Optoma unveils ultra-wide short throw projector
Optoma has revealed its latest short throw laser projector for the business, education and specialist AV markets.
The ZH300UW is an ultra-wide short throw projector that employs a solid-state laser phosphor light engine to provide users with 3,000 lumens of brightness and a contrast ratio of 10,000:1.
The new unit uses an eco-friendly design, with a life expectancy of up to 20,000 hours of use and minimal levels of maintenance as there is no need to replace the lamp.
The ZH300UW can operate in a variety of positions, including portrait and downward projections, which can be used for digital signage and for projecting images onto the floor respectively.
The laser projector’s native resolution is 1920x720p at an aspect ratio of 16:6. The new unit can also project two images side-by-side at an aspect ratio of 4:3. This could be particularly useful for business meetings or conference calls, with both sides of the conversation displayed simultaneously.
The ZH300UW has an ultra-wide short throw lens, with a projection ratio of 0.25:1. With such a ratio, the projection can show a 120-inch image from a distance of just 72 centimetres.
For the education market, the projector includes Optoma’s TouchBeam technology for annotating charts, pictures and diagrams using a finger, eliminating the need for a separate electronic whiteboard. It is also fully compatible with Creston, AMX and Extron systems for network control.
Connections include two HDMI inputs, two VGA inputs and a microphone connection. The ZH300UW also has a built-in 10W speaker.
Justin Halls, head of visual system solutions and technical services at Optoma, said: “Optoma continues to innovate in the DLP projector market, and the ZH300UW is no exception.
“The combination of an ultra-wide aspect ratio, short-throw lens, laser-phosphor light engine and TouchBeam technology makes the product highly adaptable to different environments. Visitor centres, retail premises, video conferencing facilities and classrooms are all examples of circumstances which would be transformed by the installation of this unique projector.”