LCoS Projectors
The LCoS projectors category includes the latest projectors used for home theater systems, and companies. See below for a list of LCoS projector reviews and information pages.
Have a movie night with your family in crystal clear detail, and give a professional presentation the next day! All this can be achieved with an LCoS projector, which offers the best features of DLP and LCD technology.
LCoS ("Liquid Crystal on Silicon") projectors are best known for great color, superb black levels, and accurate performance. It's not that other technologies can't produce these results, it's just that LCoS does them best.
LCoS projectors are more expensive than the competing technologies, typically costing between $4,000-$15,000. In contrast, entry-level DLP projectors are available for under $1,000 and LCD for just above $1,000. But you're certainly getting more bang for your buck with LCoS!
Here is a good resource for understanding the difference between projector technologies: 3LCD vs LCoS vs DLP projectors
LCoS Projectors Reviews
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JVC DLA-RS45: A stunning projector for viewing movies in particular. Very bright "best" mode allows for movie folks to select especially large screens (even over 130" diagonal). Average brightness for sports and HDTV. 3D capable, but far better at 2D. -
Sony VPL-VW95ES: This is one fine under $10,000 home theater projector. Not for the feint of heart or wallet, it's a significant improvement over last year's Sony, with a lot more brightness, better 3D... A top performer, it gets our Hot Product Award. -
Sony VPL-HW30ES: This under $4,000 Sony home theater projector is another of those that offers very good, well balanced performance, and is also a bit forgiving. 3D capable too, with more brightness than most others we've reviewed. Hot Product Award! -
JVC DLA-HD250: At just under $3000, this projector is of GREAT value, and is very similar to JVC's very impressive, older, more expensive DLA-RS10 and DLA-RS15 models... A definite Hot Product Award winner! -
Mitsubishi HC9000D: Here's another first class home theater projector that can do 2D and 3D. An extremely impressive, over $5000 projector, with great picture, and an excellent CFI for smooth motion. -
JVC DLA-RS60: JVC's flagship home theatre projector offers superb 2D performance, plus 3D thrown in (two pair of glasses included) as well. Brightness an issue for 3D (as with most projectors), but an excellent projector overall - Sony VPL-VW90ES: Sony's new flagship projector offers 3D as well as 2D, (and even a 2D content to 3D conversion). The VW90ES is still best at 2D, excellent color, very good blacks. Best 3D we've seen so far, too. Hot Product Award!
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Sony VPL-VWPro1 Home Theater Projector: Also known as the VPL-HW20a, this $3400 LCoS projector offers excellent color, post calibration. It easily earns our Hot Product Award. And: This Sony is far brighter than its predecessors! -
LG CF3D: This is a 1080p 3D projector 2500 lumens, dual lamp, that puts a hefty 1000 lumens up in 3D. The LG uses low cost passive glasses, but needs a 3D screen. Impressive scientific/commercial 3D performance. -
AAXA P1 Jr.: This is by far, the lowest cost pico projector we've tested to date, at only $119. It's actually rather impressive, with a respectable picture and good feature set. -
3M MPro150: Good ergonomics, and very respectable colors, plus a ton of capability, plus a built in media player with 1 Gig of memory. Only 5 ounces fills 50". -
AAXA L1: This is the first Laser powered Pico projector shipping (we believe). Like more traditional Pico's not very bright, but offers flexible multi-media player, USB input, and much more... Very interesting! -
LG AF115: This LG looks like the reviewed CF181D, but isn't as bright, and can't match it's big brother's black level performance. Pre-production unit tested, we don't even know the price, or if it will make it to the US market. -
JVC DLA-RS35: The DLA-RS35 is built from the best quality controlled components going into RS25's. The RS35 is a $10,000 LCoS projector. Essentially, the Best of the Best. Not only a Hot Product Award, but, top honors in this years comparison. -
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LG CF181D: A Hot Product Award goes out to the LG CF181D LCoS Projector. At $2499, it's extremely impressive. It's one of the very brightest under $10K projectors, has really good color, but only decent black level performance. One of the best under $3K.
About LCoS Projectors
LCoS ("Liquid Crystal on Silicon") projectors are a more recent variation of LCD technology, as LCoS also uses three panels of red, blue and green. However, LCoS uses reflexive technology as opposed to transmissive, which allows the pixel structure of LCoS projectors to be much less visible than the competition (virutally invisible at normal seating distance). This provides betavoids the nuisance of "screen door" and "rainbow" effects.
While LCD technology is manufacturered almost entirely by Epson, LCoS is different in that each projector manufacturer designs its own LCoS chips. Because of this, there is significant difference in performance between brands, and each company has its own advantage.
JVC, Sony and Canon dominate the LCoS industry... Let's take a look at examples of each major brand's specialities.
JVC projectors are often commeded for producing the best native black level performance. Canon business projectors have developed a superb reputation amongst all types who require high quality picture with excellent color, such as videographers and photographers. Sony, the last of the three major brands using LCoS technology, produces well designed projectors with extended feature sets.
Because of their varied strengths, JVC and Sony projectors are the most talked about LCoS projectors in the the home theater space, but Canon dominates the business sector.
Below is a data image from the Canon REALis WUX10 projector. Canon is a huge favorite amongst photographers, camera clubs, museums and more. Note the superb red, green, and blue colors. Canon's highest-end business projectors are all LCoS and support WUXGA or higher resolution.
LCoS vs. the competition
Let us put in perspective the difference between LCoS technology and the competition.
Current LCoS JVC models have taken our highest home theater award "Best In Class" for the $3,500-10,000 price range in our Annual Home Projector Comparison Report three years in a row.
See for yourself the difference in black levels:
Below is a comparison between the DLP InFocus SP8602 projector and the LCoS JVC DLA-RS15 projector, with the InFocus on the left and the JVC on the right. The SP8602 has good blacks but does not rival the JVC's, for its strengths lie elsewhere.
In the business segment, LCoS projectors are about the same size as LCD models because they are both "3-chip" technologies. Both technologies are offered in small portable as well as larger projectors.
Like LCD, even the smallest LCoS projectors are still a size larger than the smallest DLP projectors. Recently, though, the first pico projectors using LCoS technology are entering the market (as of the end of 2010).
In the business segment, LCoS projectors are about the same size as LCD models because they are both "3-chip" technologies. Both technologies are offered in small portable as well as larger projectors.
Like LCD, even the smallest LCoS projectors are still a size larger than the smallest DLP projectors. Recently, though, the first pico projectors using LCoS technology are entering the market (as of the end of 2010).