A little Hollywood in NEC's lineup

Consumer electronics manufacturer NEC on Tuesday took the wraps off of several new plasma displays and projectors--and they include a little bit of Hollywood technology.

As part of its early preview of fall products, the company is featuring five commercial and four home plasma displays, as well as six new projectors, that build on its current VT, LT and WT series. The devices were on display at the InfoComm 2005 audio/video communications conference in Chicago.

For users looking for the highest video quality possible, NEC said it will soon be offering its NEC TheaterSync video processing technology. Silicon Optix helped NEC develop the technology, which is based on Hollywood-quality video processing, or HQV, for high-definition televisions.

NEC said the improvement means its plasma or projectors can squeeze HD quality out of non-HD sources such as cable, DVD and VHS. The plasmas range in size from 42 inches to 61 inches and start at $1,995.

Likewise, the projectors have advanced visual technologies and incorporate longer lamp life and higher contrast capabilities. NEC's most affordable projector starts at $795 and ramps up in price to $5,995 for a projector that can connect through an 802.11g wireless network.