JVC Unveils THX and ISF-Certified D-ILA Home Theater Projectors: BigPictureBigSound

Published: 2009-09-14 - 01:19:53

JVC Unveils THX and ISF-Certified D-ILA Home Theater Projectors

By Chris Boylan

At CEDIA Expo in Atlanta last week, JVC launched six new home theater projectors all powered by their proprietary D-ILA (Digital Image Light Amplifier) technology. The projectors are expected to be available later this month ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

D-ILA is JVC's proprietary variation on LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) - an imaging technology that shares some similarities with both LCD and DLP. This generation is powered by JVC's 0.7-inch full HD D-ILA and wire-grid optical engine. The most notable trait of JVC's D-ILA projectors is their deep blacks and the new projectors refine this trait even further with native contrast ratios up to 70,000:1 without use of a dynamic iris or other artificial contrast enhancements.

Family photo of JVC's newest line of D-ILA projectors.

The new projector line includes the DLA-RS35, DLA-RS25 and DLA-RS15 to be marketed by JVC's professional products group, and the DLA-HD990, DLA-HD950 and DLA-HD550, available through JVC's consumer electronics group. All six projectors feature the same D-ILA technology and features found in previous models, but add improvements in both performance and usability.

All models inclde double-speed 120Hz Clear Motion Drive technology to reduce motion blurring, and a new screen adjustment mode to optimize the projector for different screen materials. Four of the six new projectors -- the DLA-RS35, DLA-RS25, DLA-HD990 and DLA-HD950 -- offer JVC's new "original picture" mode, which is designed to give the colors on these projector's a more "film-like" look. These same four new models are THX-certified and ISF-certified to assure the highest quality image.

Native contrast ratings of this year's model line are:

DLA-HD550: 30,000:1
DLA-RS15: 32,000:1
DLA-RS25/DLA-HD950: 50,000:1
DLA-RS35/DLA-HD990: 70,000:1

Features shared by all six new projectors include:

Three JVC-developed D-ILA devices (red, green, blue)
HQV Reon-VX video processor developed by Silicon Optix for precision I/P conversion and scaling;
A high-performance 1.4 - 2.8:1 zoom lens with motorized focus featuring a large diameter, all-glass lens system with 16 elements in 17 groups that includes an ED lens to project a full HD image with exceptional depth and minimal chromatic aberration;
Manual adjustment of the gamma curve via an on-screen display, allowing the viewer to adjust projector luminance levels by either increasing contrast in scenes that are too dark or dimming washed-out scenes to ensure precise brightness levels suited to individual preferences or viewing conditions. Up to three settings can be adjusted and stored for future use;
Flexible set-up with a ±80 percent vertical and ±34 percent horizontal motorized lens shift function that allows the projected picture to be moved horizontally or vertically via the remote control.

Pricing of the new models is as follows: