Casio just unleashed four new projectors in Japan, all in a super slim design that should fit just about anywhere. They measure just 1.7″ in height. Features among all four include XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution and 1,800:1 contrast ratio.

Look for these to hit the Japanese market this July. The XJ-S68 projector will have a brightness of 3,500 ANSI lumens, with composite RGB and USB connections. The XJ-S63 has the same minus one USB port, but throws in a 1-watt speaker.

Sony’s latest attempts at the projector market come in the form of these latest two models, the VPL-EX7 and VPL-EX70. Both of these models have the ability to throw a 60″ screen at 1,024 x 768 resolution from a distance of 1.8m, with a short focal lens.

The VPL-EX70 is labeled as BrighEra with a 900:1 contrast ratio and a brightness of 2600 lumens, while the VPL-EX7 has a 500:1 contrast ratio and a 2000 lumens brightness. There is no word on pricing yet.

Mitsubishi has two new projectors available for the mass market. The WD3300U and XD3200U are perfect for schools, churches, offices, presentation rooms etc. The WD3300U features 4,000 ANSI lumens, a 2,300:1 contrast ratio, and a wide screen WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio.

Meanwhile, the XD3200U offers 4,500 ANSI lumens, a 2,500:1 contrast ratio and a smaller XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution. Both projectors feature DLP display technology that allows you to view pictures up to 300 inches in size, diagonally.

Sanyo rolled out today a new 3LCD projector for the educational and business markets which makes use of a dual lamp system which allows for 24/7 continuous operation. It is called the PLC-XTC50L and it will be available this month for around $7,500.

The Sanyo PLC-XTC50L features what is called the industry’s first lamp selection system. This function automatically selects one of two lamps to project from, and switches lamps based on user preference or preprogrammed settings. This system, and the dual lamps, offers up around 6,000 hours of projection, which is said to be twice as long as regular one lamp models.

Sanyo introduced today what it says is the industry’s brightest two lamp projector. It is the PLC-XF71 and it is available this month for around $17,000.

The Sanyo PLC-XF71 sports 10,000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 3,000:1. It makes use of a three mirror system in order to get uniform light output from the two lamps, as well as to reduce color irregularities and get better quality 4:3 images.

Seems like every company is getting on the tiny projector bandwagon. So, it’s going to be hard for any of these to stand out. Adtec’s two new MP15A Series projectors certainly don’t look like they’re going to stand out from the crowd

As far as Specs, they’re pretty run of the mill,, with 15 ANSI lumens, a 200:1 contrast ratio, and VGA 640 x 480 resolution, they have an LED lamp with about a 20,000 hour life. The 15AW is white, while the 15AB is black. Other then the color, they are identical. Both will be available in December and January in Japan. No word yet on releases in other countries.

Toshiba is delivering a new mobile projector which offers closed caption capabilities for those in need of this type of function. It is called the TLP-X150U and you’ll find it available for around $960.

The TLP-X150U, with its closed caption feature, allows the audience to read text or dialogue from a DVD player or television signal. It also offers what is described as a “PC-free” presentation, hosting a USB port so one can show a presentation stored in JPG format on a USB flash drive.

NEC today debuted some new mobile projectors which provide what NEC says is easy setup and bright images. These new projectors are the NP41 and NP61, priced at around $1,000 and $1,400, respectively.

The  NP41 and NP61 offer up 2,300 and 3,000 lumens, respectively. Operation sound is said to be quiet at around 32dB in a select mode. Both are designed to fire up quickly, automatically detecting the source and projecting the image with auto input selection. Automatic vertical keystone correction is also included.

Meridian Audio is unveiling a serious new video projector and scaler which will definitely set you back a pretty penny or two. It is called the Meridian 810 Reference Video System and pricing is set around $185,000.

The Meridian 810 Reference Video System includes one serious projector capable of 4096 x 2400 pixels, or 10 megapixels, of display capability. That might not seem light much unless you consider, said Meridian, that a regular HDTV image at 1080i represents just 1 megapixel, while full-spec HD (1080p) is still only twice that. It also can deliver up to 4000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 10000:1.

Epson’s got a new fully-integrated, high-end home entertainment system ready for the marketplace just in time for the upcoming Olympics. It is called the Ensemble HD Cinema System and you’ll find it pricing around $7,000 for a 1080p system and $5,000 for a 720p version.

The Epson Ensemble HD Home Cinema System consists of a number of components. These include a PowerLite 3LCD HD multimedia projector, a 100-inch motorized screen which expands from the front channel, ceiling mounted speaker system, an A/V controller with built-in DVD player, speaker system, 150 watt subwoofer and a universial remote.

InFocus is out with a new mobile projector reportedly small enough to hold in your hand. It is called the InFocus IN1100 and you’ll find it pricing around $1,300.

The InFocus IN1100 weighs around 2.75 pounds, making it a very lightweight projector. Key features include DLP BrillantColor technology, support for up to 2,200 ANSI lumens and integrated DisplayLink technology for connecting to a laptop via standard USB.

Toshiba is out today with word of a new small projector which weighs just under five pounds. It is called the Toshiba TDP-SP1U and prices at around $720.

The Toshiba TDP-SP1U, besides weighing 4.8 pounds, is noted for having 2,200 ANSI lumens, DLP BrilliantColor technology and an extended lamp life of up to 4,000 hours. Native resolution of the projector is SVGA (800 x 600).

BenQ recently launched a new dual lamp DLP projector. It is known as the BenQ SP920 and you’ll find it available come June.

The BenQ SP920 offers 280W dual lamps to output what BenQ says is the “same 6000 lumens as the competitions’ dual 300W bulbs for a 23.5% optical efficiency.” This lumen output is adjustable, including a special “Dual Brightest” mode, which employs the entire 6000 lumens for projection.

Pioneer recently unveiled a new 1080p home theater projector designed for its Elite line and enhanced with the company’s KURO display technology. It is known as the Pioneer Elite KURO Projector and you’ll find it pricing around $9,000.

The Pioneer Elite KURO Projector was designed specifically for the custom install market, offering Pioneer’s KURO display technology for “deep black levels and rich colors.” This technology is featured in the projector’s multiple viewing modes. It also offers dual HDMI 1.3 support.

NEC is out today with some new mobile projectors it says are value-oriented. These are the NP100 and NP200, priced at around $650 and $500 respectively.

Both of these new projectors, part of NEC’s NP Value series, use Texas Instruments DLP technology with BrillantColor for a 1300:1 contrast ratio. Model specific features on the NP100 include SVGA resolution and a brightness of 2,000 lumens, while the NP200 has 2,100 lumens and a XGA resolution.