[Eternal_Sunshine]

 http://www.cine4home.de/Specials/PT4...reenSmooth.htm


Fascinating technical analysis by our old friends at cine4home.


Net result: SmoothScreen does *not* make the image softer, just more film-like - while all picture detail is preserved. Hurrah!

 

[EJ]

I have loved the smoothscreen techology from my '94 L500, to my current AX200.

 

[ferbal]

Thanks to cine4home for breaking down the myth and thanks Eternal_Sunshine for the post!

English traslation:
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate...rUrl=Translate

 

[Eternal_Sunshine]

The higher fill rate achieved by SmoothScreen makes LCD look a lot less harsh and "digital" IMO. As cine4home also said, the look becomes more similar to LCOS/SXRD and thus more "analogue" and film-like. Great stuff.

 

[CT_Wiebe]

Note, this is similar to the use of a "Micro-Lens" array, which I originally read about on a Sanyo PJ from around 2002. It has the effect of making the apparent resolution much higher than it really is.


The current (2008+) Mitsubishi LCD PJs (HC5500/HC6500/HC6800/HC7000) use the "Micro-Lens" array to achieve the same effect. I can vouch for its effectiveness on my HC5500.

 

[Cine4Home]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe /forum/post/18183150


Note, this is similar to the use of a "Micro-Lens" array, which I originally read about on a Sanyo PJ from around 2002. It has the effect of making the apparent resolution much higher than it really is.


The current (2008+) Mitsubishi LCD PJs (HC5500/HC6500/HC6800/HC7000) use the "Micro-Lens" array to achieve the same effect. I can vouch for its effectiveness on my HC5500.

Not quite... MLA arrays are used by many modern LCD-projectors in order to improve the light effeciency by about 20%

The micro lenses just help to focus the light through the small LCD-pixel-openings.


Regards,

Ekkehart,

Cine4Home

 

[Gertjan]

Interesting read, thanks! Had to dust off my German a bit

 

[CT_Wiebe]

Thanks Ekkehart, that's the best explanation I have seen. Most sources just use a bunch of confusing words which don't explain anything.


What I do know is that I have to get closer than 8' from my 106" diagonal, 16:9, screen in order to start to see a hint of SDE on some scenes. I have to get under 12" from the screen in order to resolve the individual pixels. With the HC5500's power focus, this makes it really easy to get the image as sharp as possible.

 

[Cine4Home]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe /forum/post/18187705


Thanks Ekkehart, that's the best explanation I have seen. Most sources just use a bunch of confusing words which don't explain anything.


What I do know is that I have to get closer than 8' from my 106" diagonal, 16:9, screen in order to start to see a hint of SDE on some scenes. I have to get under 12" from the screen in order to resolve the individual pixels. With the HC5500's power focus, this makes it really easy to get the image as sharp as possible.

Yes, the Mitsubishi HC LCD projectors are indeed well known for their great sharpness.

Regards,

Ekkehart

 

[adpayne]

The smoothscreen on the 4000 is so much superior to the 2000 it replaced. I can't believe how sharp and detailed the picture is, without a hint of SDE. I sit 11' from a 9' wide screen, and sent back an 8500UB due to visable pixel structure from my seating distance. I'm so satisfied with the Panny, my only reason for upgrading will be when they offer an affordable LED light source version.

Anyone who still bashes smoothscreen after seeing the AE4000, I cannot take seriously. It is just that good!


Thanks for the writeup.


Art

 

[Eternal_Sunshine]



Quote:
Originally Posted by adpayne /forum/post/18190027


I'm so satisfied with the Panny, my only reason for upgrading will be when they offer an affordable LED light source version.

Me too! Or when they offer the AE5000 (or AE6000) with a native scope panel...

Quote:
Originally Posted by adpayne /forum/post/18190027


Anyone who still bashes smoothscreen after seeing the AE4000, I cannot take seriously. It is just that good!

Word.

 

[calibos]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Eternal_Sunshine /forum/post/18191929


Me too! Or when they offer the AE5000 (or AE6000) with a native scope panel...

....and 3D




Word.

Fixed that for you

As for taking them seriously. I couldn't take them seriously even in the 960x540 res Ae300 days. I could not see pixel structure until I got within about 3 or 4 feet of a 80x45 16:9 image with my old AE300. To think there were still smoothscreen haters even after the advent of the 1920x1080 panny PJ's with pixels one quarter the size of the Ae300's staggered me.


I think one or two people who had some respect in the AV community didn't like it, others took their word as gospel and it became a Meme..."Smoothscreen makes the image soft and less detailed!!" Repeated ad infinitum by people who had never seen smoothscreen in action in person themselves, which ended up scaring countless PJ buyers away from panny projectors.


It annoys me that the 'smoothscreen softens the image' brigade were actually going against the core aims of projector ownership. ie. to replicate the cinema experience. Smoothscreen didn't soften the image it just made it more filmlike. It only looked less sharp against the competition because of the artificial sharpness of other displays caused by their pixel structure. In effect it was like these other PJ's had hardware edge enhancement that couldn't be turned off

Hey, maybe they prefered that look and thats OK but don't tell us that your image is more cinema like or that our panny PJ's have less detail because they are softer and more filmlike cause it simply isn't true.

 

[ac388]

Hi Ekkehart,


Any chance you will be reviewing the Sony HW15 or 85 ?


I did buy the Mit. HC3100 with no regret after reading your review about 3 years ago.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cine4Home /forum/post/18188232


Yes, the Mitsubishi HC LCD projectors are indeed well known for their great sharpness.

Regards,

Ekkehart

 

[Eternal_Sunshine]



Quote:
Originally Posted by calibos /forum/post/18193150


Fixed that for you

Thanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by calibos /forum/post/18193150


In effect it was like these other PJ's had hardware edge enhancement that couldn't be turned off

LOL

Funny 'cause it's true...

 

[adpayne]



Quote:
Originally Posted by calibos /forum/post/18193150


Fixed that for you

As for taking them seriously. I couldn't take them seriously even in the 960x540 res Ae300 days. I could not see pixel structure until I got within about 3 or 4 feet of a 80x45 16:9 image with my old AE300. To think there were still smoothscreen haters even after the advent of the 1920x1080 panny PJ's with pixels one quarter the size of the Ae300's staggered me.


I think one or two people who had some respect in the AV community didn't like it, others took their word as gospel and it became a Meme..."Smoothscreen makes the image soft and less detailed!!" Repeated ad infinitum by people who had never seen smoothscreen in action in person themselves, which ended up scaring countless PJ buyers away from panny projectors.


It annoys me that the 'smoothscreen softens the image' brigade were actually going against the core aims of projector ownership. ie. to replicate the cinema experience. Smoothscreen didn't soften the image it just made it more filmlike. It only looked less sharp against the competition because of the artificial sharpness of other displays caused by their pixel structure. In effect it was like these other PJ's had hardware edge enhancement that couldn't be turned off

Hey, maybe they prefered that look and thats OK but don't tell us that your image is more cinema like or that our panny PJ's have less detail because they are softer and more filmlike cause it simply isn't true.

I understand some of the earlier comments on smoothscreen being "softer" on older models. My AE2000 is not nearly as sharp as my AE4000 is, but it was sharper than my previous LCoS was. Like you mentioned, the pannys have a filmlike look to the picture due to lack of hard edges on the pixels. The new digital controls allow you to add even more detail and sharpness without artifacts on good source material.


I really liked my AE2000, but the AE4000 is just amazing. I still can't believe the detail, and sharpness, from as close as sit to the screen.


It's a good time for PJ owners!

Art

 

[tocaje]

Ok, I'm running a Compaq laptop with Windows 7. All I'm getting is German but it seems like when I used to look at Cine4home's stuff with my now defunct Acer Vista it was already translated. Forgive my computer illiteracy, but how do I get this in English?

Thanks for any help.

 

[dovercat]

You can translate web pages using the option on http://babelfish.yahoo.com/


Cine4home has a English website but it is not as big as the German one.

 

[ferbal]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dovercat /forum/post/18208726


You can translate web pages using the option on http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ ...

or follow the link in (my) post #3

 

[Cine4Home]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dovercat /forum/post/18208726



Cine4home has a English website but it is not as big as the German one.

The number of english translations is increasing steadily, we also have a translated version of the screen smooth article online now on:

www.cine4home.com



Let me know if the english versions are ok...



Best regards,

Ekkehart