CES 2023

As setup crews rush to finish building and setting up exhibits before 2023 CES opens tomorrow, the volume of pre-show news is starting to pick up. JVC will kick off the show with a new projector targeting gamers looking for an edge and home theater enthusiasts with rooms subject to ambient light.

Slated for delivery in late March, the LX-NZ30 4K ($3,500) is a low-latency design supporting frame rates up to 1080p/240Hz and features a high-power 20,000-hour BLU-Escent hybrid laser light source rated for 3,300 lumens of brightness. The projector uses JVC’s four-way pixel-shifting technology to achieve 4K resolution.

A blue laser diode assembly boosts power from the 95 watts used in its predecessor (LX-NZ3) to 105 watts to realize a 10% increase in brightness. JVC says the elevated brightness makes the NZ30 suitable for use in rooms with ambient lighting, while increasing dynamic range and peak HDR brightness. In addition, the projector detects the incoming signal and automatically selects the best picture mode so HDR content “can be enjoyed without having to adjust individual settings.” The projector supports the HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats.

Dynamic dimming controls light output instantaneously, providing brightness adjustment with less delay compared to a conventional mechanical aperture, according to JVC. Controlling laser output by brightness on a scene-by-scene basis is said to improve black levels.

With a 1080P/240Hz input, JVC says latency is as low as 6.25ms (1.5 frames) for smooth-motion gaming on a large screen. The projector provides two HDCP 2.3-enabled HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort 1.2a input for connection to a PC with that type of input terminal, USB Type C Direct Connect plus ports for RS232C, LAN, and a 12-volt trigger.

With a 1.6x zoom, the NZ30 can accommodate projection distances from 9.8 to 15.7 feet with a 100-inch screen and provides manual lens shift with ±60% vertical and ±23% horizontal range of movement for further installation flexibility. In addition to keystone correction that adjusts horizontal, vertical, and tilt, the projector provides corner adjustment with warping to correct distortion in each area.

Available in black or white, the projector is housed in a cabinet about 16 inches wide and just over 13 inches deep to ease installation.