Runco Lightstyle LS-7 Projector Review-3

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Art Feierman

By going to a 3 chip DLP configuration, compared to the single chip projectors means no more spinning color wheel. That also translates into a lot more brightness hitting the screen, since color wheels are terribly inefficient. You can also expect a more dynamic image, but black levels I don't believe get better for the 3 chip design. (None the less this projector is great when it comes to black levels).

Often these "3 chippers" use larger DLP chips than the single chip projectors, and therefore you end up with a much larger projector, as a result of the larger chip size, and the light engine being split into three beams. (That's why single chip DLP's as a group are smaller than the 3 chip LCoS or LCD projectors.) Bottom line: One pays alot and expects a lot from a 3 chip DLP projector. I'm impressed, and this is Runco's entry level 3 chip 720p projector. Can't wait to see a "middle of the pack" 1080p...

Frame Interpolation

Not a whole lot to report here. The LS-7 does take 24 fps and up it to 48 fps, but no other types of frame interpolation, including creative, are offered. In this regard, it's similar to a number of other quality projectors like my own older RS20 (the newer RS25 does offer CFI).

Constant Contrast

Constant Contrast is Runco's name for their dynamic iris function. The dynamic iris action is pretty smooth compared to most lower priced projectors, but there are several at least as good. This is, however, a "good" dynamic iris, in terms of being rarely very noticeable. I never found it annoying, even on the dark conversational scenes with the camera cutting back and forth between two people speaking in a fairly dark room without a lot of very bright areas. It responds rather smoothly when there are radical brightness changes between scenes. Detectable, for sure, but rarely will it show up on your radar - unless watching for it.

Runco LS-7 Picture In Picture

Yes, this Runco projector offers Picture In Picture. They've gone beyond the PIP in, say, the BenQ projectors, which so far, can only handle 1 high resolution source, with the other having to be a basic video source like NTSC or S-video.

The Runco projector does better, you have 3 zones of inputs - HDMI (digital HD), Component and computer (RGB and Component) and
Low Res (NTSC, SCART or S-video)

You can mix sources from any two of the three groups, but can't have two from the same group. That tells you that there's only one HDMI set of circuits and only one component or RGB, and the extra inputs are just switches (typical). Too bad, it means you can have two high definition sources, but one must be a computer or a component video, if the other is HDMI. Keep that in mind when wiring your room.