Pioneer showed three new 3D Blu-ray players, including this Elite BDP-43FD and an Elite BDP-41FD (the latter lacks the 43's extra mass damping). No prices or launch dates were announced.
Vivitek wants to be your projector company, either with its premier H9080FD LED-lit, single-chip DLP projector ($15,000) or with its new $5000, H5085 lamp-lit single chipper, or the H1085 DLP. The latter carries an alarming price of $1499 with a specified light output of 2000 lumens.
The 2010 CEDIA Expo may be over, but the memory lingers on. In fact, I saw so much that I couldn't post all of it during the show, so I'll be posting more storiesalong with my photos from the floorall this week. Meanwhile, here's my take on the event as a whole.
In addition to its range of anamorphic lenses, Schneider Optics introduced its own single-chip, 2D DLP projector, fitted with an anamorphic lens. The trick feature here is that the motorized mechanism that moves the lens in and out of position is built into the lens case, with no need for outboard sled hardware. $23,500, including ther anamorphic lens. Available early in 2011.
With a flourish that says Scandinavia, Runco has introduced Copenhagen Design, a new Danish-flavored style to be incorporated into a number of its new products. But as always, the important story for us was the tech, not the look, and Runco has obviously been busy in the lab this year.
NuVision was demonstrating its P2, LED-illuminated, 2D single-chip DLP projector on an 87" wide, Stewart Studiotek 130 screen. Using 0.95-inch DLP chip, or DMD, it was more than satisfyingly bright and punchy, though I did note what appeared to be a slightly too vivid color balance and (perhaps) minor gamma issues. $17,000. The anamorphic lens shown in the photo is an extra cost option, and was not used in the demo.
Mitsubishi's Diamond 3D prototype was being shown on an 107-inch wide, 2.1 gain Draper screen. Without the 3D glasses in place, the image was very bright. With them on, it was unacceptably dim. More work is still underway on this design (including the 3D glasses; Panasonic glasses were used in the demo). Photo courtesy of Scot Wilkinson of www.ultimateavmag.com.
The Smyth Realizer is a system designed to produce full surround sound through headphones. It has been shown at previous shows over the past four years or so, but has only recently become available at $3360, which includes a pair of entry-level Stax phones. To explain, how it works would be far beyond the space limits of a blog, but we hope to have a closer listen at one very soon. All I will say here is that it does work, and the result is an uncanny simulation of a full surround system with loudspeakers.
PSB's Paul Barton insists that his new CS100 Universal Speaker can go anywhere inside or outside, though at $499/pr we'd at least be inclined to put it under an outside eave or something to protect it from a severe drenching. And don't try to use it under water; it's not a below water pool speaker. Apart from such abuse, however, it could well be just the ticket for singing in the rain.
Schneider is one of the most respected names in anamorphic lenses for 2.35:1 projection. The newest edition to its extensive line is the Cine-Digitar Anamorphic CDA 1.33x EL, designed for small to medium sized projectors. When it becomes available later this year there will be a promotional price on a package combining this lens with a Kino-Torsion motorized deployment system (a motorized "sled," though Schneider's Kino-Torsion model operates more like a swinging door to move the lens in and out of the way as needed). The rep on hand stated the promotional price at $4500; I was not sure at first if this meant dealer cost (CEDIA is of course, a trade show) or MSRP to the consumer. He hesitantly said it's to the consumer, so we can all hope. For those in the know, this is not a high price for a first class anamorphic lens and motorized mechanism.
The DCL-200FD LED-illuminated DLP projector from Wolf Cinema isn't new at the show, but I saw it in action for the first time here, pictured above with a fixed anamorphic lens. Said to produce 850 ANSI lumens after calibration, it was demonstrated on a Screen Innovations Black Diamond II screen (0.8 gain, 16:9, 96 inches wide) playing the Pixar short Jack-Jack Attack, and it looked gorgeous. It's shipping now for $25,000.
One of Wolf Cinema's big introductions at CEDIA is the DCC-100FD single-chip DLP projector that uses a conventional lamp and color wheel. What's the big deal about that? It costs only $10,000 (including the company's outboard processor and Variscope lens memories for 2.35:1 and 16:9 content at constant height), which is a real bargain coming from Wolf.
The demo unit was a prototype; production units should be shipping by early next year. We saw a clip from Avatar on a Screen Innovations Black Diamond II (0.8 gain, 16:9, 96 inches wide), which looked great. I saw no hint of the dreaded rainbow artifact, but we'll have to see what Tom Norton says about that, since he's much more sensitive to it that I am.
With a name like Okki Nokki, it has to be good! This German company has come up with what it calls "the VIP of record-cleaning machines." You spread the included cleaning fluid on a vinyl record and attach the aluminum vacuum arm, which sucks up the fluid and, presumably, any dirt or dust on the surface. The RCM also comes with a goat-hair brush for $500 ($50 more for the clear dust cover). Michael Fremer should definitely hear about this!
Marantz showed a new version of its BD7004 Blu-ray player, the UD7005 ($900). The BD7004 was very highly rated in my Blu-ray player evaluation blogs for ultimateavmag.com, so naturally the company decided to change it! The new player includes a 32-bit audio DAC with high quality multichannel outputs, on-line video streaming, SACD and DVD-Audio playback, and full 3D capability out of the gate.