IFA 2008: BRAVIA VPL-HW10 HD SXRD Projector Should Make Full HD Affordable

Although it has mainly focused on LCDs, Sony has also used this year's IFA show as the launch pad for a new projector, the BRAVIA VPL-HW10 HD SXRD. According to the company, the device features a new and stylish design, triple-panel Sony SXRD and 8-stage image processing, all of these (theoretically) available at a surprisingly affordable price point.

As the name says it, Sony's projector is built using SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) technology, which delivers high-quality, smooth images, further enhanced by the fast response time, of just around 2.5ms. Moreover, the VPL-HW10 is equipped with the All Range Crisp Focus (ARC-F) lens which offers a 1.6x manual zoom and both vertical and horizontal adjustment, making it easy to set the projector up and achieve a good picture, regardless of the device's actual position.

Another major plus for the BRAVIA VPL-HW10 is the fact that it incorporates the BRAVIA ENGINE 2 image processing engine, found in most of Sony's advanced imaging solutions, whether we're talking about projectors or HDTVs. Additionally, the HW10 has been equipped with the Advanced Iris 2 contrast enhancement, which works like the human eye, responding dynamically to the level of light in each scene, always selecting the optimum contrast (which, in the case of this particular device, can go as high as 30,000:1).

In terms of connectivity features, the VPL-HW10 is more or less standard (according to today's criteria, at least), since it incorporates an HDMI interface with support for x.v.Colour and the BRAVIA Theatre Sync. Additionally, it's also quite important to mention the fact that the VPL-HW10 is quite a silent projector, with a noise output of just 22dB.

Although Sony has not provided any official pricing details regarding the BRAVIA VPL-HW10 HD SXRD, the guys over at Sony Insider have thoroughly analyzed the projector's features and specs and have come up with a $3,000 price tag. Will their estimate prove correct? Well, we'll have to wait a little longer to find out.

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