Indianapolis –
appropriately used CEDIA Expo here to introduce to the world a new dimension in
home theater projectors – one of the first super resolution “4K” SXRD models
intended for home theater application.
When it ships in December at a price to be announced later, model
VPL-VW1000ES will be the new flagship in the company’s SXRD home theater front
projector assortment.
The projector is based on three newly developed SXRD chips with
more than four times the resolution (4096-by-2160 pixels) of today’s 1080p
models. It also produces 2,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, a 1,000,000:1 dynamic
contrast ratio and is said to deliver significantly improved black level
performance using Sony’s Iris3 technology. It is suitable for up to 200-inch
screen sizes, Sony said.
The VW1000ES projector includes an exclusive 4K “upscaler” that will convert more conventional SD, HD and 3D
material for 4K playback. Sony executives, however, said the company is at work
on a number of supporting components that may soon offer native 4K material for
the home. Sony said it has already amassed a sizeable library of 4K material
for commercial 4K projectors used in movie theaters.
It can also display Full HD 3D movies, as well as 2D and 3D
anamorphic films. For Full 4K 3D, an integrated IR transmitter drives the
projector’s TDG-PJ1 active shutter 3D glasses.
For installation flexibility the projector offers dual triggers,
a 2.1 motorized zoom, expanded throw distances, an RS232 interface, control
over IP and compatibility with leading home automation systems.
In explaining Sony’s decision to add a 4K home projector at this
time, Mike Abary, Sony Electronics Home Division senior VP, said CEDIA dealers
and installers “can’t exist without” innovation in products.
“It’s important that we use innovation to empower, and most of
all, to excite consumers,” Abary said.
Abary reminded the audience at the introductory press conference
that Sony was first to introduce a 4K projector for the commercial theater
industry in 2005 and today has installed more than 9,000 such projectors around
the world.
