JVC DLA-RS15 Special Features

Posted on October 10, 2013 By Art Feierman

LCoS Projector - D-iLA

JVC manufactures their own LCoS panels (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). Think of LCoS as an LCD panel that reflects the light instead of letting it pass through the panel. Different design, different light engine design. JVC calls their LCoS panels D-iLA (Sony calls theirs SXRD, Canon, calls theirs Realisys, and so on).

A key strength of LCoS is less visible pixel structure. Traditionally though LCoS, like LCD have been rather weak when it comes to contrast and black level performance.

Not so the JVC solution. JVC’s panels and light engine develop contrast ratios far better than any LCD or DLP, or other brand’s LCoS panels, and that yields far blacker blacks. Oh, the competition tries to come close with the use of a dynamic iris, which the JVC’s don’t need to do the job. Even so, the best of the other LCoS, LCD and DLP projectors, even with Dynamic irises, can’t match even the RS15, JVC’s most entry level LCoS home theater projectors. True, it’s possible the Sony VW85 and the Planar PD8150 might produce slightly blacker blacks on just the right type of scene, but, this JVC will still do better blacks, overall.

Individual SXRD panel adjustment

A very nice, touch, this JVC allows individual adjustment of each panel for more precise alignment. This feature carried forward from previous years. And, it works nicely! Like the Sony projectors solution as well, the JVC adjust digitally, so adjustments are in 1 pixel increments.

For example, if a red panel is off by, say 1/3 a pixel diameter to the right, there’s nothing that can improve that, since shifting red a pixel to the left, would then have it off by 2/3s of a pixel. On the other hand, if that red pixel was off by 3/4 of a diameter, then the adjustment could reduce that to 1/4: 3/4 shift to right – 1.0 shift to left = 1/4 shift to left. In other words, it can improve sharpness if your projetor is off more than 1/2 pixel, but still doesn’t get you to a perfectly converged set of panels.

CFI - Creative Frame Interpolation

Creative Frame Interpolation: JVC calls theirs Clear Motion Drive, and there are two settings. We stuck to low. Good for sports. With movies, like with others, you get a little of that “live digital video” or “soap opera” look, that most enthusiasts and all purists will avoid on movies, but, hey, some folks like it. When my daughter has friends over, they mostly watch stuff like Iron Man, or Star Trek, or Across the Universe, or High School Musical 3 with CFI on. My daughter can instantly tell when a projector (or LCDTV has CFI running).

Which just goes to show you that it does have a visible impact. And some may like it even though it may distort the “director’s intent”.