Day 3 at CEDIA Expo

Today I have a an update to my previous report on Sony's new 4K projector and other news from the CEDIA Expo. Sony (follow-up) - When I attended the Sony press event on Day 1 (Wednesday) Sony introduced their new VPL-VW1000ES 4K (super HD) projector (pictured below).  This was said by Sony to be the first consumer projector with a native 4K resolution (approx. 2K x 4K pixels or 4 times the total pixels of a 1080p image).  However, the price was not mentioned in the press event.  Today I learned from a Sony representative that the list price will be less than $25,000.  The VW1000ES can accept inputs in full 4K resolution and also offers upscaling from 1080p to 4K format.  It is specified to have 2000 lumens output, but there was so specified lumens output for a calibrated D65 mode. I also learned today that the list price on the Sony VPL-95ES will be under $10,000. 15 Sept. 2011 update: It has been reported that Sony has set the US list price for the VPL-VW95ES at $6995 (which is well below the "under $10,000" price point Sony representatives mentioned toward the end of CEDIA).  The VPL-VW1000ES has been reported to have list price of $24,999. Runco - Runco pesented what was the brightest 2D and 3D projection system I saw at CEDIA.  It was their dual projector model D-113d system that carries a price, with the configuration as used at the show, of around $230,000.  Each of the two projectors is a 3-chip DLP (i.e., using individual DMD chips for the red/blue/green primary colors) and two projection lamps.  The total light output is rated at 11,570 CSMS lumens.  The demo used a large 230 inch screen with a rated gain of 1.0 and according to the Runco representative produced 100 foot lamberts off of the screen (which for reference is 6 to 8 times brighter than your typical local cinema and brighter than most flat panel LCD or plasma HDTVs (once they are calibrated for accurate colors and grey scale).  While the image brightness dropped when viewing 3D thru the passive 3D glasses, the image brightness was still impressive.  This is the first projection system I have seen to use the new Panavision passive 3D technology (developed for high end commercial digital cinemsa) which uses special filters within each of the two  projectors and also for each lens of the viewer's glasses.  These filters pass a select group of narrow color bands.  The lens for each eye passes a slighter different set of color bands.  Unlike the somewhat similar Dolby 3D system, which  passes only 3 color bands for each eye, the Panavision system  uses 5 color bands.  Since this passive 3D does not polarization to separate the right from the left images an screen suitable for 2D projection, such as a unity gain matte white screen, can be used.  The double projector Runco stack is shown in the photo below. This mega-expensive Runco system showed no 3D crosstalk (ghosting) with the movie chips they showed. Runco also had one of the most unusual projectors with their model Lifestyle LS-100d.  This is very short focus projector that can be table, shelf or ceiling mounted just above or below the screen and  flush to the screen wall.  The projector's case is about 18" deep and includes a mirror near the front that reflects the light toward the screen thus providing in effect an 18 inch  throw distance.  The screen size if more or less fixed at approx. 92 inches diagonal.  The projector is full 1080p resolution. This projector uses a LED light engine and we were told the projector puts out over 500 lumens and the LED light source is rated to have a 50,000 life (typical).  The price is $1799. Mitsubishi - Mtisubishi was displaying their new HC7800 DLP 3D projector.  This model uses a single DMD display chip and a 6X color wheel so most viewers should not have a problem with the  "rainbow effect" that can be seen by some viewers with DLP projector using slower (e.g., 2X,  4X) color wheels.  Mitsubishi also has a new generation of 3D shutter glasses they say offer improved performance via a much fast response time of the liquid crystal shutter lenses in switching between their tranparent and opaque states.  DLP projectors themselves should not exhabit 3D crosstalk/ghosting, but timing issues in the synchronization with the 3D shutter glasses or an inability of the glasses to fully block light when in their opaque state could lead to 3D crosstalk (ghosting).  In the limited time (just a very few minutes) I had to view 3D material with the HC7800 I observed no ghosting at all, and I really looked for it.  Unlike many 2D and 3D DLP projectors, this new 3D model from Mitsubishi offers a lens shift feature.  However, it has a more limited range than the lens shift found on many LCD and LCoS projectors.  As I recall their representative said the range of the vertical lens shift is 45% down and 15% up but I don't recall him saying if that was for the projector ceiling mounted (i.e., in the inverted position as it was in their demo room) or if that was for the projector table/shelf mounted.  Also he did not know how much offset the projector has with what is consider zero lens shift. __________________ Check out Art's Blog from CEDIA - HERE __________________ This was my final day a the CEDIA Expo and today's blog along the past 2 blogs cover some of the more interesting new projectors I saw demonstrated at CEDIA.  I did also stop in the SIM2 and Digital Projection booths and took a quick look at some of the projectors, but I did not have the opportunity to spend much time at either of these booths or to get a rundown on their new models (SIM2 was displaying many single chip and 3 chip DLP models) being introducted at CEDIA.  I did pick up some of their literature but have not yet had time to look at it.  I also visited several of the projection screen manufactuers and I noticed a few were displaying screens claimed to be suitable for use with 3D passive polarized projectors.  I requested samples of screen materials from  a few of the manufacturers so I may have some information on screens to post at some point in a future blog. So that's all for now from the CEDIA Expo.