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2015, 4K UHD, Previews, Projection
2015, 4K UHD, Previews, Projection Entries in 2015 (14)
2015 Sony 4K Projection
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 5:18PM Updated on January 14, 2014: added product pictures and details
Sony video projectors consistently impress me with superb picture performance, calibration features, and quiet operation. For 2015, Sony has a couple of new 4K projectors that look to deliver an even more detailed and colorful home theater viewing experience. Did someone say "lasers"?!?
VPL-VW350ES
The 3-chip VPL-VW350ES features Sony's 4K SXRD panel technology (similar to liquid crystal on silicon/LCoS) that has superb dark room picture contrast, tight pixel spacing, and can defly handle video scenes containing fast motion.
Sony is specing the VW350ES at 1,500 lumens of brightness, and one of its two HDMI ports is HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 enabled for use with copy protected 4K devices like the company's FMP-X10 4K Media Player - the other HDMI port lacks HDCP 2.2 compatibility.
For non-24fps video sources like sports programming, the projector's Motionflow picture technology enhances motion resolution and overall clarity. Gamers should find the projector's low latency mode ideal for fast paced action titles. Other specs include:
- 4096 x 2160 resolution
- 4K at 60Hz w/YCbCr 4:2:0 (8 bit) input
- Powered lens shift: 80-85% (V), 31% (H)
- 2.06x powered zoom lens
- Dimensions: 19.5" x 7.69" x 18.25"
- Weight: 31lbs
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TV Preview
Eyes on 4K
Sony invited me to a private demonstration of the true 4K VPL-VW350ES in a side-by-side duel with the upconverting JVC DLA-X900RKT that generates a pixel-shifted 3840x2160 projected image using a 3-chip 1080p engine. Both projectors were configured using factory-calibrated movie/cinema presets, and each projector produced an admirably detailed picture when uponverting Blu-ray movies. However, the VW350ES and its slightly brighter light output rendered dark details within a scene with improved clarity while maintaining excellent picture contrast. With 4K source material, the Sony edged out the X900 again with better contrast and detail representation. Unlike the VW350ES, the X900 also disabled most picture controls when receiving 4K input. The Sony VPL-VW350's retail price is close to that of the the X900, and each deserves some quality time in my test lab.
Laser 4K
Sony demonstrated a prototype 4K short throw projector at the 2014 CES (photo below) that featured a laser diode lamp system and full 4K resolution using SXRD panels. This prototype became the Sony LSPX-W1S 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector that is available today for $50,000.
For 2015, Sony is offering the new and improved VPL-GTZ1 4K short throw projector that features a more compact design that can be floor or ceiling mounted.
The GTZ1 can project a 106" image when positioned against a wall expanding to 147" with 6.7" of separation. One of the more interesting features of the GTZ1 is that it can tile and simultaneously display four 1080p video sources fed into the projectors four HDMI ports - ideal for business, commercial, or game day applications. Software is also available to blend the imagery from multiple projectors as was demonstrated on the CES show floor (see images below).
Other GTZ1 specs include:
- 4096x2160 resolution
- 4K60 compatibility (YCbCr 4:2:0/8-bit)
- Blur reduction via black frame insertion
- Low transport delay for input lag reduction
- 20,000 hour lamp life
- 2000 lumens brightness
Laser phosphor tech
The GTZ1's laser phosphor lamp system features an array of more than 20 blue laser diodes that strike a phosphor element to produce white light. Some of the blue laser energy is also fed into the optics, bypassing the phosphor element, to further enhance the projector's color space performance. Other benefits of this laser lamp system are its fast startup, efficiency, and longevity.
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 Sony 4K UHD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 4:56PM Updated on May 25, 2015: added new images, hardware information, and pricing details
Sony's 2014 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) televisions rank as some of the very best I've tested to date, and the company's 2015 lineup is looking to expand upon its premium offerings with new models in its XBR family of LCD TVs.
The new XBR televisions are scheduled to arrive in the spring time frame, and all will feature the following specs:
- 4K UHD screen resolution (3840x2160 pixels)
- "4K Processor X1" to "improve color accuracy, contrast, and clarity" of HD/UHD video
- Support for HEVC and VP9 codecs
- Google Android TV operating system for voice search, access to Google Play, and Google Cast
- PlayStation Now game streaming
Sony's most affordable XBR series covers the smaller sized screen options that are ideal for closer viewing distance or for supersized PC display use.
- Screen sizes: 43-inches, 49-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Audio power: 10W + 10W
- Speakers: 2-channel (30mm x 80mm drivers)
Similar to the X830C series but with larger screen size options and enhanced color capabilities.
- Screen sizes: 55-inches, 65-inches, 75-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Active 3D display technology
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
- Audio power: 10W + 10W
- Speakers: 2-channel two-way (30mm tweeters, 40x100mm woofers)
XBR-X900C/X910C Series
The X900C/X910C series televisions bring Sony's 4K UHD technology to ultra slim TV designs that measure 4.9mm at its thinnest part (55-inch and 65-inch models). These TVs also minimize the bezel to "virtually frameless" widths for an even more impressive visual experience.
- Screen sizes: 55-inches (X900C), 65-inches (X900C), 75-inches (X910C)
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
If you are wondering how one goes about wall mounting a TV as thin as the X900C, Sony has created a custom U-shaped bracket that slips into slots on the backside of the chassis providing a hang point for a smallish bracket that fastens to the wall. The thicker lower portion of the TV's chassis that would make contact with a wall surface is vented along the top and bottom edges for adequate cooling. Also, HDMI ports are located so that cables stay out of the way in a wall mount configuration.
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TV Preview
The X930C and X940C televisions are similarly specced save for screen size and backlight technology. The X940C receives Sony's X-tended Dymanic Range Pro local dimming backlight system while the X930C gets the non-Pro version. Local dimming enhances contrast by adjusting backlight brightness across a fixed number of zones based on video content. Sony typically reserves the "pro" level of its backlight control naming scheme for full-array LED local dimming while the non-pro moniker goes to televisions equipped with edge-lit LED local dimming.
- Screen sizes: 65-inches (X930C), 75-inches (X940C)
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
- Fixed magnetic fluid speakers
The 75-inch XBR75X940C pictured above marks the continuation of Sony's fixed side-speaker design with magnetic fluid suspension technology that trumps the audio quality of most soundbars.
This article will be updated as information is gathered at the 2015 CES.
2015 Samsung 4K UHD LCD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 2:00PM Updated on September 10, 2015: added pricing, availability, and specs
Samsung brought its best 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) TVs to the 2015 CES in the form of three series that tempt the eyes of discerning videophiles with new technology to enhance perceived color and contrast.
One of Samsung's earlier announcements was that all of its 2015 smart TVs will feature a newly redesigned Smart Hub that's built around the Linux-based, "open source", Tizen operating system.
The use of the Tizen OS will likely enable easier integration and interaction with mobile devices, particularly Samsung products, for content sharing and control using WiFi Direct and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless technologies. The new Tizen-powered TVs will also enable the viewing of live TV on compatible mobile devices anywhere within a home network even when the TVs are powered off.
The updated 2015 Smart Platform will also include new entertainment experiences:
- Samsung Sports Live: watch live games and view team/player stats
- PlayStation Now: enjoy cloud-streamed PlayStation 3 games using a DualShock 4 wireless controller
- More 4K UHD sources: Amazon, Comcast, DirecTV, Netflix, and a new UHD movie download service in partnership with M-GO
- Briefing on TV: 2015 Samsung Smart TVs can act as an alarm clock that display time, weather, and other pertinent information
Bring the SUHD
Samsung reserves its "S" identification for its flagship products, and the company's best 4K UHD TVs for 2015 are branded into the new "SUHD" TV lineup.
The SUHD TV lineup includes three model series with screen sizes ranging from 48-inches to 88-inches, and all feature new Samsung display technologies that enhance picture color and contrast:
- 10-bit LCD panel technology
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) metadata support
- "Re-mastering" picture quality engine: claims to automatically analyze on-screen imagery to enhance picture contrast with darker black levels and increased brightness while minimizing power consumption
- Quantum color: enhanced color and energy efficiency through the use of quantum dot (QD) nano-crystal technology to achieve a color gamut like that featured in commercial digital cinema.
- HDMI 2.0a (via update) for use with external source devices that support high dynamic range (HDR)
The newly formed UHD Alliance whose membership includes Netflix, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Dolby Vision, Technicolor, Samsung, Panasonic, and others moves us closer to the access and enjoyment of enhanced UHD video on display devices that can accurately render video encoded with an expanded color palette and HDR detail.
JS8500 Series
- Flat screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 40W speaker system
- Brushed silver T-shaped base
- Quad-core processor
- Screen sizes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TVs
Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System Review
The JS9000 returns to the aesthetically pleasing curved screen design, and the series features the the widest range of screen sizes in the new SUHD lineup. Even the back of the JS9000 was enhanced with a "soft, textured Shirring design" to provide a stylish view even when checking out its rear. As Samsung's most affordable curved screen design in its premium JS series, it will be interesting to see how the 9000's edge-lit backlight technology compares to the more expensive JS9500 and its full-array backlight unit (BLU).
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed dark silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen szes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches, 78-inches (JS9100)
The flagship JS9500 will feature Samsung's "chamfer bezel design" to frame the LCD's screen with a hint of increased depth and make it look more like a piece of art when wall-mounted. For LCD enthusiasts, the words "full-array local dimming" (FALD) represent the pinnacle of backlight unit (BLU) technology that can improve picture contrast and uniformity compared to LCDs with edge-lit BLUs. The JS9500 represents Samsung's return to FALD after transitioning all of its LCDs to edge-lit designs several years ago. Perhaps in 2016 we'll see Samsung spread FALD beyond the its flagship model.
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: full-array LED w/local dimming
- Retractable 1080p camera w/ built-in stereo microphones
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen sizes: 65-inches, 78-inches, 88-inches
Read my review of the Samsung JS9500 Series 4K UHD TV
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 Sharp: Prototype Eye Candy
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 9:00AM Updated on January 11, 2015: added images and additional details
It wouldn't be CES without Sharp showing off some drool-worthy prototype LCDs, and its 2015 demonstrations on the show floor included what will likely become featured consumer products within the next few years.
Sharp 85" 8K LCD prototype
Sharp has had an 85" 8K LCD prototype on display at its CES booth for a few years now, but with 8K test broadcasts expected to begin in Japan next year, a 4x jump in resolution compared to today's 4K screens seems slightly more plausible. Note the window-like imagery made possible with a high resolution screen at this size.
With this year's 8K demo, the specs were a bit more detailed:
- 7680x4320 screen resolution
- 103.67 PPI
- 85% of Rec. 2020 gamut
- RGB LED backlight system
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 12-bit per pixel panel technology
Rec. 2020 is a relatively gigantic color space to cover using LCD technology. Current LCD designs have struggled to cover the much smaller HDTV color space (rec. 709), and approaching rec. 2020 coverage will require advanced backlight and color filter designs. This prototype panel claimed to cover 85% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut through the use of an RGB LED backlight similar to that featured in the Sony XBR8 television circa 2005.
Super Slim 4K UHD
Sharp is also demonstrating a prototype 70" 4K UHD LCD TV that has an overall depth of less than half an inch. The slim TV uses a new glass light plate to more evenly and efficiently distribute light across the LCD panel.
Sharp 120" 4K Ultra HD Commercial Display
Although positioned for commercial display use, Sharp's 120" 4K UHD LCD prototype highlights the company's ability to craft very large displays. This 120" LCD is the equivalent of four 60" 1080p screens tiled together.
- 3840x2160
- 36.72 PPI
- Direct LED backlight
- 8.7 feet x 4.9 feet active display area
- (2657.28mm x 1494.72mm)
Gen 10 glass
Sharp jointly manages Sakai Display Products (SDP) and its 10th generation LCD manufacturing facility in Sakai, Japan. The SDP facility can process LCD glass substrates as large as 123.23" x 113.39" (3130mm x 2880mm) dwarfing a king sized bed that averages 80" x 76".
SDP could in theory produce a 140" (~141" max) LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio from a single 10G substrate leaving some glass left over for carving out a few smaller sized screens. Safely transporting an LCD that size is another matter; hence the facility's shoreline location and tight on-site component manufacturing and integration.
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
