Epson Inc., best known for its printers and scanners, has introduced a new family of big-screen streaming laser projectors for improved at-home viewing of their favorite television shows and online content, at what the company thinks is an advantageous price.
The company, which will be moving its Americas regional headquarters from Long Beach to Los Alamitos this summer, presented the new EF-100 models that use Google’s Android TV operating system at the Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas.
“This is a projector that has the smart functionality built in,” Product Manager Carlos Regonesi told the Business Journal days before the CES presentation. “That means that you have immediate access to Netflix and the other streaming services just with a wireless connection. You don’t need to have a separate source to connect it to, to enjoy the content.”
Epson Online
Regonesi said the projectors will be available mainly at Amazon.com and Best Buy, as well as Epson’s online store. The company is keeping the suggested price at $999.99, just a penny below a symbolic threshold, to aim for “consumers and families.”
“We are using Android TV so it’s something that most of the people are already familiar with,” he said. “The purpose of the engineering was to bring the laser to a more affordable price but also delivering all the benefits of laser.”
He said that typically laser projectors have had more commercial uses rather than home uses.
Regonesi said LG Electronics projectors HF80LA and HF85LA would be Epson’s main rivals for laser projectors with smart functionality, but said the South Korean company’s models are more expensive and its picture is less bright.
Based on Epson’s MicroLaser Array Technology, the portable, compact and wireless projector produces images up to 150 inches on virtually any wall or dedicated screen, the company said.
“It’s similar to other interfaces. We didn’t want to introduce a new interface, a new operating system. We are relying on something that people know already and that already provides wide access to applications,” according to Regonesi.
Netflix, Hulu
Once the EF-100 is powered on, streamers can instantly watch content from apps such as Netflix, YouTube, HBO, Hulu, Disney+, ESPN, and more. Epson said the projectors provide outstanding color accuracy and vibrancy for a range of streaming and gaming content needs.
Epson America Inc. said last summer that 600 employees will be moving into new facilities in Los Alamitos, with room for growth to 700 workers.
Epson will rank No. 2 among top employers in the city, trailing only the Los Alamitos Medical Center, according to city records.
Katella HQ
The company is moving into more than 150,000 square feet of space at 3131 Katella Ave. in a two-building, recently redeveloped campus owned by Lincoln Property Co.
The new headquarters will include a showroom for customers to “interface” with the company’s product offerings.
Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., which owns the company, also produces industrial robots and 3LCD projectors, in addition to printers and scanners.
