It's really hard to say how much of a value this DIY HD projector is, given we're missing some crucial specs like resolution (gotta be at least 720p, right?), contrast ratio, and luminosity. Still, at €500 (about $708 US) for the whole kit, it's not a bad deal if you planned on spending your weekend doing projects anyway. All the pieces come in four separate bundles -- HD optic, light, housing, and electronics -- and if you need some handholding (it's okay, so do we), there's a German-language instruction manual that's thankfully full of pictures and diagrams, and even more entertaining, we've got a video / picture slideshow of the process done to a playful techno ditty. Check it out after the break.

Read - DIY HD projector kit
Read - Instruction manual

[Via Slashgear]

Sorry Hitachi, we really are, but there's no way consumers can squeeze a satisfactory amount of fun out of a SXGA+ projector. In fairness, the 3LCD CP-SX635 does boast a brightness of 4,000 ANSI lumens for showing up in even dimly lit areas, but the lack of 1080p just leaves us squarely on the fence. For those who aren't resolution junkies, this one also includes four optional lenses for various throw distances, a 2,000-hour hybrid filter, an inbuilt 16-watt speaker, network control capability and an HDMI input. Too bad we're not even given a price to ponder, huh? The full release is just past the break.

Sanyo already delivered a sub-$2,000 1080p projector today, but the PDG-DHT100JL DLP beamer is definitely a notch above. The noticeably more brawny PJ, which is destined for a Japanese release in March, packs a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 6,500 lumens, twin UHP lamp and a dual twin color wheel system. No word on a price just yet, but trust us, it'll be up there.

SIM2 never fails to stun, and it's proving yet again that it couldn't care less about the global economic situation (or that it just aims at a class of people that are simply unaffected) with the Grand Cinema HT5000E. Said device was actually outed yesterday courtesy of an HDGiants pair-up, but today we're being gifted with the official details. The three-chip DLP beamer includes a trio of 0.95-inch DarkChip4 DMDs, a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, six lens options, Ethernet jack for remote control and world-class color uniformity / edge-to-edge focus capabilities. Yeah, it'll cost you more than most vehicles and even some diminutive homes at $57,995, but at least the white glove delivery service is included. A true bargain, let us tell you. Full release is after the break.

Canon's REALiS SX800 LCoS projector may not have the highest resolution in the world -- it's stuck at SXGA+ (1,400 x 1,050), for those wondering -- but it sure is bright. Designed to light up board and / or living rooms with ambient light seeping in, the projector features a 3,000 lumens display and a contrast ratio of 900:1. It's also housing next-generation 0.55-inch LCoS reflective LCD panels, a Canon 1.5x zoom, Auto Input Signal, 2:3 pull down and an 11-pound chassis. If that's right down your alley, it'll be available this month for $2,499.

[Via AboutProjectors]

This ain't the first time Sanyo's slipped in just under the two large wire with a 1080p beamer, but it's no less proud the second go 'round. Announced here in Vegas, the PLV-1080HD is a Full HD projector with a lens-shifting system for flexible placement, a variable iris, two HDMI 1.3 inputs, a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,200 ANSI lumens. $1,995 gets you in, and it's shipping right now.

Vivitek didn't really do an awesome job of making its very first projectors anything memorable (see, you didn't even know they were in the beamer biz, now did you?), but it's hoping to remedy that here at CES 2009 with the beastly HC7500A. Said device is the world's first 1080p LED projector, offering up a 35,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 700-lumen brightness rating and a lamp-free LED light source that can keep shining for around 20,000 hours. We know, you're impressed. But impressed enough to drop $13,999 for one in June? Full release is after the break.

Sony's VPL-HW10 SXRD projector was viewed as a fairly stellar bargain when it was announced back at CEDIA. A 1080p projector with Sony's name on it for $3,500? Yes, please. One Michael Smith purchased his directly from Sony, and he took the time to unbox it and share his impressions with the public at large. In short, the beamer was deemed "awesome," and words like "amazing," "high quality" and "crystal clear" were used frequently. In fact, he found it difficult to say anything negative, even going so far as to say that he's simply spoiled now that he has seen what this puppy can do. Don't take our word for it, though -- check the links out below to hear it from the horse's lips.

Read - Unboxing
Read - Review

It's opera season once more, and this time we've got Italy's own SIM2 getting involved. The company famous for engineering remarkably sexy (and incredibly expensive) projectors has just announced that its DLP-based PRO5DL flagship Digital Cinema projector will be used to show audiences in LA and NYC live broadcasts of the La Scala Opera season. The transmissions will be beamed from the La Scala Operahouse in Milan to the Beverly Hills Laemmle Theater and Miller Theater at Columbia University in New York, and the images will be displayed on 28-foot wide screens. We're not sure how costly a ticket is, but it's sure to be substantially lower than a round trip ticket to Italy.

Panny's delightful PT-AE3000 has been trotting around on US soil for a small while, but it's just now making its official debut on the international level. The 1080p PT-AE3000E, which features a 60,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,600 lumens, has been loosed for consumers in Europe and Asia to snag, but it'll run you around $4,568 in greenbacks. A new used beater car, or a new projector? Oh, the decisions life forces upon us.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Mitsubishi's HC7000 1080p projector just started leaving the docks not too, too long ago, and now the kind folks over at BigPictureBigSound have published a thorough review after spending a decent bit of time with it. Installation and setup was said to be "a simple affair," and one of the first things they noticed upon firing it up was just how quiet it was while operating. In fact, critics deemed it the quietest projector they had tested in this price range. Testers fired up an upscaled DVD after calibration procedures were done, and what they saw was "perfectly acceptable," with black levels being ultra black and color being "vibrant and very natural." Blu-ray Disc and HDTV content were even more stunning, and overall, only minor niggles ("remote backlight shuts off too quickly," for instance) were mentioned. In case you couldn't guess, critics deemed this one "a keeper," and to sweeten things up, the street price on this puppy is a far cry from its original MSRP. Mmm, price drops.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Epson's EH-TW3000 isn't much to look at, but we all know it's the innards that count. The 1080p beamer sports the company's 3LCD technology, a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, 2,000 ANSI lumens, a 10-bit video processing engine, whisper quiet design, twin HDMI 1.3 inputs and a 3-year warranty. In other words, it's housing everything you need to make your movies look great, but it'll cost you a stiff €1,614 ($2,084) in order to bring one home.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Around this time last year, SIM2 was busy busting wallets with its $32k C3X. This year, we've got a revamped version coming in at an even higher price point: the network-friendly C3X LUMIS HOST. The 1080p beamer packs a 3-chip DLP (DarkChip4) engine, a 35,000:1 contrast ratio, 3,000 ANSI lumens, DynamicBlack technology and IR / Ethernet / RS-232 control ports. The standout feature, however, is SIM2's own proprietary three-line optical-digital High-Definition Optical Signal Transfer (H.O.S.T.) system, which allows two of these beasts to be connected over distances of up to 750-feet. Sadly, this unit will only find homes with those with copious quantities of disposable income, as it starts at $36,495 and goes higher when throwing in a T3 extra-long throw lens.

[Via CyberTheater]

Clearly, just one hue for JVC's DLA-HD750 1080p projector wasn't enough, but the outfit's making darn sure that few people ever see the alternative color. Just 200 of the all white DLA-HD750-W models will ever be released, and so far as we can tell, they'll all be up for grabs in Japan. As for specs, you can expect a delightful Full HD native resolution, 50,000:1 contrast ratio, 900 lumens, twin HDMI ports, VGA / S-Video / composite inputs and a ¥756,000 ($7,940) sticker. What? You didn't expect such a rare beast to be a bargain, did you?

[Via AboutProjectors]

Mitsubishi's 1080p HC6500 has been shipping for just over a month now, but if you've been holding off from unloading $2,500 until you saw a bona fide review, you can finally have a peek and move on with life. CNET was able to wrap its retinas around the expansive image beamed out of this sexy piece of front-projection goodness, and overall, it had incredibly positive things to say. For instance, the deep blacks were applauded, skin tones were "natural," noise wasn't an issue at all and the input selection was quite stout. The only real rubs critics had were that it wasn't perfectly calibrated out of the box and the fact that it's up against some stiff competition -- neither of which are particularly "negative" traits. The bottom line? It's an "excellent all-round performer for the money," or in other words, you can finally commence with that trigger pulling.