JVC DLA-RS60 Projector Overview 2

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Art Feierman

As noted at the beginning of this review, measured brightness was a huge disappointment, causing us to believe the projector to have an issue. All of this will be discussed in depth, on the Performance page of this review.

The JVC RS60 projector is a 3 chip LCoS design. JVC manufactures their own LCoS chips which they call D-iLA (just like Sony calls theirs SXRD). JVC's design for the last several years have consistently produced images with the best native black levels. Their design is such, that other manufacturers use a dynamic iris to help out their blacks, but this JVC projector still bests any of them, even without having a dynamic iris. In that regard it is truly the successor to the older RS35.

Since the RS60 is built from the best of the components going into RS50's, that means the best optics, the best light engine, and so on. This year we haven't received an RS50 for review, but based on the difference between last year's standard, and "hand built" versions, the differences are real. Once again, when first firing up the RS60, I was immediately impressed with the clarity of the optics.

One question those of you seriously considering the RS60 will have to ask yourself: Is the RS60 going to be worth $4000 more than the RS50. Last year the spread was more like $2000.

THX and ISF Certification

The JVC DLA-RS60, like the RS50 and the older RS25 and RS35, is THX certified. That is to assure you that the projector has proper controls so that it can produce a THX "quality" performance. I consider more important still for many people, is that you get a pre-calibrated THX mode, which, historically, with previously reviewed Reference Standard JVC projectors, has been consistently very close to ideal. Most likely the deviation from "dead on", is mostly due to lamp variations.

The THX mode offers the best picture and color performance of the presets. About the only real complaint about THX mode is that you can't access all the controls. For that reason, you'll use another mode for a Best mode.

The ISF Certification indicates a number of things relating to quality, but primarily relates to the projector having two calibration modes set aside, and password protected for the use of professional ISF calibrators to create ISF Day, and ISF Night modes.

Individual panel adjustment

The JVC DLA RS60 projector does offer digial pixel alignment, like the other JVCs before it. And it works. It lets you shift the data for R, G, or B, both horizontally, and/or vertically

CFI - Clear Motion Drive

Creative Frame Interpolation! JVC calls theirs Clear Motion Drive, and there are two settings. We stuck to low. Good for sports. With movies, like with others, you get a little of that "live digital video" or "soap opera" look, that most enthusiasts and all purists will avoid on movies, but, hey, some folks like it. When my daughter has friends over, they mostly watch stuff like Iron Man, or Star Trek, or Across the Universe, or High School Musical 3 with CFI on low. (strange child!). To put it in further perspective, anytime I have a projector on with CFI running (always on low), Lisa can walk into the room, and in about 1 second she'll say "you've got CFI on".

Which just goes to show you that it does have a visible impact. And some may like it even though it may distort the "director's intent".