Super Large-Screen Home Movies from New Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Projector

Business Wire, Jan 4, 2005

IRVINE, Calif. -- Low-Cost HC100U Blasts Cartoons, Love Stories and Sports in a 250" Diagonal Image

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America's Presentation Products Division, the industry leader in home entertainment projector technology and innovation, today introduced its HC100U projector for home movie, sports and television fans. Available this month at a suggested price of just $1,495, the HC100U uses Texas Instruments DLP(TM)-chip technology, and is among the easiest and least expensive ways to enjoy any type of programming.

Projectors like the HC100U are a great alternative for home theater entertainment and offer the biggest screen size-to-space efficiency ratio. The HC100U is approximately the size of a large box of chocolates, throws an image up to 250 inches diagonally, and its light weight allows users to easily store it out of sight when not in use.

"We designed the HC100U with the first-time home theater projector user in mind," said Steve Medina, manager of product planning and development for Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America. "Our new projector delivers the picture and color quality you expect from Mitsubishi, but it's now in an easy-to-use, low-cost package that makes the home theater experience much more affordable."

Easy Set-Up and Imaging Excellence

The versatile HC100U provides easy set-up: the direct component video and VGA inputs are standard and require no additional adapters. The low-cost projector even has a DVI-D, HDCP-compliant input for connection to high-definition set-top boxes and up-conversion HD DVD players.

With a 2000:1 contrast ratio, the HC100U provides a finite level of detail in black areas of a video image or DVD, which is typically a challenge for other front-projection displays. Its 1,500 lumens of brightness make it versatile enough to use during the daytime with shades or at night without turning out all the lights.

The HC100U is equipped with Mitsubishi's CineRich(TM) Color white level enhancement controls to create rich, dramatic color for each movie shown. Dark action films and bright romantic comedies are usually very different in color and lighting; CineRich Color lets users adjust white levels or allows factory settings to automatically adjust levels according to content signals. This capability maximizes content for precise colors and mood for a more rewarding viewing experience -- the way the director intended.

The Mitsubishi HC100U comes with a full-feature remote control that makes the projector simple to operate, even when installed in a convenient, out-of-the-way ceiling mount. The projector is 12.2" x 3.9" x 9.6" (WxHxD) and weighs only six and a half pounds -- small enough to be moved from room to room or to be simply tucked away under a bed, or in a drawer or closet.

Low Cost of Ownership Features

The HC100U projector's sealed light engine is state-of-the-art; in this enclosed design, which is not available in LCD projectors, cooling air is never sent between the lens and imaging device. Since there is no filter to service and replace, operation is practically maintenance-free, and problems typically associated with clogged filters -- such as overheated lamps and premature failure -- are reduced. This advanced filter-free construction also helps the HC100U resist dust, dirt and other micro particles within the light path, making the projector more durable, longer lasting and economical to use.

The HC100U is in wide distribution and will be available through online resellers and consumer electronics stores. The new projector comes with Mitsubishi's 2-year limited warranty on parts and labor plus a 90-day limited lamp warranty. For increased life and lower cost of ownership, the proprietary lamp on the HC100U is delivered with a 3,000-hour lamp standard, nearly 1,000 hours more than any other home theater projector.

"The US home theater market is growing," said Aki Ninomiya, vice president of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Presentation Products Division. "With this new projector we can offer our first-time users a product that will delight them, and further fuel the fun and family recreation inherent with home theater."

About Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America/Presentation Products Division

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America's Presentation Products Division markets an extensive line of professional presentation, display and front-projection home entertainment display systems and is known for its award-winning, high-quality, accurate color reproduction technology. Products are sold through authorized distributors, resellers, retailers, dealers and system integrators throughout the United States. Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America is located at 9351 Jerome Rd., Irvine, CA, 92618. For more information, please call 888-307-0312 or visit www.mitsubishi-hometheater.com.

CineRich is a trademark of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Inc.; DLP is a trademark of Texas Instruments.