CES 2015

Hisense has a cool 100-inch laser projector that even Dr. Evil would love

At CES 2015, Hisense demos the VIDAA Max 100" laser projector that can beam a 100-inch image on a wall from less than 2 feet away

Published: January 06, 2015 01:30 PM

What's cooler than a laser-lit short-throw projector?

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With all the giant screens, UHD resolutions, and even curved designs on the market, it's getting harder to impress your friends with a new display. But how about a new front-projector that can throw a giant 100-inch image powered by lasers?

That's what Hisense intends to do with its new VIDAA Max 100" Laser Cinema TV, which it showed here at CES 2015. The DLP projector uses a blue laser diode as its light source, which Hisense said can run for up to 25,000 hours without losing brightness or color. Compare that to bulb- or lamp-based projectors, which typically lasts 3,500 hours or so before needing to be replaced. The VIDAA can project an image onto a wall, so you don't need a separate screen, though you can use one. It's a short-throw model, so it can be placed very close to a wall, and it's portable, so you can easily move it from room to room.

The projector has HDMI, component, composite, and VGA inputs, plus a USB port, and its built-in Wi-Fi supports WiDi. It also has 5.1 Dolby/DTS sound, with 8-inch subwoofers and 5.8GHz Bluetooth surround speakers.

We haven't reviewed front projectors in a while, but this model has me wishing we would. It reminds me a bit of the LG's Hecto short-throw laser projector we saw back at CES 2013. That projector cost $9,000 at the time. Hisense didn't give a price, but said it would be less than an LCD—though I wasn't sure if the spokesperson meant a 100-inch LCD. That would certainly give the company a lot of breathing room on price.

Keep checking back for all our CES updates.

—James K. Willcox

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