[Nats]

Okay, it's been a long time since I have posted here, and I have been totally

out of the loop with regard to whats happening in TV technology.


I have a 60'' SXRD second generation (no yellow donut!!) and I am wondering,

what ever happened to Sony's SXRD technology?

Are they still making them, or have they canned it?


I remember a few years ago, they were touting SXRD very loudly and seemed

very excited about it's future. Then their first SXRD hit the market and everyone complained about the now infamous yellow donut. There was even

a class-action against Sony for which I was invited (but declined) to participate. I also bought the first generation 50'' model, but the donut did

not show it's self in my unit. I upgraded the following year to the new "improved" 60'' model.


At that time, and in my opinion, the SXRD was clearly superior to anything

else on the market close to the price.

Asside from the obvious problem with the yellow donut, it had a few other

minor issues, but I was really hoping Sony would perfect this technology.


Did they decide to concentrate their R&D on improving LCD?

 

[eddy_winds]

canned it

 

[SonyCrusader]

SXRD is alive and well in the front-projector realm. Sony has SXRD, others market it under whatever banner but it's all LCOS.


I suspect that compromises needed to hit a mass-market price-point for rear-projectors led to the discoloration issues. I'm not sure what thread it is... Panasonic?... where someone dove into the optics block and found the blue polarizer was toasted. A front-proj typically costs more than a rear-proj. Add a cabinet, screens, packaging, higher shipping cost etc and I would think that cost-reduction measures had to happen somewhere to make SXRD/LCOS RPTVs close to economically viable. Once the true long-term ramifications were known... Pandora was out of the box.


While I can't find anything anywhere as far as service-level documentation for Sony RPTV optical blocks, one SXRD front-proj actually has an exploded view and parts list for its SXRD block. Part of the blue path includes a "UV-proof glass." Possible clue as to the degradation of the blue polarizer in rear-proj units?

 

[SonyCrusader]

I'll add one thing... to me, 3-panel LCOS is the *only* technology that can rival CRT. Why? Marketing calls it "all the colors, all the time."


Flat-panel LCD depend on RGB triads for additive color. Get close enough and object will show color fringing on anything other than primaries. I know, it's a nit, but when ya wanna snuggle up to that screen for the mini-IMAX experience... Minor quibble at any rate. We'll call it "spatial displacement" so it can have a cool name.


DLP runs a single panel (and don't get me started on "wobulation"... sounds like an affliction suffered by Weebles that makes them finally fall down) through a color wheel, typically six-color these days. The older three-color wheel tech became infamous for the "rainbow effect," when motion in the image and/or shifting vision by the view caused perception of the primaries when they should have been a solid mix to secondaries et al. That needs a cool name too, so we'll call it "temporal distortion" and send out a starship to fix the rift in time...


SXRD/LCOS can have its own issues but they're not so much an artifact of the technology as they are from execution. Precise mechanical/optical tolerances can keep the three primaries aligned for proper convergence, the optical path can be optimized for better contrast.

 

[TRT]

....also; The technology is not very leave it alone friendly. Fans have to be cleaned or they overheat. Consumers are not willing to pay for the technology, either. I have one and I'm hoping it last forever! It's cheaply made flat screens from here on out....

 

[like.no.other.]

The technology of Sony's LCoS (SXRD) is still being used today which is mostly

front projectors and theater projectors. The rear projection is abandoned due to

slow sales against their BRAVIA LCDs and the optical block issue.

 

[Nats]

Thanks guys for your replies.

But now, I'm kinda sad and down-in-the-dumps

This time last year, I thought; "Wow" there is some really exciting

technology coming down the pike in terms of high end displays.

I was sooooo confident that when time came to replace my SXRD,

there would be sets available that would be several orders of magnitude

greater PQ.

But now, all I see is a market trend of craptacular flat panels that do not

even come close to the quality that I have gotten used to.


I do not like ANY of the current glut of LCD's on the market.

To me, they look very unnatural, and have terrible contrast.

And I do not see any major moves for improvement, just make them

cheaper than the compitition.


Plasma is the only current flat panel tech that comes close, then, I find

out that Pioneer is going to stop making them starting March of 2010

What does the future hold for high quality displays?

Is the market no longer interested in persuing PQ perfection, or am I missing

something?


After checking out some current models, and coming home to my SXRD, I

am so glad I bought it when I did. In fact, I think I will buy 2 more spare

lamps

 

[chdwil]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Nats /forum/post/16909424


Thanks guys for your replies.

But now, I'm kinda sad and down-in-the-dumps

This time last year, I thought; "Wow" there is some really exciting

technology coming down the pike in terms of high end displays.

I was sooooo confident that when time came to replace my SXRD,

there would be sets available that would be several orders of magnitude

greater PQ.

But now, all I see is a market trend of craptacular flat panels that do not

even come close to the quality that I have gotten used to.


I do not like ANY of the current glut of LCD's on the market.

To me, they look very unnatural, and have terrible contrast.

And I do not see any major moves for improvement, just make them

cheaper than the compitition.


Plasma is the only current flat panel tech that comes close, then, I find

out that Pioneer is going to stop making them starting March of 2010

What does the future hold for high quality displays?

Is the market no longer interested in persuing PQ perfection, or am I missing

something?


After checking out some current models, and coming home to my SXRD, I

am so glad I bought it when I did. In fact, I think I will buy 2 more spare

lamps

Well I am watching a r60xbr1 as I type this. What a WOW picture this set has.


I got it used with the Sony stand and a monster power strip for $800.00. What a deal.


My neighbor bought the 50xbr1 for over 4g when it first came out. I always told him that TV has the best picture I have ever seen.


My friend who is looking at new Sammy LED tv came by today and said that the picture on my xbr1 was so clear it looked like it was 3-d. He quickly pointed out that it did not blurr during movement like all the flat panels do on display at Best Buy. We were watching Planet Earth on BD. He then started to compare specs on the LED tv he wants. He said the picture on my XBR1 was the best he has ever seen on a TV.


I have no desire to get a flat panel until the TV dies, hopefully it will last a few more years.

 

[walford]

Samsung sells three different models of their LED backlit LCD and when seeing them at the stores you have to make sure you know if you are seing the budget model or the top of the line model. Sony and sharp also have 3 different PQ models of their LCD product lines.

 

[Nats]



Quote:
Originally Posted by walford /forum/post/16911028


Samsung sells three different models of their LED backlit LCD and when seeing them at the stores you have to make sure you know if you are seing the budget model or the top of the line model. Sony and sharp also have 3 different PQ models of their LCD product lines.

The budget model I saw at Circuit City looked so bad, I could not believe

they were showing it to the public. Now, knowing these folks, it could well

be the stores fault, but to me anyway, even the top on the line models

have a fake look to them, too "exagerated" is all I can think.

Movies look almost like live video feeds, with none of the soft colors and

film grain, that "movie" look, if you know what I mean

I guess they would be great for video games though