SIM2 Demos 3-Chip DLP Projector
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 9/19/2005
Indianapolis— SIM2 USA presented CEDIA show goers, here, with the latest mini projector in its popular Domino Series, a pair of 40W-inch LCD TV monitors, and the recently introduced C3X 3-chip DLP projector.
The Domino 55M (shipping now at a $6,995 suggested retail) employs SIM2's proprietary light engine, and Texas Instrument's HD2+ Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) DLP chip which produces 1,280 by 720p native HDTV resolution and an 1,800:1 contrast ratio.
Color reproduction is optimized using a six-segment color wheel. Source connections include HDMI-HDCP for uncompressed digital signals. Video processing is handled with a Faroudja DCDi chip.
The projector incorporates two internal speakers, which can be amplified via an external amplifier or receiver, and can be configured as the left/right or center-channel speaker of a surround-sound speaker system. The 55M also features a RS-232 input for future software upgrades and PC remote control.
SIM2 also showed two models in its HTL40 LCD-TV series. Model HTL40 ($6,995) and HTL40 LINK ($9,995) are 40W-inch, high-definition LCD-TV monitors featuring 8ms response times.
The HTL40 LINK adds to the panel a remote processing box featuring SIM2's DigiOptic Image Processor (DOIP). The box can be placed on a source rack and is connected to the panel via a single fiber optic cable.
Both panels offer WXGA 1,366 by 768 resolution and a 16:9 native aspect ratio. The contrast ratio is listed as 1,000:1, and brightness is 600 cd/m2.
The panels will store up to three image settings for each input in memory. Inputs include HDIM and DVI with HDCP.
The HTL40 LINK is now available in three finishes — matte silver, black rosewood and whitened oak — for room customization. The HTL40 LINK has an suggested retail price of $9,995 and the HTL40 has a suggested retail of $6,995.
SIM2's highlighted product is the new Grand Cinema C3X (shipping this month at a $17,995 suggested retail) three-chip DLP projector.
The C3X features a newly developed SIM2 ALPHA Path three-chip light engine that resizes the illumination optical path to maintain length and compactness. The projector employs three of TI's Dark Chip 3 DMDs, eliminating the need for a color wheel. Resolution is 1,280 by 720, and the unit's contrast ratio is listed at 6,500:1.
SIM2 is also offering two lens options for greater flexibility in room placement.
Inputs include HDMI to HDCP, RS232 and USB, the latter to download control software updates.
