Assembling the Perfect DVD Presentation System: Getting Visual - Buyers Guide

Emedia Professional, Nov, 1999 by Mark Fritz

* DMD pixel-switching speeds are measured in microseconds, rather than milliseconds--i.e., orders of magnitude faster than LCD panel pixels are capable of switching at. This does indeed mean that motion is reproduced better using DLP, as ghosting, smearing, and blurring--the result of the pixels not being able to switch fast enough--are not a problem with DLP-based units. I haven't heard of the LCD `lag' problem having been fixed.

* For video, many people prefer the more natural colors delivered by DLP. LCD has a reputation for highly-saturated colors which many people prefer for e.g., PowerPoint presentations, cartoons, etc. When it comes to motion video, it's largely a matter of preference--the bright, punchy colors of LCD or the somewhat more realistic, less-saturated colors delivered by DIP. The difference comes about primarily through the use of polarized (LCD) versus reflected (DLP) light.

* It is certainly true that, today, DLP-based projectors have a typically higher (400 : 1) contrast ratio rating than LCD-based projectors. This, as you know, gives rise to greater detail in areas of the image that would otherwise tend to appear uniformly white or uniformly black and, as such, gives rise to greater perceived realism.

* Yes, DLP-based projectors' higher brightness is typically helpful--although DLP is perhaps less competitively advantaged here than in the other areas."

McMurray continues, "Let me make just one final point which may be of particular interest to your `DVD-using' readers. DVD, as you are well aware, stores motion video in a digital format. For the best possible fidelity to the captured image, you would therefore project these images digitally: converting from digital to analog (as you would have to do with LCD projection) will inevitably introduce some loss of image quality. We are now starting to see increasing numbers of DLP-based projectors (e.g., those from Compaq, Sharp) which feature direct digital input, meaning that a digitally stored source (such as DVD) is transmitted digitally to the projector and projected digitally using DIP. No A/D or D/A conversion means 100 percent fidelity to the stored image. LCD, as an analog technology, is never going to be able to do this."

"And to round off: it's looking increasingly as if DLP Cinema technology will be the projection technology of choice as the cinema undergoes its digital revolution during the coming few years. No other technology comes close to DLP in its ability to deliver images which are, many say, superior to those of first-run film. Sure, your readers are unlikely to be interested in paying $100,000 for a DIP Cinema projector when they become available in a couple of years or so--but the underlying technology in the $5-10,000 projector they may be considering is exactly the same. A thought to ponder."

companies mentioned in this article

Audio Plus Services (Dream Vision
America)
P.O. Box 3047, Plattsburgh, NY 12902;
800/254-2510, 800/663-9352;
http://www.audioplusservices.com
InfoLink #444

Bose
The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701;
508/879-7330; http://www.bose.com
InfoLink #445

Fujitsu Computer Products of America
2904 Orchard Parkway, San Jose, CA
95134; 800/626-4686, 408/432-6333;
Fax: 408/894-1709; http://www.fcpa.com
InfoLink #446

NEC Technologies, Visual Systems Division
1250 North Arlington Heights Road, Suite
500, Itasca, IL 60143-1248; 630/467-5000;
Fax 630/467-5010;
http://www.nectech.com
InfoLink #447

Pacific Media Associates
1121 Clark Avenue, Mountain View, CA
94040; 650/948-3080; Fax 650/948-3092;
http://www.pacificmediaassociates.com
InfoLink #448

Panasonic Consumer Electronics
One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094;
201/348-7000; Fax 201/348-7016;
http://www.mei.co.jp
InfoLink #449

Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc.
2265 East 220th Street, Long Beach, CA
90810; 310/962-2111; Fax 310/952-2990;
http://www.pioneerusa.com
InfoLink #450

Proxima Corporation
9440 Carroll Park Drive, San Diego CA
92121-2298; 619/457-5500; Fax
619/457-9647; http://www.proxima.com
Sonic Solutions
InfoLink #451

Sonic Solutions
101 Rowland Way, Novato, CA 94945;
415/893-8023; Fax 415/893-8008;
http://www.sonic.com
InfoLink #452

Sony Electronics, Inc.
3300 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134;
408/955-5462; Fax 408/955-6822;
http://www.sony.com
InfoLink #453

Texas Instruments
8505 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 85243;
888/357-2984; http://www.ti.com
InfoLink #454

Zenith Electronics Corporation
1000 Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, IL
60025; 847/391-7000; Fax 847/391-7253;
http://www.zenith.com
InfoLink #455

Zuma Digital
59 West 19th Street Fifth Floor, New York,
NY 10011; 212/741-9100; Fax 212/741-1604;
http://www.zumadigital.com
InfoLink #456