The JVC DLA-RS1100 looks nearly identical to the RS1000 it is replacing. It measures about 20” wide, 9 1/4 “high, and 19 1/2 “deep, so it is a rather large home theater projector. In addition to being bigger, at 42.3 pounds, the RS1100 is heavier than most DLP-equipped theater projectors. Most home theater enthusiasts are willing to deal with a larger chassis for the benefits of native 4K resolution, better black levels, a motorized lens with horizontal/vertical shift, and quieter operation.
The DLA-RS1100 has a black chassis with gold trim around the lens assembly, while its twin model, the DLA-NP5, has black/dark silver trim.
In front and center is the recessed, and motorized, 2.00:1 zoom. Since everything is 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.
On the right side is the panel to access the DLA-RS1100 lamp for replacement. Since it is located on the side, it makes lamp replacement easy even while the projector is suspended from the ceiling.
The DLA-RS1100 has a simple control panel located on the rear of the chassis
On the back side of the projector is the Control Panel, as well as the inputs and connectors. The DLA-RS1100 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.
DLA RS1100 Control Panel includes two 48Gbps HDMI inputs which can accept 4K@120fps signals
The inputs are also located on the rear of the chassis and they include a pair of 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) inputs which support 4K@120fps. There is also a 3D SYNCHRO terminal to connect the optional 3D Synchro Emitter.
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 control a screen, a sled of an anamorphic lens, or motorized shades.
On either side on the lower portion of the back side are intake vents. In the center rear of the chassis are the power terminal and a replaceable/cleanable filter cover.
The DLA-RS1100 uses one of JVCs newer remote controls. It is slimmer than the previous JVC projector remote with fewer buttons. While the remote is smaller and simpler, the buttons are well-spaced, and key buttons are easy to locate. The remote is also backlit, which is beneficial in a dark room where this type of projector is normally utilized.
The RS1100 can store different motorized lens settings (zoom, shift, and focus), like one for HDTV, and one for widescreen movies. You can switch between formats by pressing the Setting Memory button.
I also like that there are additional buttons to access the projector’s Picture Presets directly, Color Profiles, and Gamma settings menus.
LENS ASSEMBLY
The JVC-DLA-RS1100, like most 3LCD and LCoS projectors, offers a lot of lens shift range compared to most DLP projectors which offer very little. Most DLP home theater projectors have zoom lenses that range from 1.1:1 up to 1.6:1. The DLA-RS1100 includes a motorized lens assembly with a zoom range of 2.0:1. Below are the minimum and maximum throw distances for some common screen sizes and aspect ratios.
Throw Distance for a 16:9 (1.78:1) Screen
Screen Size (Diagonal)
Min Screen Distance (in)
Max Screen Distance (in)
80"
99.1 (2520mm)
202.8 (5150mm)
100”
124.4 (3160mm)
253.5 (6450mm)
110”
137.4 (3490mm)
279.5 (7100mm)
120”
150 (3810mm)
305.1 (7750mm)
130”
169.7 (4130mm)
330.7 (8400mm)
140’
175.2 (4450mm)
356.3 (9050mm)
150”
187.8 (4770mm)
381.9 (9700mm)
Throw Distance for a 2.35:1 Screen
Screen Size (Diagonal)
Min Screen Distance (in)
Max Screen Distance (in)
80"
105.1 (2670mm)
214.2 (5440mm)
100”
131.5 (3340mm)
268.1 (6810mm)
110”
144.9 (3680mm)
295.3 (7500mm)
120”
158.3 (4020mm)
322 (8180mm)
130”
171.7 (4360mm)
349.2 (8870mm)
140”
185 (4700mm)
376.3 (9560mm)
150”
198.4 (5040mm)
403.1 (10240mm)
The JVC has lots of horizontal and vertical lens shift which is extremely helpful if you can’t line up the projector lens with the center of the screen (left/right or top/bottom). Just remember, like most projectors, the more horizontal shift you use, the less vertical adjustment you will have available.
Lens Shift: 80% Vertical and 34% Horizontal
For a 100″ diagonal 16:9 screen, the DLA-RS1100 can be placed with the center of the lens as high as 15 inches above the top of the screen to 15 inches below the bottom and anywhere in between. The horizontal shift is a maximum of 0.34 x image width, which would be about .34 x 87 inches for a total range of about 30 inches left to right of the center of the screen. A large amount of vertical and horizontal shift along with 2.0:1 zoom provides tons of installation flexibility whether you are ceiling, shelf, or tabletop mounting the projector.
MENU
The RS1100’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 used sub-menus (image, setting, and networking, etc.).
DLA-RS1100’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.
