Jvc Rs20

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  • wettou
    Ultra Senior Member
    • May 2006
    • 3389

    Jvc Rs20

    Fantastic review from Art Feierman :T ;x(

    Thank you

    www.projectorreviews.com

    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector Review

    A detailed review of the JVC DLA-RS20 1080p home theater projector.
    This review has just been posted, consider it a "first pass". Better proofing, additional content and more RS20 comparative images will be added over the next two weeks.
    1/26/2009 - Art Feierman

    C o n t e n t s





    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector Overview

    Don't be surprised that I am truly impressed with the new top of the line JVC home theater projector, the JVC DLA-RS20, and therefore, also the virtually identical JVC HD750 (sold by a different JVC division). After all, in our 2008 1080p Projector Comparison Report, the older RS2 received our Best in Class award for best projector under $10,000 (that's as high as we go). JVC projectors are legendary for their excellent black level performance, and the RS20 is the best yet, although improvement over the RS2 is not great. The RS20 is an evolutionary improvement, not revolutionary.

    The DLA-RS20 projector uses 3 LCoS panels. JVC calls their LCoS designs D-iLA, but I prefer to use the generic LCoS terminology. JVC has done a stellar job of designing their LCoS panels to achieve unmatched native contrast for black level performance. Sony, the other major LCoS projector maker, has to rely on adding a dynamic iris to achieve their best black levels, and still can't match the JVC projectors.

    The JVC RS20 is a larger, good looking projector (though smaller than the RS2), finished in a shiny piano black finish with gold trim. The HD750, by the way, looks the same, but has silver trim, not quite as elegant, for those who care.



    The JVC DLA-RS20 also has a little brother, the new RS10, which will replace the older RS1 (that I own). The RS20 has the better black levels of the two (although, the RS10 may well have the second best black levels around). The RS20 isn't quite as bright as the RS10, although they are close. Also, there are menu and color control differences, and the JVC RS20 is one of the few projectors out there (and probably by far, the least expensive) to be THX certified. More on that later.

    As with the older JVCs, the RS20 is excellent when it comes to placement flexibility, with a 2:1 zoom lens and lots of vertical and horizontal lens shift. All lens functions are motorized, a very nice touch, and a change from the older models.

    The JVC DLA-RS0 is noticeably brighter than its predecessor, being very bright in best mode, but the JVCs have never enjoyed being much brighter in "brightest" mode, than "best" mode. That is still true, so while "very bright" in best mode, it is on the low end of average brightess in brightest mode.

    The DLA-RS20 is physcially fairly large, though definitely smaller than my RS1. It is longer front to back, but narrower. Input connections are now located on the side (left side, if looking from the back of the projector).

    Another improvement is that the RS20 is quieter than the older JVC models and is now average in audible noise, and should be reasonable in high lamp mode, for all but those most critical of any audible noise.

    JVC also has a new remote, however, that is about the only thing about the RS20 that has disappointed me. I'll discuss in the section on the remote control itself.

    Cutting to the chase, the JVC is pretty much a purist's projector. It's not into frills or fancy dynamic enhancement features. It's about putting the best possible image on your screen. Sorry, no frame interpolation, nor is there 4:4 or 5:5 for 24fps sources.

    Unlike the older models, the JVC RS20 is not as good in terms of out of the box color performance. Colors are noticeably oversaturated, and their Color Management System is needed to tame them. That said, once calibrated, the picture overall, and colors in particular, are stunning!



    Great projectors aren't inexpensive, and while the RS20 may seem like an incredible bargain compared to those mid five figure 3 chip DLP projectors out there, and even some specialty name single chip DLP's, it certainly is a chunk more money than any of the 3LCD home theater projectors. It's also more expensive than the Sony LCoS models (the RS20 is slightly more than the new higher end Sony VW70), not to mention the widely distributed single chip DLP's from folks Optoma and BenQ. Even the InFocus IN83 (a favorite of mine), costs less.

    The JVC DLA-RS20 has an MSRP of $7495, which is about $500 less than JVC quoted when they first announced the projector at CEDIA last Sept. Just for reference, the less expensive RS10 has an MSRP of $4995. Distribution is somewhat limited, however discounts can be found.

    DLA-RS20 Projector Highlights
    • Best black level performance of any home theater projector I've ever seen (other than old CRT projectors)
    • Good sharpness, but just average for 1080p projectors
    • Very good shadow detail
    • Out of the box picture is impressive, but oversaturated, calibration is definitely recommended to get the most out of this projector
    • Really good post calibration color accuracy
    • Excellent placement flexibility
    • Well above average brightness in best mode for movie watching
    • Brightest mode, isn't much brighter, barely average
    • Full support for HDMI 1.3b with 24 fps, Deep Color...
    • Definitely worth the bucks, if you are into performance


    Projector Specs for the JVC DLA-RS20

    MSRP: $7495.
    Technology: LCoS
    Native Resolution: 1080p (1920x1080)
    Brightness:900 lumens
    Contrast: 50,000:1
    Zoom Lens ratio: 2:1 (motorized)
    Lens shift: Vertical and Horizontal (motorized)
    Lamp life: 2000 hours "longer in standard lamp mode" (low power)
    Weight: 24.3 lbs. (10.8 Kg)
    Warranty: 2 Year Parts and Labor

    Click for or more complete specs and brochure








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    DLA-RS20 Projector - Special Features

    THX Certification

    The JVC DLA-RS20 sports THX certification (a program they launched just over a year ago when they certified their first projectors, a couple of Runco projectors costing at least six times the price of the JVC RS20). The certification indicates that this projector meets their recently defined standard for accurate reproduction. More important than the certification though is the pre-calibrated THX mode, in addition to the others such as Cinema 1 and 2, Stage, Dynamic, etc.

    Without a doubt the THX mode offers the best picture and color performance than any of the other presets. That isn't to say that it's perfect. I found that a well calibrated projector can produce what I feel is a more satisfying picture. THX mode has good skin tones and overall color, but I found the picture to be just a bit flat, that is, a bit lackluster. Also the black levels aren't quite as good as in some other modes. THX is the best place for you to start, but a good calibrator, one familiar with this projector, can provide a more enjoyable, impressive, viewing experience.



    Color Management System (CMS)

    JVC provides a primary and secondary color management system on the JVC DLA-RS20 and the HD750. The lower cost RS10 and HD350 do not have the CMS system.

    The CMS comes in very handy. The JVC RS20, for a projector of its caliber, doesn't do great out of the box, and the usual basic grayscale balance doesn't get the projector to the performance it is capable of. On the forums, some issues have been reported with some of the characteristics of how the CMS works, but users (the ones who are really into tweaking their projectors), have come up with some great settings. I'll get into this on the Calibration page. The bottom line, however, is that with a good calibration, including using the CMS, the results are really superb.






    Heads up: The image below is from the Stargaze HD Blu-Ray DVD. Some really spectacular imagery on this disc, for those with an interest in astronomy.



    Motorized Lens System

    While a number of projectors have motorized focus and zoom, the JVC also has motorized veritical and horizontal lens shift. The reason for pointing this out is that it allows one capabiliity some of you might take advantage of. Let's say you are putting on a typical Cinemascope movie - 2.35:1 aspect ratio - you'll have the usual letterboxing at the top and bottom. You can take advantage of the motorized lens shift to drop the active part of the image (the movie) down so that the bottom of the picture is even with the bottom of your screen. If you have dark walls you won't see the dim lower letterbox on your walls. You'll still have one at the top, plus some empty screen up there as well, but dropping the movie down will probably place it better for viewing. In most rooms you won't be looking up as much. The combination also means you can use the JVC with a 2.35:1 screen (if you have the right distance range for your screen), and zoom out when you want to watch standard HDTV or 16:9 movie content, as well as 4:3. Panasonic pitches this feature heavily on the PT-AE3000. The difference is that Panasonic lets you save the lens positioning, so you can switch back and forth with a single button. With the JVC, you'll be zooming in and out each time you switch from the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, to the others. For those watching mostly movies, this is viable, as it would only take maybe 15 seconds to do the adjustment from the remote.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Physical Appearance

    Clean lines, black piano finish and a little gold trim make for a physically very attractive projector. The motorized lens is recessed, and mounted slightly offset to the left of center. An infra-red sensor is just to the left of the lens. The control panel is on the top toward the rear (toward the right side if looking from the front), and the inputs are located low on the right side (looking from the front). Watch out! The IR sensors on the front and back are covered by some almost clear plastic. It's almost impossible to notice the plastic. If you don't remember to remove it, it definitely harms the range of the remote control.

    The projector can be shelf or ceiling mounted.

    The total depth is just under nineteen inches and it is about fourteen and a half wide. Its height is just over six and a half inches. A motorized door keeps dust off the lens, by closing when the JVC RS20 is powered off. There are adjustable front and rear feet.

    The inputs are located on the right side (viewing from the front), just above the bottom. This is a plus for many who shelf mount as they don't need a few extra inches for connectors and cabling coming out of the back. For those ceiling mounting, well, I guess it depends which side of the projector faces people with the lights on.

    The lamp gets replaced from a removable panel in the center of the back of the projector. So there is no need to unmount the RS20, if is is ceiling mounted (unlike a number of projectors who have their lamp doors on the bottom, which would be covered by a ceiling mount).

    Control Panel

    The RS20's control panel is located on the top. In the image on the right, you are viewing the panel from the back of the projector. The three indicator lamps are closest to the front of the projector. They are: Warning, Lamp, and Standby/On.

    Further back is the first button, the Power switch. It's the usual press once for on, press twice for off. Next is the Input button, followed by a Hide button to black out the image.



    Then comes the four arrow buttons in a diamond shaped arrangement, with a larger Enter button in the center.

    Lastly, side by side, are the Menu, and (menu) Back button. Pretty standard stuff. Of course, we all primarily rely on the remote control, and probably only use the control panel during initial setup, if at all.

    Input/Output

    Located on the side, from front to back, first there are two HDMI 1.3b compatible inputs. Next comes an analog PC input (standard HD15 connector), which, I must note was sorely missing from the RS1 and RS2.



    Next up, are three RCA connectors for the component video input, followed by another RCA connector for basic composite video. Next is the S-Video input, followed by the RS-232 connector for controlling the projector directly from a computer or room controller. Finally, there is a 12 volt screen trigger for controlling a motorized screen or masking system.

    All considered, that's a fairly standard complement of inputs and outputs, no surprises.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Menus

    While I really like the menu layout, using it drove me a bit crazy. As you can imagine, I am constantly making adjustments and comparisons, and the remote control is the culprit, not the menus.

    Most of the image goodies are found on the Picture menu, which is the first main menu in the top right when the main menu is open. Besides the usual Brightness, Contrast, Color Saturation, etc., the Picture menu has a Gamma sub menu, and and Advanced sub-menu (which has sharpness, and the all important CMS (color management system). More to follow. I've got images to add, and with them some descriptions. Stay tuned.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Remote Control

    I'm not fond of this remote control. I prefer the older one that came with my JVC RS1. That remote felt better, in that the buttons had better action. I find myself pressing, not hard enough, or down at the wrong angle, requiring me having to press again. The range is a bit limited, or at least if you are bouncing the signal off of your screen, you'll have to have the angle about right on.

    The backlight is good, with a a brownish yellow color (which doesn't sound inviting, but does look good), with the black labels on the buttons, making it easy to read.

    Quicktip: Watch out! The IR sensors on the front and back of the RS20 are covered by some almost clear plastic. It's almost impossible to notice the plastic. If you don't remember to remove it, it definitely harms the range of the remote control. Even once removed, the range and angle could be better, but it's a near disaster with them covered.

    Overall, the buttons are well organized and fairly well spaced. The buttons are of decent size. At the top are two power buttons. On the right is Power On, and on the left, is Standby (power off). You press Standby twice to power down.

    The next pair are Lens (brings up the Lens focus, zoom, and shift controls), and Input.

    Below those two are the Info button, Lens AP (aperture) for the manual iris, and on the right, Aspect ratio selection.

    Next come eight image controls, including: Gamma, Color Temp, Color saturation, Tint, N.R. (noise reduction), Brightness, Contrast, and Sharpness.

    Right above the four arrow keys in a round arrangement, are a Test button (toggles between test patterns) and a Hide button to black out the image.

    In the center of the four arrow keys is a very large enter button. Below the arrow keys are the Menu button on the left, and Back button on the right.

    There are 8 buttons for the modes, toward the bottom, Cinema 1, 2, Dynamic, etc. Three of the buttons are for your user defined modes User 1,2,3.

    The strangest thing, is there is no button for the THX mode. What were they thinking?

    Finally! the last button, a wide thin one is the backlight button. It's in a good place. Since the remote itself is very dark, it's nice that the Light button glows slightly in the dark.

    JVC's remote control has a very good layout, but overall, it's not bad, but not great, either!

    DLA-RS20 Lens Throw

    The JVC RS20's 2:1 aspect ratio zoom lens provides plenty of placement flexibility to either ceiling or shelf mount. To fill a 100 inch diagonal, 16:9 aspect ratio screen, the front of the projector can be as close as 9 feet, 11 inches, or as far back as 20 feet, 2 inches. Using these measurements for 100 inches, you can figure out the range for any other screen size.


    DLA-RS20 Lens Shift

    The RS20 has lots of lens shift too, and it's motorized. For that same 100 inch screen, the projector can be placed anywhere between 15 inches above the top of your screen surface, to 15 inches below the bottom of the screen surface. Those are approximates, JVC doesn't have exact numbers in its manual, but likely it's 14 inches and change above and below.

    There are some projectors with a bit more lens shift, but that's pretty good flexibility. The horizontal lens shift allows a maximum of about 30 inches to the left or right of the center point.

    Remember, that the two "work together" the more vertical you use, the less horizontal is available, and vice versa. If you have maximum vertical, there is no horizontal lens shift, and so on.

    Anamorphic Lens

    I'm waiting to hear back from JVC regarding an anamorphic lens solution. JVC had one for the RS2, and certainly plans one for the RS20, which does have the internal processing to support an anamorphic lens. When I last spoke with JVC about this, right before they started shipping, they advised that the solution for the RS2 doesn't work with the RS20, because the RS20 lens is recessed, and you can't get the anamorphic lens close enough, at least with the lens sled they were using. I will update when I confirm an anamorphic lens solution is available.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector - Image Quality

    JVC DLA-RS20 images below are from either Blu-ray, or HDTV, with the exception of Lord of the Rings (standard DVD). These images are not overly accurate compared to the image the DLA-RS20 projector projects on the screen. There are color shifts (too much yellow, in this case), saturation differences, etc.

    The images are provided to support the commentary, so don't read too much into them, such as expecting an exact reproduction of skin tones. In reality, the projectors always look better than the images in our reviews. From a color standpoint, my dSLR camera still adds a very slight green shift I have not been able to completely remove.

    DLA-RS20 Out of the Box Picture Quality

    I was surprised by the performance, right out of the box. It definitely could be better. The Cinema 2 mode leaves much to be desired (Cinema 1 is optimized for black and white movies, and we didn't pay much attention to it). Fortunately, the RS20's THX mode does a really good job, right out of the box, although it can definitely be improved upon. THX mode, however allows for very little adjustments (Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness), but no grayscale adjustments or access to the CMS (color management system). Take one home, and, until you get it properly calibrated, THX will give you the best results. I found THX, however, to not deliver the best black level performance that the RS20 is capable of, and the image lacks pop.







    Flesh Tones

    After calibrating and tweaking the JVC DLA-RS20, skin tones improved and we ended up with skin tones that we liked even better than THX mode, although they are pretty similar. I was really loving the skin tone handling until I put the RS20 up, side by side with the InFocus IN83, which has the best looking skin tones of any projector I have worked with. Side by side, the IN83 still gets the slight advantage, but again, the RS20 only really comes up a little short by direct comparison.

    While most projectors with good skin tones do differ from one another, they all tend to look very good during normal viewing. Put two such projectors side by side, and you really notice what would otherwise be subtle differences. If one has more red, and the other a touch more green, they tend to both look off, but either, by itself can look very natural.

    Here, first are a pair of images from my favorite movie not available yet on Blu-ray: Lord of the Rings, played from standard DVD.





    Next are our usual three images of Daniel Craig, as Bond, in Casino Royale, under different lighting conditions. The point here, is that correct skin tones vary, depending on the lighting. You can expect significantly different looking skin tones, when switching from bright sunlight, to nighttime, fluorescent lighting, incandescent lighting, or even lighting in the shade, or a cloudy day. Consider these three images, the first in direct sunlight, the second is a scene with fluorescent lighting, and the third, a sunny day, but Bond is sitting in the shade - indirect lighting.







    Next are images from the sci-fi flick, Aeon Flux:







    From Men In Black:










    Black Levels & Shadow Detail

    Black level performance and handling of dark shadow details are closely intertwined. A projector can have so-so black levels but very good shadow detail, and you end up with a dark scene that is very flat looking. Or, you can have great black levels and just "good" shadow detail, and you end up with the opposite, a dark picture with a lot of pop, but some areas may show a little less, or no detail in a particular area, whereas that the other projector does. I think most prefer the second example. The slight loss of shadow detail and great blacks is typified by the Epson Home Cinema 6500UB. The Mitsubishi HC5500 would be a good example of the first scenario. Ideally you want exceptional performance at both.

    That brings us to the RS20. Its black level abilities are unmatched. Richer and darker blacks than anything I've seen. The shadow detail, on the other hand, is simply typical of very good projectors out there. The combination of the two makes for the best looking dark scenes I think you can hope to find today.

    First is a seriously overexposed shot of the starship in The Fifth Element. Note, that even with this ridiculous level of overexposure, the blacks in the image, and the letterbox are still not much brighter than pure black. Immediately below it, is a less overexposed version, for better comparing with the same image in older reviews. In this first image, I have left in part of the letterboxing, so you can see the basic black level more easily.





    For comparison, here's the same image from the Mitsubishi HC6500. Not even close.



    And below is the Panasonic PT-AE3000, which isn't a match for the JVC DLA-RS20:



    Immediately below is the older JVC RS2 that the RS20 replaces.







    I also took side-by-side images with a fully black "image". There are no larger versions to click on. The interesting thing about shooting fully black "scenes" is that different projectors, so equipped, will close down their dynamic irises to different degrees. Just because one projector looks blacker on a black scene, does not guaranty that that projector is still blacker on a dark, but not fully black scene.

    In this case, though, the the comparison is between the JVC (on the right) and the InFocus IN83 on the left. Neither have a dynamic iris. So, what you see, is what you get. The IN83 sports a Darkchip4 processor, which is, I believe as good as DLP gets in terms of black levels (without adding a dynamic iris). There's no comparison between the two projectors, the JVC blows the InFocus away (The photo was taken with a time exposure just long enough to bring up the background of the JVC so you can see it along side the InFocus):



    Here are two more dark scenes comparing the JVC (right) and InFocus (left). Both are from The Dark Knight, the first is a production company logo at the very start (on a black background), and the second a night scene in Gotham. Both are a bit overexposed so you can better compare black levels (click to enlarge).







    Consider two additional images which are good ones for considering black levels. Look for the richness in the black part of some of the buildings and, also, the sky, in the second image. Both of these first two, are digital hi-def images from the DVE-HD calibration disc.







    There's nothing like a real image of the night sky to show off black level performance. I believe this one above, is from the Hubble telescope.



    Shadow Detail Performance

    The JVC is very good in terms of shadow detail. Good projectors today don't vary a whole lot in how much dark shadow detail they reveal. Yet, there still are differences. Differences in the gamma can make a difference, but ultimately it's more about getting a projector set up for its best performance. The JVC is definitely a solid performer. I've seen other projectors adjusted well enough to do better than I have been able to get out of the JVC, but were talking pretty negligible on all but the most difficult scenes, when properly set up.

    This first comparison image is a good one for both black levels and shadow details. It is from Men in Black. Look at the clouds, the details in the structures at the top, actually there's plenty to look at in the image. This image will become a standard one for comparisons, going forward. This image has the InFocus IN83 on the left (and it has about as good a shadow detail performance as I have seen). The JVC is on the right. You will see that the buildings at the bottom are hard to spot on the JVC. As is some of the detail in the band around the saucer. Note, though, most of the detail is there, it's just darker, and the eye has trouble picking it out because of brighter areas. Of course, that's what happens when watching movies. In scenes with lots of bright areas, you never pick up the dark shadow detail:



    In this image above, projected on the screen the JVC looks rich and dynamic, and the InFocs definitely looks a bit flat by comparison. This is definitely one type of scene where the JVC really shines.

    Below are groups of images, showing the JVC's performance on shadow detail and black levels compared to many of the other 1080p projectors out there.

    Top left: DLA-RS20, Middle: Panasonic PT-AE3000U, Right: BenQ W5000:



    The next set of comparison images is from Space Cowboys. This is a very dark scene with Clint Eastwood, on Blu-ray disc. The photos are intentionally way overexposed. Look for the blacks in the shades, and the details in those shades in the form of the white trim. (At this level of overexposure, don't even worry about the skin tones, as in these types of overexposed photos they always look terrible).

    First image is the DLA-RS20, followed by the Sanyo PLV-Z3000 and the Mitsubishi HC7000. Next is the the Sony VW60. The last two in the sequence are the Panasonic PT-AE3000 and the older Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB.















    Again, from Space Cowboys, this is a cropped image. The right side is very bright (so dynamic irises will not be effective). The DLA-RS20 (top left) shows very good shadow detail in the dark areas of the satellite. Next to it on the first row, is the Sanyo PLV-Z3000, Those images are followed by the Optoma HD806 and the PT-AE3000 (second row). The third row is the Mitsubishi HC7000 (left), and the Sony VPL-HW10. Apologies, the JVC image is a little blurred, but you can still see the details.







    The Space Cowboys re-entry scene is a tough shadow detail test. Projectors with weak black levels and average shadow detail ability tend to generate an image where much of the right side of earth looks to have that flat, lacking in detail look. All projectors pick up some of the brighter features on the right side, while better ones pick up a lot more and usually have richer blacks as well. The JVC does a great job, rich dark blacks, plus good shadow detail.

    Next is a frame from the last Indiana Jones movie. You'll this one in other recent reviews. The details still found as the walls and fixtures darken toward the top, are a good way to compare shadow detail.





    On the left, is the DLA-RS20, the middle, the Sanyo PLV-Z3000, and on the right, the Panasonic PT-AE3000. The exposures are all a little different, but you should be able to appreciate the combination of shadow detail and dark blacks



    Below is the night shot of the casino, in Casino Royale.

    When comparing, look at the detail in the roof (tiles), and also in the assorted trees and plants. The small images below (all from the same projector) show a slightly overexposed scene. Click on the images and you will find larger images, but of the different projectors. The large images are far more overexposed, to allow a closer inspection of shadow details.

    JVC DLA-RS20 projector:



    Epson Home Cinema 6500UB:





    Sanyo PLV-Z3000 projector:



    Panasonic PT-AE3000U projector:



    Sony VPL-HW10 projector:



    InFocus IN83 projector: (a more expensive projector that I've been raving about)



    Mitsubishi HC7000 projector:



    Mitsubishi HC6500 projector:





    Below is a heavily overexposed scene from Lord of the Rings. The overexposure lets you see all the details in the shed on the right, the structure on the left, and the plants and ground along the lower right. The DLA-RS20U performs very nicely.

    Click on left thumbnail image for the JVC DLA-RS20, Epson Home Cinema 6500 UB in the center, and the right for the PT-AE3000U.



    Our last comparison uses the night train scene from Casino Royale. Look to the trees and shrubs on the right, especially just above the tracks. The first image is the JVC DLA-RS20, the second is the Mitsubishi HC7000, and the last one is from the Panasonic PT-AE3000. While shadow detail performance is very good on all of these, you can see that the JVC does produce the best blacks.













    Next is a side by side - JVC RS20 this time, is on the Right. the InFocus IN83 to the Left. This scene is from the Dark Knight:



    Another good image for observing shadow detail is this very dark scene from the first National Treasure film. The DLA-RS20 performs more than well enough. This image is dramatically overexposed to allow you to view the darkest shadow details. Look to any dark area in the frame, but especially in the upper right steps. It handles those particularly well.:



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    Overall Color & Picture Quality

    The RS20 out of the box, as noted, leaves much to be desired in color accuracy and saturation, except in THX mode. THX is very impressive, but to my taste, it's a little lacking in wow factor - a little flat. Don't get me wrong, the RS20 really does look excellent in THX, it's just that it can do better. THX mode also doesn't quite have as dark a black level performance, as we achieved after calibrating. The thing is, to best calibrate the DLA-RS20 requires the color management system, and is tricky. As I've mentioned elsewhere, if you are spending "the big bucks" for an RS20, plan to spend the additional few hundred for a really good calibration, if you want to get the best out of this projector.

    After much work here, and help with the CMS from some of the very serious enthusiasts on the forums, we obtained an excellent calibration. (For more about it, see the calibration page.) While the colors are not as dead on as my favorite (for color accuracy), the InFocus IN83, which seems to look about perfect, in terms of colors and skin tones, no matter what you throw at it, the JVC RS20, is close behind. I've got some side by side images, and you can see differences, in some of them, but others look so close you might mistake them for being the same projector.



    Skin tones still have the tiniest amount of extra red when the faces, etc., are not well lit. Much better (extremely good) in bright scenes. These are minor things, there's no doubt far more variation in skin tones, from one movie to the next, than the overall amount of shift in the JVC RS20.

    The RS20 looks really great in terms of color accuracy- until, you put it side by side with the InFocus. Put it next to an Epson 6500UB, Panasonic PT-AE3000, and it's better overall, as is also true with the Sony HW10, and BenQ W20000. You should get the idea. Let's finish this off by saying, properly calibrated, the overall picture quality, including shadow details and color balance are excellent, but not the best.

    But, when you factor in the incredible black level performance of the RS20, then there's no other projector under $10,000, that I've worked with, that I'd rather own. Even the slightly softer sharpness/crispness of the RS20 compared to the absolute sharpest of the 1080p projectors is, by my taste, a very minor thing, in the overall quest for the getting the best possible image on the screen.

    A mix of additional images to show off the DLA-RS20:

    From the DTS Blu-ray test disk, consider these:





    From the DVE-HD test disc:







    Back to movies - here's a couple from Dogma and one from Aeon Flux:









    And here are a few more images, the two from Dark Knight, followed by two from the latest Indiana Jones movie and a few assorted scenes from movies and digital video sources:



















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    JVC DLA-RS20U Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports





    The images above and below are from a Moody Blues Concert that has been broadcast in HD, and is also available on Blu-ray disc. Once again, the great black levels make these images stand out.



    Sports looked very good, using THX or our calibrated Cinema 2 mode. Below is a sequence showing how the RS20 performs under different lighting conditions in my room (which was recently painted in this rust color). I took photos with one of the door shades about half open, then slightly open, then closed. For all three, the shutters on the stairs window was in the same position. For the shot taken with the shades full down, moderately low overhead lighting was added. The doors and windows face south so the sun is shining directly in, when these were taken. You can also see the amount of light hitting around the screen, on the front wall, and on the speakers in the larger football images.











    Next the shade is lowered most of the way down, but still allowing some sunlight in. That light illuminates the back wall, as seen in the second shot. Then you see a screenshot of the football game taken in this lighting. Not bad, just a little washing out of the blacks (not quite this bad in real life) but a most watchable image.

    \



    Now, in the two small images below, the shades are fully down, yet you can see there's still modest lighting in the room. With this shades setup, and my overhead lights on at moderately low levels, you can see that the image does not appear washed out at all!











    This last image is a slightly better exposure than the one above, and cropped to eliminate distractions. As you can see, that's an excellent picture, with a reasonable, low level of room lighting.







    Here are a few more HDTV images (very moderate lighting):









    Yes, in the next image from the HDTV broadcast of the 2009 Rose Bowl game with the Stealth bomber flying overhead before the start of the game. I was there, and can tell you that was a rather amazine experience. The bomber's wingspan was probably as wide as the field. In this case, even watching on my big screen with a great projector, was not even a semblance of the real life experience! Very cool!









    JVC DLA-RS20 - Performance

    JVC DLA-RS20 Brightness

    While there are a number of improvements in the JVC DLA-RS20, compared with the RS2, perhaps the most important to many, is a substantial increase in brightness. Certainly it is important to me, in considering buying an RS20, as the older RS2 simply did not have the horsepower (lumens) to fill my 128" Firehawk G3 screen. I'm pleased to report that the JVC RS20, by comparison, has no trouble filling my full screen for movie watching. As with all the other JVC home theater projectors I have reviewed, the RS20 is only slightly brighter in its brightest mode, than in its "best" viewing mode. That may still cause some consternation for folks who like to watch sports and TV with some ambient light present. Let's start with our measurements, "right out of the box":

    DLA-RS20 Projector - Uncalibrated:

    Cinema 1: 672 lumens
    (low color temp, optimized for viewing black and white films)

    Cinema 2: 722 lumens
    ("best" mode that allows calibration)

    Natural: 732 lumens

    Stage: 768 lumens

    Dynamic: 844 lumens

    THX: 837 lumens
    ("best" mode, in terms of overall performance, out of the box)


    The Effect of zoom lens positioning on brightness: Our standard measurements reported are done with the zoom at its mid-point. Here are relative numbers from the Cinema 1mode, for different lens positioning:

    Zoom out (closest position - wide-angle): 775 lumens
    Mid-zoom: 672 lumens
    Zoom in: 550 lumens

    Thus at the maximum zoom distance, the lumens are 18% lower. At the closest distance (wide angle), they are 15% greater. (The same ratios should apply to any preset mode)

    Low lamp power ("Normal" lamp mode), for Cinema 1: 448 lumens
    High lamp power ("High" lamp mode) for Cinema 1: 672 lumens

    That works out to a drop of almost a perfect 1/3 less brightness when running the lamp in Normal (low) mode. That same percentage difference should be unchanged, regardless of preset mode.



    Sharpness

    The JVC's have never been among the very sharpest looking 1080p projectors around, nonetheless, it isn't a serious issue. I refer to the JVC projectors as having average sharpness, simply because they do look sharp. Any differences on movie viewing between the RS20, and the sharpest images out there is slight. Where you might notice a bit more difference is with a straight digital video signal, as you don't have the softening effects of the film, that comes with movies.

    Perhaps this average "sharpness" is due to JVC's use of LCoS panels which have the least visible pixel structure. That may inherently make them look a little softer, even as they reveal the same amount of detail. That wouldn't surprise me, as the Sony's are typically similar to the JVC's and they too are LCoS. The other major projector that tends to fit in the group (in terms of sharpness) is the Panasonic PT-AE3000 which uses their SmoothScreen Technology on their LCD panels to end up with a pixel structure no more visible than LCoS.

    I don't notice any huge differences between the RS20 and the sharpest 1080p projector I have here the InFocus IN83 when watching movies, but I can definitely spot a little softening on my HDTV sports viewing. (I sit close, and have 20/15 corrected eyesight). On the other hand, side by side you can see, for example that the IN83 is sharper. The JVC does have a nice sharpness control and a detail enhancement one as well, on the advanced Picture menu. You can dial them up quite a bit, and get more sharpness, but if too far, you'll start getting some sharpening artifacts. The RS20 sharpness images taken below were the default sharpness settings. Dialed up, the sharpness and detail enhancement bring the JVC closer still, to the IN83.

    One thing noteworthy about the RS20's sharpness, is that it seems more consistent than many other 1080p projectors from the center of the screen to the corners. Many projectors have very detectable softening of the image in the corners and outside area, if you focus from the dead center. We recommend that with any projector you should pick a spot for dead on focus, that is about 1/3 of the way from the center to the corner. That will give the best overall sharpness across the image.

    For your consideration, our usual close up images

    Top left: JVC DLA-RS20, Top Left Center - Sanyo PLV-Z3000, Top Right Center - Sony VPL-VW60, Top right - Mitsubishi HC7000

    2nd row left: Epson Home Cinema 6500UB, left center: Panasonic PT-AE3000, right center: Optoma HD8000, right: InFocus IN83





    Close up of a computer monitor, from Space Cowboys (Blu-ray), left to right DLA-RS20, Epson Home Cinema 6500UB, Panasonic PT-AE3000, and BenQ W20000. The DLA-RS20 is one of the sharper 1080p projectors out there.



    JVC DLA-RS20: Bottom Line Sharpness

    Overall, I don't consider sharpness to be an important factor with the vast majority of 1080p projectors. While there are slight differences between the sharpest, and the average ones, it is something that people are only likely to notice with pure digital sources, not film based movies. Even there, my college football games are more than "sharp enough". If you do want to get a slightly crisper image, try the controls. One last image set, this one from The Dark Knight - lots of fine detail, not that the sequence is on the screen more than a couple of seconds. For this I have the sharpness setting turned up.



    Immediately below are the same basic image on two other projectors, for comparison. The Epson Home Cinema 6500UB (left) and the Panasonic PT-AE3000 (right):





    Time to move on!

    ^ Back to Top

    Light Leakage

    Seems like JVC projectors leak light all over the place, out of the lens. This is especially true if you are using a lot of vertical lens shift. That's the bad news.

    The good news is that while it covers a wide area, it's so dark as to be a non-issue. I remember still being able to spot the faint light on my off-white front wall of my theater when I reviewed the RS2 last year (and more so, with my RS1), but only on very dark scenes, and if looking! With my now dark, rust colored walls, the newer RS20's light leak is completely invisible to my eyes in a completely darkened room.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Image Noise

    JVC has stuck with higher end Silicon Optix for their image processing. They are using the Silicon Optix Reon-VX. Good stuff! The Reon-VX is found in a number of excellent projectors. I'm not aware of any notable flaws in image processing. Mosquito noise is just visible, in normal amounts, without the Noise Reduction engaged. I don't see a need to implement it, but that is personal taste. Performance on motion artifacts is very good. As you can imagine, the RS20 easily passes all the other related related tests on the HQV test disc, as that widely used test disc is put out by Silicon Optix.
    DLA-RS20 Audible Noise

    The new JVC RS20 is definitely quieter than my old RS1, and therefore also the RS2. It's still not the quietest projector around, but JVC is now claiming only 19db in low lamp mode (Normal). It is also quieter than the older models in high lamp mode (High). It is now quieter than just about all the DLP projectors, and a bit quieter than the Epson Home and Pro Cinema series projectors (3LCD). On the other hand, it still makes more audible noise than the extremely quiet Panasonic and Mitsubishi home theater projectors.

    Of course, none of that matters. What does matter, is whether it is quiet enough for your room and your sensitivity. In Normal mode, no one is going to have an issue. In High mode, a very small group of folks might, but I doubt that it will be a deal breaker for anyone. JVC lowered the audible noise enough (High mode) to take it out of the major concern category for people who have the projector mounted almost directly overhead. If shelf mounted, it should not be an issue, as the shelf itself will absorb some of the sound eminating from the RS20. Let's put it this way - if the RS20 is still too noisy for you, then you will find that there are only a handful of projectors that can do noticeably better in this regard.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector Calibration and Settings

    We calibrate each home theater that is reviewed. Normally we just do a basic grayscale calibration, but the JVC DLA-RS20 also needs to have individual colors calibrated in its Color Management System.

    The JVC RS20 is not a toy! If you are seriously considering the RS20, keep in mind that potentially, this projector is about as good as it's going to get of the under $10,000 projectors. To get the full potential out of an RS20, plan to have it properly calibrated. The end result is stunning!

    1/26/2009 - Art Feierman

    JVC DLA-RS20 Color Temperature

    First, here are the color temperature measurements for the Cinema 2 mode, as well as the THX mode, below it.

    These are the measurements, taken "right out of the box."

    Cinema 2 mode:

    30 IRE (dark gray): 6306K
    50 IRE (medium gray): 6301K
    80 IRE (light gray): 6134K
    100 IRE (white): 6005K

    Those numbers are well below the ideal 6500K, however, adjusting the color temp setting to -2 improves that somewhat, but that's not a solution.

    THX mode:

    30 IRE (dark gray): 6410K
    50 IRE (medium gray): 6487K
    80 IRE (light gray): 6305K
    100 IRE (white): 6299K

    Much Better! In fact, the THX mode is by far the best looking of the five presets. Still we believe it can be definitely improved on. The downside is that improving on it is very complicated, including tricky work with the JVC's CMS (color management system), as I will discuss below.

    For those interested, here are the color temperature measurement for white (100 IRE), for each of the five preset modes

    Cinema 1 (for B/W movies): 5273K
    Cinema 2: 6005K
    Natural: 6011K
    Stage: 6945K
    Dynamic: 8682K
    THX: 6299K

    It's almost shocking that none of the modes is really close to 6500K at measured white, although the THX mode as seen above, overall, doesn't track that far below 6500K over its range.

    Ok, time to see what we can do with the projector to improve the image.

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    JVC DLA-RS20 Basic Settings

    In addition to calibrating Red Green and Blue for a correct grayscale balance (6500K), there are a number of other settings that come into play. Typically Contrast and Brightness (white balance and black balance), need to be done first. Color saturation and gamma also need adjustment.

    Our final settings (the default settings for Brightness, Contrast, Saturation and Tint are all 0, in all modes). Mike made adjustments to these, and the Color Temp settings for each of the seven modes:

    Cinema1 Cinema2 Natural Stage Dynamic THX
    Contrast = (0) -2 -4 0 -2 -3 -1
    Brightness = (0) 1 2 2 4 1 1
    Color Sat. = (0) 0 -5 0 0 10 0
    Tint = (0) 0 -3 0 0 0 0
    Color Temp = 5800 6500 6500 7500 High Bright 6500
    Gamma = Normal B Normal C C Normal
    Lamp Mode=High (unless noted otherwise)
    Iris fully open
    All other settings at default (untouched)

    Zoom set at mid-point for all measurements

    Note, the JVC does not have User savable settings (you can customize all modes with the exception of THX), which are minimally customizable. (Note for THX mode, only Brightness, Contrast, Color Saturation Tint and Lens Aperture, but not Color Temp, Gamma or CMS).

    You can put in the settings you want, but there is no "Save function" that can be recalled, after changed. Thus, if you have customized, Cinema 2, for example, then decide to change its color temp, it will remember the new setting but it will forget the old settings you had put in. Be sure to jot down all of your settings as you customize a mode, or use a User mode. Otherwise, you might try adjusting something, not like the result, and not be able to remember what the old setting was.



    To get the Most out of the DLA-RS20, a calibration is necessary. Only the THX setting is technically very good. Oh the brighter modes are watchable for sports, etc. (very cool - blue shift).

    The thing is this. The JVC's Color Temp settings alone, do not get you to where you want to be. In addition is the JVC's CMS. In the Color Management System you can individually adjust each primary and secondary color for Hue, Saturation, and Brightness. This is important for this JVC, as the the colors are in general oversaturated. We normally don't even use a CMS for this level of calibration in our reviews. This is one of the few projectors with excellent potential that requires calibrating individual colors to get the most out of the projector. Without working in the CMS, you might as well just set the projector for THX, and enjoy (not a bad thing!) As I said, THX is pretty good, but the RS20 can do better. (Though, I suspect the THX folks might argue differently.)

    Adjusting CMS to get desired results can be difficult on some projectors and that is the case with the JVC for reasons I won't bore you with.

    Mike, as usual, picked up the projector for calibration. He did the CMS, and all the other goodies. Unfortunately, when he returned it, this time, the projector did not look anywhere as good as expected, due to the tricky nature of JVC's CMS settings, affecting each other.

    The best image he came up with was in many ways not as good as THX, and the most annoying aspect was a slight greenish cast to skin tones.

    So, off to the various forums for me, to see what is going on. For those of you who haven't visited AVSforum.com, AVforum.com, etc., this is where the hardcore enthusiasts hang out, as well as some "newbies". Some of these folks are on their 3rd, 4th, 5th home theater projector, and many are fanatical. I hooked up with a couple who have the RS20 already, and as one put it, he already put in something like 60 hours calibrating his. DON'T PANIC.

    Realize there is always slightly different performance from one unit to the next, due to the slight variation in lamps, but generally, we have found that the settings we publish from our calibrations, seem to work well for most.

    I've been communicating with a guy who goes by "lovingDVD" on the AVSforum. I had tried settings for CMS that he published, combined them with our Color Temp settings made a minor adjustment to our Color Temp, and ended up with a spectacular end result. 30 minutes of viewing several things later, and I decided I must have an RS20 of my own.

    I checked with him for permission to publish his CMS settings here, with the rest of our settings, and he gave me the OK. So, thanks "lovingDVD"! On that note, for those of you technically inclined, or even those of you who like to get overwhelmed, here's a link the Calibration thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1096981) for the JVC RS20/HD750 on the AVSforum.

    Warning, it gets technical, (I suspect most folks active in the calibration threads on the forums have engineering degrees, or are professional calibrators, and they have the gear to measure everything) Those threads overwhelm me at times, and as I write this, this JVC thread already has 90 pages of content. For most of you, I think you'll find that plugging in all of these settings listed below, based on our work as well as "lovingDVD" and others, will more than please you. If you hire a professional calibrator, I recommend one who knows this projector, or at least point him to this thread.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Post Calibration Grayscale

    Here's what we ended up with in measuring the grayscale. All the Color Temp and CMS settings are listed further down. Since then I have made minor changes to the color temp settings. I have not remeasured, but these should be close to our most recent best settings.

    20 IRE: 6418K (very dark gray)
    30 IRE: 6540K (dark gray)
    40 IRE: 6716K
    50 IRE: 6792K (medium gray)
    60 IRE: 6659K
    70 IRE: 6623K
    80 IRE: 6557K (light gray)
    90 IRE: 6453K
    100 IRE: 6423K (white)

    That's not by any means exceptional tracking of the color temp, but it is a very reasonable one. More importantly oversaturation of individual colors has been dealt with, and the bottom line is a much better image than you will see on other projectors that track a little closer to 6500K.




    Gamma settings:

    The gamma controls on the RS20 allow for detailed customization, including different gamma curves for each primary color! So far I've only tinkered there. I have found the provided gamma presets B and C to do a very good job, although I definitely prefer B for most content, C seems to work well for the rest. My personal favorite overall, is the B gamma setting. It provides a little extra pop to the image in most scenes, and looks great, doing it, while still maintaining a very film-like image.

    Overall, Mike reports that the B gamma is very close to the ideal 2.2 over most of the IRE range. C averaged a bit high at 2.32 gamma, which gives you a bit darker image in the mid-range IREs.



    JVC DLA-RS20 RGB Settings

    These are the adjustments we made to Red, Green and Blue for the grayscale balance of Cinema 2 mode. This is accomplished by placing these adjustments into one of the three Custom settings (1, 2, or 3)

    Color Temp settings:

    Gain:
    Red: -2
    Green: -8
    Blue: -49

    Offset:
    Red: -3
    Green: -2
    Blue: 0

    CMS Settings: H=Hue, S=Saturation, B=Brightness

    Red: H= -2, S= -23, B= 9
    Yellow: H= 3, S= -25, B= 15
    Green: H= -10, S= -25, B= 18
    Cyan: H= -1, S= -30, B=12
    Blue: H= 0, S= -10, B= 15
    Magenta: H= -1, S= -12, B= 10




    That's it folks. If these combined settings work as well in your JVC DLA-RS20, as they do in this one, you should be most pleased! A most impressive picture! Once again though, please consider that, with a projector in this price range, the cost of a good calibration is not a significant additional expense. More to the point, proper calibration will really deliver improved performance! JVC DLA-RS20 Projector Screen Recommendations

    Great projectors tend to look great on any good screen. The trick with the RS20 is to match the screen to your room, and your viewing requirements.

    For example, the RS20 does the best black levels around, so you really don't need to consider a high contrast gray screen, like the Firehawk G3 I use in my main theater, unless it is to deal with some (side) ambient light. For those with a fully light controlled room, for example, the StudioTek 130 G3, or other moderate gain white surfaces should be an excellent match. I had no issues with the black levels when switching to my Carada Brilliant White 106" screen (gain 1.4), in terms of black levels, beyond closing down the iris to reduce overall brightness for movie watching (due to the smaller screen size).

    Thanks to the RS20's brightness in THX, and calibrated Cinema 2, the RS20 has plenty of horsepower to handle the full 128" diagonal size of my Firehawk G3, in fact it still had enough lumens to spare that I reduced the iris from its maximum setting of 0, to -5, and still had enough brightness.

    For those of us who also like to watch sports, or typical TV/HDTV programming in an environment with some intentional ambient light, the THX and Dynamic modes are just a tad brighter, so there's not a lot of spare lumens to deal with ambient light. In a room like mine, while I don't need the Firehawk surface for great movie watching (room fully darkened), the screen's handling of side ambient light really comes in handy for dealing with the intentional ambient light I like for sports viewing, much of which comes from the sides. For that, the Firehawk does a great job.

    Bottom line, get a good screen that meets your lighting requirements. Preferably is should be a very fine surface, designed for 1080p projectors. For those wanting really large screens, higher gain screens may do the trick but remember, they have a narrow viewing cone (where you sit) and tend to roll off brightness in the corners.

    Just in case it helps you choose: With my Firehawk G3, I was very concerned about having enough brightness for sports viewing the way I like it. I probably would not have been fully happy with the brightest output the RS20 can offer (a safe bet, because that's exactly how I have felt about my RS1). Fortunately, though, we just re-painted, with dark rust wall color and darkened the light ceiling several shades. This made the viewing much better than with the light walls, etc. Since the window frames are now dark as well, I have less uncontrollable outside ambient light coming in from the sides of my motorized window shades. Now, however, that light from the windows is far less significant, I compensate by using my ceiling lighting controls, to get the room the way I like it for sports. I am pleased with the results. That's not to say I wouldn't rather the RS20 have an extra 500 or more lumens in brightest mode, but, It's going to look outstanding at our annual Superbowl Party this weekend!




    JVC DLA-RS20 - Competitors

    How does the JVC DLA-RS20 compare to other 1080p home theater projectors on the market? We consider the practical and performance differences, and try to provide a good perspective.

    DLA-RS20 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500UB, Pro 7500UB

    The obvious first! The RS20 is well over twice the price of the Home Cinema 6500UB, and almost double that of the Pro Cinema 7500UB. If you can get past the significantly higher price of the RS20, here's how they stack up:

    While the Epson's have the best black levels of any of the lower cost projectors, they still come up short compared to the DLA-RS20, or for that matter, even the less expensive DLA-RS10. Dark shadow detail performance also slightly favors the JVC, although, slight is the operative term. I seriously doubt anyone would rationalize the expense of the RS20 on the basis of shadow detail performance alone.

    On a fully dark image (pause indicator notwithstanding), The JVC demonstrates its better black levels (on the right). Also because projectors like the Epson use dynamic irises, they do allow some "brightness" compression when only a very small amount of the image is white or near white. As a result, not only does the JVC have "blacker blacks" but, based on the the difference in the pause indicator, bright areas will not be as bright.



    In the next image, click for a larger, more overexposed version. This is a far more typical "dark scene" than simply showing a black screen, and as a result the differences are harder to spot. While the Epson does a great job, you can see in the rooftops, and sky that the JVC still wins the day!



    When it comes to sharpness, I'll give the Epson's a slight advantage, as well. The de-focusing issue of the Epson's weighs in here as well. If your Epson is focused after it is warmed up, it can create a touch better sharpness. Pixel alignment will be a factor as well, when it comes to sharpness, so that a JVC with excellent pixel alignment, may well appear a bit sharper than an Epson whose pixel alignment is off a little more. Either way, the Epsons and the JVC's are in the same general place in sharpness. Neither brands are quite as sharp as the sharpest of the 1080p projectors, such as the InFocus IN83, and typically, several other DLP projectors.

    Being more "film-like" is an advantage of the RS20. This is to a degree about personal taste, rather than a definitive advantage. Epson offers a lot of pop and wow to their image, which also makes it a touch less film-like. The RS20's THX mode, for example, I found to be a bit flat (lacking the more dynamic look of the Epson projector).

    If you are interested in going with an anamorphic solution, that takes the 6500UB out of the equation, since it lacks internal support for an anamorphic lens. Sure, you can solve that with an outboard processor, but it would be less expensive to just buy the 7500UB (which has the support).

    The Epsons offer a touch more placement flexibility, but the very small difference probably wouldn't impact the decision of more than a couple of percent of the people considering these choices.

    The RS20 has motorized focus, zoom, and lens shift. That's always nice to have - consider, it's a bitch to get a perfect focus with the Epson projectors when you are 15-20 feet back from the screen when focusing the projector. With the JVC, using its remote control, you can do the focus with your eyes no more than one foot from the screen.

    The Epson's have taken some "hits" in reviews (like mine) and on the forums for some significant issues with their frame interpolation methods, but then JVC, like most manufacturers, don't do any creative frame interpolation. Actually as it turns out, the serious Epson issues tend to relate to creative frame interpolation of 24fps movies, to 120hz, creating 4 new frames between each two original frames. The only other projectors pushing creative frame interpolation (the Sanyo PLV-Z3000 and Panasonic PT-AE3000), don't even make the attempt. Neither adds more than one creative frame, and only from 60fps sources, not Blu-ray movies at 24fps.

    So, if you like creative frame interpolation for sports, the Epson has it for you, and does it fairly well. For movie watching, using 4:4 the Epson offers 96fps compared to the 48fps of the JVC RS20.

    Brightness is a trade-off, depending on your own viewing requirements. The JVC is substantially brighter than the Epson in best mode, while the Epson projectors are roughly twice as bright as the JVC RS10 when comparing brightest mode. In terms of screen size, whereas the limited brightness of the Epson projectors' best mode, limits you to screens of 110" diagonal or less, with most normal screens (gain of 1.4 or less). On the other hand, the JVC can handle my 128" diagonal screen, with lumens to spare for movie viewing. The JVC has enough for sports and HDTV viewing filling my whole screen, with goog lighting control, without fully darkening the room. By comparison the Epson, in brightest mode handles my room and screen rather effortlessly, compared to the JVC.

    Bottom line: Similar placement flexibility, sharpness, general features, but the JVC is a bit more film-like than the Epson (at least the 6500UB, as I haven't worked with the 7500UB which can be more finely calibrated). While the Epson's black level performance is excellent, the JVC is simply the best. Also, since the Epsons rely on a dynamic iris, when the iris is working hardest on very dark scenes, it compresses the brightest areas slightly, so the JVC has more dynamic range at both ends of the brightness spectrum on dark scenes.


    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. Mitsubishi HC7000

    I haven't had an HC7000 here while working with the RS20. The Mitsubishi, however stacks up this way. It is quieter. It has a slightly sharper image. It's not anywhere near as bright in best mode, and, for that matter, it's not as bright in brightest mode either. The HC7000 is a great projector for small screens (best for 100" diagonal or less). It's black levels are similar, but not quite as good as the Epson 6500UB discussed above, so the JVC has the advantage there, but, like the Epson, the Mitsubishi does offer excellent black level performance.

    Shadow detail is about comparable.

    When it comes to out of the box image quality, the Mitsubishi is "respectable" but a calibration is needed for best results. Calibrating the HC7000 is easy compared to the RS20. While we also strongly urge a calibraton of the RS20, it should be noted that the RS20's out of the box THX mode is definitely superior to the best mode the Mitsubishi can muster out of the box.

    The Mitsubishi HC7000 like the RS20 does not do creative frame interpolation. I do believe the HC7000 takes a 24fps source up to 48, while the JVC goes to 96. I don't consider this to be a significant advantage, except to some sensitive to one type of motion blur.

    The JVC has a slight advantage in placement flexibility.

    Price is the biggest single difference. The Mitsubishi most likely is being sold by local dealers for a bit more than half the JVC's price, making it more a competitor of the RS10, than the RS20. Also in Mitsubishi's favor is longer overall lamp life. Actually both are rated 2000 hours at full power, but the Mitsubishi claims 5000 hours in low lamp. Better ask yourself, though, considering the lower brightness of the Mitsubishi, if you will have the room/screen setup that really allows you to run in economy mode, due to the low lumens.

    Bottom Line: While not direct competitors, both are good values at their price points. The Mitsubishi will appeal to those on tighter budgets, with smaller screens and who prefer a virtually silent projector with a very sharp image!

    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. BenQ W20000

    This comparison is giving me the most headaches, because ithe W20000 is an extremely good DLP projector, but one I haven't had here in a long time. It's sharp, it's one of the few DLP's with lens shift, and a lens though limited in zoom range, has a long enough throw to allow many folks to shelf mount. Still the JVC has far more zoom range, and more lens shift, but if you prefer to shelf mount, and the W20000 works in your room, the extra range of the JVC isn't relevant.

    I'm historically a big BenQ fan, having owned successive BenQ projectors for about 4 years, before buying a JVC about two years ago. They really do a good implementation.

    The JVC is a touch quieter in terms of image noise. Completely separate, the JVC is also noticeably quieter in terms of audible noise.

    The BenQ image, however is very sharp - definitely a crisper, sharper look than the JVC, and like the IN83 from InFocus, the BenQ W20000 sharpness really adds something when watching HDTV, especially sports and those travelogue, science, interest, and other HDTV content, that provide spectacular imagery. The W20000 is a little more like looking through a window (at the Grand Canyon, or a tropical island, or the international space station).

    Black levels are the achilles heel of the W20000, but only by comparison to the RS20. The BenQ's black level performance is very good for a Darkchip3 DLP projector, and more so if you can stop the manual iris down.

    The two projectors are roughly the same in brightness, with the JVC having an advantage in "best" mode. In brightest modes, the BenQ should have the slight advantage with Brilliant Color turned on, which is exactly how we would recommend using it when ambient light is present.

    BenQ gives you an extra year warranty (three years), plus they have a first year replacement program. Like JVC, BenQ seems to have very good build quality, and good reliability. A past "trial" with defective lamp problems with an old 720p projector, saw BenQ really stepping up and upgrading firmware and lamps in every projector of that model that they sold, until the fixed the issue months later. JVC to my knowledge has never faced such a task. Still it's nice to know that BenQ came through for their owners.

    If you like that DLP feel of depth, and a good amount of "pop and wow", the BenQ is a serious, lower cost competitor for the RS20 (or really, the RS10).

    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z3000

    I'm not going to say much here. Because of brightness differences, and black level performance, these are not even close to being competitors. The Sanyo PLV-Z3000 has the weakest black levels of the top of the line "ultra high contrast" LCD projectors, so while still very good, their black levels are no match at all for the RS20. When it comes to brightness the Z3000 is actually a little brighter in brightest mode than the JVC, but the JVC has roughly double the lumens in it's best mode, when both have their iris's open.

    The Sanyo is a really good projector for the bucks, and has a three year warranty, but the only time someone might seriously consider both, is if they are torn between spending a little now, and planning a major upgrade in a year or two, and they are a smaller screen user.

    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. Optoma HD81-LV

    It's probably been two years since we reviewed the HD81-LV, so I'm relying on notes and the HD81-LV review, more than memory.

    The HD81-LV is a screamer - brightest single chip DLP around, and brighter than the JVC in any comparable mode. Got a really big screen, and if you aren't a "purist" the HD81-LV pops and really wows you. I do remember my first impression once I had it properly set up. It was something like "finally a projector that looks good, and doesn't even consider my 128" screen to be a challenge. Its colors are rich, well saturated (though sometimes over the top), and have good depth. The JVC is simply far more refined an image, not quite as bright.

    When it comes to black levels, the Optoma is a typical Darkchip3 DLP projector, and no match for the RS20 (and for that matter the RS10). Optoma HD81-LV owners will, like RS20 owners, want to get their projector properly calibrated. Want that 150" diagonal screen, start taking a serious look at the HD81-LV.

    Price wise, street on the HD81-LV has been hard to track but it definitely should be findable for a bit less than the RS20.

    Placement flexibility is a chronic weakness of most Optoma projectors. No lens shift, and a 1.2:1 zoom, so it's strictly a ceiling mount projector, and it has a lot of lens offset, requiring it to sit a about 18 inches above the top of your screen. The sad thing about that is that if you want that huge screen 130" or larger, and you don't have high ceilings (at least 10 foot) it just won't work for you. With a 130" diagonal screen, the Optoma mounted pretty much flush to the ceiling, will have the bottom of the screen only about 24 inches off the floor with a 10 foot ceiling, or 12 inches with a 9. If you have an eight foot ceiling and want 130 inch diagonal, you'll need a shovel.

    The Optoma is also is one of the noisier 1080p projectors out there in terms of audible noise, definitely a notch noisier than the JVC.

    For folks who are more into HDTV/Sports than movies, who want a really large screen, and have the room to mount the Optoma, it is worthy of consideration, but for movie purists the JVC is the way to go.

    DLA-RS20 vs. InFocus IN83

    Very interesting competition here. The IN83 is an excellent DLP projector with Darkchip4. The IN83 I have here still does the best overall color of any of the current 1080p projectors I've reviewed, doing our normal calibration. Even with the CMS settings we are using for the RS20 (and we didn't do anything but grayscale balance, brightness, contrast and gamma, for the IN83), the InFocus still has the advantage in skin tones and overall color. It's the kind of difference where the RS20 looks great, and everyone is happy, until put side by side with the IN83, then it's - the RS20 looks great, but the IN83 does better.

    That's only until you hit the first dark scene, and the JVC RS20's black levels just destroy the IN83's best on those dark scenes. Black levels aren't even close, as you can see from these three side by side images. The first is simply a black image (between scenes). Since neither projector uses a dynamic iris, what you see, is what you get. Remember we overexpose these images (to varying degrees) to make the differences easy to see (JVC is on the right side in all of these images):



    Here's a logo at the startup of The Dark Knight:



    Next is a scene with almost no bright areas, from Men In Black. This is an excellent example of the difference in black level handling between these two. The first pair is more overexposed to show differences, the second is closer to what you will see on your screen:





    More from The Dark Knight (again image immediately below intentionally overexposed:



    And here's a good comparison of a daytime image, with skin tones (This image is unintentionally a little overexposed - sorry):




    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. Panasonic PT-AE3000

    More so than any other projector, the Panasonic PT-AE3000 is a poor man's JVC RS20 (or more realistically a poor man's RS10). The 3LCD Panasonic is smooth and natural looking once properly set up. While it's black levels can't match the JVC's and trail slightly, the Epson 6500UB, the Panasonic is a bit more film like than the more "pop and wow" image of the Epson, and in that regard, more similar to the JVC RS20. The Panasonic relies on a dynamic iris for its extremely good black level performance, and like other such projectors, does compress small bright areas on mostly dark scenes, for a little less dynamic look.

    The Panasonic is every bit as good, and perhaps a touch better in shadow detail (in other words, excellent). The Panasonic is very good out of the box. OK, perhaps not as good as the RS20's THX mode, but very good, none-the-less.

    Brightness in best mode definitely favors the JVC, as the Panasonic can't handle as large a screen, due to having far less lumens in best mode. In brightest mode, however, the two are pretty much equal. While pixel structure is not a real issue with 1080p projectors, the Panasonic is the one projector with even less pixel visibility than the LCoS projectors like the JVC. Sharpness is roughly comparable, with the JVC I have here, having a slight edge over the PT-AE3000 unit I have.

    The Panasonic is also slightly quieter in terms of audible noise, and will appeal to those few who are really adverse to any noticeable fan noise.

    The Panasonic has a very good creative frame interpolation scheme for 30/60 sources, which the JVC lacks. Sports fans might take note of that. Both take a 24fps image to 96!

    The Panasonic has their interesting "pseudo anamorphic lens emulation" (my ridiculous term for describing its ability to work with 2.35:1 "Cinemascope" screens without an anamorphic lens), which makes it an even better price deal for those who want to go real widescreen. (It's not as good as using an anamorphic lens, but does save thousands!)

    If you are looking, overall, for something along the lines of the RS20 (or RS10) but not anywhere near as expensive, but still an excellent projector, the Panasonic is definitely one of the best choices - if you have enough lumens for your room and screen.

    Note, while I haven't taken any side by sides between these two projectors, look for side by sides between the Panasonic and the JVC DLA-RS10 in that JVC's forthcoming review (due to publish 2/09).

    Bottom line: The Panasonic, is, as I mentioned above, well described as a poor man's JVC. In that, it is similar to the Sony HW10, but even less expensive. The Panasonic is an excellent choice for well less than half the price of the RS20, and it has some nice extras, but it is still a real step below the RS20.


    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. JVC DLA-RS2, DLA-RS10

    Let's start with the RS20 vs. the older RS2 it is replacing. The short version is this: The RS20 is dramatically brighter!

    The CMS, etc. will allow slightly better overall color, but a calibration is very tricky, which is why we published CMS settings done by two guys on the forums (one did the bulk of the work the other figured out how to improve on it). Together - between 60 and 80 hours work. (I wonder if they have time to watch movies?)

    However, they also tell me, that, while grayscale balance will vary from projector to projector, good CMS will be essentially unchanged from one projector to another. Thus, the CMS settings we published, should be most helpful. Those guys are still not completely satisfied, and I expect they will further revise over the next month or two. (they haven't had their RS20's very long, of course.) If they send me better settings, I'll update the review, and or put up a blog about it.

    JVC has stayed with Silicon Optix Reon processing (the RS20 probably has a slightly newer version), but there were no significant issues with the older processing in the RS1 and RS2) at least I've never had a complaint with 1500 hours on my RS1.

    That pretty much covers it. If you want an anamorphic solution, I'm waiting to hear back if JVC's is ready. The one they offered for the RS2 can't get close enough (with that setup's lens sled) to work with the RS20, which has the lens further recessed.

    Black levels may be a hair better on the RS20, but without an RS2 for a side by side, hard to say. Any improvement is going to be slight - far less, than say between the RS2 and RS1, or RS20 and RS10. "Incremental improvement" probably would describe it.

    So, ultimately, the RS20 should, with an optimum calibration, do a bit better in terms of color accuracy, skin tones, etc., than the RS2, but it really comes down to brightness. If you have a smaller screen, for example, a 100", then you can stop down the iris quite a bit, with the RS20, providing another incremental improvement in black levels.

    That brings us to the RS20 vs. the RS10. I'll cover the basics right now, though I'm still working on the RS10 review.

    Brightness is very close, in "best" mode (Cinema 2 on the RS20, Cinema 1 on the RS10), the difference is just a few percent. In brightest mode, the RS20 ended up slightly brighter, but, let's just say both projectors are pretty much equal in brightness.

    There is still a notable difference in black levels favoring the RS20. On many mixed scenes, mostly dark, but with some bright areas, it's hard to tell the two apart, but on scenes that are pretty dark overall, the RS20 shows off its superior black level abilities. Between the two projectors (post calibration), I give a slight edge to the RS10 in showing off dark shadow detail. This isn't surprising, as the nearest thing to black is darker on a projector with better blacks, and therefore harder for the eye to discern. Call it a non-issue, adjusting Brightness by one number in either direction and one projector can go from being the better, to being the worse of the two in shadow detail.

    While the RS20 is a tricky calibration, the RS10 without the CMS is much simpler, and I should point out, produces better results if you just do grayscale calibrations on both (no CMS with the RS20), you'll like the RS10's skin tones better, etc. The RS20, though comes with the THX mode, which is probably more accurate in color handling than our RS10 calibration, but they are close. The RS10 after we calibrated, though has more pop to the image, we find THX to be a bit flat (probably technically correct, but a touch "boring" by comparison). The RS10, of course costs a lot less, has the same 2 year warranty, and also supports an anamorphic lens solution with internal processing, however it does not offer an analog computer input, which may be a pain for some owners. If your computer outputs DVI or HDMI, though, it's not a problem.

    My best take: I would have bought the RS2 to replace my RS1 when it came out, but it lacked the lumens needed for my room and screen. This time around, brightness is at parity, and I expect to have a new RS20 installed in my main theater later this month (Feb. 09).

    Here are a few images showing black level, and also general differences - RS20 on the right:










    JVC DLA-RS20 vs. Sony VPL-HW10

    No contest in price, no contest in performance. The Sony is far less expensive, but black levels are not even remotely in the same league. Other lower cost projectors that do notably better black levels than this Sony (Epson UB projectors for example), still don't come close to the RS20. The JVC has a real but not great advantage in placement flexibility, but that's only an issue if the Sony won't work in your room and the RS20 will, and that's probably not more than 10% of potential buyers, and easy to figure out.

    The Sony VPL-VW70 projector is the official competition for the JVC DLA-RS20, but we haven't reviewed that one yet (March 09, most likely). The Sony is also not a match in terms of brightness. As regular readers know, our old gear measured lumens higher than most other reviewers - 30%+ higher in some cases. Our new gear is in line with everyone else (more accurate). The Sony measured 836 lumens in best mode (old gear) which we translate to 597 lumens, not drastically less bright, but still well below the 775 calibrated numbers for the RS20.

    The HW10 is the lowest cost LCoS 1080p projector out there. If you like the fine pixel structure of LCoS, want to avoid rainbow effect from DLP's, it is a worthy projector, but it's not playing in the same league as the RS20.

    For your consideration, several images. Please note, to try to get the two projectors as close as possible in terms of brightness, I used different lamp modes and adjusted the JVC's manual iris. Since the Sony relys on a dynamic iris, if I shoot so that dark scenes are almost identical in brightness, then bright scenes make the Sony brighter, as you can see in the one daylight image. The Sony is on the left, JVC on the right:









    I'll report more thoroughly about the JVC vs. the Sony VW70 review when I get that Sony in.

    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector - Warranty

    JVC provides a two year parts and labor warranty.

    That's the most common warranty among 1080p home theater projectors. A few others out there offer three years, and a few only one year.

    JVC seems to have very good build quality, and the previous JVC models have had a good reputation for reliability. (My own RS1 has performed very reliably as well, it is now 20 months old and has about 1500 hours on it, with no issues.)


    JVC DLA-RS20 - Review Summary

    A summary of the JVC DLA-RS20 projector's pros and cons and capabilities.

    January 26, 2009





    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector - The Bottom Line

    The JVC DLA-RS20 and its twin, the HD750, improves on the older, and our previously highest rated home theater projector, their RS2. It accomplishes this with a lot more brightness, slightly better black levels, and a sophisticated, if difficult, color management system, which when properly calibrated produces a truly excellent image.

    Only the THX mode looks really good out of the box. Dynamic is barely brighter, and way off on Color Temperature (which is why we didn't do our usual "quick calibration" of Dynamic mode).

    You'll definitely want a professional to calibrate your JVC RS20, as the basic capabilities of the "end user" calibration disks, will not get you to where you want to be. Consider the few hundred or more dollars for a first class calibration to be an integral part of the cost of owning an RS20, but, it is most definitely worth every penny.

    While most projectors can produce very good color, with proper adjustment, the RS20 is a class of one (OK two, if you count the older RS2), when it comes to black level performance. The combination of great post calibration color, black levels and brightness, is simply unbeatable. That's not to say that the JVC is the very best at color, or brightness (the InFocus IN83 still has the best color, though the RS20 comes very close, and the Optoma HD81-LV is brighter in every mode, while the IN83 is almost as bright in "best" mode, but significantly brighter in "brightest".



    Once fully calibrated, dark scenes on the DLA-RS20 are intensely rich, while medium and bright scenes just look right. The InFocus IN83 certainly holds its own with the RS20 in both brightness color accuracy and film-like appearance, (and it does have a bit more pop to the image on medium and bright scenes). That said, when it's nighttime, or in the shadows, on your screen (any largely dark scene), the DLA-RS20 simply blows away the InFocus. No contest at all. And that, folks is exactly why I'm going to replace my "aging" (20 month old) RS1, with an RS20 any day now! I can't give a higher recommendation than that!



    OK, we've just established that the RS20 has the whole picture quality issue covered, what about the rest of the pieces in the puzzle.

    Brightness, is a key consideration to many home theater projector owners. If you have a "cave-like" home theater, for full lighting control, and you only plan on a 100 inch diagonal screen (87 inches wide), just about any home theater projector has the brightness for movie enjoyment and brighter HDTV and sports viewing. If, however, you are in the 110 inch to 135" screen size range (as I am), and especially if you watch movies, but also content like sports with some lights on, then the majority of projectors simply won't work for you. For example, the old RS2, didn't have the lumens to fill my 128" screen, whether for movie viewing or sports/HDTV with some light. Others (typically LCD based projectors such as the Panasonic and Sanyo projectors, have enough brightness to work with larger screens in their brightest modes, but not in their best modes. Still others have the lumens for the large screen when watching movies in the dark, but don't have the lumens for sports/HDTV type viewing with some light on (LCoS projectors often fit in this category, along with some DLPs).

    I mention all this because the JVC DLA-RS20 is solid. For the first category, the RS20 has lots of lumens for movie watching on a large screen in a fully darkened room.

    For sports and HDTV viewing with some light, it is more marginal. I've definitely decided that in my large room, now that I've darkened it further during the daytime, the RS20 definitely works for my room and tastes. I do know, from my similarly bright RS1, that with my old setup - light walls, and more light leaking in around shades than now, that the RS20 would be just marginal for my football viewing, just as my RS1 was until the recent room changes.

    My point is that the RS20 can handle larger screen sizes, in many cases, for both types of viewing. Matching it with the right type of screen, however, will be very important to making it work. (But definitely lose the sunlight, if you have a southern exposure!)

    Audible noise: While many find even the noisiest home theater projectors pose no problem for them, I do get a lot of comments from those who really insist upon a very quiet projector. Most of them simply don't want to hear any fan noise when there's a very quiet scene on the screen. This is compounded, particularly, if your projector is ceiling mounted, and almost directly above your head. Those shelf mounting up high, in back of their room, have the advantage of normally sitting closer to the screen, and that the shelf itself can absorb or deflect some of the sound, away from the viewer.

    The JVC RS20, is quiet enough in its low lamp mode (labeled Normal), that virtually no one should have an issue with it. With the lamp on full power (High mode), the RS20 is about average. And that means some folks will take issue with the fan noise. Not many, I suspect, but some. To a large degree this is a personal thing, as some folks just don't notice it. Many hardcore enthusiasts, though, in their search for perfection, find any flaw distracting, be it fan noise, the slightest color imbalance, so-so black level performance, etc.

    I mention all of this because the RS20 will appeal strongly to the enthusiast. The good news is that, I do believe the RS20, a little quieter than the older RS1 and RS2, will be found by most buyers, critical or not, to be satisfactory even in its High lamp mode. For those that aren't, the choices are pretty slim. Mitsubishi and Panasonic projectors for example are extremely quiet, and affordable, but they aren't in the same class, in terms of picture quality.





    Fancy features: Not a strength of the RS20. This JVC is more of a purist's projector. As such, it doesn't sport a dynamic iris. In fairness, it doesn't need one, but geez, how black could the black levels get on dark scenes if it had one? It also isn't capable of 120fps output from 60fps sources. It does however take 24 frame per second source material (primarily Blu-ray disc) and output at 96fps (4:4). On the other hand, it doesn't do creative frame interpolation. Of course these are all brand new features in the home theater projector market. (I do like creative frame interpolation when viewing sports.) I suspect the next generation may offer some of these, but, I wouldn't trade the RS20's overall picture quality for any of these features. If I would, I'd be looking at Panasonic PT-AE3000 and Epson UB series projectors. Given a choice, I'll take the JVC's picture quality over another projector, not quite as good in that regard, but loaded with the fancy features. Most of us will.

    The very bottom line: The JVC DLA-RS20 and HD750 are not inexpensive. With a price tag (MSRP) currently over $7000, you are paying twice the price or more, compared to some really very fine projectors. This JVC is, however, a step up! In this case, though, if you want great picture quality, if it works in your environment for your types of viewing, and if the budget isn't a deal breaker, I don't think you can do better.

    More simply stated: The JVC DLA-RS20 is pricey compared to the much of the competition, but is definitely worth the difference. Rather than talking about price/performance, let's just say it is an excellent value proposition - you'll get your money's worth!

    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities





    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector: Pros
    • The best black levels of any projector we have worked with, at any price. (Just slightly better than the RS2 it replaces, which was the former black level champ)
    • Very good color accuracy post calibration in best mode
    • Significantly brighter than average in "best" modes - not the brightest out there, but plenty of lumens for larger screens
    • Manual iris allows you to dial down brightness for smaller screen, which in turn increases contrast and black level performance slightly
    • Very good shadow detail performance
    • The combination of extremely good color accuracy, and black levels makes for the best overall picture quality of any projector we have reviewed
    • Two HDMI 1.3b inputs, full support for 24 fps, Deep Color, etc.
    • Outputs 24 frame per second sources at 96 fps
    • Three User definable image modes (User 1,2,3) in addition to being able to modify all the predefined modes, except THX (which has limited adjustments available). Plus, three Custom modes each, for Gamma, Color Temp, and CMS
    • Good layout on the remote control, and a good backlight with easily readable buttons
    • Excellent placement flexibility due to 2:1 zoom and lens shift
    • Focus, Zoom and Lens shift all motorized (see special features, first page for fringe benefits)
    • Very good menus
    • The price is reasonable for the outstanding performance!





    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector: Cons
    • Calibrating the CMS (color management system) is very tricky, as adjusting some controls affects others, something one does not expect to happen in a typical CMS
    • Slightly below average brightness in "brightest" modes
    • A third HDMI input would be nice
    • Slight (but acceptable) pixel misalignment, only partially corrected on this unit by the pixel adjustment feature
    • Key action on remote control is a bit iffy, range somewhat limited, you need to find the right angle when pointing for a bounce off of your screen
    • Documentation is typically weak in terms of explaining a number of settings features and modes. Examples include no chart for lens shift offsets, no details about interaction of the CMS settings, no explanations of the different look and feel of the four preset gammas...



    JVC DLA-RS20 Projector: Typical Capabilities
    • Selection of inputs
    • Just average lamp life - 2000 hours in High lamp power, "Normal lamp mode can increase lamp life"
    • Average sharpness for a 1080p projector - this can be improved however, with the sharpness and detail enhancement controls, without creating noticeable sharpening artifacts
    • Documentation (I'm still waiting to see a projector that really does provide good explanations of all the menu functions).


    That's all, folks!
    Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Chris D
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Dec 2000
    • 16877

    #2
    Sheesh...

    Yeah, I saw that PJ at CEDIA. Really liked it. Wish I could afford it.
    CHRIS

    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
    - Pleasantville

    Comment

    • Hdale85
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Jan 2006
      • 16075

      #3
      Yeah....some day. I think I'm going to hold of on a projector until I can afford the best....then again maybe I won't lol.

      Comment

      • wettou
        Ultra Senior Member
        • May 2006
        • 3389

        #4
        I have the RS2 and am considering upgrading anyone interested in a 1 year old RS2 it only has 600H on the lamp. Send me a PEM:B
        Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. Eisenhower

        Comment

        • Hdale85
          Moderator Emeritus
          • Jan 2006
          • 16075

          #5
          haha how much? Do you take payments :-P

          Comment

          • wettou
            Ultra Senior Member
            • May 2006
            • 3389

            #6
            Originally posted by Dougie085
            haha how much? Do you take payments :-P
            $5500 plus shipping, cash or money order it still has a full year warranty it was $8000 new
            Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. Eisenhower

            Comment

            • Dean McManis
              Moderator Emeritus
              • May 2003
              • 762

              #7
              Art,

              Thanks for that detailed review. The RS-20 looks like a great projector indeed. :T

              Comment

              • waynesmith
                Junior Member
                • Feb 2019
                • 1

                #8
                Originally posted by wettou
                Fantastic review from Art Feierman :T ;x(
                This is something off topic but i want your help regarding projector , i want to buy a projector for my home theatre. I have read this post on internet and found two projectors The Xinda 5.5 inch HD Projector and The VANKYO Leisure 510 Full HD Projector . i am confused between these two .please suggest me the best one out of these along with their prices and specifications .

                Comment

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