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NEC HT1000
User selectable settings are available on the menu. An adjustable
lever on the barrel of the lens (variable IRIS feature) lets users
stop down the lens aperture to boost contrast from over 2000:1
to 3000:1. This requires a 20% sacrifice in brightness, down to
800 lumens. Users can also choose a position anywhere in between
fully open and fully closed, and the contrast adjusts accordingly.
These NEC core technologies coupled with the DLP subsystem deliver
the whopping 3000:1 contrast ratio.
The 7-pound native 4:3 format projector can comfortably produce
a 100-inch diagonal 16:9 image in a room that's 14 feet deep.
Additional enhancements are provided by a 3-D 10-bit video decoder
and Faroudja technology. Inputs include DVI-D and one set of RGB
connectors. This is also the first digital projector in its price
range that features 1080p compatibility.
Other features of the HT1000 include horizontal, vertical and
diagonal keystone correction; aspect ratio control that allows
viewing of various content on the big screen in native format;
and a digital photo viewer.
Evan Powell of ProjectorCentral (www.projectorcentral.com)
evaluated a pre-production model and says it's the best single-chip
DLP projector available for the money. "Color accuracy is
dead on, saturation is beautiful, contrast is unmatched, and black
levels are rich and solid," says Powell. We can't wait to
see it.
However, Powell raises some issues to consider. Operating in
eco-mode extends lamp life from 1500 to 2000 hours, but it cuts
lumen output by 20%, and coupled with the loss of lumens from
the IRIS aperture adjustment, another 20% of brightness is sacrificed,
resulting in 600-700 lumens. Also, the projector displays a 16:9
image with 1024 x 576 pixels, with black bars at the top and bottom
of the 4:3 display, which will further decrease light output as
well as requiring processing to display scaled-down native 16:9
aspect source material. However, NEC's vertical image shift can
be used to eliminate the bars.
ProjectorCentral says direct competition will come from
Epson's TW100, which offers greater resolution in 16:9 (1280 x
720) to render details with better precision. The TW100 can display
an HDTV 720p signal in native format without scaling, thus providing
better image clarity and sharpness. And, Epson's projector is
brighter in 16:9 mode in a side-by-side comparison, despite having
only 700 lumens. This is due to the lumen sacrifices in the HT1000
described above. However, the HT1000 offers superior contrast
and shadow definition, normally a DLP advantage, but it may also
have superior color saturation - a feature typically associated
with HTPS projectors.
Other players in the $4,000 - $4,500 street price range in this
niche include the Optoma H55 and the InFocus Screenplay
110. NEC's HT1000 is not as likely to compete with models
geared toward larger screens and more tolerant ambient light environments,
such as multi-purpose entertainment rooms. The best place for
the HT1000 is a dark, dedicated home theater.
It remains to be seen how NEC's new offering will play against
the PLUS Piano, which is down in the $3,300 price category.
The HT1000 will appeal to the same type of buyer, interested in
quality on a relatively smaller screen for a good price. Some
will consider the extra investment in order to get the superior
features
The HT1000 will ship in November at an MSRP of $5,495.
NEC, Don Fasick, 630 467 4711, dfasick@nectech.com
Chris Chinnock, chris@insightmedia.info
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