Audio Video News

A light-sensing circuit that automatically adjusts the brightness and black level to compensate for ambient lighting is one of many refinements in the Sony VPL-VW11HT LCD projector, which debuted last week at the Home Entertainment 2001 show in New York.

The new projector is Sony's attempt to extract the maximum from liquid crystal displays, a technology that has advanced tremendously in the past three years. Its predecessor, the VPL-VW10HT, won considerable praise from reviewers for "its cinematic-like experience, brightness level and color accuracy," according to Lisa Baldino, marketing manager of display systems for Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. "We were thrilled with those high approval ratings and we expect that the picture enhancements to the new VPL-VW11HT will increase the popularity of our home theater projection systems," Baldino said.

The new projector will adjust its light output to compensate for the light in the room, thereby creating better contrast and black level. Compared to the VPL-VW10HT, the VPL-VWllHT will offer twice the contrast ratio in both "Cinema Black" and regular viewing modes. It also features CineMotion, a 3-2 "pulldown" technology that "provides more life-like images and natural motion from film-bases sources."

Other improvements include a brighter lamp with a longer lamp, capable of 1000 ANSI lumens; the three-panel LCD creates what Sony is calling ultra-fine image detail." The projector will accommodate screens from 40" diagonally to 300". The VPL-VW11HT is equally capable of 16:9 widescreen formats or 4:3 aspect ratios, and accepts a wide variety of video sources, including high-definition TV broadcasts, VHS movies, DVD standard and progressive programs, as well as computer inputs. Sony claims its Digital Reality Creation™ circuitry produces images "four times better" than those of standard television. Scheduled to arrive at Sony Custom Installation System dealers in June, the VPL-VW11HT will be carry a suggested retail price of $7,999.