Just yesterday, I was saying that I’d like to upgrade to 3-D in my home theater, but don’t expect to replace my projector anytime soon. Hence I’d need to add a secondary TV to the room, most likely off to the side. Well, now Sony has gone and announced a new 3-D projector that almost has me eating my words. Almost.
The problem with most 3-D home theater projectors released to date is that they use polarized light to deliver the stereoscopic imagery. While that means that you can use the simpler passive polarized 3-D glasses, rather than active LCD shutter glasses, it also means that you need a special silver screen that is both expensive and makes regular 2-D viewing look like crap. Realistically, you need to install two screens (at least one retractable) – one for 2-D content and one for 3-D content. That’s just not practical in most home theaters. Certainly not in mine.
However, the Sony’s VPL-VW90ES claims to feature a 240 Hz SXRD panel and claims to sync with the same active shutter glasses used with Sony’s 3-D TVs. That tells me that it must not use polarized light. So long as I won’t have to replace my existing screen, this is a much more attractive proposition.
Still, I’m not quite sold yet. While the specs for the VPL-VW90ES list an astounding 150,000:1 contrast ratio, Sony’s SXRD projectors achieve their high contrast ratings through the use of a dynamic iris. I’m just not a fan of that feature. Even on projectors and TVs that I’ve been told have a nearly seamless implementation of it, I can always spot brightness pumping that I find terribly distracting.
My current projector is a JVC D-ILA model that achieves high native contrast (perhaps not 150,000:1 high, but still high – and manufacturer specs are always inflated anyway) without any dynamic iris. Once I grew accustomed to this (and I have), I really don’t find anything else acceptable.
No price has yet been announced for the Sony VPL-VW90ES, but it’s said to start shipping in Europe in November. I have not personally heard anything about JVC adding 3-D to its D-ILA line, but I have to assume that the company is working on it. I hope so, at least. For now, I think I’ll hold off and wait for that.
[via EngadgetHD]
Jane Morgan
Josh, what kind of screen do you have?
Josh Zyber
AuthorSimple matte white. I’m not sold on high gain or gray screens, at least not in my particular room.
Jane Morgan
Stewart, Carada, Da-Lite, Elite? 100″ 120″ 150″?