Both professional and consumer projector sales rose 17% to more than 4.1 million global units in the first quarter of 2006.

Shipments for the last quarter of 2005 reached 1,219,000 units, which was nearly 20% higher than 4Q ’04 and beat the previous quarterly high set in the third quarter of 2005 claims projector research group PMA.

“In 2005, we saw innovative consumer products come to market, such as instant theater models – with build-in DVDs – and the first pocket projector,” said PMA Vice President Michael Abramson. “We also saw the introduction of higher-performance 720p models as well as the first of many attractively priced 1080p models. In the professional market, the news was more than just XGA breaking the US $1,000 barrier. In 2005, we saw the beginnings of a shift toward even higher resolution with more affordable, portable SXGA+ projectors as well as the burgeoning market for 1080p digital cinema projectors.”

In the Americas, a large tender in Mexico helped the region register the highest annual growth in the world. In the U.S. market, strong holiday sell-in of instant theater projectors and enhanced 720p models drove the market to an all-time quarterly high in shipments of widescreen projectors.

In Australia sales of consumer models helped lead the market to another quarter of overall double-digit growth. Sales of professional projectors eased Among the big winners in the projector market were BenQ.