EPSON UNVEILS TWO LIGHTEST 3-LCD MOBILE PROJECTORS ON THE MARKET AT 4.3 POUNDS EACH

LAS VEGAS – April 8, 2002 – They're the lightest 3-LCD projectors ever made with the greatest brightness-to-weight ratio currently on the market. Epson, the world leader in high performance projectors, has once again launched a new and breakthrough line of projectors for mobile presenters with the EPSON PowerLite 730c and EPSON PowerLite 720c. With brightness rated at 2,000 ANSI lumens, the EPSON PowerLite 730c takes the throne as the industry's brightest projector in the sub-4.4-pound category, while the new PowerLite 720c offers the same advanced features with 1,500 ANSI lumens of brightness. Both models feature two all-new Epson-exclusive technologies that include: a 15-degree digital auto-keystone correction that automatically engages and corrects trapezoid-shaped images without manual adjustments; and a 10-second cool down time designed especially for busiest on-the-go presenters.

"At 4.3 pounds and up to 2,000 lumens, these two new products set the standard in the new category of ‘pico-portable' projectors," said Mark Pickard, group product manager, Epson. "We're very confident that these new features combined with our award-winning 3-LCD image quality will make the PowerLite 730c and PowerLite 720c two of our most popular products ever."

Another new feature is the projectors' completely new card-sized remote control (3.37" x 1.56" x 0.25"). This new design is not only sleek and easy to use, but also stores conveniently inside a slot within the projector – making it easy to access and more difficult to lose. Other projector enhancements include an optical zoom for enlarging specific areas within an image and a cable lock feature for security-sensitive environments.

About Epson's Three-LCD Technology

The heart of these projectors' advanced imaging technology lies in Seiko Epson's own three-LCD projection system. These three 0.9-inch Seiko Epson LCDs are engineered and synchronized to achieve high levels of image quality, such as brightness distribution (illumination ratio), color saturation, color accuracy and efficiency. They create varying shades of red, green and blue that blend to produce a projected image with brighter, richer, truer colors and sharp black text. Both units also feature 400:1 contrast ratios, making it possible to produce blacker blacks and whiter whites.

The PowerLite 730c takes advantage of an advanced Micro Lens Array (MLA) to achieve its superior level of brightness. With MLA, a microscopic lens is placed in front of each pixel of each 0.9-inch LCD to increase light throughput for brighter and more vibrant images. With three LCDs inside the projector, there are nearly 2.4 million microscopic lenses in every PowerLite 730c. MLA allows more light to pass through each pixel, projecting images with rich, vibrant colors and crisp, clear detail.

Not only can users take advantage of true XGA-native resolution, but also Epson's exclusive SizeWise™ resizing technology. This feature gives the projector the ultimate level of versatility, enabling it to accept every major notebook resolution on the market. For example, SizeWise resizing technology in these projectors allows for compatibility with resolutions ranging from VGA (640 x 480) up to UXGA (1,600 x 1,200) with virtually no loss of picture content. The projectors are also HDTV-ready and support popular digital video signals such as 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i.

Pricing and Availability

The EPSON PowerLite 730c and EPSON PowerLite 720c are respectively priced at $3,999 and $3,499 (estimated street price). Both models will be available in May 2002 through authorized pro audio/visual, national distribution, catalog and direct PC dealers, and select PC retailers throughout the country.

Quality Assurance & Support

Both the EPSON PowerLight 730c and PowerLight 720c meet the same stringent quality control measures that Epson uses for the rest of its projector line, so customers can be confident that these products will stand up to the most rigorous travel schedules. A recent study also found that "experienced professionals who service and sell multimedia projectors choose Epson 5:1 as the most reliable."

Epson's PowerLite projectors come with a two-year limited warranty that includes three elite technical support services – Epson's Private LineSM, Road Service Program and International Warranty. Through the Private Line, projector owners can directly access an exclusive expedited support telephone line (typically in less than one minute) by using a phone card that is included with the product. In the event that a projector should need to be repaired, Epson's Road Service Program can replace the product usually within 24 hours in the United States and Canada. International Warranty makes repair service available in 45 countries worldwide. These services are available for the duration of the warranty coverage.

Presenters can also find valuable information by visiting Epson's Presenters OnlineSM Web site (www.presentersonline.com) for immediate access to presentation tips, tools and techniques, innovative templates, useful clip art, and links to services especially suited for today's busy road warrior. For more information on Epson's current projector product line, customers can call 1-800-442-1977 or visit the company's website at http://www.epson.com.

About Epson

Epson also offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photographic and graphic arts markets. The company is a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

# # #

Note: Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. PowerLite and PrivateLine are registered trademarks, SizeWise is a trademark, and Presenters Online is a service mark of Epson America Inc.