Earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show we saw LG’s interesting new take on front-projection home theater. The LG Laser TV is a short-throw (very short throw) 1080p resolution projector packaged with a 100-inch screen. Little information was available at that time, but now the company is ready to spill the beans and release the system to the public.
The projector is designed to sit only 22 inches from the screen, so most users will place it on a tabletop directly in front of the wall, though it also can be mounted on the ceiling like a traditional home theater projector, just in the front of the room, rather than in the back.
The single-chip DLP projector is powered by a laser-based lamp, rather than a traditional UHP lamp. LG says the laser lamp can last up to 25,000 hours, which is a big boost over the 3,000-6,000 hours of a UHP lamp.
The 100-inch screen included with the projector is a dark, angular reflection screen meant to reject ambient room light and maximize on-screen contrast. The system, says LG, is capable of producing 150-nit brightness and can be viewed in a moderately lit room.
While users can match it with a home theater audio system, the Laser TV can be used right out of the box. It features an onboard ATSC tuner for receiving DTV signals via an antenna, includes built-in Wi-Fi and apps like Netflix and YouTube, and sports two 20 watt speakers. HDMI, RS-232, WiDi and Miracast are also included.
The whole system is operated via LG’s gesture-based Magic Remote.
The Laser TV begins shipping to retailers in April for $8,999.
More Info:
Making a Case for Front Projection
Understanding Home Theater Screens
Projectors You Can Show Off
Projector Tips for Multipurpose Rooms