Home Theatre/TV: JVC DLA-HD350 – Home Theatre Projector – Review – 75
JVC is a company best known for its development of the VHS system back in the 1980s and its range of mini-systems and other mid- to low-end hi-fi gear. But the Japanese giant has other strings to its bow, and home theatre projectors are definitely among them.
Whereas most of the competition uses either LCD or DLP technology, JVC, along with Sony, has championed the lesser-known liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) system.
LCOS, or D-ILA, as JVC’s version is known, is actually closer in technology to DLP than LCD, but instead of using tiny individual mirrors to create images (DLP), liquid crystals are applied to the surface of the silicon chips inside the light engine. These are in turn coated with a highly reflective aluminium layer; light from the bulb hits these and is reflected through a lens and thus the image is created.It’s a fairly basic explanation of the system, but rest assured, it definitely works.
Last year I was extremely impressed by the earlier DLA-HD100 model with its outstanding definition and cinematic abilities. Now JVC appears to have gone on the offensive against the mainly LCD competition with its new DLA-HD350, the company’s first sub-$10k projector.
It’s still more expensive than the LCD brigade, but in unboxing the HD-350 it was instantly apparent where some of the extra money had gone. The 350 is an incredibly styled and built device, a lot larger than any of the LCD projectors, and the luxury construction and classy design are clearly in a different league.
There are two HDMI 1.3 inputs and one each of component, Composite and S-Video, along with an RS232C socket for those of us into home automation. Contrast of 30,000:1 appears meagre compared with the huge numbers touted by the LCD opposition, and the brightness also looks low (on paper) at 1000 lumens.
The 2x motorised zoom (and focus) lens is equipped with lens shift, making placement quite flexible. Speaking of placement, the HD350 is a large and relatively heavy projector; those looking to ceiling mount will definitely need to find framing timber above them or it’ll be an expensive (and possibly painful) disaster waiting to happen.
Luckily for me, my faithful coffee table is well and truly anchored to the floor, and with the help of Pioneer’s superb Susano LX-90 and matching LX-71 Blu-ray player, I began my assessment of the classy JVC.
Right from the start it was obvious that the HD350 was something special. Detail was almost three-dimensional and very cinematic, while the wide colour gamut provided extra realism to the on-screen imagery. The lush jungle scenes of Tropic Thunder were reproduced beautifully, and Robert Downey Jr’s ridiculous make-up actually looked like fake tan on top of pale white skin.
Continuing the action theme (with a few unintentional laughs thrown in) with the new Rambo flick, it was easy to spot the ageing Sly Stallone’s weathered face, while bits of severed leg and decapitation scenes looked like the real thing. Or at least I think so, not having experienced them first hand.
JVC’s latest HT projector is a stunning device and well worth the cash. It doesn’t quite have the colour management options or brightness of some of its competitors, but those with proper light control in their HT room will be seriously impressed by it. I certainly was.
GARY PEARCE
TECH SPECS
DLA-HD350
LCOS/D-ILA Home Theatre Projector
$8499
TYPE: D-ILA
RESOLUTION: 1080p
ASPECT RATIO: 1080p
CONTRAST RATIO: 30,000:1
BRIGHTNESS: 1000 lumens
NOISE: 19dB (normal mode)
LENS: Lens shift with 2x zoom
PROCESSOR: HQV Reon-VX
CONNECTIONS: HDMI x2, Component, S-Video, composite video
DIMENSIONS: 
36.5 x 16.7 x 47.8cm (W/H/D)
WEIGHT: 11Kg
CONTACT:
Pros
- Spectacular image quality
- True black levels
Cons
- Light on colour management widgets for the diehard HT projector gourmet
Verdict:
- The best so far this year, JVC’s astounding DLA-HD350 is a cinematic wonder in a designer case
This Review is from Tone Issue 75.
Loading ...