Projector Reviews

Using our Leader hi-def signal generator, the InFocus ScreenPlay 777 fully resolved a 1280x720 image. The picture was superbly sharp and clean. I also noticed that an artifact I've often seen in one-chip DLP projectors—subtle but clearly visible artifacts resembling random hash marks (different from jagged edges) around stationary lettering and titles—was clearly absent on the 777. Also missing was any sign of dither noise in dark areas of the picture.

Overscan (component connection, Overscan control off) averaged about 3.0% top and bottom and 0% left and right. The red color point was pushed a little too far into orange-red, green was respectably close to the standard value for the high-definition format, and blue was a little too blue. (The correct blue color point is actually just on the edge of purplish-blue.) While the blue deviation was the most pronounced, none of these deviations caused any visible color aberrations. Many of the DLPs we've tested have the same blue skew; fortunately, the human eye has a low sensitivity to blue.

The 777's as-delivered color temperature at its 6500K setting (the most accurate of the three options) is shown in the accompanying figure. The post calibration results are also shown. The pre calibration numbers are actually excellent, but with just a little too much green. The post calibration results are within the typically recommended tolerance for the XY color coordinates (+/-0.004) from 20 IRE to 90 IRE, and off by a maximum of 0.008 at 100 IRE.

Using a reflective measurement off the FireHawk screen, I measured a peak contrast ratio of 1750 (peak white 33.5fL, input off 0.019fL)—respectable, but not exceptional by the standards demonstrated by the best one-chip DLP designs. With the neutral-density filter in place, the contrast ratio measured 1950 (peak white 15.5fL, input off 0.008fL). Theoretically, the filter should not change the contrast ratio—the difference is likely due to measurement tolerances. For that reason, I've rounded off the contrast ratios to the nearest 50.

The InFocus' scaling was impeccable—as we have come to expect from projectors using Faroudja processors to deinterlace the video. It was no surprise that it passed all of the tests on the Faroudja test DVD with flying colors with hardly a jagged edge in sight. The only mild nuisance is the lack of an Auto setting for the deinterlacing function; you must switch manually between Film and Video.—TJN