Tom Norton

CEDIA 2012
Sony Concept Speakers
Tom Norton  |  Sep 08, 2012
Here's a closer look at the Sony speakers discussed above.
CEDIA 2012
Digital Projection Goes Wide and Scores
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
Digital Projection was featuring Its D-Vision 35 LED ($39,000 with lens) and D-Vision Scope ($34,995). Both are single-chip home theater designs, identical in form factor to the photo here, but very different in their features. The D-Vision LED uses LED lighting for consistent color and long life, though with some sacrifice in brightness. The D-Vision Scope has a higher than HD resolution chip that enables projection of 2.35:1 films without an anamorphic lens and with an on-screen pixel density of 2560 x 1080. Both looked outstanding, though I favored the brightness and big screen capability of the D-Vision Scope.
CEDIA 2012
More From JVC
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
JVC’s booth on the show floor, using its top of the line DLA-X95R projector with e-Shift2 technology, provided one of the more eye-popping demos at the show. The 2D demo, with clips produced specifically for demonstration purposes from a 4K source file downscaled to 2K for transfer to Blu-ray, looked incredible on a 123” diagonal, 16:9, Stewart Studiotek 130 screen, suggesting that e-Shift2 really is a genuine step up from last year’s original e-Shift. The sound was special as well, provided by Definitive Technology speakers (anchored by the Mythos Super Towers at the left and right).
CEDIA 2012
Have a Seat
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
I always take time out at CEDIA to sample some of the home theater seating exhibits that sprinkle the show floor. OK, so it’s a tough show and the dogs do bark! This jumbo love seat from Cinema Tech is more than just comfy. It not only reclines, but a powered headrest can be raised or lowered, depending on your needs of the moment. It’s available in different configurations (such a single seat). The catch is the price (for the loveseat shown) of about $7500 depending on the leather selected. A number of other manufacturers were also showing theater seats with adjustable headrests.
CEDIA 2012
Screen Innovations
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
Screen Innovations has incorporated adjustable (and defeatable) backlighting at the boarders of its zero-edge, fixed-frame projection screens. Just don’t call it Ambilight! Apart from this, however, I saw a stunning, bright, and colorful image (granted, the source was Speed Racer) on the 138-inch diagonal, 2.35:1, 1.4-gain Black Diamond screen, driven by a Sony VPL-VW1000 4K projector and a standard 2K Blu-ray disc.
CEDIA 2012
Adam (One 12)
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
OK, the wording should be One Adam 12, but if you know the reference you’ve been on the planet and watching TV for far too long. But Adam Audio GmbH, of Germany, was one of several manufacturers (including KEF, Totem, and Wharfedale) attempting to make music on the open show floor. The strikingly styled Tensor Gamma Mk2 shown here is the smallest model in Adam’s top of the line Tensor Mk2 Series.
CEDIA 2012
Mitsubishi 8000
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
The new Mitsubishi single-chip DLP 3D projector offers a 6X color wheel, uses active glasses, and should be available in October at $3000.
CEDIA 2012
Digital Projection Goes Wide and Scores
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
Digital Projection was featuring Its D-Vision 35 LED ($39,000 with lens) and D-Vision Scope ($34,995). Both are single-chip home theater designs, identical in form factor to the photo here, but very different in their features. The D-Vision LED uses LED lighting (duh!) for consistent color and long life, though with some sacrifice in brightness. The D-Vision Scope has a higher than HD resolution chip that enables projection of 2.35:1 films without an anamorphic lens and with an on-screen pixel density of 2560 x 1080. Both looked outstanding, though I favored the brightness and big screen capability of the D-Vision Scope.
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CEDIA 2012
SIM2 Features LEDs
Tom Norton  |  Sep 07, 2012
At its Friday press event, SIM2 Multimedia featured its M.150 single chip DLP projector with LED illumination. Normally, LED-based projectors aren’t very bright, but this one lit up the screen. It might have helped that the 125-inch diagonal screen was a DNP Supernova with a gain of 2.4. Surprisingly, this screen had no perceptible hot spot and little fall off in brightness at off-axis angles, making it a viable alternative for LED-lit projectors like the M150.

SIM2 also launched, but did not demonstrate, its SIRIO high Brightness 3D projector (shown in the photo above). Its single-chip DLP dual lamp design (2 x 300W) is claimed to offer higher brightness than other dual lamp projectors. The projector body by itself is $25,000, and a variety of lenses are available at extra cost. The projector will go on sale in late October.

The company also announced a $1000 drop in price for its base line, single-chip DLP models. The Crystal 35 is now $5000, the Crystal 45, $7000.

A price was also announced for the Cinemaquattro 4K projector mentioned in an earlier blog: $158,000, not including lens, of which there will be a variety available. Just in case you were hovering on the edge of your seat before writing that check. The projector is based in a professional Christie design; the light output also mentioned earlier will depend on the chosen lamp configuration and lens.

CEDIA 2012
Stewart's Popular Price Cima Screens
Tom Norton  |  Sep 06, 2012
Stewart Filmscreen has long been known for top quality projection screens, available in a blistering variety of screen materials. But they aren't exactly Blue Light specials. To attract more consumers to the benefits of a projection setup, Stewart has introduced a line of screens more affordable than its other offerings. Called the CIMA line, these screens will all be 16 x 9, fixed frame, and available in a range of standard sizes. Two materials will be available: grey with a gain of 0.9 and White with a gain of 1.1.

For those who have the spare cash, Stewart also demonstrated the latest version of its Director's Choice screen, offering an almost infinite variety of aspect ratios, settable and selectable by motorized masking at the touch of a button. The 15-foot wide model shown retails at just short of $60,000.

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