This Thursday Mitsubishi will unveil one of the world's first 3D enabled 1080p home theater projectors. The code named Diamond 3D will have a reflective LCD "SXRD" light engine, marking the first time Mitsubishi has brought a product to market that uses reflective LCD technology.

With this release Mitsubishi becomes the first projector manufacturer in the industry to build front projection products using all three light engine technologies--transmissive LCD, DLP, and reflective LCD.

The Diamond 3D will carry a contrast rating of 120,000:1, with 1000 lumens of brightness. 3D is via IR sensors communicating with active shutter glasses. The projector will have a 1.8x powered zoom and focus lens and powered lens shift, a center lens design, two HDMI 1.4 inputs, and other features desirable in home theater projectors such as advanced frame interpolation. It comes in gloss black and weighs 33 lbs, so it is much larger than the typical home theater projector.

Initial deliveries are expected in the October/November time frame. Prices are not yet available, but expect them to come in somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000.

The CEDIA trade show opens this Thursday, Sept 23. We anticipate the release of 3D 1080p models from Sony and JVC as well as Mitsubishi. Reflective LCD technology is common among them, and leads the way in 3D 1080p under $10,000 due to its exceptionally fast refresh rates.

Meanwhile, Epson has released a series of new models including the ProCinema 61000, rated at 1,000,000:1 contrast. More on that here.

More to come shortly.....

Evan Powell
Editor