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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
Unprecedented contrast ratios and brightness deliver the
ultimate in home theater entertainment to rooms of any size
or shape
Building on its tradition of creating stylish and technologically
cutting-edge home theaters, Sharp Electronics Corporation
has introduced a brand-new generation in home theater entertainment,
the SharpVision® XV-Z12000 high definition Digital Light
Processing (DLP™) front projector. This sleek-bodied,
whisper-quiet product takes home movie projection to a new
level of viewing enjoyment with even higher contrast and brightness
levels, for the clearest, crispest, truest-color images available
today. The XV-Z12000 creates a cinematic experience anywhere
consumers can imagine, transforming any family or media room
into the ultimate high-tech home theater.
Sharp is also unveiling two new portable DLP™ front
projectors, the SharpVision XV-Z200U and the Sharp DT-300.
Weighing just over nine pounds each, these portable DLP™
projectors can easily be moved from room to room for an instant
theater anywhere in the home. The first truly widescreen portable
projectors are outfitted with Matterhorn DMD technology from
Texas Instruments and a lens feature that can be adjusted
to project an image from almost anywhere in the room on the
screen, delivering a quick and simple set-up. These new projectors
allow consumers without a dedicated “media room”
to watch TV, DVDs or play computer games on a big screen and
then pack it all up and put it away, saving space and avoiding
clutter.
“Sharp is a market leader in consumer front projection
products, and we pride ourselves on consistently delivering
technologically superior products with enhanced features and
functionality,” said Bob Scaglione, Vice President of
Marketing, Consumer Electronics Group, Sharp. “We recognize
that a modern, stylish home theater set-up is important, both
to home theater enthusiasts with spaces as well as first-time
buyers who need to make the most out of every room. Our new
DLP front projectors meet both of these needs.”
Designed to provide the home theater enthusiast with the
best features available in home front projection, the SharpVision
XV-Z12000 is best used in its own designated space. Using
the Mustang/HD2+ DLP™ technology from Texas Instruments
and Sharp’s proprietary Computer & Video Integrated
Composer (CV-IC) System II technology, the XV-Z12000 is a
16:9 high definition projector that boasts an unprecedented
5500:1 contrast ratio (in high contrast mode) and 900 ANSI
Lumen brightness (in high brightness mode). A newly-designed
optical engine co-developed with Minolta Corporation reduces
the exposure down to F8 which helps produce clearer blacks
as compared to conventional projectors. Also adding to the
amazing contrast ratio are a new seven-segment 5x-speed color
wheel and 10-bit color processing, which bring out better
color purity and minimize the noise in dark scenes. Also new
is the three position powered iris control that gives the
consumer much more control over the contrast and brightness
levels by providing three setting options, all available at
the touch of a button right on the remote control.
The XV-Z12000 has a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
for true 16:9 widescreen movie viewing and a DVI-1/HDCP (High
Definition Content Protection) terminal. The true 720p high-resolution
images are fully compatible with all HDTV signals, making
this the perfect movie-viewing vehicle for today as well as
the future. Additional features include a “film tone”
mode for reproducing a film-like atmosphere, 1:1.35 manual
zoom and a lens shift function for flexible installation,
61-step color temperature adjustment, six-position Picture
Setting memory function and customizable RGB Gamma Adjustment
functions, all combining to provide consumers with cinema-quality
widescreen viewing in their own home.
The XV-Z200U and DT-300 provide consumers with a compact,
lightweight product that will easily fit on a shelf, cabinet
or small side table. Great for watching sports, movies, TV
and even playing video games, these projectors provide high
resolution DLP™ projection anywhere consumers want it,
without taking up a lot of space. Both products are enhanced
definition, are outfitted with a 16:9 chip, and have a native
true widescreen resolution of 1024 x 576. Using the Matterhorn
DLP™ technology from Texas Instruments, upgraded features
include an extremely high contrast ratio of 2000:1 as well
700 ANSI Lumen brightness, for brilliant clarity and a superior
image. The six-segment 5x-speed color wheel achieves flicker-less,
high-grade video. The increased life of the lamp measures
4,000 hours, and the low fan noise of 30 dBA (in Eco mode)
ensures that a film’s dialogue and special effects are
the only sounds that movie-watching guests will hear.
The projectors’ lenses distinguish one model from the
other. The SharpVision XV-Z200U is targeted toward a more
experienced home theater consumer since its 1.2x zoom lens
delivers a longer throw distance, which lends itself better
to a larger room or even ceiling mounting. The Sharp DT-300
is targeted toward a first-time projection user since its
short-throw 1.2x zoom lens is more suitable for use in a smaller
room, perched on a small side or coffee table. Both projectors
are outfitted with optical lens shift function as well as
2D keystone correction in the lens, which enables easy and
flexible installation because content can be projected from
the unit at both vertical and horizontal angles. Whether consumers
choose to use the included swivel stand or optional ceiling
mount bracket, these portable projectors truly create home
theater for a wide array of consumers. End table stands and
portable and fixed-mount screens are also available for even
more flexibility.
The XV-Z12000 is available for a Manufacturer’s Suggested
Retail Price (MSRP) of $11,999.95. The XV-Z200U will be available
in January for an MSRP of $4,499.95, and the DT-300 will be
available in January for an MSRP of $4,299.95.
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