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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
Sony Electronics today introduced a full digital high-definition
home theater projector powered by Sony's proprietary SXRD™
(Silicon Crystal [X-tal] Reflective Display) technology with
1080P native panel resolution.
The new QUALIA-004 home theater projector is the first product
introduced in the U.S. as part of Sony's QUALIA concept recently
announced in Japan. The model is also the industry's first
full high-definition (HD) compatible home theater front projector.
It delivers natural, vivid tones and smooth, film-like picture
quality which has been previously unavailable in fixed pixel
display devices.
"This SXRD home theater projector is the home theater
projector that expert A/V enthusiasts and the custom installation
industry have been waiting for," said Tim Baxter, senior
vice president of Sony's Home Products Division. "Just
like being at the movies, the new projector flawlessly displays
natural skin tones and a brilliant color palette in spectacular
HD resolution, while maintaining optimal brightness and the
highest contrast ratio. Consumers can finally experience full
high-definition content reproduced the way it was intended
to be seen right at home."
The extraordinary picture quality generated by the QUALIA-004
home theater projector is primarily due to its sheer picture
density, with more than 2 million pixels contained in three,
mere 0.78-inch SXRD panels for over 6 million total pixels
(technology announced in February 2003).
By reducing both the size of each individual pixel, as well
as the space between the pixels, SXRD technology more than
doubles the pixel density and achieves a 10-fold inter-pixel
spacing in comparison to high temperature Poly-Silicon liquid
crystal display (H-LCD) devices. It also has a pitch of nine
micrometers arranged just 0.35 micrometers apart. In addition,
each SXRD liquid crystal cell gap measures less than two micrometers,
which is far thinner than conventional H-LCD or Liquid Crystal
on Silicon (LCoS) devices.
Sony's SXRD liquid crystal materials utilize an innovative
molecular material, which is vertically aligned to the cell
substrate, in contrast to the twisted Nematic liquid crystal
commonly found in other projection devices. According to Baxter,
this new material ensures improved optical performance and
enhanced driveability even in such a thin cell gap. The unique
combination of the new material and the thin cell gap results
in exceptional black level performance, in addition to a rapid
response time of less than five milliseconds. This is nearly
a three-fold increase over conventional projector contrast
levels.
Designed as the ideal home theater projector, the new QUALIA-004
model offers an impressive array of technical attributes and
advanced convenience features for consumers to create the
ultimate, at-home cinematic experience. Among them:
Pure Xenon Lamp: The first for a home theater projector
and developed exclusively for the SXRD projector, a pure Xenon
lamp is used for accurate, natural color reproduction. The
Xenon lamp, which has similar characteristics to sun light,
can reproduce colors closest to the natural spectrum, including
the red bandwidth and is widely used in professional film
projectors in movie theaters;
Optical Engine: The new home theater projector includes
a unique Optical Engine designed to maximize picture quality
by keeping equal illumination length (red/green/blue illumination
path), which minimizes color shading and maximizes color uniformity.
It houses the SXRD panels, Xenon lamp, optical iris and extends
out to the projection/zoom lenses. It also features automatic
power lens shift for vertical picture adjustment as well as
manual horizontal adjustment. The SXRD panels are completely
sealed within the Optical Engine to avoid dust contamination;
Cinema Black Pro: The Cinema Black Pro breakthrough technology
greatly improves image quality and contrast level by simultaneously
controlling the lamp (low, high) and the iris (on, off) for
optimal picture performance for any screen size and room environment.
This feature enables the iris shutter off (open) for high
brightness or on (closed) for low brightness and greater contrast
level;
Carl Zeiss® Lens: Another state-of-the-art feature in
the QUALIA-004 home theater projector is its use of three
interchangeable, all glass, multi-AR coated Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar®
zoom lenses (wide, mid, tele) for exceptionally low distortion
and chromatic aberration. Each of the three lenses used in
the new projector feature minimum of five ED (Extra-low Disperson)
lenses and put through MTF (Modulation Transfer Function)
inspection to ensure the projector's high resolution and contrast
level, as well as offering the best throwing distance and
zoom ratio. These world renown lenses are secured via Bayonet
mount interchangeable system;
12-bit Panel Driver/3D Gamma Correction: SXRD panel performance
is maximized by pairing the full 10-bit digital signal processing
with 12-bit panel driver which results in minimized video
noise and rich color gradation. Gamma correction is also precise
with the new 3D Gamma correction circuitry, which analyzes
and monitors levels of brightness images at over 6,000 points
vertically and horizontally, even with low level signals in
dark areas; and
Signal terminal: For hiding connection cables, input and
output connections are located on the bottom of the unit for
easy, concealed ceiling mounting. The digital connections
are found on the left side and feature the HDMI, DVI-D digital
connections and USB and Ethernet port for easy access to product
information website; analog connections are on the right side
and include, component, S Video and Composite Video inputs.
These impressive features are housed in a full metal chassis
with aluminum surrounding, which protects the unit from heat
and contributes to noise control generated by the built-in
fan. The QUALIA-004 SXRD home theater projector also has a
distinctive foam aluminum (5mm) top to further absorb noise.
In addition, it features a revolutionary airflow design
that pulls the hot air from around the optical engine through
the chassis and pushes it out toward the back. This design
is effective in cooling the heat generated by the Xenon lamp
while minimizing noise.
The new home theater projector also includes a remote control
that lights up when lifted-- a perfect theater companion.
"We also included new, sophisticated software that
custom installers will really appreciate when setting up the
new projector," Baxter added. "Installers and dealers
can apply these tools to set up and maintain the projector
for an extraordinary home theater experience."
The QUALIA-004 SXRD home theater projector integrates a
newly created on-screen menu for simple set-up and also includes
the Image Director 2 CD-ROM for perfect picture adjustment.
Additionally, Internet Protocol (IP) control is provided for
fast access to product information, service and maintenance
support.
The new QUALIA-004 full digital HD SXRD front home theater
projector will be available at select Sony authorized custom
installation dealers this winter for about $25,000. Optional
Carl Zeiss zoom lens selection will also be available to best
meet the user's room environment.
QUALIA, derived from the Latin "qualia" which
means quality, is a Sony global movement aiming to touch people's
hearts and to evoke strong emotional value with products and
services that go beyond the boundaries of manufacturing and
design excellence.
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