One of the highlights of Sony's rather stark stand at IFA 2007 is the new Bravia VPL-VW60 projector - a 3-chip LCD model that boasts a staggering 35,000:1 contrast ratio and 1080/24p Full HD playback.
The VPL-VW60 achieves all this thanks to a suite of picture enhancement technologies, some of which are exclusive to Sony. These include:
Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD)
Originally announced in 2003, SXRD is a Sony-developed technology which crams a massive number of pixels inside a single chip. SXRD achieves this by minimising the size of the pixel itself and then narrowing the gap between it and the pixels that surround it. The result is that the VPL-VW60 has an image resolution of over 6.2-million pixels, or approximately 2-million pixels per chip in a 3-chip configuration. This means the VLP-VW60 can display HD widescreen images at 1920 x 1080.
The tiny pixel gap found in SXRD also eliminates the 'screen door effect' seen on many LCD projectors. This represents itself as a grid-like pattern on the projected image, a result of the fact that light is not emitted from the gaps that sit in between each pixel in an LCD device.
The SXRD panels also have an ultra-fast response time of 2.5-miliseconds.
Sony Advanced Iris 2
Advanced Iris 2 works with the SXRD panels and other optical components to deliver the projector's extreme 35,000:1 contrast. It works by mimicking the human eye, automatically assessing the overall brightness of a scene to bring out more detail in dark areas and to prevent white-out in extremely bright sections.
Bravia Engine
Another proprietary Sony technology. This one carries out real-time signal processing to ensure the very best picture quality.
Other key features include a 1000 ANSI lumens brightness, a maximum screen size of 7.6 metres and a throw distance of between 1.2 metres and 16.1 metres.
There are numerous other features we don't have time to go into here, but full specs are listed below.
FULL SPECIFICATION
Optical
- Panel Resolution / Pixels: HD 1920 x 1080 / 6,220,800 (2,073,600 x 3)
- Pixel Size / Inter-pixel spacing: 7µm / 0.35µm
- Technology / Panel Size: New Sony SXRD™ / 0.61-inch
- Native Contrast / Response Time: 7,000:1 / 2.5 milliseconds
- Lens Type / Zoom Ratio: ARC-F (All Range Crisp Focus) / x1.8 Powered
- Lens F / f : 2.5 - 3.5 / 18.7 - 33.7
- Lens Shift: Vertical 65 per cent, Horizontal 6.7 per cent
- Contrast Ratio: Advanced Iris 2, 35,000:1
- Brightness: 1000 ANSI Lumen
- Lamp: LMP-H200, 200W UHP
- Screen Size (16:9 diagonal) : 1m - 7.6m
- Throw Distance: 1.2m - 16.1m
Input / Output
- 2x 19-pin HDMI (CEC) sockets
- 1x Component video input (3x RCA phono)
- 1x S-video input (Mini DIN 4-pin)
- 1x Composite video input (RCA phono)
- 1x HD D-sub 15-pin input (Analogue RGB, Component)
- 1x Trigger Out Mini Jack
- 1x Remote RS-232C port (D-sub 9-pin) (AMX Protocol Supported)
- Acceptable Video Signals: 720p, 1080i, 1080p 720/60p, 720/50p, 1080/60i, 1080/50i, 1080/60p (HDMI), 1080/50p (HDMI), 1080/24p (HDMI)
General
- Body Colour: Dynamic Anthracite
- Fan Noise: 22dB
- Power Consumption: 300W max/ 8W standby / 0.5W low
- Dimensions: 395cm (W) x 173.5cm (H) x 471.4cm (D)
- Weight: 11kg
Features
- Picture Enhancement: Bravia Engine; Dynamic Detail Enhancer (DDE) - Film (2-3 Pull-Down) / Progressive / Off
- Colour Enhancement: Real Colour Processing (RCP)
- Contrast Enhancement: Advanced Iris 2 (Auto 1 / Auto 2 / Manual / Off
- Connectivity Enhancement: 24p True Cinema; Bravia Theatre Sync
- Panel Alignment Function: Area / H-V Adjustment range (Full Screen / ± 2.0 pixel in 0.1 pixel steps)
- Picture Mode Settings (Dynamic / Standard / Cinema / User 1 / User 2 / User 3)
- Wide Mode Settings (Wide Zoom / Normal / Full / Zoom / Anamorphic Zoom)
- Anamorphic Zoom Mode: Project a full 2.35:1 image (when using optional anamorphic lens)
- Blanking / Overscan: Yes
- Noise Reduction: Reduce roughness or noise (High / Middle / Low / Off)
- Gamma Adjustment Image: Director 3 Software via supplied CD-ROM
- Illuminated Remote Control
