In a world where HD flat-panels are becoming the norm and where video projector lamps cost a fortune to replace and only last for a couple of years - under decent conditions, one might ask themselves whether there is a place for video projectors in gaming - or for that matter, at all. The Game Vortex crew's discussions had taken just such a turn on our way to E3 one day, deciding that it would depend heavily on the cost of replacement lamps.

Casio has answered this issue - and more - with their Green Slim Projectors line. Instead of the typical short-lived, power-hungry mercury lamp, the Green Slim projectors feature a patent-pending "Hybrid Light Source," which is made up of an array of LEDs to create the blues and greens and red lasers to provide strong reds, which LEDs can't provide. The result is a nice image output of either 2000 lumens to 2500 lumens, with resolutions of either XGA or WXGA, both depending on specific model selection. All models feature a 2X zoom and DLP Technology, and USB / Wireless connectivity is available on certain models.

The Green Slim line is most remarkable in the fact that it is earth-friendly and low maintenance, removing a lot of the downsides generally associated with video projectors. The earth-friendly part is achieved primarily by designing a projector that doesn't use a lamp that contains mercury and consumes a lot of energy. The low maintenance side comes primarily from replacing that lamp with their Hybrid Light Source with amazingly high brightness and longevity of up to 20,000 hours. The fact that the whole package weighs in at a mere 5 pounds, however, is what makes it portable and perfect for taking with you on vacations, when visiting relatives, to LAN Parties... wherever your active gaming life takes you. For more information, you can check out Casio's Green Slim Projectors on their website now, or check back later for a full-featured hands-on review.