What, pray tell, is a “hybrid filter”? That is what we wanted to know. So, when Hitachi visited our offices last week we took their new hybrid projector filter apart (see image here) and asked them how it worked.

The new hybrid filter has two-stage air cleaning to prevent dust particles from damaging the electronic components and obscuring the optical components. The first filter, with a corrugated design, traps larger particles, and the second filter, with a tighter weave, blocks the much smaller micro-particles. It acts like a HEPA filter in a vacuum. By limiting dust build-up and ensuring the free flow of clean air, the hybrid filter reduces wear and tear on your projector.

All LCD projectors have filters. But, Hitachi is the only manufacturer to offer this unique, hybrid filter design now available on the Hitachi CP-X201, CP-X206, CP-X301, CP-X306, CP-X401 and CP-X450 projectors.

Advantages of the new hybrid filter projectors include:

• Customers never have to clean the filter.
• Change filter only when it is time to replace the lamp.
• Each lamp ships with the replacement filter, which easily snaps into place.

Less wear and tear and dramatically reduced maintenance requirements translate to longer projector life and lower total cost of ownership. Now there’s a two-part approach we like.

More images: close-up of filters, filter put back together.