Widescreen Review’s Editor-In-Chief Gary Reber comments on JackB’s post dated August 19. Unfortunately, as screen size decreases so does the apparent black level of DLP and D-ILA projectors. We, in the past, have made several comparisons using the exact same screen size and as well, different screen material (i.e., Stewart Filmscreen’s Grayhawk and Firehawk material, and StudioTek) and the end conclusion was the same. A properly calibrated CRT projector will produce truer black levels than a properly calibrated DLP or D-ILA. This is obviously apparent in dark scenes and is why I am still a strong proponent of CRT technology (particularly in a rear-projection application as at WSR), though I acknowledge that maintaining a properly calibrated CRT is often an annoyance. DLP and D-ILA technology is superb at projecting bright pictures, and therefore capable of supporting much wider screen widths and higher foot Lamberts than a CRT, even with respect to the Runco and Sony 9-inch CRT projectors that we use at WSR. The point of the A/B comparisoin made at some of our D-Theater Movie Festival sessions was to demonstrate the current deficiency in DLP technology with respect to black level compared to CRT technology, and to point out that with any “constant-on lightbulb†projection technology, true black level is not possible. I wouldn’t term this “bashing DLP.†It is simply stating the obvious fact of the limitation of a “constant-on lightbulb†projection technology. The motion picture industry has had “constatnt-on lightbulb†film projector technology for 100 years (to project big screen pictures) and still there is no true black level in movie theatres, even those with the best “black†darkened environments. The test is always dark scenes, of which there are plenty to demonstrate as filmmmakers love the drama and emotion that can be created in dark scenes. In that respect, DLP and D-ILA are closer to delivering the same picture “limitations†as film-based projection. Next time you view your DLP projector or visit a commercial movie theatre study the extent of black level capability by simply comparing objects in a dark scene that you know should be “black†to the true black masking around the picture. By doing so you will become more aware of this deficiency. On the hand, do the same comparison, as we did at the D-Theater Movie Festival sessions, and it is obvious that the CRT black level virtually matches the black masking around the picture. This was undeniably evident in our demonstation of the opening credits of “Monster’s Inc.,†upscaled to 1080p. No projector manufacture, including Runco, refutes this fact, and all acknowlede the superiority of CRT picture quality when properly sized and calibrated. Many, in fact, still offer CRT projectors. CRTs are still my preferred “the best that it can be†projection technology for home theatre when screen sizes are kept to less than six- to seven-foot wide in a “black†darkened room (which is most household living environments is more than sufficiently “big.†But remember, a “black†home theatre invironment is critical to optimizing CRT performance. Again, DLP and D-ILA serve a purpose and are suitable for displaying “big†and “bright†pictures (even in non-optimized darkened environments) as we demonstrated with the double-stack Runco VX-1000c DLPs that we use as WSR’s reference fixel pixed technology with a 10-foot-wide Stewart Filmscreen Firehawk screen. They certainly display an impressive picture with typical television video, especially HD, and bright film-based video. And they do so on “big “ screens, which undeniably impresses most people who otherwise are not critical about other picture quality refinements. If that is the result that you want, then I agree that such technology should be your choice. Greg Rogers, WSR’s Video Technical Editor, reviews in the next Issue 65, October (our 10th anniversary issue) the latest “black metal†DLP technology implemented in a $70,000 Digital Projection projector. We did the review to assess the state-of-the-art in DLP technology. And yes, DLP black level is getting better, but still nowhere at the achievement level that CRT technology can deliver when the projector is properly calibrated within the limits of an optimized screen width. I think you will find the review very educational. You and others at the AVS Forum, as a group, are welcome to make an appointment and return for a more in-depth A/B comparison of the two technologies as long as you agree to post a thorough non-biased report on this forum.
