Plenty of the hype around consumer electronics shows like CEDIA focuses on TVs, but those who really want the movie theater experience at home tend to gravitate more toward projectors. With its latest flagship projector, the DLA-RS4500, JVC aims to appeal to that crowd.
The projector uses a 4K D-ILA device and a laser-light source that, combined with dynamic light control, makes for improved brightness and contrast. While this is not the first 4K projector, it is the world’s first 4K home theater projector to be THX certified.
Using the second generation of JVC’s BLU-Escent phosphor light engine, the DLA-RS4500 offers a brightness level of up to 3,000 lumens and 20,000 hours of operation. This allows the projector to be used with screen sizes up to 200 inches, with HDR and Wide Color Gamut support making for deeper blacks and more vivid color.
In addition to the 4K D-ILA device, a new high-resolution, all-glass lens is here as well. It uses a 100mm-diameter lens, unlike the 65mm lenses usually used by JVC, which the company says makes for best efficiency and offers an expanded shift range. To ensure the viewer doesn’t need to waste precious moments setting up their new products, two preset installation modes are included, adjusting lens memory, pixel adjust, screen mask, and other settings.
The projector features dual full speed 18 Gbps HDMI input, both of which feature HDCP2.2 and HDR support. This includes 10-bit graduation and BT.2020 color gamut, 80 percent of which is covered here. Projectors aren’t exactly meant for playing games, and this one is no different, but a low-latency mode helps decrease lag between the gaming source and the projector.
While you will clearly spend more time looking at the picture from the projector rather than the projector itself, the all-new design has resulted in a striking look, with aluminum and matte black paint complementing each other. Gold even comes into play, with the center lens separated from the body by a gold ring.
Considering the various features and the THX certification, you might have guessed you would not be buying the projector for pocket change and you are right. The projector will sell for $35,000 and is expected to go on sale in December.