INTRO:
Well it is now the 2nd week following Cedia and the first of the new projector releases has arrived…the Infocus IN82. This is Infocus’ first 1920x1080p native DLP projector. It boasts a rating of 1500 lumens, 4000:1 contrast and HDMI 1.3 input (manufacturer's specs). Best of all, you get all this and more for only $5495 MSRP, so it is positioned as one of the lower priced 1080p DLP’s on the market. It also comes with a 2 year standard warranty, and 6 months lamp coverage to boot.

UPS brought the unit in and the first thing I noticed was that it was relatively light weight. I couldn’t wait to play so I opened it up immediately. The unit only comes shipped in a single carton (no double box). It is not the best shipping box, so we’ll be double boxing it to be safe. Fortunately, the internal packing is well done. The unit comes wrapped in a foam bag, and then has fitted “soft” foam inserts (not the Styrofoam that can break during shipping). Moreover, the foam is actually pretty thick, so the actual projector is a good 3”+ from the outer carton. I took the unit out and noticed that unlike the other INXX series, there was no base attached. After further investigation, I found that the base is now boxed separately. I prefer this myself since 99% of my installs are ceiling mount, thus this saved me a step. The box also contained the accessory kit, which had some miscellaneous cables, manual, remote, batteries, etc… I now was even more excited to play with my new toy so I started to set it up.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00427.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00428.JPG


The IN82 comes with 2 covers on it…1 is a cable cover, which unlike previous models, actually is form fitted to look like part of the case. The second cover is the lens adjustment cover (it hides the zoom/focus knobs). While I’m on that, this unit uses a manual 1.85-2.22x zoom lens with a fixed 36% vertical offset. This is both a longer zoom and higher offset as compared to previous models. This is beneficial for people with high ceilings and longer rooms (obviously). :) Instead of touching the lens itself, there are 2 large rotary knobs that you use to adjust the zoom and focus. I found them easy to maneuver and actually very precise, I’m sure partly due to the large size of them. There is the full range of inputs, including component, s-video, composite, and HDMI 1.3 and an M1 cable (proprietary to Infocus). One thing that's nice is that they now include an M1 to female HDMI adaptor, so effectively you have 2 HDMI inputs (without having to purchase one separately as before). The remote is very similar to their previous versions, and simply laid out. The menu system is also a similar layout, and has lots of adjustments in it. So I hooked it all up and got ‘er going.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00429.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00430.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00431.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00432.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00433.JPG

The first thing I did was check the out-of-the-box performance. Infocus claims that it is calibrated to D65 (at the 6500K setting) out of the box. Upon checking it, I found that it was actually pretty close to that, ultimately just a bit below the actual D65 numbers (about 6155k or so at 100IRE). After doing the standard adjustments (contrast, color, etc…), I did a full calibration on the unit. I was able to get it to track relatively close (100IRE = 6544k). NOTE: I kept getting erroneous readings at 10IRE so please ignore them. I suspect they were caused by the low light output and lower IRIS setting. Moving on… I also checked the colors. I found that blue, red, cyan, magenta and yellow were very close to the standard CIE chart. Green, though not oversaturated, did lean to the yellow side somewhat (see chart). After calibration, I did some measurements. The IN82 has 2 lamp modes, and an iris. One thing that is nice is that in low lamp mode, the fan is relatively quiet. Furthermore, in high lamp mode it is still pretty quiet (only a very slight increase in noise). This is unusual, but a welcome discovery. The iris is adjustable in about 8 steps from 0 (fully closed) to 100 (fully open). I found that on my test screen (SMX 53” tall 2.35:1), filling the height worked out to the 36 setting in order to accomplish 16 footlamberts (this is where I tested the contrast and where I took the screen shots as well). I did test the light output at 0, 36, and 100, both in low and hi lamp modes, and at long and short throw, in order to get a range for what one might expect. Some interesting results occurred (I’ll comment later). I finished up with this part and hooked up my BluRay player to start the viewing!

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/IN82_Colors.jpg

I tried several discs, ranging from animation to “live” stuff, and I found great results. The first thing I noticed was the color. Though not perfectly spot on (and no ability to adjust), I found that the colors were easy on the eyes and not the least bit oversaturated. I work in the business so I am more sensitive to that sort of thing. I also found that the picture was razor sharp, even more so than some other recently viewed DLP units. I personally love that look so I was quite pleased. There was a tad bit of video noise (some dithering). The IN82 does have some NR to accommodate that, but unfortunately it seems that feeding 1080p24 “grays” that feature out, so I was not able to use it. It’s not to say it was a big problem, in fact at normal distances it was hard to notice, but I figured it would be worth mentioning for those who are sensitive to it. The black levels were good, rivaling similar DLP’s. The ANSI contrast was noticeably high, so the overall depth to the image was quite good. The IN82 has plenty of light output as well. Again, I used the 36 iris (low lamp) setting for my testing and in my dedicated room, and the image was gorgeous. I did crank it up to 100 for the heck of it, and it actually maintained a higher contrast appearance, but I almost needed sunglasses. :) If I had to sum up its performance in one word, it would be “3D”. I can’t really explain it, but it really had a very “jump off the screen” appearance, which I found very immersing (for my own personal preference).

SCREENSHOTS:
BluRay DVD of Chicken Little:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00440.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00442.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00444.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00449.JPG

BluRay DVD of Pirates of the Carribean, Curse of the Black Pearl:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00456.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00460.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00462.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00461.JPG

MEASUREMENTS:
As I mention in other reviews, I keep these to a relatively non-technical level. I find that though many are into the specs and measurements, not everyone has a good understanding, nor is even interested in the real technical stuff. That being said, I did take some measurements for those who are interested. Remember, my room is not an ideal setup for measuring. So the projector is really capable of better results in a perfect testing environment. Rather my results are what you might expect to get in a typical theater when properly setup. The below numbers are calibrated (D65) results as well.

Light Output:
Low Lamp, IRIS 0, Short Throw: 236 lumens
Low Lamp, IRIS 0, Long Throw: 230 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 0, Short Throw: 297 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 0, Long Throw: 295 lumens

Low Lamp, IRIS 100, Short Throw: 852 lumens
Low Lamp, IRIS 100, Long Throw: 831 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 100, Short Throw: 1076 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 100, Long Throw: 1056 lumens

Low Lamp, IRIS 36, Short Throw: 473 lumens
Low Lamp, IRIS 36, Long Throw: 469 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 36, Short Throw: 600 lumens
High Lamp, IRIS 36, Long Throw: 595 lumens

I mentioned earlier that I got some interesting results. As you can see, the light output barely changed from the short to the long throw range. Usually it is a decent amount brighter at the short range than it is at the long range. So this tells me that likely Infocus has a varying aperture (or something along those lines) that is causing the light to remain relatively constant. This actually is nice in some ways as that takes another factor out of the equation when one is trying to finalize their projector location. (I’ll try and find out what is causing this and do an addendum). In addition, because of this result, the contrast also remained relatively stable as well, so I only documented the 36 iris settings results:

On/Off Contrast:
IRIS 36, Short Throw: ~2383:1
IRIS 36, Long Throw: ~2387:1

ANSI Contrast:
IRIS 36, Short Throw: ~504:1
IRIS 36, Long Throw: ~520:1

Before Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/IN82_Before_Calibration.jpg

After Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/IN82_After_Calibration_2.jpg

CONCLUSIONS:
Though Infocus has only just gotten into the 1080p market with the IN82, I think they have done a great job at it. As one of the brightest single chip projectors on the market, this unit will be a great choice for those who desire a larger screen, and/or have some ambient light to contend with. However, they didn’t just stop with a bright projector, rather they were still able to maintain excellent contrast, great color rendition, and a very sharp image, making the IN82 a great option for anyone to consider. All in all I was quite pleased with the results and can easily consider this a top contender in today’s competitive front projection market.

Here are some additional screenshots of the "Cars" trailer off the one Disney BluRay disc, just for fun. :)

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00450.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00451.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00452.JPG

Thanks!

INTRO:
Well they just keep coming in! This morning I received my second “Cedia” projector for review…the Sony VPL-VW60. This is their new $5495 MSRP 1920x1080 SXRD projector. To the naked eye, it looks a lot like the previous year’s VPL-VW50 “Pearl”, with the exception of the darker black “pearlized” paint. But it is quite a different machine where it counts. The VPL-VW60 has many new features and performance improvements over the VPL-VW50. The new model is more commonly referred to as the “Black Pearl”, obviously because of the new color. The chassis/size/weight is almost identical to the previous model. The “Black Pearl” is their lowest priced SXRD 1080p native resolution model. It also now boasts up to 30000:1 contrast with the new improved optics and iris (while engaged). It also has a new remote control (more on that later), modified menu, and some additional features. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so let’s start from the beginning.

I received the unit from FedEx this morning. I was so excited to play with it that I decided to bug out of the office early and take it home to put it through its paces. Yes, I know, I am pathetic. :p The box is roughly the same size as the standard “Pearl”, but the coloring of the box has a large “Bravia” red label on it now. I opened up the box and noticed some packaging differences as well. The original “Pearl” used a “form fitted” cardboard insert to hold the projector in place. Though it did keep the projector from moving, it offered little shock protection from our friendly delivery people, should they decide to play soccer with it. Not anymore though. The new packaging has molded Styrofoam in it, which perfectly holds the projector and offers better protection as well. Sony now also puts the power cord inside the main box, as opposed to the super-secret side access location of the previous model. This may sound dumb, but you’d be surprised how many people thought that the power cord was missing. :o

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00477.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00478.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00479.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00485.JPG

I promptly removed the projector and remote. The first thing I noticed was that the remote has a new design. The buttons are essentially the same and in the same basic locations, but, they are better designed for “feeling” around in the dark. They also made the built in backlight stay on quite a bit longer when the light button was pressed. Again, many simple changes, but it shows Sony’s attention to detail is never-ending. As mentioned, the projector looked basically the same as the older “Pearl”. The inputs were the same, and include 2 HDMI, 1 Component, 1 VGA/Component, 1 S-Video, 1 Composite Video, 1 Screen Trigger, and 1 RS232 interface…plenty for most people’s applications. On a side note, the inputs are located on the side of the projector still. Personally, I would prefer to see them on the back for cleaner installations, but alas, no go. Moving on. The menu looks similar to the older model, but they have added some new features. One of the most impressive was the convergence. On this new model, you have the ability of adjusting red and blue to green in .1 pixel increments. This allows for one to almost eliminate any major convergence problems. I found that my particular unit only needed red to be shifted down -1 and it was spot on overall (note: there are no zone controls so my corners were a bit off with no way to fix-although I didn’t find it distracting). As usual, I needed to get it calibrated and tweaked before I got into my observations.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00482.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00486.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00488.JPG

I plugged in my test pattern generator and started with the basic adjustments (contrast, brightness, etc…). I did notice that this model now requires much less of these adjustments out of the box (as opposed to the previous model). After the basic adjustments, I setup my probe and started the full calibration. For the “Black Pearl”, the “Low” setting under Color Temperature is the closest to D65. It wasn’t bad as you can see from the chart, but it definitely can be improved with some service menu tinkering (another calibrated chart is below showing the calibrated results). Now, the next thing I measured almost brought a tear to my eye…the colors. Sony has 2 modes…Normal and Wide. Wide expands the primary and secondary colors, making them richer but a bit less “real”. Now on the older “Pearl”, the Normal mode was only slightly better than Wide mode, and it really couldn’t be fixed…but not anymore. In fact, blue, red, magenta, and cyan tracked near perfect, and green and yellow were only slightly oversaturated. But, and this is a big but, with the new version of the RCP I was able to easily bring yellow and green to their proper levels, yielding near “perfect” color reproduction. This is a beautiful thing if you like to make it as accurate as possible (see charts after conclusions).

Next I went into some measurements of the light output and contrast. As I mentioned, the “Black Pearl” is much improved in the realm of contrast over the previous “Pearl”. Although they claim up to 30000:1, I did not get that level (see my disclaimer below under “Measurements”). But, I did notice a good amount of improvement over the standard “Pearl”, especially in the native panel contrast (on/off while the DI is turned off). I found that they were able to do this by lowering the black levels, rather than increasing the white. In fact the light output is near the same as other “Pearls” I have measured in the past, and is plenty for most home theater applications. You can see all my results below, but let’s move onto the best part…the image!

If you haven’t figured it out, I am a sucker for a projector I can dial in how I want it. Once I hooked up my BluRay player, I was not disappointed. First thing I noticed, very good color reproduction. Faces on people were not oversaturated, the greens did not appear with a “neon lime” tint, and the reds appeared truly red. The contrast was also very impressive. Though I found the ANSI remained similar to the older “Pearl”, the on/off improvement was quite noticeable in the darker scenes. One of the bigger improvements I saw was the sharpness. The older “Pearl” always had a softer image to it, which many people reported on. This unit is quite capable of throwing what appears to be a sharper, almost more detailed image (really noticeable on close-ups of people’s faces). I suspect some of this is due to the convergence adjustments I mentioned earlier, but I would think that it is also a result of the improved optics. Another thing I observed was that the image was super clean. In fact there was very little background noise, and this was not a subtle, but rather easy to pick out. Enough of my rambling…you want to see pictures I am sure, so here they are!

BluRay Image: Pirates of the Carribean Part 2
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00494.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00497.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00498.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00499.JPG

BluRay Image: Chicken Little
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00500.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00508.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00507.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00509.JPG

BluRay Image: Casino Royale
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00516.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00518.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00519.JPG

BluRay Image: Cars (Trailer)
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00501.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC005021.JPG

MEASUREMENTS:
As I mention in other reviews, I keep these to a relatively non-technical level. I find that though many are into the specs and measurements, not everyone has a good understanding, nor is even interested in the real technical stuff. That being said, I did take some measurements for those who are interested. Remember, my room is not an ideal setup for measuring. So the projector is really capable of better results in a perfect testing environment. Rather my results are what you might expect to get in a typical theater when properly setup. The below numbers are calibrated (D65) results as well.

Light Output:
Low Lamp, Short Throw: 375 lumens
Low Lamp, Long Throw: 278 lumens
High Lamp, Short Throw: 571 lumens
High Lamp, Long Throw: 426 lumens

On/Off Contrast:
Short Throw, Iris Off: ~2682:1
Short Throw, Iris Auto 1: ~7574:1
Long Throw, Iris Off: ~3671:1
Long Throw, Iris Auto 1: ~11614:1

ANSI Contrast:
Short Throw: ~257:1
Long Throw: ~264:1

CONCLUSIONS:
I absolutely love this time of year. With so many new, improved projectors coming out, you really get to see how the competition stacks up. Sony definitely has a winner with the VPL-VW60 “Black Pearl”. Sony added quite a bit of performance improvements, making sure they stay a top contender in the extremely competitive front projection market. Best of all, they very able to maintain a competitive price point, helping to keep top-grade front projection to within a price range more people can afford. Thanks!

Colors-Normal Mode Before Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Colors_Before_Adjustment.jpg
Colors-Wide Mode Before Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Colors_Before_Adjustment-Wide.jpg
Colors-Normal Mode After Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Colors_After_Adjustment-Normal.jpg

Color Temp-Before Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Color_Temp_Before_Calibration.jpg
Color Temp-After Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Color_Temp_After_Calibration.jpg

INTRO:
Well it’s onto my third new projector since the Cedia show…the Marantz VP15S1. This is the most expensive of the ones I have done so far, at $9999 MSRP. However, this unit represents a price breakthrough for Marantz and costs only ½ of what their flagship VP11S1 model does. The VP15S1 is a 1920x1080p native DLP single chip projector. It claims up to 1000 lumens and 10000:1 contrast (although tests did not reveal that much-see below). What are the differences that make the VP15S1 so much less than their previous model? Well many things, but among them are that the VP15S1 has no hand-picked parts, a more basic 6 segment 5x speed color wheel, and obviously things naturally get cheaper over time, just to name a few.

The VP15S1 has all the bells and whistles, including HDMI 1.3 inputs, high-grade Konica-Minolta optics, lens shift, vertical stretch for 2.35:1 setups, etc… As stated, it has HDMI 1.3 (2 to be precise), but it also has the full gamut of other inputs, including 2 HD component inputs, 1 S-video, 1 composite video, and a 15 pin RGB. In addition, it has RS232 control, direct IR in and out, and 2 assignable triggers (which as implied, you can do a bunch of assigning and control on these 12v triggers in the menu for control of electric screens, masking, etc…). But, as usual, I am getting ahead of myself…let’s start from the beginning.

I was out of the office sick when these arrived, but that didn’t stop me. I had my shipping guy drive it over to me so I could still play with it. Man, I’m pathetic. :) He brought it to my door and handed it to me; nearly knocking me over in my weakened state…it is heavy! Don’t let the smaller box fool you when you get it, it weighs a good 45lbs or so. I promptly headed to the basement to start the fun. I opened the outer box up and low and behold another box! Man I love that. Plus, both boxes are super thick cardboard making it even stronger. So I opened the inside box, and I saw a cushy foam pad, which I removed. Then there was the beauty, all snuggled nice and cozy in its form fitted Styrofoam protector. I removed it from the box, and found that below the projector, was another piece of cushy foam, about 2-3” thick, in which the accessory pack was embedded. Holy packing, Batman! Kudos to Marantz for easily having the best packaging I have ever come across.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00540.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00541.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00544.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00546.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00543.JPG

I setup the projector and got the remote ready. The remote is a full function remote, with lots of controls at your finger tips. It is also fully backlit, with an easy to find side button to activate the light. This makes for easier tinkering in the dark. The projector is surprisingly small for its weight, but built like an absolute tank. I fired up a test pattern and adjusted the size and shift. The lens resembles a high-end camera lens, and works similarly with simple rotating focus and zoom knob, which I should add, is very easy to get it perfectly focused. The VP15S1 has a vertical lens shift as well, which is easily done with a thumb-knob on the top of the projector. I noted the physical noise of the unit when it first started as relatively loud, but after about 30 seconds, it dropped down a bunch to a low whir sound. It actually was pretty darn quiet at that point. Moving on, I got the image all set and square and started calibration. First I setup the standard adjustments like contrast, brightness, etc… The unit has several gamma settings as well but I did most my testing in standard mode. Oh, before I go too far, there are many, many preset and user save modes (8 user settings to be precise) so you can setup tons of different options to fit your viewing needs. The unit came defaulted to the Normal lamp mode, Iris 1 (most open). I decided to mess around with that a bit and I found that depending on the mode, often you had to choose different color temps to accomplish near D65. What I ended up finding was that on Economy lamp mode, Iris 3 (most closed), the “2” color temp setting was closest to D65. So I kept it on that for my testing. I did a full calibration from there, and found this to be a bit challenging. I had to go back and forth many times between gain and bias to get it to track. I was not able to make 10-100IRE track perfectly without somewhat sacrificing the 100IRE. In other words, if I calibrated to 100IRE, the 40-90ish range was off. If I calibrated to 90, I could get 20-90 to track pretty good, but 100IRE had a peak to it. <I decided to keep it that way for the rest of my testing.> Before firing up an image, I played around more with the menu…lots in there. Plus, Marantz doesn’t hide stuff in the service menu so anyone can play with the settings as they choose. Very nice. I finished up the calibration and tweaking and went onto the image!

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00547.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00548.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00539.JPG

I fired up my BluRay and started with Pirates of the Caribbean. Holy cow! As you’ll see from the screen shots, this thing is gorgeous. So good in fact that I am going to keep one for myself. :) It is extremely sharp and detailed, with plenty of light output, and very good ANSI, thus yielding a very 3D image. In fact the results reminded me of just how good HD material can be. The projector was easily able to resolve all sorts of detail, even in complex scenes (like the forest scene below). The colors were also very good (as you can see from my below chart, it isn’t perfectly in the CIE chart, but they aren’t overly exaggerated either, so they didn’t appear cartoonish). I then put in Casino Royale, another of my favorites. In the first picture, you can see the sharpness coming through in the detail of his face. In the game scene, you can really see the contrast capabilities of this unit during scenes with both dark and light areas. The actual on/off contrast isn’t as good as some of the rivaling technologies, but it is about what most DLP’s test out so very normal for this technology. However, the on/off contrast is not a hindrance and is not apparent in the image. In fact, in some of the darker scenes I tested (no pictures as the camera doesn’t do them justice) the image appeared extremely deep and did indeed appear as a “black” area, rather than dark gray. But, the proof is in the pudding they say, so let’s look at some screen shots!

BluRay DVD: Misc. Trailer Shots (Cars/Chicken Little)
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00525.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00526.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00527.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00528.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00529.JPG

BluRay DVD: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00531.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00534.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00535.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00536.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00537.JPG

BluRay DVD: Casino Royale
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00520.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00521.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00522.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00523.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00524.JPG

MEASUREMENTS:
As I mention in other reviews, I keep these to a relatively non-technical level. I find that though many are into the specs and measurements, not everyone has a good understanding, nor is even interested in the real technical stuff. That being said, I did take some measurements for those who are interested. Remember, my room is not an ideal setup for measuring. So the projector is really capable of better results in a perfect testing environment. Rather my results are what you might expect to get in a typical theater when properly setup. The below numbers are calibrated (D65) results as well and all the testing was done on an SMX 1.15 gain white screen.

Light Output:
Economy Mode, I1, Short Throw: 294 lumens
Economy Mode, I2, Short Throw: 326 lumens
Economy Mode, I3, Short Throw: 678 lumens
Normal Mode, I1, Short Throw: 358 lumens
Normal Mode, I2, Short Throw: 403 lumens
Normal Mode, I3, Short Throw: 839 lumens

Economy Mode, I1, Long Throw: 268 lumens
Economy Mode, I2, Long Throw: 295 lumens
Economy Mode, I3, Long Throw: 640 lumens
Normal Mode, I1, Long Throw: 317 lumens
Normal Mode, I2, Long Throw: 348 lumens
Normal Mode, I3, Long Throw: 765 lumens

On/Off Contrast:
All contrasts were economy mode:
I1, Short Throw: 4069:1
I2, Short Throw: 2832:1
I3, Short Throw: 1737:1

I1, Long Throw: 4455:1
I2, Long Throw: 3012:1
I3, Long Throw: 1867:1

ANSI Contrast:
667:1

CONCLUSIONS:
For me personally, this was a treat. I had decided that based on what I saw at Cedia, this was going to be my projector for a while. I only had to make sure that the actual production models tested out like what I saw at the show. Well they do, and I am quite happy. With a tack sharp, very bright and “poppy” image, the Marantz VP15S1 is sure to bring those who desire a great front projection system years of enjoyment. Thanks!

Charts:

Color Temp Before Calibration
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Marantz_VP15S1_Color_Temp_Before.jpg

Color Temp After Calibration
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Marantz_VP15S1_Color_Temp_After.jpg

Primary/Secondary Colors
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/Marantz_VP15S1_Colors_Before.jpg

ADDENDUM:
As promised, I got in another batch of the VPL-VW60 and retested another unit. I found some differences in the measurements, as one would expect. Take a look for yourself:

Light Output:
Low Lamp, Short Throw: 372 lumens
Low Lamp, Long Throw: 273 lumens
High Lamp, Short Throw: 561 lumens
High Lamp, Long Throw: 408 lumens

You'll note that the above light output measurements are nearly the same as the original review piece. But, read further.

On/Off Contrast:
Short Throw, Iris Off: ~2757:1
Short Throw, Iris Auto 1: ~13000:1
Long Throw, Iris Off: ~3892:1
Long Throw, Iris Auto 1: ~20923:1

ANSI Contrast:
Short Throw: ~295:1
Long Throw: ~351:1

Now you'll note that the contrast with iris off is pretty similar (although better thus meaning better black levels), but, with the Iris Auto 1 engaged, it jumps way up. So this now tells me that the particular iris in this second unit is much more efficient than the first unit.

SUMMARY:
Obviously every projector will vary, and this just helps to prove that since both my results are different, and still different are Greg Rogers. As I test more and more units I will keep a log to report back my findings.

Thanks!

REVISION:
I was questioning my original contrast results with this projector. Unfortunately, I was under the gun to get this review done, so I didn't get to play as much as I wanted. Tonight I had more time with it and found that with a few more tweaks, I was able to accomplish near double the contrast results. The new results are in place of the originals as to make sure it didn't cause any confusion with new readers of this review. I also edited the part where I mentioned that the color tracking was off. Please re-read that part for a correction.

In addition, you'll note in the second post I made that I put a sentence in < > holders. This part was true for the original review, but not for the correction to the contrast. I talked to Dan Miller, Senior Product Manager from Marantz, and he told me a trick that I didn't think of. When one calibrates the contrast on the VP15S1 to just before the blooming point, the end result is around 33 or so. But, at this level it causes the 100IRE to peak a bit, thus the reason for my results. So what I did was set the contrast with the pluge test pattern, but then I switched to various IRE windows, from 70-100IRE. Here as you switch between them you can see the tracking good from 70, to 80, to 90, and then change heavily to green at 100. But as you back the contrast down, you can see these levels begin to even out. My end result was more about 17 or so (again, for contrast). This also made the calibration track much better.

INTRO:

This post-Cedia time has definitely kept me busy. My next arrival was the recently much talked about Sim2 HT380. This is their mid-level single chip 1080p DLP projector. It retails for $10995 and has 2 lens choices, 1.5-2.0 and 2.0-3.0, making it very versatile for installation. The HT380 looks very similar to the older HT300x series 720p projectors Sim2 has had in the past. It is about the same footprint, color and inputs. But the differences stop there. Let’s start from the beginning.

I received the unit a day late unfortunately. I had ordered it in with overnight shipping (because I have no patience), but FedEx forgot to scan it at the TN hub and thus it arrived late. The worst part was that I was out of town the day it arrived so I had to wait to get hold of it (although it gave me something to look forward to on the long drive back!). The unit is surprisingly small. I have mostly been playing with the HT3000E and C3XE projectors, which are all somewhat larger, so when I saw the box I thought “that’s it?” Cool! I opened up the outer box and as usual, it was double boxed. Sim2 consistently double boxes all their projectors, which is good considering the cost. But more than that, they put protective foam corner pieces between the boxes as well, which make it even more worth it. So, I took out the foam pieces and opened the internal box. There she was, wrapped snuggly in a velvet Sim2 bag, just waiting to be used. I wasted no time.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00549.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00550.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC005511.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00552.JPG

The HT380 is small, but has decent heft to it. I looked at the back and it has the full gamut of inputs, including HDMI, VGA, component, S-Video, composite video, etc… It also has RS232 control and 2 triggers for masking/electric screens. The remote is the same remote as the other Sim2 units, and is silver in color and backlit. The backlight is bright, but doesn’t stay on very long when the button is pressed, which can be a pain when you are working in the dark (not a huge deal, but something I wished would change). The unit does have lens shift, which is done via a knob on the top. The lens and focus is also motorized, which makes setup nicer and allows for constant height setups using the zoom method. One really cool feature that comes on the HT380 is Unishape. This is something that Osram (lamp manufacturer) developed and without getting too technical, it adjusts the lamp rapidly during use to maximize the contrast and light output, thus yielding improved specs over what the projector alone can do. It works too! In addition, they have Brilliant color added which with the addition of a magenta segment on the color wheel, they are able to take out the greenish tint normal UHP lamps have, thus allowing easier calibration to D65 without dropping green too much (that lowers light output).

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00572.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00576.JPG
(Sorry I forgot to photograph the remote).

I ran my usual routine and opened the unit, hooked up my test gear and started the calibration. I first ran the usual adjustments (contrast, brightness, etc…), which were actually not all that great out of the box, so if you decide on one, make sure you pick up an Avia or DVE to tweak that part. The HT380 comes out of the box on the middle color temp setting, but I always go to User and dial in x=.313 and y=.329…this is D65. Upon measuring it, I found that it was pretty good, but tracked a tad lower than D65. Some adjustments in the service menu took care of that and I was able to get it average closer to D65. I also measured the colors (primary and secondary). What I found was that they were actually really close to the CIE standards out of the box. Now, currently there is no CMS system for fine tuning the colors. But, Sim2 is working on that and we are one of their “test subjects”. The system is quite slick and should be implemented soon on all their E models.

Primary/Secondary Colors:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/PS_Before_Calibration.jpg

Color Temp Before Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/CT_Before_Calibration.jpg

Color Temp After Calibration:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/CT_After_Calibration.jpg

After final tweaking, I did some measuring of the unit. My first impression… “Is it possible that a 160watt single chip DLP is getting this much light output??” Holy cow is it bright! I had to measure…at short throw it was 760 lumens!! It is rare enough that a single chip DLP can output this high (without sacrifices) but this unit can do it. This is in thanks to a feature I mentioned earlier which this unit has…Unishape technology. I should also mention that Sim2 doesn’t have multiple lamp modes in this unit…it just always outputs that level, while still maintaining a relatively quiet fan noise AND long lamp life. Very cool. So by now you are probably thinking “the contrast must have dropped”. Well, no. The Sim2 HT380 measured 3804:1 on/off in short throw (higher in long throw)! There are few projectors that can simultaneously put out that amount of light and still maintain that level of contrast (other than 3 chip DLP). You can see my measurement results below for the full details. So far, with only running test patterns, I was extremely impressed. But, the proof is in the pudding so they say, so I took off the test gear and hooked up my BluRay so see what this puppy could really do.

You know, I see a ton of projectors, and moreover many of the same model projectors, so I sort of become “dull” to the experience unless something really dramatic comes along. That is exactly what happened with the HT380. I’ll be honest, I do think Sim2 is one of the better projector makers out there, but I wasn’t expecting to be blown away as I was (with this particular unit-their C3XE always impresses me). The image this thing puts out is absolutely gorgeous. I kept thinking to myself…how is this vibrant and punchy an image possible with such a tiny, low lamp power unit? All I can say is it is something to have to see to believe. The HT380 has so much, well, “oomph” behind it that it is able to maintain larger screens while still providing a smooth, super clean image. Plus the detail in the unit is extremely, well, detailed. :) For instance, in Pirates of the Caribbean, I could really see fine hair strands in Captain Jack’s dreads, which are inherently dark. This is not an easy task to do for any projector, but it was so good that I immediately noticed it (and it is not something I am always looking for). I was still in awe over the fact that this unit was putting out so much light, so I decided to push it and blow it up to a larger size. No problem…at 10.5’ wide it was still plenty of light in my dedicated room (using an SMX 1.15 gain Cineweave fabric)! Now, of course, the lamp will dim over time so always take that into consideration, but just know that if you desire a larger screen (or have ambient light), this may be a serious consideration for you. Blah, blah, blah…I am going on and on…so let’s look at some screen shots (some of the best I have ever gotten):

BluRay Disc: Miscellaneous Movie Trailers:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00554.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00555.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00556.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00557.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00558.JPG

BluRay: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00561.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00563.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00564.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00565.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00566.JPG

BluRay DVD: Casino Royale:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00567.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00568.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC005691.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC00570.JPG
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/DSC005711.JPG

MEASUREMENTS:

As I mention in other reviews, I keep these to a relatively non-technical level. I find that though many are into the specs and measurements, not everyone has a good understanding, nor is even interested in the real technical stuff. That being said, I did take some measurements for those who are interested. Remember, my room is not an ideal setup for measuring. So the projector is really capable of better results in a perfect testing environment. Rather my results are what you might expect to get in a typical theater when properly setup. The below numbers are calibrated (D65) results as well.

LIGHT OUTPUT:
Short Throw (with T1 lens): 760 lumens
Long Throw (with T1 lens): 608 lumens

CONTRAST:
On/Off, Short Throw: 3804:1
ANSI, Short Throw: 592:1
On/Off, Long Throw: 4092:1
ANSI, Long Throw: 604:1

CONCLUSIONS:

As I mentioned, it is sort of hard to truly impress me since I play with so many projectors. There are many, many good options out there in the 1080p market, all with their own sets of pros and cons. The HT380 truly did impress me. I don’t know if it is because I wasn’t expecting it to look so good, whether I just cannot believe what it is capable of doing with such a tiny unit, or whatever it is, but it really is a sight to behold. It isn’t the least expensive piece at $10995 list by any means, but for those who have a more generous budget; it is something you should check out at your local dealer. Hopefully you will be as impressed as I was.

Thanks!

Jason's reviews are to long.
My condensed Review: WOW!

.