For those who were asking, here's a "hard" copy of the review. This PJ is one that I've been looking at for a while, and finding good stuff.
Sony VPL-HS10 Video Projector
Champagne Video On A Lemonade Budget
By Greg Rogers
Sony’s Cineza™ Line
The VPL-HS10 Video Projector is the latest entry in Sony’s Cineza™ product line of value-priced home theatre projectors. If you plot value as performance per dollar, this $2,995 video projector rockets off the chart. Designed specifically for widescreen home theatres, it combines a superb internal scaler with the highest resolution available in a native 16:9 fixed-pixel projector. It delivers exceptionally natural looking images from 720p or 1080i sources, and includes a DVI interface that provides a significant improvement in picture quality when mated to the latest HDTV set-top boxes. Plus, it provides better contrast and a picture superior to Sony’s best previous generation LCD projector.
Description
At less than 12 pounds, the VPL-HS10 is easy to mount on the ceiling, or it can be placed on a table. The motorized zoom lens is set back in the center of a dark front bezel, and is enclosed by a removable funnel-shaped lens hood with a clear face. This protects the lens from fingerprints or accidental damage. A fan exhausts air through the grille on the front bezel. A vertical slot in the right edge of the bezel accepts a Memory Stick® that can be used to display still pictures and MPEG-1 movies.
The remainder of the case is a platinum gray with a rounded rear surface. A retractable front foot locks into position to adjust the vertical tilt when table mounting. The right side of the projector includes several buttons that are duplicated on the remote control. All input and output connections are located on the rear panel.
LCD Technology
The VPL-HS10 utilizes three 16:9 transmissive LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels. The light from a 180-watt UHP projection lamp is split into red, green, and blue primary colors and then each light beam is directed through one of the LCD panels. An active video area of 1366 x 768 pixels on each panel modulates the light intensity to form red, green, and blue images. These are combined and directed through a single lens to form a full color image. The LCD panels are a new design that provides the same pixel resolution in a 0.87-inch diagonal panel as the 1.35-inch panels in the new Sony VPL-VW12. This undoubtedly reduces the cost of the critical LCD components and contributes to the much lower price of the VPL-HS10.
The 1366 x 768 pixel resolution slightly exceeds the 1280 x 720 pixel resolution of native 16:9 DLP (Digital Light Processing) projectors. An argument can be made that 1280 x 720 resolution is advantageous because it matches the 720p pixel format exactly. But the VPL-HS10 includes superb internal scaling and the slightly higher horizontal resolution is just that much closer to the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution of the more common 1080i HDTV format. In fact, the VPL-HS10 performs as well as any fixed-pixel projector I have seen in delivering high resolution with minimal artifacts from 1080i sources.
The projection lamp life is estimated as 3,000 hours in the reduced lamp mode (Cinema Black on) and 2,000 hours at full output (Cinema Black off). Pricing of replacement lamps had not been set when this review was written. The pre-production projector provided for this review had firmware ROM version 1.02 and SC-ROM Version 1.01.
Set Up
The VPL-HS10 is equipped with a motorized zoom lens. Both the picture size and focus are adjustable from the remote control. The lens-to-screen throw distance for an 87-inch wide, 16:9 (1.78:1) screen is approximately 13.1 to 15.4 feet. The projected image can also be electronically inverted for ceiling mounting or reversed for rear projection.
The optimum mounting location would place the center of the lens at the same height and horizontal location as the center of the screen, but electronic keystone correction is provided to compensate for mounting the projector vertically and horizontally off-center. The horizontal keystone correction, called Side Shot™ by Sony, is unusual for a fixed-pixel projector. It allows the projector to be mounted at the side of the room to keep it out of the way, without hanging it from the ceiling. However, it is always better to avoid using electronic keystone correction if possible because it will produce moiré or interference patterns in areas of fine picture detail.
Sony includes a “Cinema Filter” that attaches to the threads of the standard lens. For years I’ve advocated the use of ND (neutral density) filters to improve the black level of fixed-pixel LCD and DLP projectors, so I was pleased to finally see a manufacturer include a filter as a standard accessory. Widescreen Review Contributing Editor Bill Cushman suggested a filter with an additional red tint in his review of the Sony VPL-VW11HT (Issue 56, January 2002). That further improves the contrast ratio by blocking some of the excess green light emitted by the UHP lamps used in the Sony LCD projectors. The Cinema Filter is that type of filter. It reduces the total light output from the projector to lower the absolute black level, which greatly enhances the picture when viewing in a darkened theatre environment. But because of the red tint the grayscale must be recalibrated to restore the proper color temperature and obtain higher contrast.
The VPL-HS10 has three color temperature settings but none produced a constant grayscale color temperature over a signal brightness range of 20-100 IRE. I highly recommend having a professional calibrator make this adjustment with a color analyzer. It takes only a few minutes using the service menu from the remote control and you will be rewarded with excellent color accuracy. If you have one color temperature setting calibrated for D65 without the Cinema Filter, and another calibrated for D65 with the Cinema Filter, you can remove the filter for use in a bright room and attach it when used in a darkened theatre.
Two optional conversion lenses are also available that shorten or lengthen the standard throw distance range from the projector to the screen. However, you cannot use the Cinema Filter when a conversion lens is installed. Pricing was not available for the conversion lens options.
The VPL-HS10 fan was a bit louder than I would like. With Cinema Black on, I measured a maximum sound level of 51 dB (C weighted) 12-inches from the case with the projector sitting on a table. With Cinema Black off the fan runs faster and the sound level measured 53 dB.
Connections
A rather small and crowded terminal panel is located at the lower rear of the projector. It includes a socket for the two-wire power cord and all of the video inputs. There is one dedicated S-video input (4-pin mini-DIN connector), and four RCA jacks for one composite and one YPbPr input. There is also a DVI-D connector with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) decryption for digital RGB signals.
There is an additional multi-purpose connector designated PJ-MULTI that accommodates one of several Sony breakout cables. A 10-meter cable is included that provides a second set of S-video, composite, and YPbPr component video inputs. The second YPbPr input can be used for an HDTV source if the first is used for a DVD player. An optional cable (SIC-HS30) is available with a VGA connector that can also be used as an additional YPbPr input (by adding an additional breakout cable), or as an analog RGB input for a computer or set-top box.
I tested the analog RGB input with an AccuPel HDG-2000 HDTV calibration generator. The type of signal supplied to the VGA connector must be correctly specified in a menu because there are a number of compatibility issues. If the Computer option is selected the VGA connector is compatible with RGBHV signals with positive or negative HV sync polarity, but the RGB signals must not include Bi-level or Tri-level embedded sync—else the black level cannot be calibrated correctly. In addition, the displayed aspect ratio is limited to 4:3 (1.33:1), so the Computer mode cannot be used for HDTV.
To use analog RGB signals from an HDTV set-top box, the Video GBR mode must be selected. This produces a 16:9 display. However, in this mode the RGB signals must have Bi-level or Tri-level embedded sync, which means the VPL-HS10 is not compatible with the 1080i output of the RCA DTC-100 HDTV receiver. In addition, 1080i signals will not work properly if positive or negative HV sync signals are present on the VGA connector, and 720p signals will not work if positive polarity HV sync signals are present. So with some products you may need additional adapters and breakout cables to create just the right mix of RGB sync signals. Fortunately, most current HDTV set-top boxes include YPbPr outputs, or even better, digital DVI outputs.
Controls
Most of the buttons on the remote control are back-lit for use in a dark theatre environment. There are six dedicated buttons to select between three Preset Picture Modes (Dynamic, Standard, and Cinema) and three User Picture Modes. These modes store the settings I’ll describe later as Picture Adjustments. The Preset modes can be altered just like the User modes, so in actuality, there are six sets of user adjustable picture settings. But each Preset mode can be returned to its factory default settings by a single button push if desired.
Most other functions are selected through on-screen menus, or by cycling through a sequential list of choices using a dedicated mode button. Mode buttons are provided to select the picture aspect ratio (Wide Modes), Lens adjustment function (focus or zoom), and Inputs. Mode buttons are more convenient than navigating through menu layers, but I would have preferred a more complex remote control with dedicated buttons for each input rather than cycling through the eight choices. It would also have been more convenient to have a dedicated button for the Full (16:9) aspect ratio and the Normal (4:3) aspect ratio. Instead there are large dedicated buttons for the volume control (used only with the Memory Stick) and the Side Shot horizontal keystone function. I never cease to wonder how remote controls get designed.
The remote control worked fine when aimed directly at the front or rear of the projector, but the IR signals were too weak to work consistently when bounced off the screen.
Additional controls are included on the side of the projector. There are buttons for on/standby, input selection, and menu enable. A small joystick button is used to navigate and select menu items. There are also dedicated buttons for focus, zoom, and the Side-Shot adjustment.
A series of status and warning lights are provided along the top edge of the front bezel. They indicate if the internal temperature is too high, the fan fails, or if the air filter or projection lamp needs to be replaced. There are also on-screen messages to inform the user of similar conditions. An extra air filter is included with the projector and changing it was a breeze.
Menus
Menu navigation from the remote control is quite simple using Up and Down buttons, and a bar shaped button that provides Left, Right, and Enter commands. All menus are selected within a single on-screen window. The menus include Picture Setting, Input Setting, Setup, Menu options, Installation, and Information.
The Picture menu provides the Picture Adjustment settings for the six Picture Modes. The Input setting menu provides the choice of Wide Modes, and permits vertical positioning of the picture and subtitles when appropriate. There are also adjustments for dot phase, horizontal size, and horizontal and vertical picture shift for analog signal inputs.
The Setup menu is used to select or enable Auto Pixel Alignment (APA) when displaying computer signals, the Color System (NTSC, PAL, SECAM, NTSC 3.58, NTSC 4.43, PAL-M, PAL-N), a Power Saving mode, and Top Panel Illumination. This menu is also used to specify the component video signal type for the PJ-MULTI connector (Computer, YPbPr, or Video GBR), and the signal type for the DVI input (Computer or Video GBR).
The Menu options provide choices for menu language, screen position, color and status messages. The Install menu provides the vertical keystone and Side Shot (horizontal keystone) adjustments, and the Image orientation for ceiling or table mounting, and front or rear projection. It also provides a choice of background colors when no signal is input and enables a built-in test pattern when making zoom, focus, vertical keystone, or Side Shot adjustments. The Information menu displays the horizontal and vertical frequencies of the input signal, and the lamp usage time.
Wide Modes
The VPL-HS10 provides a selection of display aspect ratios that accommodate just about any video source format. The “Full” mode is the native 16:9 screen mode. It is used for HDTV and 16:9 (“anamorphic”) DVDs. The “Zoom” mode displays 4:3 letterboxed movies over the full screen width. In this mode the active picture area can be positioned vertically. The “Normal” mode displays 4:3 full frame movies and standard-definition TV in the center of the 16:9 screen with black bars on the left and right sides.
The “Wide Zoom” mode enlarges a 4:3 frame to fill the width of the 16:9 screen while vertically compressing and cutting off some of the image at the top and bottom of the screen. This mode is intended for non-critical viewing of 4:3 TV programming if you want to fill the entire screen. It is important to note that LCD projectors are not subject to image retention (“burn-in”) problems like CRT projectors. So there is no reason to fill the entire screen with 4:3 programming unless you prefer the appearance. You may also display computer images or video games on the VPL-HS10 without having to worry about image “burn-in,” which makes it a more “family-friendly” display device than a CRT projector.
“Full Through” and “Wide Through” are additional modes that map incoming pixels to a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. There is also a special mode to position subtitles.
Picture Adjustment Features
Picture adjustment features include Contrast, Brightness, Color, Hue, Sharpness, Black Level, Color Temperature, DDE, and Cinema Black. When the Computer input mode is selected an RGB Enhancer (detail enhancement) adjustment and a Gamma selection replace the Color, Hue, Black Level, DDE, and Sharpness adjustments.
The Black Level adjustment (Off, Low, High) changes the gamma at low signal brightness levels to make near-black picture features appear darker than normal. I preferred to leave it off in all my viewing. Cinema Black electrically reduces the projection lamp brightness to produce a darker black level, which also extends the lamp life. DDE stands for Dynamic Detail Enhancer according to the user manual, but it actually selects the method of deinterlacing interlaced video. There are three selections: Off, Progressive, and Film.
The composite, S-video and YPbPr inputs are factory calibrated, assuming there is no 7.5 IRE setup on the luma signal, which is true for HDTV, optional for 480p, and not true for 480i signals. Therefore, when using standard-definition composite, S-video, or YPbPr signals (with setup) the Brightness control must be significantly reduced to produce the correct black level. This is unfortunate because many perspective buyers will see this projector demonstrated in retail stores at the default Brightness setting (50), which produces a washed-out picture with poor black levels when setup is present on the video signal. The Video Essentials PLUGE patterns, or AVIA Guide To Home Theater test patterns, can be used to correctly calibrate the Brightness control.
Signal Format Memories
There are 34 standard video formats stored as presets in the projector. These include the common 50 Hz and 60 Hz video formats such as 480i, 480p, 575i, 575p, 720p, and 1080i, and a selection of computer formats up to 1024 x 768 at 85 Hz. Another 20 user memories automatically store new video data for formats that are not included in the preset list. The VPL-HS10 is compatible with horizontal scan rates from 19 to 72 kHz and vertical scan rates from 48 to 92 Hz. Signal format data can be manually adjusted in the Input Setting menu.
Memory Stick
The VPL-HS10 provides a Memory Stick connector slot on the front panel. A Memory Stick provides solid-state storage of JPEG images and MPEG-1 movie files captured by compatible digital cameras. An on-screen user interface can be used to sort, delete, and display a sequence of still pictures (slide show), or display an MPEG-1 movie file from the Memory Stick. There is a small internal loudspeaker to play audio stored with an MPEG-1 movie file. About 20 pages are devoted to the extensive Memory Stick features in the user manual.
Grayscale And Color Accuracy
An AccuPel HDTV Calibration generator (www.accupel.com) was used to measure contrast ratio, grayscale, and color accuracy. Before any measurements were made the 100 IRE white level was set with a peak-white PLUGE pattern by adjusting the Contrast control to the maximum level before a 98 IRE stripe clips against a 100 IRE background. Black level was set with a conventional PLUGE pattern.
The VPL-HS10 has three color temperature settings. The Low setting produced a reddish tint that was too warm, and the High setting was too cold and blue. The Middle setting had the best appearance and measured between 7050K and 7470K from 30-90 IRE with the Cinema filter. But it became much too blue in the brightest areas (9440K at 100 IRE) and too red (6020K at 20 IRE) in dark areas.
The service menu provides remote control adjustments for color temperature and grayscale tracking. Red, Green, and Blue adjustments for Gain and Bias are included. I adjusted the color temperature to the correct D65 (x = 0.3127, y = 0.329) white reference point at 75 IRE, and an overall grayscale of 6500K, +370-140K from 20-100 IRE. This produced a picture with more accurate colors and excellent flesh tones.
The VPL-HS10 green primary is more deeply saturated than the ITU Rec. 709 standard HDTV primary color, which produces somewhat deeper and more vivid greens and yellows. Landscapes with grass and trees sometimes appear more realistic with the deeper greens because the standard color triangle limits the degree of green saturation that can be captured in the video signal. The red primary, however, is shifted slightly toward orange so the most deeply saturated reds lie just outside the VPL-HS10 color palette.
After the grayscale is calibrated to the correct D65 white reference, the complementary yellow, cyan, and magenta hues are extremely accurate. This can seen by their close proximity to lines (not shown) that connect the reference white with the ideal complementary colors in the 1080i YPbPr CIE diagram (Figure 1). This indicates an exceptionally accurate YPbPr color decoder for HDTV.
Figure 2 is a CIE diagram created with the factory color temperature setting. Notice that the complimentary colors are farther from the ideal colors, and therefore the entire color gamut is less accurate. Since the factory grayscale also varies significantly with brightness, the colors will also shift with changes in picture brightness. By calibrating the color temperature correctly and maintaining a more constant color temperature over the entire grayscale brightness range, the color palette is more accurate and it remains more consistent as the brightness changes between scenes.
Figure 3 is a CIE diagram for 480i standard-definition video with the grayscale calibrated to D65. Notice that the complimentary colors are again very close to the ideal hues.
LCD projectors have inherently less white field uniformity than DLP projectors. But brightness uniformity on the VPL-HS10 was excellent. I measured less than a 5 percent change in brightness across the screen except for one extreme corner where the brightness dropped by about 10 percent. Color uniformity was more variable with about a 500K difference over the width of the screen. This was noticeable as a slightly reddish tint on one edge of a white field, but it was seldom visible on normal video other than the snowy landscapes in Fargo or A Simple Plan.
Black Level And Contrast Ratio
Measurements were made after 79 hours of projection lamp use. The D65 calibrated projector produced a 100 IRE full white field at 19.4 foot-Lamberts (fL) in the plane of an 85-inch wide screen without the Cinema filter. With a 1.3 gain screen that is equivalent to about 25 fL, which permits viewing sports events, broadcast TV, or casual movies in reasonable room lighting, or for serious movie viewing in a darkened theatre that is brighter than screening room standards. The Cinema Filter reduced the brightness to 10.2 fL at the screen plane, which is about the same light level I use for my CRT front projector. This is equivalent to just over 13 fL with my 1.3 gain screen, which is consistent with the recommended brightness for screening rooms.
With the projector calibrated for the best grayscale at a color temperature of D65, I measured an on-off contrast ratio of 623 with the Cinema Filter in place. This produced a 0.016 fL black level at the screen plane, which is about 0.02 fL with the screen gain included. This is the upper threshold I recommend for satisfying performance on most movies. Dark movies will still suffer a loss of shadow detail and appear hazy in particularly dark scenes. The black level can be reduced further by an additional neutral density filter or by using a screen with less gain, but peak brightness would also be reduced. A neutral density filter makes it easy to reduce the light only when absolutely needed for the darkest films.
I also measured the on-off contrast ratio at the High color temperature with the Contrast control at maximum. This maximizes the contrast ratio, but produces a picture that is too blue for accurate color. The resulting contrast ratio was 689, which is very close to the specified 700:1 contrast ratio.
The Cinema Black setting is supposed to significantly reduce the light output of the projection lamp to increase its life and to lower the black level in a darkened theatre. That feature was not working in the pre-production sample of the projector that I tested, even though the fan ran at a higher rate when Cinema Black was set to off. The maximum measured light output was significantly less than the advertised specification so it is possible that the Cinema Black mode was always on in this particular sample. A production unit wasn’t available before our press deadline, but if Sony will supply another projector I will update this information in a future issue. Nevertheless, the light output was ideal for my theatre even if it was being restricted to the Cinema Black on mode.
Overscan, Resolution, And Sharpness
The 1080i and 720p AccuPel test patterns were used to check overscan and resolution with YPbPr signals. Top and bottom overscan was about 4 percent in both formats. Horizontal overscan was 4.5 percent on each side with 1080i, and about 3.5 percent with 720p.
Both the 1080i and 720p formats must be scaled to fit the 1366 x 768 pixel LCD panels. Sony has done a remarkable job minimizing aliasing and other scaling artifacts with the internal scaler. With the Sharpness control turned off, the horizontal and vertical lines in the AccuPel sharpness pattern were still displayed with superior edge sharpness and virtually no edge outlining around vertical lines. An isolated single-pixel 1080i vertical line is displayed as a single-pixel wide line with almost no visible horizontal smearing. An extremely faint white edge appeared on the horizontal lines, but overall this is perhaps the best scaling performance on fixed test patterns that I have seen from a projector or standalone scaler.
The 1920 pixel/picture width burst in the 1080i multi-burst pattern will create aliasing on any current fixed-pixel projector. The VPL-HS10 handled this signal in a manner that creates a minimum of visual artifacts. The single pixel black and white vertical lines were widened slightly and displayed with less contrast than the lower frequency bursts. There were no bright aliased lines or moiré patterns that are usually visible on fixed-pixel projectors. This reduces the aliasing artifacts when a camera pans across fine details in 1080i pictures. Try to avoid keystone compensation, however, because that will introduce some moiré.
Advancing the Sharpness control added a minor halo around vertical lines or edges, but had no effect on horizontal lines. It can be used to sharpen upconverted sources, but it is completely unnecessary with original HDTV programming.
I used the AVIA test patterns to evaluate the internal scaler performance for 480i signals. The horizontal and vertical resolution easily met the limits of the DVD format. The digitally generated 6.75 MHz vertical lines showed excellent definition and contrast even when a 4:3 test pattern was displayed inside a 16:9 frame. The sharpness pattern demonstrated outstanding standard-definition scaling on horizontal and vertical lines. Overscan on 480i signals measured 5 percent on the left, 3 percent top, 4 percent right, and 3.5 percent on the bottom. The chroma resolution of the YPbPr input was exceptional, but S-video chroma resolution was only average. This makes it especially important to use YPbPr signals when playing DVDs.
Deinterlacing Film And Video
The VPL-HS10 provides three deinterlacing modes—Off, Progressive, and Film. The Progressive mode locks the projector into motion adaptive deinterlacing, which should only be used with original interlaced video sources. The Film mode implements inverse-telecine deinterlacing whenever film sources with 3-2 pulldown are detected, and reverts automatically to motion adaptive deinterlacing when an original interlaced video source is present. The automatic switching worked fine; so set the projector to Film mode. The Off mode substitutes a basic vertical interpolation algorithm for motion adaptive processing. This creates a loss of vertical detail and a softer image, but under some circumstances it may provide fewer artifacts and hence a subjectively better picture for rapidly moving sports. However, I never found this situation to occur.
Film mode deinterlacing worked exceptionally well on all of the movies I tried, including those with difficult sequences where the 3-2 pulldown cadence was interrupted. There were also no glitches or combing artifacts visible on the Video Essentials Montage, which jumps back and forth between film-sources and interlaced video sources.
Unlike film sources, there are no ideal algorithms to perfectly convert original interlaced video to progressive video. Video source deinterlacing is always a tradeoff between some combination of edge jaggies, line twitter, and picture softening depending on image content and the specific processing algorithms. The VPL-HS10 did as good a job as I have seen on the pan of the stadium seats and the zoom into leafy tree on the Montage. It was less effective on the waving flag, which showed jaggies, and on the zoom out of the city, which had significant line twitter in the building windows.
But the real test for video source deinterlacing is live sports. The VPL-HS10 excelled in displaying football, ice hockey, and basketball with a minimum of twitter or jaggies on boundary lines and background signs, while also keeping the picture sharp. This was exceptional performance and an important consideration for sports fans. Both the film mode and video mode deinterlacing are so good there is no reason to consider an external scaler with this projector.
Picture Evaluation
The VPL-HS10 avoids or minimizes many common display artifacts to produce one of the more natural looking pictures I’ve seen from a fixed-pixel projector. The LCD panels are virtually free of the random pixelization sometimes visible with other digital projection technologies. I was also unaware of any significant fixed pattern noise, which can be an issue on LCD displays. The superior internal scaling, particularly for 1080i sources, avoids most of the aliasing and moiré artifacts that often afflict fixed-pixel projectors when displaying HDTV. Yet picture definition is exceptional with extremely sharp edges and well-defined detail.
For this review I watched a variety of over-the-air network HDTV programming from CBS, NBC, and ABC. The low price of the VPL-HS10 makes front projection an economic alternative to the usual family room rear-projection TV. After watching popular shows such as The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, JAG, The Guardian, NYPD Blue, CSI, and Without A Trace, it’s clear that an exceptional front projector is required to fully appreciate the picture quality that network HDTV has now achieved. Aside from the annoying commercials, the picture quality of My Best Friend’s Wedding on ABC was every bit as good as the films on the premium high-definition movie channels. The clarity and brilliant color detail of 1080i and 720p network programming is impressive on the VPL-HS10, which is at its absolute best displaying HDTV.
The projector’s only significant picture limitations are black level and an inability to display the deepest red colors. The latter probably won’t be apparent unless you have a reference display with a more extended red primary. In that case, you will notice less differentiation and vividness in the red hues of the flowers and band member costumes when Leeloo makes her entrance to Fhloston Paradise in The Fifth Element. But this is a limitation in the extent of the red saturation, while the color palette as a whole remains quite accurate. Leeloo's skin and bright hair colors are an excellent match to the reference display.
The other limitation, black level, is shared by all fixed-pixel projectors and remains a primary reason that expensive and bulky CRT projectors (such as Sony’s VPH-G90) are still the reference displays for home theatre. The VPL-HS10 doesn’t quite achieve the state-of-the-art contrast ratio of far more expensive fixed-pixel projectors, but it’s a major improvement over the previous generation of transmissive LCD projectors. Enthusiasts that are particularly sensitive to black will probably not be satisfied by any fixed-pixel projector. But if the peak brightness is kept to the levels I recommended earlier, the black level should satisfy the majority of viewers on most movies. K-PAX is an example of a generally dark film, but the black level was only a significant distraction during the planetarium scene. K-PAX also has luscious photography with rich and vivid colors that take great advantage of the VPL-HS10’s deeply saturated blue and green primaries.
This was the first opportunity I’ve had to use an HDTV set-top box with a DVI output to test a projector. I viewed 1080i, 720p, and 480p from terrestrial ATSC stations in their native resolutions over the DVI interface, and compared that picture quality directly to the analog YPbPr interface. DVI provided a significant increase in picture detail and clarity compared to YPbPr. Color differences were slight, probably because the YPbPr interface was already delivering virtually all of the color bandwidth contained in the transmitted digital YCbCr signals. But the additional luma detail and picture clarity using the DVI digital connection was unmistakable for the DTV formats.
The VPL-HS10 also does an excellent job displaying DVDs with vivid color and exceptional detail. Film mode deinterlacing is flawless and scaling artifacts are rare. But this projector unmercifully exposes the image quality gap between even the best DVDs and native HDTV. The movie studios and equipment manufacturers must realize that DVD is no longer the premium video format, and the delivery of HDTV by broadcast networks, satellites, D-VHS® D-Theater™, and cable is growing. The proponents of the competing high-definition DVD technologies had better agree on a unified HD-DVD format soon. If projectors with this picture quality become the norm, consumers won’t be satisfied with standard-definition DVD quality much longer.
Summary
The Sony VPL-HS10 Video Projector is an exceptional value at $2,995. It not only dramatically lowers the entry price to create a quality widescreen home theatre, but it’s also a versatile family-friendly projector. Its excellent video-source deinterlacing makes it a great projector for watching sports events or network programming in the family room, and the kids can safely use it to play PC games without the risk of damage associated with CRT projectors.
For critical home theatre viewing the VPL-HS10 has a superb scaler optimally matched to its 1366 x 768 pixel LCD panels. Sony has done a remarkable job minimizing aliasing and other scaling artifacts with the internal scaler. With the Sharpness control turned off, the horizontal and vertical lines in the AccuPel sharpness pattern were still displayed with superior edge sharpness and virtually no edge outlining around vertical lines. An isolated single-pixel 1080i vertical line is displayed as a single-pixel wide line with almost no visible horizontal smearing. An extremely faint white edge appeared on the horizontal lines, but overall this is perhaps the best scaling performance on fixed test patterns that I have seen from a projector or standalone scaler
CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
Sony VPL-HS10 Video Projector
Champagne Video On A Lemonade Budget
By Greg Rogers
Sony’s Cineza™ Line
The VPL-HS10 Video Projector is the latest entry in Sony’s Cineza™ product line of value-priced home theatre projectors. If you plot value as performance per dollar, this $2,995 video projector rockets off the chart. Designed specifically for widescreen home theatres, it combines a superb internal scaler with the highest resolution available in a native 16:9 fixed-pixel projector. It delivers exceptionally natural looking images from 720p or 1080i sources, and includes a DVI interface that provides a significant improvement in picture quality when mated to the latest HDTV set-top boxes. Plus, it provides better contrast and a picture superior to Sony’s best previous generation LCD projector.
Description
At less than 12 pounds, the VPL-HS10 is easy to mount on the ceiling, or it can be placed on a table. The motorized zoom lens is set back in the center of a dark front bezel, and is enclosed by a removable funnel-shaped lens hood with a clear face. This protects the lens from fingerprints or accidental damage. A fan exhausts air through the grille on the front bezel. A vertical slot in the right edge of the bezel accepts a Memory Stick® that can be used to display still pictures and MPEG-1 movies.
The remainder of the case is a platinum gray with a rounded rear surface. A retractable front foot locks into position to adjust the vertical tilt when table mounting. The right side of the projector includes several buttons that are duplicated on the remote control. All input and output connections are located on the rear panel.
LCD Technology
The VPL-HS10 utilizes three 16:9 transmissive LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels. The light from a 180-watt UHP projection lamp is split into red, green, and blue primary colors and then each light beam is directed through one of the LCD panels. An active video area of 1366 x 768 pixels on each panel modulates the light intensity to form red, green, and blue images. These are combined and directed through a single lens to form a full color image. The LCD panels are a new design that provides the same pixel resolution in a 0.87-inch diagonal panel as the 1.35-inch panels in the new Sony VPL-VW12. This undoubtedly reduces the cost of the critical LCD components and contributes to the much lower price of the VPL-HS10.
The 1366 x 768 pixel resolution slightly exceeds the 1280 x 720 pixel resolution of native 16:9 DLP (Digital Light Processing) projectors. An argument can be made that 1280 x 720 resolution is advantageous because it matches the 720p pixel format exactly. But the VPL-HS10 includes superb internal scaling and the slightly higher horizontal resolution is just that much closer to the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution of the more common 1080i HDTV format. In fact, the VPL-HS10 performs as well as any fixed-pixel projector I have seen in delivering high resolution with minimal artifacts from 1080i sources.
The projection lamp life is estimated as 3,000 hours in the reduced lamp mode (Cinema Black on) and 2,000 hours at full output (Cinema Black off). Pricing of replacement lamps had not been set when this review was written. The pre-production projector provided for this review had firmware ROM version 1.02 and SC-ROM Version 1.01.
Set Up
The VPL-HS10 is equipped with a motorized zoom lens. Both the picture size and focus are adjustable from the remote control. The lens-to-screen throw distance for an 87-inch wide, 16:9 (1.78:1) screen is approximately 13.1 to 15.4 feet. The projected image can also be electronically inverted for ceiling mounting or reversed for rear projection.
The optimum mounting location would place the center of the lens at the same height and horizontal location as the center of the screen, but electronic keystone correction is provided to compensate for mounting the projector vertically and horizontally off-center. The horizontal keystone correction, called Side Shot™ by Sony, is unusual for a fixed-pixel projector. It allows the projector to be mounted at the side of the room to keep it out of the way, without hanging it from the ceiling. However, it is always better to avoid using electronic keystone correction if possible because it will produce moiré or interference patterns in areas of fine picture detail.
Sony includes a “Cinema Filter” that attaches to the threads of the standard lens. For years I’ve advocated the use of ND (neutral density) filters to improve the black level of fixed-pixel LCD and DLP projectors, so I was pleased to finally see a manufacturer include a filter as a standard accessory. Widescreen Review Contributing Editor Bill Cushman suggested a filter with an additional red tint in his review of the Sony VPL-VW11HT (Issue 56, January 2002). That further improves the contrast ratio by blocking some of the excess green light emitted by the UHP lamps used in the Sony LCD projectors. The Cinema Filter is that type of filter. It reduces the total light output from the projector to lower the absolute black level, which greatly enhances the picture when viewing in a darkened theatre environment. But because of the red tint the grayscale must be recalibrated to restore the proper color temperature and obtain higher contrast.
The VPL-HS10 has three color temperature settings but none produced a constant grayscale color temperature over a signal brightness range of 20-100 IRE. I highly recommend having a professional calibrator make this adjustment with a color analyzer. It takes only a few minutes using the service menu from the remote control and you will be rewarded with excellent color accuracy. If you have one color temperature setting calibrated for D65 without the Cinema Filter, and another calibrated for D65 with the Cinema Filter, you can remove the filter for use in a bright room and attach it when used in a darkened theatre.
Two optional conversion lenses are also available that shorten or lengthen the standard throw distance range from the projector to the screen. However, you cannot use the Cinema Filter when a conversion lens is installed. Pricing was not available for the conversion lens options.
The VPL-HS10 fan was a bit louder than I would like. With Cinema Black on, I measured a maximum sound level of 51 dB (C weighted) 12-inches from the case with the projector sitting on a table. With Cinema Black off the fan runs faster and the sound level measured 53 dB.
Connections
A rather small and crowded terminal panel is located at the lower rear of the projector. It includes a socket for the two-wire power cord and all of the video inputs. There is one dedicated S-video input (4-pin mini-DIN connector), and four RCA jacks for one composite and one YPbPr input. There is also a DVI-D connector with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) decryption for digital RGB signals.
There is an additional multi-purpose connector designated PJ-MULTI that accommodates one of several Sony breakout cables. A 10-meter cable is included that provides a second set of S-video, composite, and YPbPr component video inputs. The second YPbPr input can be used for an HDTV source if the first is used for a DVD player. An optional cable (SIC-HS30) is available with a VGA connector that can also be used as an additional YPbPr input (by adding an additional breakout cable), or as an analog RGB input for a computer or set-top box.
I tested the analog RGB input with an AccuPel HDG-2000 HDTV calibration generator. The type of signal supplied to the VGA connector must be correctly specified in a menu because there are a number of compatibility issues. If the Computer option is selected the VGA connector is compatible with RGBHV signals with positive or negative HV sync polarity, but the RGB signals must not include Bi-level or Tri-level embedded sync—else the black level cannot be calibrated correctly. In addition, the displayed aspect ratio is limited to 4:3 (1.33:1), so the Computer mode cannot be used for HDTV.
To use analog RGB signals from an HDTV set-top box, the Video GBR mode must be selected. This produces a 16:9 display. However, in this mode the RGB signals must have Bi-level or Tri-level embedded sync, which means the VPL-HS10 is not compatible with the 1080i output of the RCA DTC-100 HDTV receiver. In addition, 1080i signals will not work properly if positive or negative HV sync signals are present on the VGA connector, and 720p signals will not work if positive polarity HV sync signals are present. So with some products you may need additional adapters and breakout cables to create just the right mix of RGB sync signals. Fortunately, most current HDTV set-top boxes include YPbPr outputs, or even better, digital DVI outputs.
Controls
Most of the buttons on the remote control are back-lit for use in a dark theatre environment. There are six dedicated buttons to select between three Preset Picture Modes (Dynamic, Standard, and Cinema) and three User Picture Modes. These modes store the settings I’ll describe later as Picture Adjustments. The Preset modes can be altered just like the User modes, so in actuality, there are six sets of user adjustable picture settings. But each Preset mode can be returned to its factory default settings by a single button push if desired.
Most other functions are selected through on-screen menus, or by cycling through a sequential list of choices using a dedicated mode button. Mode buttons are provided to select the picture aspect ratio (Wide Modes), Lens adjustment function (focus or zoom), and Inputs. Mode buttons are more convenient than navigating through menu layers, but I would have preferred a more complex remote control with dedicated buttons for each input rather than cycling through the eight choices. It would also have been more convenient to have a dedicated button for the Full (16:9) aspect ratio and the Normal (4:3) aspect ratio. Instead there are large dedicated buttons for the volume control (used only with the Memory Stick) and the Side Shot horizontal keystone function. I never cease to wonder how remote controls get designed.
The remote control worked fine when aimed directly at the front or rear of the projector, but the IR signals were too weak to work consistently when bounced off the screen.
Additional controls are included on the side of the projector. There are buttons for on/standby, input selection, and menu enable. A small joystick button is used to navigate and select menu items. There are also dedicated buttons for focus, zoom, and the Side-Shot adjustment.
A series of status and warning lights are provided along the top edge of the front bezel. They indicate if the internal temperature is too high, the fan fails, or if the air filter or projection lamp needs to be replaced. There are also on-screen messages to inform the user of similar conditions. An extra air filter is included with the projector and changing it was a breeze.
Menus
Menu navigation from the remote control is quite simple using Up and Down buttons, and a bar shaped button that provides Left, Right, and Enter commands. All menus are selected within a single on-screen window. The menus include Picture Setting, Input Setting, Setup, Menu options, Installation, and Information.
The Picture menu provides the Picture Adjustment settings for the six Picture Modes. The Input setting menu provides the choice of Wide Modes, and permits vertical positioning of the picture and subtitles when appropriate. There are also adjustments for dot phase, horizontal size, and horizontal and vertical picture shift for analog signal inputs.
The Setup menu is used to select or enable Auto Pixel Alignment (APA) when displaying computer signals, the Color System (NTSC, PAL, SECAM, NTSC 3.58, NTSC 4.43, PAL-M, PAL-N), a Power Saving mode, and Top Panel Illumination. This menu is also used to specify the component video signal type for the PJ-MULTI connector (Computer, YPbPr, or Video GBR), and the signal type for the DVI input (Computer or Video GBR).
The Menu options provide choices for menu language, screen position, color and status messages. The Install menu provides the vertical keystone and Side Shot (horizontal keystone) adjustments, and the Image orientation for ceiling or table mounting, and front or rear projection. It also provides a choice of background colors when no signal is input and enables a built-in test pattern when making zoom, focus, vertical keystone, or Side Shot adjustments. The Information menu displays the horizontal and vertical frequencies of the input signal, and the lamp usage time.
Wide Modes
The VPL-HS10 provides a selection of display aspect ratios that accommodate just about any video source format. The “Full” mode is the native 16:9 screen mode. It is used for HDTV and 16:9 (“anamorphic”) DVDs. The “Zoom” mode displays 4:3 letterboxed movies over the full screen width. In this mode the active picture area can be positioned vertically. The “Normal” mode displays 4:3 full frame movies and standard-definition TV in the center of the 16:9 screen with black bars on the left and right sides.
The “Wide Zoom” mode enlarges a 4:3 frame to fill the width of the 16:9 screen while vertically compressing and cutting off some of the image at the top and bottom of the screen. This mode is intended for non-critical viewing of 4:3 TV programming if you want to fill the entire screen. It is important to note that LCD projectors are not subject to image retention (“burn-in”) problems like CRT projectors. So there is no reason to fill the entire screen with 4:3 programming unless you prefer the appearance. You may also display computer images or video games on the VPL-HS10 without having to worry about image “burn-in,” which makes it a more “family-friendly” display device than a CRT projector.
“Full Through” and “Wide Through” are additional modes that map incoming pixels to a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. There is also a special mode to position subtitles.
Picture Adjustment Features
Picture adjustment features include Contrast, Brightness, Color, Hue, Sharpness, Black Level, Color Temperature, DDE, and Cinema Black. When the Computer input mode is selected an RGB Enhancer (detail enhancement) adjustment and a Gamma selection replace the Color, Hue, Black Level, DDE, and Sharpness adjustments.
The Black Level adjustment (Off, Low, High) changes the gamma at low signal brightness levels to make near-black picture features appear darker than normal. I preferred to leave it off in all my viewing. Cinema Black electrically reduces the projection lamp brightness to produce a darker black level, which also extends the lamp life. DDE stands for Dynamic Detail Enhancer according to the user manual, but it actually selects the method of deinterlacing interlaced video. There are three selections: Off, Progressive, and Film.
The composite, S-video and YPbPr inputs are factory calibrated, assuming there is no 7.5 IRE setup on the luma signal, which is true for HDTV, optional for 480p, and not true for 480i signals. Therefore, when using standard-definition composite, S-video, or YPbPr signals (with setup) the Brightness control must be significantly reduced to produce the correct black level. This is unfortunate because many perspective buyers will see this projector demonstrated in retail stores at the default Brightness setting (50), which produces a washed-out picture with poor black levels when setup is present on the video signal. The Video Essentials PLUGE patterns, or AVIA Guide To Home Theater test patterns, can be used to correctly calibrate the Brightness control.
Signal Format Memories
There are 34 standard video formats stored as presets in the projector. These include the common 50 Hz and 60 Hz video formats such as 480i, 480p, 575i, 575p, 720p, and 1080i, and a selection of computer formats up to 1024 x 768 at 85 Hz. Another 20 user memories automatically store new video data for formats that are not included in the preset list. The VPL-HS10 is compatible with horizontal scan rates from 19 to 72 kHz and vertical scan rates from 48 to 92 Hz. Signal format data can be manually adjusted in the Input Setting menu.
Memory Stick
The VPL-HS10 provides a Memory Stick connector slot on the front panel. A Memory Stick provides solid-state storage of JPEG images and MPEG-1 movie files captured by compatible digital cameras. An on-screen user interface can be used to sort, delete, and display a sequence of still pictures (slide show), or display an MPEG-1 movie file from the Memory Stick. There is a small internal loudspeaker to play audio stored with an MPEG-1 movie file. About 20 pages are devoted to the extensive Memory Stick features in the user manual.
Grayscale And Color Accuracy
An AccuPel HDTV Calibration generator (www.accupel.com) was used to measure contrast ratio, grayscale, and color accuracy. Before any measurements were made the 100 IRE white level was set with a peak-white PLUGE pattern by adjusting the Contrast control to the maximum level before a 98 IRE stripe clips against a 100 IRE background. Black level was set with a conventional PLUGE pattern.
The VPL-HS10 has three color temperature settings. The Low setting produced a reddish tint that was too warm, and the High setting was too cold and blue. The Middle setting had the best appearance and measured between 7050K and 7470K from 30-90 IRE with the Cinema filter. But it became much too blue in the brightest areas (9440K at 100 IRE) and too red (6020K at 20 IRE) in dark areas.
The service menu provides remote control adjustments for color temperature and grayscale tracking. Red, Green, and Blue adjustments for Gain and Bias are included. I adjusted the color temperature to the correct D65 (x = 0.3127, y = 0.329) white reference point at 75 IRE, and an overall grayscale of 6500K, +370-140K from 20-100 IRE. This produced a picture with more accurate colors and excellent flesh tones.
The VPL-HS10 green primary is more deeply saturated than the ITU Rec. 709 standard HDTV primary color, which produces somewhat deeper and more vivid greens and yellows. Landscapes with grass and trees sometimes appear more realistic with the deeper greens because the standard color triangle limits the degree of green saturation that can be captured in the video signal. The red primary, however, is shifted slightly toward orange so the most deeply saturated reds lie just outside the VPL-HS10 color palette.
After the grayscale is calibrated to the correct D65 white reference, the complementary yellow, cyan, and magenta hues are extremely accurate. This can seen by their close proximity to lines (not shown) that connect the reference white with the ideal complementary colors in the 1080i YPbPr CIE diagram (Figure 1). This indicates an exceptionally accurate YPbPr color decoder for HDTV.
Figure 2 is a CIE diagram created with the factory color temperature setting. Notice that the complimentary colors are farther from the ideal colors, and therefore the entire color gamut is less accurate. Since the factory grayscale also varies significantly with brightness, the colors will also shift with changes in picture brightness. By calibrating the color temperature correctly and maintaining a more constant color temperature over the entire grayscale brightness range, the color palette is more accurate and it remains more consistent as the brightness changes between scenes.
Figure 3 is a CIE diagram for 480i standard-definition video with the grayscale calibrated to D65. Notice that the complimentary colors are again very close to the ideal hues.
LCD projectors have inherently less white field uniformity than DLP projectors. But brightness uniformity on the VPL-HS10 was excellent. I measured less than a 5 percent change in brightness across the screen except for one extreme corner where the brightness dropped by about 10 percent. Color uniformity was more variable with about a 500K difference over the width of the screen. This was noticeable as a slightly reddish tint on one edge of a white field, but it was seldom visible on normal video other than the snowy landscapes in Fargo or A Simple Plan.
Black Level And Contrast Ratio
Measurements were made after 79 hours of projection lamp use. The D65 calibrated projector produced a 100 IRE full white field at 19.4 foot-Lamberts (fL) in the plane of an 85-inch wide screen without the Cinema filter. With a 1.3 gain screen that is equivalent to about 25 fL, which permits viewing sports events, broadcast TV, or casual movies in reasonable room lighting, or for serious movie viewing in a darkened theatre that is brighter than screening room standards. The Cinema Filter reduced the brightness to 10.2 fL at the screen plane, which is about the same light level I use for my CRT front projector. This is equivalent to just over 13 fL with my 1.3 gain screen, which is consistent with the recommended brightness for screening rooms.
With the projector calibrated for the best grayscale at a color temperature of D65, I measured an on-off contrast ratio of 623 with the Cinema Filter in place. This produced a 0.016 fL black level at the screen plane, which is about 0.02 fL with the screen gain included. This is the upper threshold I recommend for satisfying performance on most movies. Dark movies will still suffer a loss of shadow detail and appear hazy in particularly dark scenes. The black level can be reduced further by an additional neutral density filter or by using a screen with less gain, but peak brightness would also be reduced. A neutral density filter makes it easy to reduce the light only when absolutely needed for the darkest films.
I also measured the on-off contrast ratio at the High color temperature with the Contrast control at maximum. This maximizes the contrast ratio, but produces a picture that is too blue for accurate color. The resulting contrast ratio was 689, which is very close to the specified 700:1 contrast ratio.
The Cinema Black setting is supposed to significantly reduce the light output of the projection lamp to increase its life and to lower the black level in a darkened theatre. That feature was not working in the pre-production sample of the projector that I tested, even though the fan ran at a higher rate when Cinema Black was set to off. The maximum measured light output was significantly less than the advertised specification so it is possible that the Cinema Black mode was always on in this particular sample. A production unit wasn’t available before our press deadline, but if Sony will supply another projector I will update this information in a future issue. Nevertheless, the light output was ideal for my theatre even if it was being restricted to the Cinema Black on mode.
Overscan, Resolution, And Sharpness
The 1080i and 720p AccuPel test patterns were used to check overscan and resolution with YPbPr signals. Top and bottom overscan was about 4 percent in both formats. Horizontal overscan was 4.5 percent on each side with 1080i, and about 3.5 percent with 720p.
Both the 1080i and 720p formats must be scaled to fit the 1366 x 768 pixel LCD panels. Sony has done a remarkable job minimizing aliasing and other scaling artifacts with the internal scaler. With the Sharpness control turned off, the horizontal and vertical lines in the AccuPel sharpness pattern were still displayed with superior edge sharpness and virtually no edge outlining around vertical lines. An isolated single-pixel 1080i vertical line is displayed as a single-pixel wide line with almost no visible horizontal smearing. An extremely faint white edge appeared on the horizontal lines, but overall this is perhaps the best scaling performance on fixed test patterns that I have seen from a projector or standalone scaler.
The 1920 pixel/picture width burst in the 1080i multi-burst pattern will create aliasing on any current fixed-pixel projector. The VPL-HS10 handled this signal in a manner that creates a minimum of visual artifacts. The single pixel black and white vertical lines were widened slightly and displayed with less contrast than the lower frequency bursts. There were no bright aliased lines or moiré patterns that are usually visible on fixed-pixel projectors. This reduces the aliasing artifacts when a camera pans across fine details in 1080i pictures. Try to avoid keystone compensation, however, because that will introduce some moiré.
Advancing the Sharpness control added a minor halo around vertical lines or edges, but had no effect on horizontal lines. It can be used to sharpen upconverted sources, but it is completely unnecessary with original HDTV programming.
I used the AVIA test patterns to evaluate the internal scaler performance for 480i signals. The horizontal and vertical resolution easily met the limits of the DVD format. The digitally generated 6.75 MHz vertical lines showed excellent definition and contrast even when a 4:3 test pattern was displayed inside a 16:9 frame. The sharpness pattern demonstrated outstanding standard-definition scaling on horizontal and vertical lines. Overscan on 480i signals measured 5 percent on the left, 3 percent top, 4 percent right, and 3.5 percent on the bottom. The chroma resolution of the YPbPr input was exceptional, but S-video chroma resolution was only average. This makes it especially important to use YPbPr signals when playing DVDs.
Deinterlacing Film And Video
The VPL-HS10 provides three deinterlacing modes—Off, Progressive, and Film. The Progressive mode locks the projector into motion adaptive deinterlacing, which should only be used with original interlaced video sources. The Film mode implements inverse-telecine deinterlacing whenever film sources with 3-2 pulldown are detected, and reverts automatically to motion adaptive deinterlacing when an original interlaced video source is present. The automatic switching worked fine; so set the projector to Film mode. The Off mode substitutes a basic vertical interpolation algorithm for motion adaptive processing. This creates a loss of vertical detail and a softer image, but under some circumstances it may provide fewer artifacts and hence a subjectively better picture for rapidly moving sports. However, I never found this situation to occur.
Film mode deinterlacing worked exceptionally well on all of the movies I tried, including those with difficult sequences where the 3-2 pulldown cadence was interrupted. There were also no glitches or combing artifacts visible on the Video Essentials Montage, which jumps back and forth between film-sources and interlaced video sources.
Unlike film sources, there are no ideal algorithms to perfectly convert original interlaced video to progressive video. Video source deinterlacing is always a tradeoff between some combination of edge jaggies, line twitter, and picture softening depending on image content and the specific processing algorithms. The VPL-HS10 did as good a job as I have seen on the pan of the stadium seats and the zoom into leafy tree on the Montage. It was less effective on the waving flag, which showed jaggies, and on the zoom out of the city, which had significant line twitter in the building windows.
But the real test for video source deinterlacing is live sports. The VPL-HS10 excelled in displaying football, ice hockey, and basketball with a minimum of twitter or jaggies on boundary lines and background signs, while also keeping the picture sharp. This was exceptional performance and an important consideration for sports fans. Both the film mode and video mode deinterlacing are so good there is no reason to consider an external scaler with this projector.
Picture Evaluation
The VPL-HS10 avoids or minimizes many common display artifacts to produce one of the more natural looking pictures I’ve seen from a fixed-pixel projector. The LCD panels are virtually free of the random pixelization sometimes visible with other digital projection technologies. I was also unaware of any significant fixed pattern noise, which can be an issue on LCD displays. The superior internal scaling, particularly for 1080i sources, avoids most of the aliasing and moiré artifacts that often afflict fixed-pixel projectors when displaying HDTV. Yet picture definition is exceptional with extremely sharp edges and well-defined detail.
For this review I watched a variety of over-the-air network HDTV programming from CBS, NBC, and ABC. The low price of the VPL-HS10 makes front projection an economic alternative to the usual family room rear-projection TV. After watching popular shows such as The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, JAG, The Guardian, NYPD Blue, CSI, and Without A Trace, it’s clear that an exceptional front projector is required to fully appreciate the picture quality that network HDTV has now achieved. Aside from the annoying commercials, the picture quality of My Best Friend’s Wedding on ABC was every bit as good as the films on the premium high-definition movie channels. The clarity and brilliant color detail of 1080i and 720p network programming is impressive on the VPL-HS10, which is at its absolute best displaying HDTV.
The projector’s only significant picture limitations are black level and an inability to display the deepest red colors. The latter probably won’t be apparent unless you have a reference display with a more extended red primary. In that case, you will notice less differentiation and vividness in the red hues of the flowers and band member costumes when Leeloo makes her entrance to Fhloston Paradise in The Fifth Element. But this is a limitation in the extent of the red saturation, while the color palette as a whole remains quite accurate. Leeloo's skin and bright hair colors are an excellent match to the reference display.
The other limitation, black level, is shared by all fixed-pixel projectors and remains a primary reason that expensive and bulky CRT projectors (such as Sony’s VPH-G90) are still the reference displays for home theatre. The VPL-HS10 doesn’t quite achieve the state-of-the-art contrast ratio of far more expensive fixed-pixel projectors, but it’s a major improvement over the previous generation of transmissive LCD projectors. Enthusiasts that are particularly sensitive to black will probably not be satisfied by any fixed-pixel projector. But if the peak brightness is kept to the levels I recommended earlier, the black level should satisfy the majority of viewers on most movies. K-PAX is an example of a generally dark film, but the black level was only a significant distraction during the planetarium scene. K-PAX also has luscious photography with rich and vivid colors that take great advantage of the VPL-HS10’s deeply saturated blue and green primaries.
This was the first opportunity I’ve had to use an HDTV set-top box with a DVI output to test a projector. I viewed 1080i, 720p, and 480p from terrestrial ATSC stations in their native resolutions over the DVI interface, and compared that picture quality directly to the analog YPbPr interface. DVI provided a significant increase in picture detail and clarity compared to YPbPr. Color differences were slight, probably because the YPbPr interface was already delivering virtually all of the color bandwidth contained in the transmitted digital YCbCr signals. But the additional luma detail and picture clarity using the DVI digital connection was unmistakable for the DTV formats.
The VPL-HS10 also does an excellent job displaying DVDs with vivid color and exceptional detail. Film mode deinterlacing is flawless and scaling artifacts are rare. But this projector unmercifully exposes the image quality gap between even the best DVDs and native HDTV. The movie studios and equipment manufacturers must realize that DVD is no longer the premium video format, and the delivery of HDTV by broadcast networks, satellites, D-VHS® D-Theater™, and cable is growing. The proponents of the competing high-definition DVD technologies had better agree on a unified HD-DVD format soon. If projectors with this picture quality become the norm, consumers won’t be satisfied with standard-definition DVD quality much longer.
Summary
The Sony VPL-HS10 Video Projector is an exceptional value at $2,995. It not only dramatically lowers the entry price to create a quality widescreen home theatre, but it’s also a versatile family-friendly projector. Its excellent video-source deinterlacing makes it a great projector for watching sports events or network programming in the family room, and the kids can safely use it to play PC games without the risk of damage associated with CRT projectors.
For critical home theatre viewing the VPL-HS10 has a superb scaler optimally matched to its 1366 x 768 pixel LCD panels. Sony has done a remarkable job minimizing aliasing and other scaling artifacts with the internal scaler. With the Sharpness control turned off, the horizontal and vertical lines in the AccuPel sharpness pattern were still displayed with superior edge sharpness and virtually no edge outlining around vertical lines. An isolated single-pixel 1080i vertical line is displayed as a single-pixel wide line with almost no visible horizontal smearing. An extremely faint white edge appeared on the horizontal lines, but overall this is perhaps the best scaling performance on fixed test patterns that I have seen from a projector or standalone scaler
CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
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