Sharp XV-Z3000

The Short Form

$3,000 ($3,500 LIST) / 12.5 x 4.4 x 11.8 IN / 8.9 LBS / sharpusa.com / 800-237-4277

Plus

•Classy styling •2 component inputs

Minus

•Inadequate presets •Inaccurate grayscale

Key Features

•1,280 x 768-pixel DLP Projector •Inputs 1 HDMI; 2 component-video; 1 S-video; 1 composite-video; 1 RGB/VGA/component; 1 RS-232C control •PRICE $3,000 ($3,500 LIST) Full Lab Results

Like two other projectors in the roundup, the Sharp XV-Z3000 has a black exterior, and its relatively small size and understated curves give it a certain class. While I did miss lens-shift controls and felt hampered by the short zoom - a combination that could make placing this projector difficult - the second component-video input that Sharp includes might be welcome in some systems.

CONTRAST Out of the box, the Sharp XV-Z3000's picture presets all yielded a relatively washed-out black level, and only by reducing brightness and making other adjustments was I able to approach a decent black. To maintain my target brightness, however, I had to sacrifice blacks a little, so many dark images - Lincoln's foray into Tech Services in The Island, for example - looked somewhat lighter than on any of the other projectors. Clearly, the Sharp XV-Z3000 will perform better with a smaller screen - say, 70 inches wide.

COLOR After calibration, the Sharp's grayscale varied more than any other projector's. The difference was most visible in bright whites, such as in the slightly-too-blue flash that washed over Jordan during the virtual fighting section. Primary red and blue looked good, but as with a few of these projectors, green was off - making the island's grass just a bit yellow. Aside from that, I appreciated the Sharp's deep saturation, although its slightly lighter blacks did rob the colors of some richness.

DETAIL Although the Sharp XV-Z3000 resolved the finest details of the DVD, high-def revealed a slightly softer image than from several other units; test patterns confirmed the projector's inability to fully resolve 720p. The edges of text in my satellite receiver's on-screen display appeared a bit fuzzy, but the difference was also apparent in program material, such as in 24, where the chain and jewel on Chloe's necklace were a bit soft.