Sony To Show First SXRD Projector
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 9/1/2003
Indianapolis— Sony will use CEDIA Expo to formally unveil the first HDTV projector based on the company's Silcon Crystal Reflective Display (SXRD) technology.
The QUALIA 004 is a full digital projector capable of 1,080p (1,920 by 1,080 progressive resolution) and will display a total of approximately 6.22 million pixels on the screen, Sony said.
It is based on a three-chip LCoS-like micro display technology. Sony said SXRD produces the highest pixel density in the smallest image area possible, while providing the brightest picture and the highest contrast levels.
It uses a pure xenon lamp developed for this projector to produce brilliant reds, whites and natural skin tones. The optical engine incorporates Cinema Black PRO circuitry to adjust black levels (via lamp wattage and iris control) to compliment the screen type and room environment. Lenses employ Carl Zeiss optics and are all glass with a wide zoom for very low distortion and chromatic aberration.
Sony said the unit will ship this fall at a price to be announced. The projector will be placed as the flagship of Sony's custom home theater lineup.
The primary benefit of SXRD technology vs. competitive systems such as DLP and LCoS is its ability to produce full HDTV resolution without meshing or many other artifacts common in fixed-pixel devices, Sony said.
The SXRD micro display uses three 78-inch (diagonal) panels with a pixel pitch of 9 micrometers each. Spacing between each pixel is said to be .35 micrometers. Fill factor is said to be almost 92 percent.
Pixel density is increased almost 2.5 times over current micro display technology, with a 10-fold improvement in pixel spacing compared with typical LCD or single-panel DLP products.
The SXRD system is said to be more efficient to manufacturer than its primary rivals — LCD, DLP and LCoS, while image quality is said to be more "film-like" than many other fixed-pixel projectors.
Other products to be announced at the show include the following:
- Two new Cineza LCD portable home theater front projectors (models VPL-HS3, VPL-HS20). Both models offer improved brightness and contrast performance over last year's models, with the HS3 ($1,500 suggested retail) having an 800:1 contrast ratio, and the HS20 ($3,500 suggested retail) having a 1,300:1 contrast ratio. Both models will be among the first displays to incorporate the new HDMI with HDCP digital connector, Sony said.
- Two new LCD WEGA G2 series direct view panels in the 21W-inch KLV-21SG2 and 26W-inch KLV-26HG2. Both models offer a new side mounted speaker design.
- ES series integrated DVD receivers (models AVD-S500ES and AVD-C700ES).
