14 DAY TRIAL // It would seem that projectors are becoming an increasingly important component in any electronic manufacturer's line-up, as the market has been literally invaded by a very large number of such devices over the past month. So, after seeing some pretty interesting models from Samsung and Epson, it's time to check on old Sony, who has just announced at CEDIA 2007 the launch of two full high-definition 1080p BRAVIA projectors (models VPL-VW200 and VPL-VW60), designed to provide the ultimate features in cinema-like performance for the home theater.
The projectors Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) projectors feature 1920 x 1080p resolution, as well as 24p True Cinema technology that, when paired with HD players, allows users to enjoy a higher quality viewing experience. Moreover, the VPL-VW200 and VPL-VW60 models feature newly designed SXRD panels with wire grid polarizers and high contrast plates that more than double the previous native contrast ratio, reaching as much as 35,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio when combined with Sony's Advanced Iris technology.
The VPL-VW60 model also features improved brightness of 1,000lm and both devices can accept an external anamorphic lens that, when paired with Sony's Anamorphic zoom mode, allows users to watch movies in their native aspect ratio of 2.35:1. 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 VPL-VW200 projector also has new high frame rate SXRD (120 FPS) panels and offers three motion compensation modes, thus allowing the users to adapt to performance based on content. The model also features a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tesar lens optimized for SXRD, supports x.v.Color technology via HDMI and adds a high output pure Xenon lamp that maintains the ideal color temperature characteristics of red, green and blue for accurate color display and, besides the relatively "standard" connectivity features, also sports an Ethernet input allowing for set up and control of the projector from a PC through the Internet.
"As the front projector home theater market grows, our commitment is to deliver high-quality, feature-rich equipment at all performance levels," said Jeff Goldstein, vice president of television and projector marketing for Sony Electronics. "Features like high frame rate, 24p True Cinema, exceptional contrast and brightness raise the stakes and bring consumers closer to a true movie theater experience in the home."
The VPL-VW200 projector will be available in October for about $15,000, while the VPL-VW60 unit will be available in September for about $5,000. They're indeed extremely expensive, but that was actually to be expected, taking into consideration the HD cinema experience they can actually offer.
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