Projector Meetings

Macworld | iWorld 2012 saw imaging company Epson set up a large area on the second floor in order to debut its newest product, the MegaPlex Digital Dock Projector. Epson is known primarily for its projectors and projector technology, as well as for its printers and printer technology. However, the MegaPlex Digital Dock Projector is the company’s first technology that is completely driven by an iOS device.

The MegaPlex Digital Dock Projector is your average portable projector with its specialty being that it also comes complete with an iOS dock connector on the back. This allows you to plug in your iPad, iPhone, iPod or other iDevice into the dock, which then allows any app that allows you to send video to be projected onto a large screen, wall or any flat surface.

Epson will be offering two different versions of the MegaPlex Digital Dock Projector, one priced at $699 and one priced at $799. The main difference is in the display quality. The more expensive model will feature a 720p HD video output at 2,800 lumens with the cheaper model offering 540p video output at 2,200 lumens.

In addition to that, there is a panel of standard video inputs on the side which includes RCA, S-Video, VGA and HDMI. This allows you to connect nearly any type of device to the projector, like a laptop or desktop computer. One downside is the lack of a handle, which limits the portability of the device though it is still very good for showing movies or presentations directly from an iOS device.

There is, unfortunately, no audio out to hook up to an external speaker. You could just as easily use the audio jack on the iOS device that you have connected but then it would lack the professionalism and clean look that you may want. Regardless, there is still something cool about seeing an iPad projected on a wall. If you are looking for a low cost projector that comes complete with iOS integration, this may be the device that you are looking for.