Projector Reviews

Contrast Ratio (black / white):
.003/8.514

Measured Resolution with the Leader LT-446:
480: 480 (per picture height)
720p: 250 (pph) (not a typo)
1080i: 430 (pph) (not a typo either)

DC Restoration (poor, average, good, excellent):
Excellent

Color Decoder (poor, average, good, excellent):
Good

Measured Color Points:
Red Color Point: x=0.669, y=0.323
Green Color Point: x=0.31, y=0.618
Blue Color Point: x=0.144, y=0.088

The top chart shows the VP-12S3's gray scale relative to its color temperature at various levels of intensity, or brightness (20 IRE is dark gray; 100 IRE is bright white). The gray scale as set by the factory, in the 3 color-temperature mode and the standard gamma mode, measures slightly cool with dark images and slightly warmer (although still cool) with brighter images compared with the D6500 standard. After making adjustments using the included lens-cap color calibrator (see main text), the VP-12S3 measured somewhat better (green trace). Adjustments using our Photo Research PR-650 produced a gray scale that measures within 150 K of D6500 at the lowest point and within 50 K across the entire range. This is an improvement compared with both the performance before calibration and after calibration with the included color calibrator.

The bottom chart shows the gray scale (or color temperature) relative to the color points of the display's red, green, and blue color-filter-wheel segments. These are slightly off those specified by SMPTE. Red is oversaturated, green is slightly yellow, and blue is slightly greenish-blue.

Using a full-field 100-IRE white (8.514 ft-L) and a full-field 0-IRE black (0.003 ft-L), the contrast ratio was 2,838:1. Using a 16-box checkerboard pattern (ANSI contrast), the contrast ratio was 503:1. The best contrast ratio was achieved using the high-lamp setting, with the iris at 5.0 and the high-bright mode off. The brightest image was achieved with the high-lamp setting, with the iris at 3.0 and the high-bright mode on. The high-bright mode sacrifices color-temperature accuracy for total light output. This setting produced 16.62 ft-L with a 100-IRE window on an 87-inch-wide, 1.0-gain Da-Lite Da-Mat screen.—GM