Sony VPL-VW85

[Swede]

Originally Posted by Oddiophile

The 8500UB does look good on paper but in real life the 8500UB will probably fall way short of the quoted 200,000:1 contrast calibrated to the D65 standard. The Epson 6500UB tested at only 3,538:1 native contrast and 10,471:1 with the dynamic iris engaged, far less then it's quoted 75,000:1 from Epson.

Well, while you're probably right about the extremely pumped up CR of the 8500 (guess we'll have to wait and see) I'm not sure where you got the 6500ub numbers from, but I believe I read that most newer D7 panel projectors like the AE3000 and the 6500UB have a native contrast of 6,000-9,000:1 and that they can reach close to the spec'ed level of contrast ratio with the dynamic iris engaged, but depending on the speed of the iris it can sometimes take several seconds, so it obviously can't compare to projectors like the JVC RSxx series which can handle similar contrast levels without a dynamic iris.

Originally Posted by Oddiophile

The RS15 is rated at 30,000:1, RS25 50,000:1 & RS35 70,000:1.

The JVC projectors do not have a dynamic Iris like there competition. There contrast is all native and rated @ the D65 standard (unlike there competition). The JVC's do have a manual iris that is user controllable. All the numbers above are rated with the iris fully closed limiting lumens but increasing on/off contrast.

It looks like we were both slightly off. According to the recent first look by avsforum (I have just recently started to forgive them for their HD DVD fiasco ) the RS15 is rated at 32000:1 max contrast with a native contrast of 17000:1 and the RS25 is rated at 50000:1 max contrast (30000:1 native). That is what led me to believe that the new models incorporate some kind of DI, but apparently it is simply with iris open/closed.

Originally Posted by Oddiophile

JVC's patented Wire-grid technology is what helps give them an edge over Sony and everyone else.

Patents or not though, it is surprising that Sony or anyone else has not been able to come out with a similar technology of their own... It will be interesting to see when reviews of the VW85 start coming out, whether they will be able to compete with JVC this time around.