Projector Reviews

The VPL-HW10 features a color-management tool with its RCP mode, but the only adjustment this feature seemed to make was luminance values for the different colors. I tested it with our precision test gear, and I could not affect the saturation or hue regardless of how I tweaked the settings. The user manual is unclear about how this feature is supposed to work. I’d recommend that you leave this feature alone since the color luminance values are already quite good.

The included remote is the best of the three tested here and offers the widest operating window.

In stark contrast to the other two projectors, it didn’t seem to matter where I pointed the remote when I wanted to adjust something. The remote is somewhat limited in its ability to jump to some of the image controls, but it covers the main bases, like brightness, contrast, and picture memories. The remote is also backlit, which makes it easy to use in the dark.

Video Processing
As far as I can tell, Sony uses its own video-processing solution in the VPL-HW10. That’s fine with me, as it did an excellent job in our tests. The projector handles standard-definition and high-definition signals with equal aplomb and flew through all of our test patterns unscathed. It provided excellent deinterlacing of both 1080i and 480i signals and very good scaling performance as well. This eliminates the need for an outboard video processor and cuts down on the overall cost to get a great-looking image.

This was the only projector in this group without processing for constant-height setups. If you want to use this projector with an anamorphic lens, you’ll have to use an outboard video processor. Sony doesn’t include any type of frame rate creation for smoother film playback as it does in its higher-end models. But this didn’t bother me since I’m not a fan of that kind of processing.

In Use
Once I had everything dialed in, the Sony threw a great image. SXRD has a very film-like quality in terms of smoothness and color reproduction. The image doesn’t have a digital look, which some viewers may define as harsh on some content. I prefer a slightly sharper look than the Sony delivered. However, this projector had the most film-like look and reminded me more of a traditional theater than a home theater with a digital projector.

The SXRD panels and dynamic iris delivered the best contrast performance of the group. Absolute blacks were a touch darker than the other two projectors and fell only slightly short of what we see from high-end designs at a much higher price point. However, there was a drawback. Like the other projectors, the VPL-HW10 suffered from a rather muted midrange with mixed material. This robs the image of dynamic punch when there is a large mix of black and white on the screen. If you haven’t lived with a high-dynamic-range projector before, you probably won’t even notice this. Unfortunately, I’ve been using one for quite some time now, and the difference was striking. The Sony was definitely the best of the bunch in this department, thanks to the higher native contrast of the SXRD panels compared with the LCD models. It offered a bit more snap in mixed-contrast scenes.

One of the biggest issues I saw during my time with the Sony was the exaggeration of banding in HD images. This was very noticeable with animation. One of my favorite test clips for this is the tractor-tipping scene in Cars (Blu-ray). As Mater sneaks up on the unsuspecting tractor, the night sky has some very minor banding. This isn’t always evident on some playback devices. The VPL-HW10 exaggerated the issue and showed noticeable banding in the night sky. I rarely saw this in live-action features, but if you look for it, you’ll notice it more often than you would with some other designs.

The Sony had better overall contrast and color than the Mitsubishi. But the Mitsubishi didn’t give up too much and added a little more detail to the image with its razor-sharp picture. I prefer the extra sharpness the Mitsubishi offers, but this Sony delivers a beautiful picture for the price. Others may prefer its overall balance of strengths, which are considerable.

Conclusion
Sony delivers an amazing image for an incredibly low price with the VPL-HW10. Its contrast performance was excellent, and the SXRD panels deliver a very nice, film-like image. While the VPL-HW10 didn’t have quite the list of features that the other projectors brought to the table, it delivered where it really counts: in image quality.