Sony's Bravia VPL-VW60: the SXRD black pearl with 35,000:1 contrast
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Aug 21st 2007 5:47AM
posted Aug 21st 2007 5:47AM
[Via Impress]
posted Aug 21st 2007 5:47AM
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How many have access to equipment that can prove or disprove the marketed claims of 35000 to 1 contrast ratio? And even if you had access to the rather very expensive (and sensitive) equipment to measure within 50% of the marketed CR claims, how many of you have an environment that would benefit from such performance if proved to be available?
I know very few people that have a bat cave like myself. Most of the mainstream folks do not want a bat cave and as a such wouldn't benefit from 90% of this marketed claim. As such, why not just make the lie more substantial and claim something bigger?
Someone has thier panties in a bunch. Mad at Sony for coming home late last night?
Thanks Brenden, that was hilarious.
More on topic, I'm glad to see Sony trying to one-up the JVC RS1, the more innovation into better picture quality the better off we'll be. Heck when I can finally afford a dedicated theater one day...I might be able to pick up a projector with Sony G90 performance for $1K. Talk about awesome.
There is plenty of truth to the rant though.
Marketed contrast ratios are numbers for the people that don't know any better. In this case, I think it's the brightness of white at max bulb, all pixels white, iris at max opening, and the darkness of black at the dimmest bulb brightness and smallest iris opening and all pixels black.
There is much truth to the rant though. The value of the contrast ratio rating continually diminishes.
"Someone has their panties in a bunch. Mad at Sony for coming home late last night?" -Brenden
I am not sure why you are trying to provoke me, because I have a problem with manufacturers that would rather lie in marketing than rest on laurels based on proven achievement.
My comments are not exclusive to Sony, and several flat-panel and projector manufacturers have been conducting these kind of fantasy marketing for years. I'd rather believe in a real world than the ignorant reality the other camp would have you live in.
Its nice though that you offer zero in counter. Pity. You are an example of the future.
Lighten up prisonnet! Everyone knows that these contrast ratio claims are being stretched to the limit. Why is it necessary to say F..U.. to someone?
prisonnet; you seem to be somewhat inexperienced with respect to display technology and marketing. I don't need proof of wrongdoing in order to be skeptical of PR claims in general, that comes with experience.
If you hang out in AV forums you'll hear about how contrast ratios are often measured in ways that don't reflect the actual image that you'll get. It's the same as LCD response times, manufacturers chose how to measure it to get the smallest number possible, and often they don't say how it's measured. The same is true with respect to projector brightness, they might use settings that you wouldn't want to use in order to get their numbers. As such, it's good to have a healthy skepticism with respect to claimed product performance. The better review sites compare and test the actual performance of actual machines rather than just rely on marketing numbers.
Just go read the magazine reviews that measure ANSI contrast (black and white at the same time). Widescreen review measured the JVC (supposed 15000:1) at nearly 1/2 the contrast of the lowest DLP projector they ever measured. At their jacked 25000:1 maybe they've caught up to DLP?