News

Projector marque Epson will unveil a quintet of new home cinema projectors at this week's IFA tech show in Berlin, ranging from a sub-£600 720p model to a new flagship.

The £550 EH-TW490 is a 2D-only 720p model and claims a 12,000:1 contrast ratio. It features in-built speakers (2 x 2W) and incorporates vertical and horizontal keystone correction.

A step up from this budget model is the EH-TW5200, which Epson is targeting at gamers. A Full HD and 3D video-chucker, it sports a 'fast mode' which Epson says allows joystick junkies to play fast-paced games 'without delay'. Contrast here is rated at 15,000:1. The EH-TW5200 also provides an MHL input to enable smartphone and tablet hookup. It will retail for around £750, but 3D glasses (RF, USB-chargeable active shutter jobs), will set buyers back an addition £70 each.

The higher-end EH-TW7200, EH-TW9200 and EH-TW9200W (pictured) are as yet unpriced, and will become available in October. All three are aimed at home cinema enthusiasts, with Epson claiming significant contrast improvements over similar models in last year's range.

The flagship EH-TW9200, like the 2012 EH-TW9100W, is supplied with a wireless HDMI transmitter to simplify room hookup. Its contrast ratio is rated at 600,000:1, up from the 320,000:1 of its predecessor. Other features include MHL compatibility, Frame Interpolation mode, ISF certification, horizontal and vertical lens shift and 2D-3D conversion (two pairs of 3D spex are bundled).

The EH-TW9200 offers broadly the same specification, but misses out on wireless transmission and MHL compatibility, and comes in a black rather than white chassis. The EH-TW7200 claims a lower contrast ratio (120,000:1) and brightness (2,000 Lumens as opposed to 2,400) and eschews Frame Interpolation.

Look out for reviews soon in HCC.