Front Projectors

I admit it; I am an unreserved fan of projectors. I've had one as my sole display since my 38-inch RCA CRT blew up four years ago. There is nothing like watching life-size (or larger than life-size) characters on a 110-inch screen. Now, that is engaging. I don't understand why everyone doesn't have a projector. Guests to my gloomy, cavelike abode could probably offer logical rationales. But come on: Look at the size of Adama's head!

OK, so, if we can agree that projectors are the ultimate in home theater entertainment, then 1080p is the culmination of nearly a decade in technical advancements, price reductions, and market growth. Today's projectors are brighter, cheaper, easier to own, and can project a larger image than anything that was available for the home in years past. The slow price drop of 720p projectors pales in comparison to the lightning-fast drop of 1080p. It was just a year ago that the first $10,000 1080p front projector hit the market. Now, here are three PJs at right around half that price. As this is one of the only display categories that can truly benefit from 1080p resolution, this drop is very welcome.

The prices of the JVC DLA-HD1 D-ILA, Mitsubishi HC5000 LCD, and Sony VPL-VW50 SXRD projectors are a little too far apart to do a real Face Off, but they will certainly do battle in people's minds, if not their wallets. I volunteered contributors Adrienne Maxwell and John Higgins to provide their thoughts on this triumvirate of 1080p goodness, as well. In alphabetical order: