Projection Connection: Sanyo's PLC-WXU700 LCD projector comes with built-in 802.11n

Here's an idea that more TV manufacturers should be adopting. Sanyo's new home theater projector, the PLC-WXU700, is the first one that comes with built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, opening up a host of streaming video options that don't require you connecting a computer directly to the projector.

The projector ships with Windows CE 6.0, so it can easily connect to a home network with a Windows Vista PC via Vista's Network Projector feature. The PLC-WXU700 also comes with a USB thumb drive with Wi-Fi adapter, which you can plug into any computer and establish a connection with the projector. The unit can handle streaming MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, and WMV video files, as well as anything else on the PC's monitor.

While the projector's resolution is 1,280x800 (enough to display 720p HD sources in their native resolution, but not 1080p ones), it can project images up to 300 inches, which obviously dwarfs any HDTV on the market. Also big, however, is the price: The PLC-WXU700 will ship next month for $2,995