GREEN SLIM Projector XJ-A145

TOKYO, January 7, 2010—Casio Computer Co., Ltd., today announced that it has invented a mercury-free laser & LED hybrid light source capable of high-brightness projection, for use in next-generation projectors the company developed under its "clean & green" concept. Casio is releasing a line of GREEN SLIM Projectors with the new light source, introducing the world's first* mercury-free high-brightness data projectors.

At present, high-pressure mercury lamps are used as the light source for data projectors capable of producing 2,000 or more lumens. Semiconductor light sources that do not contain environmentally harmful mercury such as Laser and LED,are promising light sources for next-generation projectors. Until now, however, they were only usable as light sources for small, low-lumen projectors, because high-output sources capable of producing green light have not been feasible for mass production.

Casio has changed all this by creating an original mercury-free hybrid light source capable of generating high brightness by combining a laser, a phosphor, and an LED. Casio has achieved high output of green light, which has been considered difficult with conventional semiconductor light sources, by very efficiently converting blue laser light into green light using the phosphor. The high-brightness light of 2,000 or more lumens was then attained by projecting blue laser light, green light converted from blue laser light with the phosphor, and light emitted by a red LED through a DLP^® chip onto the screen.

Use of the laser & LED hybrid light source makes Casio's GREEN SLIM Projectors the world's first data projectors to bright enough for projection in a brightly lit room without using a high-pressure mercury lamp. Usability features have also been greatly improved: the body, no bigger than the size of an A4 piece of paper, is slim (43 mm) and lightweight (2.3 kg); the projector produces bright colors through upgraded color purity; the light source has a life of approximately 20,000 hours; projection at maximum brightness is possible in a minimum of eight seconds; and no cool down is needed when turning the projectors off.

GREEN SLIM Projectors will be available in a diverse lineup, including a model that can accommodate WXGA Real display at 1280 × 800 dots (16:10) and a model that can project without a PC and can communicate wirelessly with PCs. These projectors will greatly broaden the possibilities for visual communication thanks to Casio's advanced laser & LED hybrid light source, which will fundamentally changed the status quo in projectors and provide enhanced features that make the projectors usable in diverse situations.

• Laser & LED hybrid light source that enables mercury-free high-brightness projectors with high picture quality, long light source life, and quick powering on and off

• Slim (43 mm) and light (2.3 kg) highly portable A4-size body

• Wide-angle 2X optical zoom for use in diverse settings, ranging from small meeting spaces to large conference rooms

• USB host function for projection without a PC and capability for wireless communication with PCs (XJ-A245/A235/A145/A135)

Casio will continue expanding its lineup by aggressively developing more products with the new laser & LED hybrid light source, including smaller projectors for individual use.

Main Features of Casio's GREEN SLIM Projectors

• Laser & LED hybrid light source that enables mercury-free, high-brightness projection

  High-brightness projection is achieved without using a high-pressure mercury lamp by using blue light emitted by a blue laser, green light converted from blue laser light with a phosphor, and light emitted by a high-lumen red LED through a DLP^® chip onto the screen.

• A4 size high-brightness projectors

  High-brightness (2000 or more ANSI lumens) projection is achieved with a laser & LED hybrid light source in a slim (43 mm) and lightweight (2.3 kg) A4-size body. These projectors can be carried together with documents without being bulky and can project clear images even in brightly lit rooms.

• Superior color reproducibility increases presentation impact

  The laser & LED hybrid light source greatly improves color purity compared to high-pressure mercury lamps. It enables the production of beautifully vivid colors and projects clear, powerful images with visual effects of high color purity.

• Longer light source life

  Use of the laser & LED hybrid light source increases the light source life to approximately 20,000 hours—nearly 10 times that of Casio's conventional products (XJ-S58, etc.) with a high-pressure mercury lamp—which means less maintenance and lower operating costs. Moreover, brightness deteriorates more slowly than with mercury lamps, so clear image quality can be maintained for a long time.

• Quick powering on and off, an advantage for smooth presentations

  Projection at maximum brightness is possible in a minimum of eight seconds, and no cool down is needed when turning the projectors off. Thus, limited presentation time can be utilized effectively by enabling a smooth presentation flow from set-up to clean-up.

• Wide-angle 2X optical zoom gives users freedom of projector setup

  These models come with a wide-angle 2X zoom lens (lens with a two times shorter focal distance) that provides the greatest magnification* of any data projector. They are also equipped with a feature that automatically corrects vertical distortion of the display due to projector position, enabling effective use in diverse settings ranging from small meeting spaces to large conference rooms and classrooms.

  • * As of January 7, 2010. According to a Casio survey.

• HDMI terminal

  These models are equipped with an HDMI terminal that can transmit digital audio/video with only one cable. It enables AV devices and PCs also equipped with an HDMI terminal to be easily connected to the projectors, which can then project the contents with no loss of quality.

• Wide picture in real display (XJ-A245/A240/A235/A230)

  Able to accommodate WXGA Real display at 1280 × 800 dots (16:10), these models can display wide presentation materials and images in real size.

• Wireless communication with PCs (XJ-A245/A235/A145/A135)

  These models can communicate wirelessly (IEEE 802.11b/g) with up to four Windows^® PCs, enabling meetings in which multiple PCs are brought together and presentations that can be conducted easily and remotely from a location away from the projector.

• USB 2.0 host function enables presentations without a PC (XJ-A245/A235/A145/A135)

  These models can project presentations, spreadsheets, word-processor documents, PDF files and other data* prepared on a PC, still images (JPEG/BMP), and moving images (AVI format: Motion JPEG) all without a PC just by using commercially available USB memory. They can also be connected directly to the Multi-Functional Camera System YC-430, which can project non-digitized information and even three-dimensional objects onto the screen.

  • * Requires conversion with included PC software.

• The projectors can also be fixed to the ceiling with separately sold metal ceiling-mount fittings.

• DLP is registered trademark of Texas Instruments of the United States. Digital Light Processing is a trademark of Texas Instruments of the United States.
• Windows is registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation of the United States within the United States and/or other countries.
• XGA is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation of the United States.
• High-Definition Multimedia Interface is trademark or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing, LLC.
• Other company and product names are generally registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.