Sony VPL-PRO1 Projector - Image Quality4

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Art Feierman

Sony VPL-VWPRO1 - Overall Color & Picture Quality

The Sony VPL-VWPRO1 projector, or, if you prefer - the PRO1, or the HW20a, is a complete, high performance projector when it comes to image quality. Post calibration color is downright excellent and natural. Shadow detail is equally impressive. Note that on a typical daytime type image with a normal exposure, the Sony (right) and the Epson (left) seem very similar in color handling.

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Black level performance is very good. Not the best in it's price range -around $3000, but definitely one of the better ones. It would still seem to come up a bit short of the Epson 8700ub, and almost certainly compared to the HD250 from JVC (even though I've only seen it at shows, so far, but based on the older RS15). On top of all that, since this Sony got a significant boost in brightness to complement, the color, etc. Overall, that makes the Sony VW-PRO1 a truly better projector than last years effort, especially since the price is essentially unchanged. Bottom Line for Overall Picture Quality and Color Handling: Excellent, especially for the money! Don't forget, below these remaining images is our section on HDTV and Sports viewing with the Sony VPL-VWPRO1 - HW20a projector. A mix of additional images to show off the VPL-PRO1: From the DVE Blu-ray test disk, consider these:

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From the DVE-HD test disc:

And here are a few assorted, additional images, some of which can be found on other reviews:

Sony VPL-VWPRO1 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports

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More lumens really helps. I've got my new theater running, though hardly finished. Right now, I've got ESPNHD - Sports Center running. One window has no covering on it, it's a sunny day, but no direct light near the wall with the 100" 16:9 Elite HC gray screen I'm using until my new screens arrive.

This Sony can handle more ambient light than previous models and it really helps. The image is vibrant (note my theater has all dark walls, floor and even a black ceiling). Still, turning on the back 7 recessed lights, and the window as is, the image is barely taking a hit. (Warning, that wouldn't be the case with light colored walls.)

I watched a good bit of other HD content (not just football), and found the colors to be bright and natural overall.

Anyway you slice it, though, the Sony PRO1 projector is brighter than average in brightest mode, though not by much (100 lumens). Still that beats being almost 250 lumens below average (last years model). There's no way I could have survived in my old theater, with the 128" screen, with the HW15, for sports viewing, it just didn't have the horsepower.

That's not the case with this new Sony Projector. It has the muscle, and also offers better than average color accuracy for a brightest mode. I'm extremely impressed! a few hundred more lumens would be better still, but, what a difference a roughly 40% increase brings to your viewing pleasure, when you don't want to be in a cave mode.

This is what the new theater room looked like when shooting the HDTV images in the evening:

And here's how good the Sony looks with that exact lighting: