SONY INTRODUCES TWO NEW 1080p SXRD FRONT HOME THEATER PROJECTORS

DENVER, Sept. 3, 2008 (CEDIA Booth #600) – Sony Electronics today unveiled two full high-definition 1080p BRAVIA® projectors (models VPL-VW70 and VPL-HW10) offering more choices for customers looking for the ultimate home theater viewing experience.

The new 1920 x 1080 progressive Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD™) projectors feature 24p True Cinema™ technology, delivering film-like performance.

Built for the home theater enthusiast, the VPL-VW70 features 60,000:1 dynamic contrast, brightness of 800 ANSI lumens.

The model can accept an external anamorphic lens (sold separately) that, when paired with Sony’s Anamorphic Zoom Mode, allows users to take full advantage of panel resolution and screen size while watching a movie with native aspect ratio of 2:32:1. When Anamorphic Zoom is selected through the remote, the VPL-VW70 will output a trigger signal that can be used to activate the optional lens and screen transition to maximize the theater experience with a 2.35:1 movie.

For customers looking to enter the full HD home theater at a value, Sony’s VPL-HW10 model features a 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1000 ANSI lumens for brighter room applications.

Specifically designed with the custom installation market in mind, the projectors are also equipped with a panel alignment adjustment function that aligns each red, green and blue pixel for precise images. The adjustment range is +/-1 pixel in 1/10 pixel steps. The VPL-VW70 takes it a step further with panel zone alignment allowing users to further calibrate the picture. The model also adds a unique automatic lens cover that helps protect the lens from dust.

Both models feature the BRAVIA Engine™ all-digital video signal processing engine with unique algorithms for noise reduction and color enhancement to deliver sharp, vibrant images.

The VPL-VW70 projector will be available in November for about $8,000, while the VPL-HW10 unit will be available in September for about $3,500. Both models will be offered direct at Sony Style® retail stores nationwide and authorized dealers around the country.

BRAVIA VPL-VW60 · Combines the advanced features and technology associated with the legendary QUALIA 004 with the sleek form factor made popular by the VW50 projector. · Improved Native Contrast combined with Iris Delivers 35000:1 Contrast Ratio · New panel alignment adjustment insures precisely aligned R/G/B images. · Exclusive All Range Crisp Focus (ARC-F) glass lens optimizes SXRD panel performance. · Improved auto iris brightness with variable manual setting. · HDMI with x.v.Color (wide color gamut) capability. · BRAVIA Theatre Sync · Available this fall for about $5,000 BDP-S500 · Full HD 1080/60p with 24p True Cinema video output · Dolby Digital TrueHD/DTS-HD Master bitstream out via HDMI · Uncompressed multi-channel liner PCM · BD-ROM/DVD/CD playback · BRAVIA Theater Sync · DVD upscaling to 1080p via HDMI · AVC-HD with x.v.Color output · Available this fall for about $700

As video editor Geoff Morrison's piece explains, part of the blur perception comes from the fact that, on standard LCDs, frames are frozen on the screen for 1/60th of a second, and then abruptly shift to the next frame. This is called "sample and hold." Other technologies like plasma and DLP don't hold the frame for that whole 1/60th of a second, but pulse from one frame to the next, with some healthy downtime. The obvious solution is to double the frame rate to 120Hz.

One 120Hz method simulates the other TV technologies by introducing that downtime. Between each bright frame is a frame that's totally black or very dim (as shown above). The rapid succession of bright and dark frames, 120 times per second, looks smooth to the eye, and keeps some of the LCD's issues hidden in the darkness. This technique is the best, according to Morrison. Alas, it is dying out.

The trouble with the method is that it reduces the prized brightness of an LCD. It is a sad truth that, in the cutthroat world of Best Buy TV selling, the brightest TV often wins.

That's why the second method (shown below) is coming into vogue. Rather than splice in black frames, LCD makers introduce a Photoshop-style interpolated frame, basically a morphed midpoint between Frame 1 and Frame 3. Thanks to faster processors, this is easier and easier to do, but it has problems. "There is the potential, though, of it looking too smooth," says Morrison. (What's funny is, "looking too smooth" was probably Morrison's life goal in high school, and now he condemns it!)

This is only a piece of the larger LCD issue Morrison discusses, and the gist is that even the inferior 120Hz concepts are improving the situation with motion blur on LCDs (and LCOS projection TVs like Sony's SXRD line). It's a great read, so have a look, or just share your own 120Hz opinions, revelations and nightmares. [Home Theater]

In addition to its sleekness, its floaty (or as Sony calls it "floating glass") style deserves props, the signature look featuring a glass bezel at the bottom with embedded green LEDs, first seen long ago on Sony's original plasma sets. The base, estimated to be priced around $600, contributes to the suggestion of flat-panelness with a base running up through the center.

Like the old model, the stereo speakers are still on the side, but you are forgiven if you can't see them. I couldn't even take a picture of the tiny pores on the right and left sides of the bezel that allow the sound through.

While the TV itself features many enhancements, the three most worthy of discussion are:

1. Motionflow 120Hz - By taking a source video of 60 frames per second, and interpolating frames between each one, the motion looks smoother and less dizzying during lots of motion or hardcore camera pans. (They did a side-by-side demo which was quite awesome.)

2. Photo Mode - Video is all about sharpness, but when a still image is displayed super sharp, it looks kinda weird. Photo Mode takes photos and smooths them out without losing the detail. It is also a feature found on many of the other models.

3. Live Color - Since most of the SXRD and LCD models can handle broader color gamuts than their source video, the video processors themselves enhance the color of source material. In a perfect world, source color would be as good as the capability of the TV, but until then, this is what works.

In case you were wondering, Sony is introducing a 60" version, the KDS-Z60XBR5, for $5,000, but seriously, why bother? 70 inches = big pimpin'. – Wilson Rothman

Press Release [Sony Electronics]

Witness the obliterating power and sheer magnificence of the new Sony CineAlta 4K SRX-R220, the projector that can display 8.850.000 pixels of ultra high definition footage in movie theaters, crazy rich people's home theaters and probably be integrated as deathly weaponry in any space battle station.

This technological terror is the latest iteration of Sony's SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) line. Like the SRX-R1xx series it still can't reach 10 megapixels, but it comes loaded with more gear than the Death Star itself: LMT-100 media processor, LMS-100 screen management system, a gazillion gigabytes of RAID storage and uninterruptible power supply are all built-in.

More photos, so you can see the scale of the SRX-R210/R220, full specs, price and availability after the jump.

The projector itself has 4096 x 2160 pixels resolution with a 2000:1 contrast and 14 foot Lambert brightness (a whooping 47,964 cd/m2, according to Sony's site). The SRX-R220 model can fully cover a 20 meter screen (65.6 feet) with its 4.2W xenon lamp while the R110 goes up to 17 meters with a 3.0W and 14 meters with a 2.0W lamp.

The LMT-100 media processor (or Media Block, as Sony calls it) is in charge of pushing all those pixels to the screen, upscaling in case the original material is lower resolution, decrypting the content so no kids can put a couple of terabytes of UltraHD material on BitTorrent, process the multi-channel audio and even place subtitles on the fly using XML or PNG files. Beyond connecting all kinds of video gear using BNC connectors you can also connect a computer, PlayStation 3 or AppleTV using a DVI port. You know, just for fun.

The SRX-R220 and SRX-R210 has prices starting at $126,540, pop-corn machine and Golden Flavor dispenser not included. Expect to see it in a theater near you at the end of 2007 or 2008, because it will be available for sale from May 2007. – Jesus Diaz

Product page (japanese) [Sony via Impress AV Watch]

Projector enthusiasts say that "true" 4K resolution is 10-megapixels or higher, but unless your eyes can see as well as Daredevil's ears can hear, you probably can't tell the difference. The 4K of this isn't enough to display the 4K of the Red One, which is 4520 x 2540, but it's close. – Jason Chen

The new Sony 4K SXRD video projector [Akihabara News via Crunchgear]

The 1080p projector is based off of Sony's SXRD tech, which stands for Silicon X-tal Reflective Display, a proprietary version of LCoS, or Liquid Crystal on Silicon. Basically, liquid crystals reflecting light from the 200-watt bulb, like so many little 5ms mirrors.

Throw in 2 HDMI connections, and an ultra low noise rating of 22db and we're talking about some serious home theater hardware. And by the way, forget about buying it, when it comes stateside (if it comes stateside) it'll probably cost as much as a used car.

UPDATE: Andrew writes in that this is probably going to be a cheaper version of the already-stateside VPL-VW100 projector that uses a 400-watt xenon bulb.–Brian Lam

Sony VPL-VW50 Projector [Bios Mag]

The projector runs at a massive 4096 x 2160 resolution, yes that is over 4,000 lines of beautifulness. This projector is using the SXRD technology from Sony, has 10,000 ANSI lumens and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. Currently Mark Cuban of "owning everything in the world" fame has already placed some of these units in some select Landmark Theatres with many more purchases to come for his theatres. The first film that's fully-optimized for the SXRD projector, titled Bubbles, will be out later this month.