1) Go to a user preset (e.g. user preset 1 or 2)
2) Set colour temperature to 8500k
3) Set lamp to high
4) Ensure aperture is fully open
5) Set colour profile to OFF (this is the most important one)
6) Position projector at shortest throw

If one is using a high end video processor (Anthem D2V), can one use the processor to compensate for turning off the projector’s settings as Jonathan suggests?

I’ll have my partial review of the RS60 posted in the next 48 hours, unless distracted. We know where some of the missing lumens are hiding, but they aren’t a whole lot of good to most of us. I’ll discuss the lumen issue in the review, but first thing to note, JVC says 1300 lumens at 8500K, whereas last year, it was 900 lumens at D65.

I don’t do ansi contrast, I’d really prefer to keep the review more subjective. Besides, with the exception of JVC and some low end products everyone’s using dynamic irises. I see where the info is helpful to you, but, in this case, I’d rather discuss black levels, than the underlying contrast. Even realizing that there are correlations, I’ll stick to the big picture. Believe me, if the manufacturers were all making nice bright home theater projectors, I’d love to stop filling pages with lots of measurements there too. -art

I have always wanted to buy a JVC project but have held off because the Intrascene contrast at bright APL levels was not as good as my Sim single chip. JVC has the best on/off contrast but has relatively low 300/1 ANSI contrast which reflects its relatively low performance in Bright scenes. I hope when you review it that you measure the ANSI contrast. Unfortunately, this year it looks like JVC is having production problems because the lumen output at D65 is much lower than expected. also I notice that no one has reviewed this projector and it has been in production for at least 4 months. Art your the best reviewer on the Web and I hope you get to see your review of the R60 soon

Michael Lang
Optical engineer

Well, Still no word back from JVC. I know that they are probably all at EHX show in Florida this past week, but I’ve been waiting for any response for weeks.

I did get to put in some 20 hours of content while I had it. True, probably more than half was 3D content, but I got a very good feel for it. I’ve been getting emails from owners, quoting me brightness of 50′s and 60′s they now own, and I’ve been glancing at the the forums. It seems there are not only brightness issues, but a couple of others. I will do the best review I can, based on what I learned when I had it here… Should publish Monday or Tuesday. -art

Well, I’ve been emailing for a week and a half now, and can’t get anyone to respond. I’m putting in a call today. If I haven’t heard back from them by tomorrow noon, here’s the plan:

I all considered, I will proceed with the RS60 review assuming that it’s a typical JVC RS60 projector at this point in time. I’ll do a more detailed search of the forums and other reviewers, but all the feedback I’ve been getting so far, from owners of the RS60 and the RS50, is that those that can measure, are all coming up with measurements in the 500 and 600 lumen range. I don’t think anyone yet has said they have heard of anyone getting 750, or 900 or 1200 lumens (1300 claimed).

The RS60 was already fully measured by Mike (Mike’s a THX certified calibrator), and he did his usual calibration adjustments. After I read his results, I contacted JVC over the low lumens, and they wanted to take a look. (Over a month ago).

Therefore, it would seem that JVC has a brightness issue/ lamp issue. In our case, the projector never measured more than 566 lumens (3D mode, with zoom at full wide angle). In fact 3D mode which you would expect to be the brightest, was only 10 lumens brighter than THX, Natural, Stage, and the User defaults.

I did get to spend many hours viewing the JVC, both 3D and 2D. It included several days of viewing before sending it back.

Unfortunately, I had anticipated either another JVC DLA-RS60 – or a DLA-RS50, to arrive, and I, of course expected it to turn out just slightly different in terms of color. For that reason, I decided not to do the usual photoshoot. In fact, I took no photos. I’m sorry now… I would have at least liked to have taken a few, say a dozen of the most important images – a couple for black levels, a few for skin tones, at least one for sharpness. Still, the RS60 was very much the old RS35, in look and feel.

The review will have to post as best I can, without new images. I’ll probably seed a few RS35 images (clearly identified) in the review to provide examples of what it should look like.

I assume, if I don’t piss off JVC too much, that at some later time, they’ll get back to me with another JVC projector – RS50 or RS60, so we can remeasure, and reassess the value of these projectors if they should prove to turn out to be much brighter as they had been expected to be. -art

Please add me to the list of people anxiously awaiting the response from JVC. My projector selection has now become the critical path item for completing my theater. I wish JVCs enthusiasm for their new projectors at CEDIA would have translated into a faster response time regarding this issue. At this point I assume no news is bad news.

Thanks,
Scott

No, just penned a long email to all my favorite JVC mucky-mucks, over there, though..

I’m in a bind, it’s going to be a really interesting 2011 (1080p) Home Theater Comparison report this year, if there aren’t JVC’s in it? They’ve been shipping a while already, and the RS60 was the only one I could get… I still haven’t heard back as to whether they have looked and it’s got a problem, or if it’s fine, or they haven’t been able to get to it yet (the guy I work with is always traveling…) I do hope they will be able to provide the RS60 again (or a replacement) or at least an RS50… but it’s got to arrive in the next 3 weeks if it’s going to be in the report. If not, it could be summer time? (I have my other major report – Education projectors back to back with home… So, I’ll go about 6 weeks without reviewing any home projectors, so as to get that other report out.

I’m trying to light a fire over there at JVC, but I’m just one of many reviewers out there, and very few review units.

I did point out to them, however, the importance, by way of letting them also know about the numbers in my next blog:

MIke finished calibrating the Sony VPL-VW90ES, rated 1000 lumens, and every single preset mode on it measured brighter than the brightest mode the RS60 produced. For 3D, the Sony was almost 50% brighter! Either JVC’s got a problem with that RS60 I had, or JVC’s got a problem. If there has been one consistency, these past few years since JVC became a dominant player in this home theater segment, it’s been that JVC’s LCoS projectors have been consistantly brighter than the Sony’s – quite often dramatically brighter. (Though last year they were close.) Hmm, well, I’m wasting words that belong in that next blog. -art

Hi. Any update on the RS60 replacement? the reason I ask is, a number of us on the AVS forum have measured similar results in regard to low lumen output in the various color modes, myself included on my RS50.

I had JVC US support send a replacement lamp, but this appears to be more a trend than an exception. I will be installing the lamp this weekend to measure it and see if there is any difference.

Can you let us know if the RS60 replacement is better?

thank you!

Jason

As above, the only way to get anywhere near the full brightness is to turn the profile OFF (which is useless for normal use).

JVC have been very disingenuous with their 1300l claim it seems :/

That may be the luck of the draw, but I don’t think I’ve seen anything here, optically as sharp. It’s like you realize that any flaws you see are now easier – clearer to see, as well, because the optics are so clean. (I’ve always been into photography.) I wouldn’t now be surprised if there aren’t RS35′s that look as great as this RS60, now that I see what CAN be accomplished.