenience is the network connectivity of
the CP-A100, which allows for simultaneous monitoring and control of
several projectors from a remote location. This is particularly
beneficial in schools and large corporate environments, where
projectors are located throughout a facility and the monitoring of
each projector is a time-consuming ordeal. With the benefits of
networking technology, a technician can monitor details such as lamp
life for each projector from his/her computer. Additionally, the
CP-A100's performance stands alone among competitive models. It offers
a brightness of 2,500 ANSI lumens, XGA resolution and a 500:1 contrast
ratio.

The CP-A100 addresses the issue of security with functions such as
multilevel PIN locks, a security bar and a Kensington slot. Moreover,
the CP-A100 is easy to use, featuring advanced connectivity and
proprietary Hitachi functions including My Buttons, Input Source
Naming and My Text. The CP-A100's E-Shot feature allows users to
transfer up to four still images from a computer to the projector.



Easy maintenance is another attractive function of the CP-A100, as
its lamp door is on top of the model, and the filter is located on the
back, allowing for easy access. The CP-A100 offers additional
versatility with its Whiteboard, Blackboard or Day Time Modes.

"Hitachi's introduction of the CP-A100 marks a major step forward
in providing teachers and presenters an extremely short throw
projector," said Pete Denes, vice president of sales, Hitachi America,
Ltd., Ubiquitous Business Platform Systems Division, Business Group.
"This groundbreaking feature, along with the CP-A100's networking
capability and high performance, allows presenters to fully
concentrate on engaging their audience."

For more information about Hitachi's activities at the 2008
International CES, please visit av.hitachi.com/

Review: Sony VPL-VW200 is the projector to beat

Kevin Miller writes:

(CNET.com) -- Sony's 2007 flagship front projector, the VPL-VW200, uses the company's variant of LCoS, called SXRD, and like most high-end projectors, it features a native resolution of 1080p. Those specs and jargon may well impress your buddies, but the real story is in the picture.

The VPL-VW200 is the most color-accurate front projector we've seen for less than $30,000, and it basically smokes anything at or near its price range in overall image accuracy.

Sony must have listened to our incessant complaining about inaccurate primary and secondary colors, as the company has delivered near perfection in that area.

This unit also adds some really flexible setup features, and it looks great hanging from the ceiling. As of this writing, the Sony VPL-VW200 is the new high-end projector to beat.

Asheville company is manufacturing powerful computers

Anne writes:

Sigler and his wife, Kellie Sigler, started Lumenlab in 2003, when they became interested in supplying do-it-yourself parts for video projectors. The couple started importing projector parts, such as lens and lighting equipment, and selling them online. Then Grayson Sigler designed and built a video projector, the eVo, which he described as an “upgradeable DIY projector.”

The demand for the eVo, which the Siglers advertised only on the Internet, grew to the point that Sigler asked his brother and sister-in-law, Tracy Sigler and Mary Earle-Sigler, to join the business a little more than a year ago. At the same time, the family moved the business from Virginia to Asheville.

The Sigler brothers then set up a production facility in Chingdu, China, to make the video projectors, and they sold more than 2,250 in just a few months. Then the projectors started coming back to Lumenlab for repairs, and the Siglers realized they had a quality control problem. Every penny the business had made from the projectors and more went back into repair and reimbursement for the faulty projectors, Grayson Sigler said.