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JVC DLA-NZ9 D-ILA Laser Projector Review - Hardware

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Phil Jones
The DLA-NZ9 black/silver trim around the lens assembly while the trim on the DLA-4100 is gold

The DLA-NZ9 has a black chassis with black/silver trim and its twin model the RS4100 has gold trim around the lens assembly. The JVC DLA-NZ9 is larger and heavier than most Home Theater projectors. While the DLA-NZ9 dimensions are very similar to the DLA-NX9 it replaces the new unit at approximately 55 pounds is about 7 pounds heavier than the previous model. The BLU-Escent laser light source and components (power supply, cooling system) required to support it are the main reason why the NZ9 weights more.

The motorized, 2.00:1 zoom lens is located Front and center. Since all the lens adjustments are motorized (with Lens Memory) there are no physical controls/knobs for zoom, focus, or lens shift.

Other than the exhaust vents on either side of the lens, the only other thing on the front of the projector is the IR sensor and three LED indicator lights (Warning, Light, Standby). In addition to providing Power status if there should be a problem, there's a list of warning codes in the manual.

DLA-NZ9 rear-mounted control panel

On the backside of the projector is the Control Panel, as well as the inputs and connectors. The DLA-NZ9 control panel is very simple but most people will only use the control panel for initial setup, then rely on the remote control or a home automation system for those types of functions.

On either side on the lower portion of the backside are air inlets which are covered by replaceable/cleanable filters. In between the two inlets is the power terminal.

The inputs are located on the rear of the chassis and they included a pair of 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) inputs which support 8K@60fps as well as 4K@120fps. There is also a 3D SYNCHRO terminal to connect the optional 3D Synchro Emitter.

DLA-NZ9 Connections

For "old school" command and control, there is also a traditional serial RS-232C port (DB9 connector) along with a USB terminal used for service and firmware updates. Lastly, there is the RJ-45 jack for standard Ethernet networking and a single 12V trigger output which can be used to control a screen, the sled of an anamorphic lens, or motorized shades.

The DLA-NZ9 uses remote control that is very similar to the unit provided with previous JVC DiLA projectors. It is backlit and the buttons are well-spaced and easy to find. I like that there is a PICTURE MODE button to directly access the different picture modes,

There are also additional buttons to access the several menus settings including the projector's CMD (Clear Motion Drive) MPC (Graphic Mode), COLOR PROFILE, and the GAMMA SETTINGS.

 

LENS ASSEMBLY

The NZ9 is equipped with JVC's best lens assembly. The 18 all-glass elements set in 16 groups offer a zoom range of 2.0:1 along with a good amount of vertical and horizontal lens shift. The DLA-NZ9 offers a lot of installation flexibility for ceiling, rear shelf mount, or tabletop mounting the projector.

Premium 18-element, 16-group all-glass 100mm diameter lens

The motorized lens with horizontal/vertical lens shift is a great feature if you can't line up the projector lens with the center of the screen. Like most projectors, the more horizontal shift you use, the less vertical adjustment you will have available.

Lens Shift: 100% Vertical and 43% Horizontal

For a 100″ diagonal 16:9 screen: 100% of a screen height of approximately 50″ is approximately 50 inches. The DLA-NZ9 can be placed with the center of the lens as high as about 25 inches above the top of the screen to 25 inches below the bottom, and anywhere in between. The horizontal shift is a maximum of 0.43 x image width, which would be about .34 x 87 inches for a total range of about 37.4 inches of horizontal adjustment. A large amount of vertical and horizontal shift makes rear shelf placement a breeze.

Throw Distance for a 16:9 (1.78:1) Screen

Screen Size (Diagonal) Min Screen Distance (in) Max Screen Distance (in)
80"                                      93.1 (2370 mm) 190.6 (4840 mm)
100” 117.2 (2980 mm) 239 (6070 mm)
110” 129.3 (3280 mm) 263.3 (6690 mm)
120” 141.3 (3590 mm) 287.5(7300 mm)
130” 153.4 (3900 mm) 311.7 (7920 mm)
140’ 165.4 (4200 mm) 335.9 (8530 mm)
150” 177.5 (4510 mm) 360.1 (9150 mm)

Throw Distance for a 2.35:1 Screen

Screen Size (Diagonal) Min Screen Distance (in) Max Screen Distance (in)
80"                                      73.1 (2500 mm) 150 (5120 mm)
100” 123.9 (3150 mm) 252.5 (6410 mm)
110” 136.7 (3470 mm) 278.1 (7060 mm)
120” 149.4 (3790 mm) 303 (7710 mm)
130” 162.1 (4120 mm) 329.2 (8360 mm)
140” 174.8 (4440 mm) 354.8 (9010 mm)
150” 187.5 (4760 mm) 380.3 (9660 mm)

Lastly, for even more flexibility, you can save multiple configurations thanks to the Lens Memory function (accessible from the menus or the Position button on the remote control).

A motorized lens system with lens memory is a useful feature if you have a self-masking projection screen. You can also use the Lens Memory to zoom and reposition video projected in different aspect ratios (2.35:1 and 16.9) to best fit a fixed aspect ratio screen.

For example, when viewing 16:9 material on a 2.35:1 aspect screen the image can be zoomed to fit top and bottom of the screen but you will see "black bars" on the left and right sides.

The DLA-NZ9 is also compatible with commercially available anamorphic lenses and ultra-wide format screens for an immersive movie theater experience. It also features a new scaling mode that is optimized for the full native 4,096 x 2,160 (17 x 9) resolution of the D-ILA device.

Beyond basic Lens Memory, the DLA-NZ9 is also equipped with a new "Installation Mode" that saves and recalls up to 9 different combinations of settings including Lens Control, Pixel Adjustment, Mask, Anamorphic on or off, Screen Adjust, Installation Style, Keystone, Pincushion of lens settings, different aspect ratios, lens presets, convergence, and screen masking positions.

MENUS

The NZ9's menu system is similar to what JVC has utilized on its projectors for several years. There are some new setting adjustments to support newly introduced features like HDR10+.

The images of the menu shown in this section represent only a small number of all the sub-menus available. I tried to show a couple more notable sections found in the most useful sub-menus (image, setting, networking, etc.).

The DLA-NZ9's overall menu is well organized and easy to navigate. While the type size on the menu is a little small, it is still readable at a "normal" distance. The position of the menu can also be moved.

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