JVC DLA-HD1 Скачать руководство пользователя

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1080i high-definition material primarily
from HD DVD. A 1080i source, rather
than 1080p from Blu-ray, was used to in-
clude the 1080i-to-1080p conversion of
each projector in the evaluation.

As with the Sharp comparison, both

projectors were driven from the same
source using PureLink’s HD-150, a su-
perb 1-in, 5-out
HDMI distribution
amplifier. The images
were projected onto
the same screen, and
the light alternately
blocked or passed
from each projector.
This

enabled an in-

stantaneous switchover
from one to the other.
I was very careful to
calibrate each projec-
tor for optimum setup, and was fortunate
to be able to get the peak white output
of the projectors to within 1fL of each
other.

It was shocking just how closely the two

matched. When viewed on its own with-
out a direct comparison, the Sony still
showed itself to be a very fine projector—
the best available (in my opinion) for
under $5,000. I had no complaints about
its image in any respect. But on a direct
comparison to the JVC, the latter pulled
ahead in three areas.

First, the JVC was sharper. But not by

a huge amount. Contrary to the popular
Internet myth, the Pearl is

not

soft. Soft-er,

but that’s not the same thing. In any well-
transferred film, there are well-focused
shots and those that are slightly”off.”
You’ll never spot these variations in a typ-
ical movie theater with its typical crappy
projector, cheap projection lens, and a
mass-produced print, which is why film-
makers can get away with it. But play a
good high-definition film transfer
through the Sony and you’ll see these dif-
ferences easily.

So while the resolution differences be-

tween the Sony and the JVC, even in a
quick switch from one to the other, do not
jump out and grab you by the throat, you
can see them if you look closely. And even
subtle differences in sharpness can have a
cumulative subjective impact over time.

The Sharpness differences between the

Sony and the JVC
might have been at
least partially due to
the fact that the
Sony sample in the
comparison was
misconverged by a
full pixel (to the
right) in red and a
half pixel (to the
left) in green. This is
factory-fixed in the
Sony and cannot be

corrected. The JVC was not perfectly
aligned either (as discussed earlier) but
the error it its case was much smaller, and
irrelevant in the important center of the
image. Both projectors, incidentally, per-
formed equally well on our standard
1080i luma resolution test.

Second, the JVCs shadow detail was

better. While the deep blacks of both
projectors were very similar and hardly
worth picking a fight over, the JVC was
better at bringing out subtle, slightly
brighter highlights in most dark scenes.
This is almost certainly due to the
brightness compression in the Sony’s dy-
namic iris. When the iris closes down on
dark scenes, it also chokes off these high-
lights a bit, too—not enough to compro-
mise the picture significantly, but enough
to limit the way in which those high-
lights can enhance a scene.

And third, the JVC’s image was more

vibrant and three-dimensional. The
above two characteristics likely con-
tributed to this, together with slight dif-
ferences in the gamma of the two
projectors. And, again, the Sony by itself

did was not obviously lacking here. But
the JVC simply came out on top.

The differences I saw between the

Sony and the JVC in my comparison
were very similar to what I’ve seen from
the two projectors in JVC’s very public
demonstrations. But they were less obvi-
ous. I suspect (he said, modestly) that I
took more time in optimizing each pro-
jector, and matching their setup where
such adjustments did not compromise
the performance of either of them. I’d
also say that the differences in the prices
of the two projectors were representative
of their performance differences. If you
kick in just a bit more cash, the JVC
gives you that extra kick toward (unat-
tainable) perfection.

The Bottom Line

I’m not sure if all of the individual de-

tails I’ve mentioned here adequately con-
vey just how impressed I am with the
JVC’s overall performance. You really
have to see it to appreciate it. I’ve lived
with it for several weeks now, and it
hasn’t failed me yet in the way it presents
the pristine images available from the
best program material. It even appears to
get the best out of average sources
(though some programming, clearly, will
always be hopeless).

No projector I’ve had in house since

my days of reviewing 9” CRTs (now
four years past) has provided a bigger
double-wow experience—“wow” for
the quality of its images, and”wow” for
its amazingly affordable price. The JVC’s
image is bright and compelling. Nothing
odd, such as digital artifacts, ever limited
my enjoyment. The best standard defini-
tion discs looked close enough to HD
that they would likely fool many an av-
erage viewer, and HD wove its expected
magic.

In short, the JVC DLA-HD1 is, with-

out question, the best projector I’ve yet
laid eyes on for under $10,000.

ultimate

Highs

Sharp, crisp image
Superb blacks and shadow detail
Quiet (but not silent)
Remarkable value

Lows

Lacks separate high and low color
temperature adjustments
Color points could be more accurate

Posted with permission from March 2007 issue of

Stereophile Ultimate AV

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Stereophile Ultimate AV

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