Heron Fidelity

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"?!?

How to Watch 4K

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.

Favorite Home Theater Gear

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

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.

THIS WEEK'S BEST TV DEALS!

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

Cord Cutting Guide

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.