JVC Press Release: New JVC Laser Projectors Are World’s First With 48Gbps 8K Inputs (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I think if the upcoming JVC NZ5 fixes the sync-time problem of the old NX line (where it takes like 30 seconds to sync to a new framerate), I'd give that a good hard look. But my quality of life can't endure NX-level syncing timelines, if that's still a "feature".

In the mean time, I'm checking rainbows for pots of gold.

 

[GeorgeHolland]

I had the opportunity to get a short demo of Kris Deering’s theater and was blown away. I wish I could have stayed longer but needed to get back home and look after our dog that had surgery that morning. Kris is still using the RS4100 JVC sent him for his Sound and Vision Review and he will be getting his own RS4100/NZ9 when he returns the review production projector.

It was like looking at my LG 77 CX OLED except with the total emergence of a big screen theater experience. Comparison memory is a tricky thing but I think it may have even looked better. The sound was amazing as well. Kris first put on Godzilla vs. Kong 2021. Not a movie I have seen nor would likely have considered buying but may change my mind now that I’ve seen how great it can look. Contrast, sharpness, color, brightness in mid-laser, all were the best I have ever seen. Like Kris I will be using a Paladin DCR, in my case the DCR-J1. Kris showed me some 16x9 content so I could see if leaving the lens in place and watching the scaled 16x9 content still looked perfect and I couldn’t tell any difference. I have no concerns and look forward to the Lumagen doing all the work. I’ll steel a comment Kris made while I was in his theater, the image appeared as if you were looking outside through a large pane glass window.

I can’t wait to add the Lumagen to my system once I coordinate with Kris to come over and calibrate my RS3100/NZ8. Until then I am bypassing the Lumagen and just going through my Marantz pre-processor. I don’t have the slick Kaleidescape systems Kris does, I have the 3100/NZ8 and Kris the 4100/NZ9, and I don’t have nearly as nice or large of a room as he does, but a number of key components in my system are similar. I wish I would have asked to see his Evo Screenwall Vari-mask. I just use Stewarts’ Manual mask panels when watching 16x9 content and they work fine for me. I expect most content I will watch will be 2.40:1.

My system includes the JVC DLA-RS3100, Panamorph DCR-J1, Stewart StudioTek 130 G4, 115” x 49” (125”), Lumagen Radiance Pro 4242, Marantz AV7705, Oppo BDP-203, Roku Ultra 4K, Tributaries 3m cables. I expect an HDFury VRROOM by Christmas. Initially I’ll just use the VRROOM as a splitter for my Xfinity cable box since only one Xfinity cable box supports 4K and it will allow me to show 4K sports on both the LG 77 CX and JVC during my sports parties. I don’t understand why Xfinity doesn’t allow more than one 4K capable box unless you pay for their modem and wireless option.

I’ve installed the RS3100 and DCR-J1 and watched a few hours of content. Until the system is calibrated, I’ll keep the Lumagen out of the system and just use the Marantz to switch. Even at defaults the image looks fantastic. My wife even wanted to watch one of her Christmas 3D favorites, A Christmas Carol. I tested both the Hi-SHOCK Black Diamond 3D Active Glasses and the XPAND X105-RF-X1 glasses and they both worked flawlessly. I use an NEC XpanD 3D RF Transmitter. It’s a pretty dark movie so I can’t judge brightness but shadow detail and 3D effects looked better than ever. I just put the disc in the Oppo and am really not sure what settings JVC used.

Later I did make a few HDR setting changes. Default has the laser on high and the aperture fully opened. I closed the aperture down a click and configured “Picture Mode” to “Frame Adapt HDR”. I don’t plan on messing with many more settings and may just use as is until it is calibrated unless I get very curious. I much prefer to have an expert do all the work and just enjoy watching movies knowing I am lucky enough to have one of if not the best calibrators for both the Lumagen and JVC projectors local. I expect after calibration I should be able to comfortably run HDR in mid-laser and SDR in low. For simplicity I may run SDR at mid as well.

My projector is installed in a cabinet I built in my back wall. I was tricky placing it on the shelf by myself while standing on a couple rear row seats. It extends into a crawl space and the throw is around 17 feet 3 inches. I originally built it with a second level where I could drop an A lens down when I didn’t want it in front of the projector lens. The cabinet has a lot of interior space with cooling fans that will come on if needed but I don’t think they ever do. It must also contain most of the sound because I don’t hear anything, even in high laser and all other options engaged.

Just some quick observations. Sorry, I’m really not the guy to runs tests, take measurements or try a bunch of setting for the group but did want to confirm coming from a calibrated RS2000 with DCR-J1 and Lumagen to an out of the box RS3100 looks worth it to me. I imagine once calibrated I should be set for a while.

 

[DaveF]

Thanks @GeorgeHolland!

 

[Edwin-S]

3-5 years before obsolesence

It's tough market for projector enthusiasts. There's $3000 to $4000 4K Epson projectors with ok contrast but mediocre to bad HDR, lacking Dynamic Tone Mapping (DTM). And there's $10,000 to $25,000 JVC projectors with great contrast and great industry-leading DTM that works for any input source!

Some say, the Panasonic disc players have great DTM. Which is fine if all you use a projector for is watching physical discs. But it's 2021. Streaming is a thing and it's not going away.

It seems like there's a big hole for a $5k to $8k projector with pretty good contrast and pretty good DTM, in between the Epson and JVC products.

I'm wondering how the Optoma UHZ50 would stack up compared to the Epson and JVC models. 4K Laser DLP around a SMRP of 3000US. I believe it has optional 3D jut I don't know how it would stack up in the gaming department I'd one was a gamer.

The JVC would be ideal, but the price of even the lowest model in the lineup is a deal breaker. It is just too high for anyone but deep pockets.

 

[DaveF]

That looks too new, and i cant find any reviews.

 

[Edwin-S]

That looks too new, and i cant find any reviews.

The only thing I could find was the write up here by Martin Dew. I re-read it. It looks like it would be a good projector if one.primarily watches movies. It would a non-starter for anyone who wants to game at 4K with refresh rates above 60Hz. It doesn't look like it supports gaming at 1080p 240Hz and 4K at 60Gz.

Looks like it could be a viable candidate if a person only watches movies or TV. For HFR gaming and laser projection it still looks like JVC or Sony are the only real candidates right now.

 

[Sam Posten]

Lol gaming at 60hz is fine

 

[Edwin-S]

Lol gaming at 60hz is fine

Maybe for you it is. For others maybe not. Although I highly doubt you are spending 10 grand on a JVC just for its film qualities, considering how much you are into high end gaming.

 

[Sam Posten]

I game on my 48” OLED, the field of view is too wide in a theater setting for extended gaming sessions. It causes physical exhaustion to watch that big a space with fast moving objects.

 

[DaveF]

I game on my 48” OLED, the field of view is too wide in a theater setting for extended gaming sessions. It causes physical exhaustion to watch that big a space with fast moving objects.

Ah, that’s the difference. I loved playing games on my PS4 on the 120” screen. But that was especially games like Fallout 3 / 4 and The Last of Us. Which are very environmental, lots of exploration and dialog and not 100% action going 125% adrenaline.

 

[DaveF]

And all this said, I’m still trying to figure out if / how / when I can buy a 4K projector. I‘m ready — past ready -- to upgrade to 4K throughout the house. All the streaming services are 4K. I’m buying 4K discs when I buy discs.

But I‘ve recently realized I don’t care that much now about the 4K pixels per se. My low-light distance vision is marginal at resolving 1080p; no way I can resolve 2160p generally. So I want the contrast and color gamut and HDR. And that means a JVC projector.*

It feels like NZ8 is the best choice. But, I don’t know. I’m watching for reviews and user feedback. I‘m looking forward to getting at demo at Sam’s when he’s got his. I’m hoping to catch other demo’s in the area. There’s a lot of projector enthusiasts in the NoVA and DMV regions.

But in the past, it seems like a lot of tech buying has been about trying to understand speeds and feeds, what vendor among several has the best set of features. With projectors, it’s almost 100% about cost. JVC has the only real solution if HDR is the goal.

Three years ago, pre-order street pricing for NX7 was about $6100.

Going into 2022, its successor the NZ8 is MSRP $15,000. And I’m given to believe street pricing is very close to MSRP.

Prices have more than doubled in three years for JVC projectors.

And they’re $10k and above for *all* three models!

I’ve been planning and saving since my 2016 HD projector with a view towards a $5000 4k projector upgrade circa 2020. Two years past that, and real buy-in is actually about triple that.

I don’t know what I’m doing for 4K.

I guess the upside is, there aren’t any projectors to buy even if I wanted one. I’ve never received pricing or availability for my pre-order request from at least one major vendor. I’m seeing reports that pre-orderers won’t get theirs until March of 2022.

So I guess I wait and see and hope for good reviews and comparos and demos next year.


* I’ve given a new look at Epson. But I can’t find the way. Epson it doesn’t have an HDR DTM solution. I don’t watch discs so Panasonic players aren’t a solution. And madVR on HTPC isn’t a practical for me. I could buy a Lumagen processor. But now I’m back to the $10k range, trying to fix the problems of a $4000 projector. Makes more sense to go to a killer $10k projector for a complete and simple solution.

 

[Steven Simon]

LOVING my NZ7. Image blows away my Epson 5050UB in every way. Black levels are super detailed, and colors are vibrant and just pop off the screen.

 

[DaveF]

LOVING my NZ7. Image blows away my Epson 5050UB in every way. Black levels are super detailed, and colors are vibrant and just pop off the screen.

Is the HDR experience from NZ7’s DTM clearly superior to what you got from the Epson?

I’ve considered whether to get an Epson 6050 as a first 4K projector. But I’m starting to think that the NZ8 isn’t necessary, and I can save up for the NZ7 in the next year.

 

[Steven Simon]

Yes David, vastly superior.

 

[Greg.K]

I'm wondering how the Optoma UHZ50 would stack up compared to the Epson and JVC models. 4K Laser DLP around a SMRP of 3000US. I believe it has optional 3D jut I don't know how it would stack up in the gaming department I'd one was a gamer.

The JVC would be ideal, but the price of even the lowest model in the lineup is a deal breaker. It is just too high for anyone but deep pockets.

JVC has the NZ3 which is also a DLP laser projector for $3.5K. That Optoma seems more of a competitor to that than to the JVC D-ILA models.

 

[Sam Posten]

Episode is up! Guest Adrian Silva of Stewart Filmscreen.

Home Theater United Episode 32 - Adrian Silva of Stewart Filmscreen

https://www.hometheaterunited.com/e/episode-32-adrian-silva-of-stewart-filmscreen/ Home Theater United Episode 32 December 27, 2021 8:00 PM EST Special Guest Adrian Silva of Stewart Filmscreen Reconnection: Whatcha get for Christmas and or Boxing day??? Sam’s got no screen on the wall, oh...

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[Sam Posten]

Bah this was posted to the wrong thread sorry!

 

[Sam Posten]

Yes David, vastly superior.

What screen do you have Steve?

 

[Sam Posten]

 

[DaveF]

^
This is an unboxing and projector-menus video. There's no "review" other than commenting his NX7 is murky and the NZ8 is gorgeous.

Just FYI to any prospective viewers who like me are looking for actual reviews.