Quote:
All DVI connectors are convertable to HDMI converters via an HDMI "converters" (only a connection converter). There's not much point in doing this, right now, as almost nothing supports HDMI. |
Err, yes, that's why I said
"All logic dictates that this should be possible with most every DVI connector..." What Sencore hasn't commented on is the potential for sending deeper bit depths over the HDMI. Seeing as they're planning on using the DVI port for HDMI, it's not going to be possible AFAICT.
Also, when you buy a unit which is as expensive as the VP401, you want to verify that it will be compatible with HDMI (and that Sencore will support it - it might work, but if you run into trouble you might need their support).
Anyway, I got the unit last night.
Pretty neat. It's quite light - during the 20 minutes I was holding it, my arms and hands didn't get tired at all. I spent a few minutes with an LCD monitor, just trying patterns and such.
Some disappointments:
- No 1366x768 resolution - a few projectors have this (although, the VP401 does support 1360x768...).
- No 1280x768 resolution - a few panels have this.
- No 1400x1050 resolution - DILAs have this (as well as 1400x788 for the 16:9 panels, IIRC).
- The GUI is rather clunky. It's workable, but I'd expect much more from an expensive unit such as the VP401.
- The resolutions available for DVI and RGBHV are very different. I would've expected, with a few obvious exceptions, that any resolution available via RGBHV should be possible via DVI.
Some of the documentation is rather terse - for instance, I'm guessing that their DVI 720p setting is 1280x720 (that would make sense). I'd like to see that written down somewhere. They also reference things like 480p59, which I'm hoping is a reference to 480p59.94.
On the plus side, once you get through the simple-yet-a-real-pain menu navigation, the unit seems to work quite well. It appears that it is even possible to upload custom test patterns and create your own resolutions (I'll verify this today with the sales rep). If that is possible, this would be quite a fantastic little unit.
I'm taking this unit with me to calibrate a friend's theater this weekend (HD Leeza, Sharp 10k), so I'll write up a bit more in depth report once I get back. I'll even get to try the integration of the VP401 with the new release of ColorFacts. It'll be neat to see the EyeOne, ColorFacts 5.0 and the VP401 all working in concert.