Some of you guys may be interested in this (see link below). It's from Watch Impress, translated with Google Translate:

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&langpair=ja%7Cen&u=http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070405/sony.htm&prev=/language_tools

　SONY announced that “0.61 type high frame rates SXRD” of 120Hz frame rate correspondence were developed on the 5th, full HD (the 1,920×1,080 dot) in reflected type liquid crystal panel “SXRD”. Within year the possibility that on-board product is sold.

　Reflected type liquid crystal display device “SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display)” 0.61 types. The silicon drive baseplate of new development was adopted, frame rate from former 60Hz improved to 120Hz. As for contrast ratio 5,000: 1, as for reflectance ratio 74%. You say that in rear projection television for home and the schedule which is loaded onto the front projector, it does also outside sales positively.

　While maintaining full HD resolution, it indicates with 120Hz in, data transfer of usual 2 times becomes necessary inside the device, but at the time of bulk transfer in order to hold down the influence of the minute noise which occurs, the circuit which makes the interference between the image signal conductors decrease anew the design. You say that the picture quality whose noise is little was actualized. In addition, circuit scale inside the device increased, but maintaining the indicatory area and package size with such as optimization of wiring layout. It can utilize the former optical engine.

　In drive of the liquid crystal, developing the 240Hz drive system which can maintain the balance of effective applied voltage to the liquid crystal cell. Speed of response 2.5ms is actualized with the cell thick structure of 2 millimicrons or less in SXRD and the adoption of the new liquid crystal.

　Furthermore, in order to hold down unnecessary reflected light, optimizing device structure. By the fact that the pliability which does not depend on the illuminant spectrum is acquired, it corresponds to the solid illuminant such as LED and laser in addition to the extra high tension mercury lamp and the xenon lamp. By the fact that it combines with the solid illuminant where introduction with the future product is expected, the vivid image due to color gamut enlargement has made actualization possible.

　In addition, loading the temperature detector which monitoring is produced temperature of the device into the silicon drive basis. In real time temperature of the silicon drive element it reached the point where it can measure directly from outside the device.


□ SONY home page
http://www.sony.co.jp/
□ news release
http://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/News/Press/200704/07-033/index.html
□-related article
<2006 August 30th>SONY, “SXRD” adoption full HD rear professional television “BRAVIA”
- 2 models of 50/60V type. “Brassiere beer engine professional” loading
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060830/sony3.htm
<2005 September 6th>SONY, 0.61 types “SXRD” in country first commercialization
- 40% to miniaturize, improvement contrast ratio and reflectance ratio
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20050906/sony3.htm

( 2007 April 5th )

[AV Watch editorial staff /nakaba-a@impress.co.jp]

Sxrd strategy as I see it.

1 Improved drive of the panels to 120 fps display and 240Hz data signalling. This should increase the sharpness of sxrd display devices.

2 Be cost competitive. They use the same size 0.61 to be able to resuse earlier work on light engines. This indicates aggressive pricing in my mind.

3 A transition to solid state illumination with a wider color gamut hopefully under the control of a decent color management system.

It appears tstites of JVC is correct that SONY has some catching up to do on the front side of the panels. It seems that these developments are mostly to the back end. In the next iteration Sony will have to look at the front end of the panels.

Sony at its dealer show in February showed all this. Nothing new here. Higher refresh rate and HDMI 1.3.

Mark
What is your point? Is it that this is merely an update to the drive electronics keeping "old" panels competitive AND that there will also be truly new panels in the not too distant future?
I still think that improved panel control can lead to very substantial pq improvements.

I can see this panel being used in new sxrd rptvs and a pearl replacement projector. I hope that Sony does have another panel with better contrast waiting to take the fight with JVC.

Not sure if I'm reading that right but it sounds like it's using either a hybrid light source or a solid state light source? Is that something they talked about at the dealer show?

Not quite sure what they were getting at with the externally monitored temperature stuff either... don't existing pjs have a thermostat to control the fan and / or shut down the lamp if the pj is overheating? Or are they planning on adding the ability to monitor temperature from the user menus?

DLP is also going 120 refresh. This will lesson the worry for VPs to include the 48 conversion. It will soon be done via most all displays/projectors and it will make no difference if the source originated in 60 video or 24 film.

By the way Ive heard HDMI 1.3 is now debunked..stay tuned for an announcement soon somewhere on the forum!!

My only point was that all this was shown to attendees at the Sony dealer show in Vegas late Feb, early March. Much is the new HDMI color stuff. It was not presented as a new chip with higher native contrast. Mostly driver related I think.

Mark haflich
Did you notice a sharper image from driving the panels faster. I ask since tests have previously notet a roll off with high bandwidth signals. That is why I am hoping the image will be sharper. This roll off has not manifested so much in actual video but shows up with test patterns. We know hd seldom is true 1920 and more like 1440 in real life.

Mark

Ive heard good things about Sony's new ( 30k price tag ) up coming 70" SXRD RP display. Did you get to see this?

Alan G.
Sounds a bit expensive with 30k for just 70 inches of rptv pleasure. It must be something real special.

My mistake its LCD, KDL-70XBR3, sorry !!

Yes, still a lot of money.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KDL70XBR3&Dept=tvvideo&CategoryName=tv_Full_HD_1080_Flat_Panel

Why would driving the panels faster increase sharpness?

And I can't tell from the garbled translation whether they're augmenting a UHP lamp with laser/LED or just saying that the latter can be used, which we aqlready know.

I also think they are talking about using the LCD as a light source. Im waiting for the use of laser to draw the image. That should raise the bar with PQ.

I also think they are talking about using the LCD as a light source.You mean LED, right?

If I remember correctly, they did a judder demo between the two refresh rates. The new one was much better.

I did see the70 inch LCD. A wall hanging panel showing animation. I can't foresee hanging one of these in my store to demo. I think Sony will sell some but not a lot at this price. Plasmas at this size or slightly smaller (65inch) have a large competitive price edge here.

You mean LED, right?

Yes I meant that LED thing :)



I did see the70 inch LCD. A wall hanging panel shwing animation. I can't foresee hanging one of these in my store to demo. I think Sony will sell some but not a lot at this price. Plasmas at this size or slightly smaller (65inch) hve a large competitive price edge here.


They are getting up there in size.

Thanks Mark!

noah katz
My thinking is that a sample and hold with more frequent samples should have a greater contrast between levels that are close in intensity as well as between black and white. That is why I am speculating on increased sharpness.

Alan Gouger
So 120Hz is the new buzz alongside 1080p. Who is going to be first with 120Hz in the dlp camp?

By the way Ive heard HDMI 1.3 is now debunked..stay tuned for an announcement soon somewhere on the forum!!

More information please, kind Sir!

"My thinking is that a sample and hold with more frequent samples should have a greater contrast between levels that are close in intensity as well as between black and white. That is why I am speculating on increased sharpness. "

The fastest source is 60 Hz, so 120 Hz is just repeating the same frames, so there are no intensity level differences.

Even so, what would that have to do w/contrast?

noah katz
If a level is set it will not stay put at that level forever. More frequent resets could heve the level more stable at the level it is supposed to be at.

noah katz
If a level is set it will not stay put at that level forever. More frequent resets could heve the level more stable at the level it is supposed to be at.

Some flat panel implementations of 120hz (or 100hz for PAL) displays are actually using per pixel motion interpolation to draw the in-between frames. I haven't seen any of these displays in person, but the reports from the shows were very positive about this technique, saying it reduced blur.

I admit to being a bit skeptical about interpolation, but I'll take 'simple' 120hz with built in film detection for the ability to stop worrying about 1080p24 / 1080p48 sources.