The projector market isn’t as terribly exciting as that of video cards, but once in a while comes along a piece of hardware that breaks away from the norm of everyday projectors that would make even the most disinterested passer-by sit up and take notice. Today is such a day with Sanyo releasing its latest portable widescreen WXGA PLC-WXU700 LCD projector which is touted to be the first in the world to feature high-speed 802.11n wireless LAN capability, video streaming, full (1280×800) WXGA resolution, 3800 lumens and compatibility with the Windows Vista Network Projector Function.

By virtue of it being the first projector to offer IEEE802.11n high-speed wireless LAN capabilities, this translates to superior transmission speeds which have traditionally been limited to the 802.11g standard at best. This makes room for seamless video playback, enabling the playback of video stored on a computer’s hard drive as it is being streamed or downloaded to the projector without any bottlenecks or lag. Without having to hook it up via Ethernet (you can do so if you want to thanks to the inclusion of an Ethernet port), this helps eliminate the risk of tripping over unsightly wires or cables in the vicinity.

The projector’s video streaming and playback is compatible with MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, and WMV file formats, while the incorporation of Windows Embedded CE 6.0 software allows the PLC-WXU700 to be used as a network projector on virtually any computer powered by Windows Vista. Having the option of projecting images or video from a LAN to the projector wirelessly also does away with the need for a complicated setup with special programs or drivers. Dummies can also set this up in a snap courtesy of its Auto Input Signal Search, Auto Vertical Keystone Correction, and a Guidance Function. Other features of the PLC-WXU700 include a resolution of 1,280 x 800, a brightness of 3,800 lumens, a high-output 275-watt lamp, and a variety of video inputs including HDMI, D-sub, S-video and composite. You can expect to pick up the Sanyo PLC-WXU700 this June for $2,995.

Press Release