Sanyo PLV-Z5

Color temperature (User Mode, Low 2 Color Temperature before/User Mode, Custom Color Temperature after calibration):
20 IRE: 6,369 / 6,800 K
30 IRE: 6,190 / 6,471 K
40 IRE: 6,257 / 6,421 K
50 IRE: 6,456 / 6,429 K
60 IRE: 6,468 / 6,515 K
70 IRE: 6,513 / 6,521 K
80 IRE: 6,521 / 6,516 K
90 IRE: 6,532 / 6,581 K
100 IRE: 6,909 / 6,864 K

Brightness (Eco Lamp mode, 100-IRE window before/after calibration): 13.6 / 14.2 ftL

Primary Color Point Accuracy vs. SMPTE HD Standard

Color Target X Measured X Target Y Measured Y
Red 0.64 0.71 0.33 0.33
Green 0.30 0.33 0.60 0.65
Blue 0.15 0.12 0.06 0.02

With the Sanyo's User picture-adjustment mode and Low 2 Color Temperature preset selected, its grayscale tracked within ±320 degrees kelvin of the 6,500-K standard from 20 to 100 IRE, which is average performance. Adjustments to the red, green, and blue Gain and Offset settings in the projector's Advanced picture menu corrected for a slight green deficiency and improved grayscale tracking to within ±81 K from 30 to 90 IRE. Color-decoder tests showed fairly large +10% red and blue and +5% green errors via the HDMI inputs and ±5% error via the component-video inputs. The projector's red, green, and blue primary color points also displayed a degree of oversaturation as compared to the SMPTE HD specification. Fortunately, the Sanyo's advanced Color Management controls helped correct for these issues somewhat.

Overscan — the amount of picture area cut off at the edges of the display area — measured 0% for 720p signals with the Overscan option set to Off (a variable overscan adjustment lets you boost that amount up to 8%). The projector displayed 720p test patterns with full resolution via the HDMI and component-video connections. Screen uniformity was very good, with no sign of color tinting on gray full-field test patterns. The Sanyo failed the video- and film-mode deinterlacing tests on a high-def Silicon Optix HQV test disc, indicating problems with downconversion of 1080i signals to the projector's native 720p resolution. Standard-def HQV DVD tests were a mixed bag: The Sanyo's Film Progressive mode delivered proper 2:3 pulldown compensation for film-based DVD images, but the projector failed most of the other deinterlacing tests, and upconverted 480i signals generally looked soft.

At around 14 foot-lamberts, the projector's post-calibration brightness was more than adequate for dark-room viewing on an 87-inch wide, 100-inch diagonal screen. Switching from Eco to Normal lamp mode yielded even better brightness but at the cost of a significant boost in fan noise. Best-case full-on/full-off contrast that I measured was 1,241:1 with the Auto 2 Lamp Iris mode selected and the Lens Iris set to a midpoint (-22). Though far from the best I've seen, this is good performance for a budget LCD projector.

Sony Bravia VPL-AW15

Color temperature (User Mode, Low Color Temperature before/User Mode, Custom Color Temperature after calibration):
20 IRE: 5,771 / 6,466 K
30 IRE: 5,976 / 6,628 K
40 IRE: 5,935 / 6,490 K
50 IRE: 5,972 / 6,472 K
60-IRE: 5,855 / 6,537 K
70 IRE: 5,824 / 6,450 K
80 IRE: 5,873/ 6,551 K
90 IRE: 5,979 / 6,579 K
100 IRE: 6,100 / 6,562 K

Brightness (Low lamp mode, 100-IRE window before/after calibration): 14.5 / 12.5 ftL

Primary Color Point Accuracy vs. SMPTE HD Standard

  Target X Measured X Target Y Measured Y
Red 0.64 0.718 0.33 0.318
Green 0.30 0.341 0.60 0.649
Blue 0.15 0.122 0.06 0.035

With the Sony's User picture adjustment mode and Low Color Temperature preset selected, its grayscale tracked within ±729 degrees kelvin of the 6,500 K standard from 20 to 100 IRE, which is below-average performance. Adjustments to the red, green, and blue Gain and Bias settings in the projector's Custom color-temperature menu removed the reddish grayscale tint and resulted in a much improved ±128 K grayscale tracking from 20 to 100 IRE. Color-decoder tests showed -5% green error for the HDMI and component-video inputs. The set's red and blue primary color points, meanwhile, both exhibited a degree of oversaturation as compared to the SMPTE HD specification.

Overscan — the amount of picture area cut off at the edges of the display — measured 0% for 720p signals with the Overscan option set to Off and 4% with the option switched on. The projector displayed 720p test patterns with full resolution via the HDMI and component-video connections, although a slight amount of moiré was visible on the high-frequency burst with a component-video input. The VPL-AW15 will accept 1080p/24-format programs via its HDMI input, downconverting the signal to 720p and displaying it at 48 Hz to eliminate the uneven cadence that occurs when 24-fps material is converted for standard 60-Hz display. Screen uniformity was poor, with green and pink tinting showing up on either side of the screen with 30-IRE and under gray full-field test patterns. The same discoloration was also clearly visible on black-and-white movies but not on regular color programs. A high-def Silicon Optix HQV test disc showed virtually no picture softening when noise reduction was applied, and the projector also passed that disc's video and film deinterlacing tests.

The projector's post-calibration brightness was adequate for dark-room viewing on an 87-inch wide, 100-inch diagonal screen. Turning on the projector's High lamp mode yielded even better brightness, and in this case the very slight difference in fan noise with that setting selected made it a viable option. The best-case full-on/full-off contrast ratio that I measured for the Sony was 3,833:1 with Auto Iris 2 mode selected. Native contrast ratio with the Iris turned off was 828:1. These measurements rank the Sony among the best LCD models on the market with respect to picture contrast.

Planar PD7060

Color temperature (User Mode, 7500K Color Temperature before/User Mode, Custom Color Temperature after calibration):
20 IRE: 6,659 / 6,796 K
30 IRE: 6,478 / 6,446 K
40 IRE: 6,380 / 6,625 K
50 IRE: 6,093 / 6,515 K
60 IRE: 6,111 / 6,683 K
70 IRE: 5,941 / 6,435 K
80 IRE: 6,022 / 6,460 K
90 IRE: 6,143 / 6,589 K
100 IRE: 6,094 / 6,602 K

Brightness (Eco Lamp mode, 100-IRE window before/after calibration): 14.7 / 16.0 ftL

Primary Color Point Accuracy vs. SMPTE HD Standard

Color Target X Measured X Target Y Measured Y
Red 0.64 0.70 0.33 0.33
Green 0.30 0.34 0.60 0.58
Blue 0.15 0.14 0.06 0.04

With the Planar's 7500K Color Temperature preset (the most accurate preset choice) selected, its grayscale tracked within ±559 degrees kelvin of the 6,500-K standard from 20 to 100 IRE — a below-average performance level. Adjustments to the red, green, and blue Gain and Offset settings in the projector's User color-temperature menu removed the reddish grayscale tint, resulting in an improved ±296-K grayscale tracking from 20 to 100 IRE. Color decoder tests showed +5% blue error via the HDMI input and -5% green error via component-video. The projector's red and green primary color points, meanwhile, both displayed a degree of oversaturation relative to the SMPTE HD specification.

Overscan — the amount of picture area cut off at the edges of the display area — measured 0% for 720p signals with the Overscan option set to Off and 8% with the Zoom option switched on. The PD7060 displayed 720p test patterns with full resolution via its HDMI and component-video inputs. Screen uniformity was excellent. The Planar failed the video- and film-mode deinterlacing tests on a high-def Silicon Optix HQV test disc, indicating problems with downconversion of 1080i-format signals to the projector's native 720p resolution. I also experienced frequent incidences of lost HDMI handshake — an HDMI-related issue where the picture drops out and electronic "snow" fills the screen.

The projector's post-calibration brightness was very good for dark-room viewing on an 87-inch wide, 100-inch diagonal screen. Turning on the projector's Normal and Boost lamp modes yielded even better brightness but also increased fan noise considerably. The Planar's full-on/full-off contrast ratio measured 800:1 — underwhelming performance given the projector's comparatively high price.

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