Product Survey: Video Projectors : Sony VPL-AW10
12. Sony VPL-AW10
AW10 or AW15 ?
The second video projector in the Sony Bravia line launched in June was the AW15. As you can see in the above photo, it has one option that lacks on the AW10: a lens shift.
Are there other surprises? A different lens or in color rendering? The answer in an upcoming test
New in the entry level for Sony, the VPL-AW10 brandishes the Bravia logo, a mark up until now reserved for this manufacturer’s TVs. This 720p home cinema projector brings the Sony name into your living room for a modest price; however, design and connectivity options are minimal.
The design gives this product’s entry level identity away. The VPL-AW10 has two advantages for its small size: a very low noise level (measured at 26 dB or 10dB less than the BenQ W500) and a powerful zoom. This allows varying the diagonal size of the projection zone up to 1 meter, which is useful in two ways. You can either concentrate the lamp’s brightness on a "small" zone of 1.64m (diagonally) or to stretch it up to 2.64m (these figures are from a projection distance of 3 meters).
The disadvantages include the absence of a Lens-Shift function for positioning the image on the wall and its truly minimal connectivity. We would have preferred a second or even third HDMI connection, for example, to simultaneously relay a console, PC and satellite dish.
Entry level image quality?
The first surprise in the VPL-AW10’s test came from its incapacity to differentiate the darkest and lightest shades in our red, green, blue and gray color tables. According to our colorimeter’s sensor, this meant black colors were too dark and whites too bright on the extreme ends of the spectrum. It also explains the projector’s "S" shaped curve for brightness measurements.
In actual images, the result was much better than we expected. Shimmering and color gradation defects were rare and only noticeable in certain extreme blues and greens as you can see in the solarization we detected in tests. Color fidelity is good for those who find this characteristic important; however images are a bit lack-luster compared to some of its rivals. Other products like the HD73 offer inferior color fidelity, but the result is more flattering to the eye.
Finally, in lighter shades we noticed that a matrix is visible. It’s particularly present on white or light gray backgrounds, even from a distance of three meters.
| Sony VPL-AW10 | |
|---|---|
| Pluses | Minuses |
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The VPL-AW10 produces nice images with true colors, however they are less striking than those of its rivals. Its entry level position is felt in its design, minimal connectivity and visibility of the matrix.
- BRAVIA VPL-AW10 LCD...
"...For example, when these mirrors rapidly reflect red and yellow, you will see green..."
This mirrors reflect white light. The color wheel is the device which lets the right color component pass in synch with the DMD.
For example: the DMD is reflecting the blue channel of the image but this is white light coming from the lamp, so the color wheel is letting only the blue part of the spectrum. The same with red and blue.
There are also DLP projectors that use three dmd's with three colored light sources( red green and blue) so no need for a color wheel. A frame being displayed with all color information on the screen at once. This means you can obtain 3 times the frame rate at a broader color depth with no rainbow effect.
Besides being technically wrong as pointed out by bboysil, don't you mean red and green will create yellow? Red and yellow (which isn't a primary color of additive light) makes orange!
http:\\diyprojectorkits.com
I am a member there, and am going to build my own 1080P projector this summer. 40 *THOUSAND* hours of life per bulb. Commercial projectors are for amateurs...
COMPARISON CHARTS PLEASE
Either use standard Or metric but don't mix them both. Inches and ounces in one place, meters in another. Seeing how this is tomsguide/us I would assume standard US measurements, but at least be consistant. Even better, translate the articles or make a simple conversion program.
Wow, this article is a mess. Seems like it was written by half a dozen people and connected in random order. No format consistancy between products. Some mention power consumpsion, some price, some show screen shots, size, weight, etc.
COMPARISON CHARTS PLEASE
I'm guessing that's why no charts, no product has the same info.
OK, I swear this is my last comment:
I couldn't figure out why they were using a condom for size comparison. Turns out it is a Euro coin! How about using something recognizable by the majority it of people reading this article.
Why is this site generating such poor quality articles these days (look at the equally useless webcam article)? What is this Digital Versus? Some copy and paste bot?
I read the Panasonic review then gave up. Doesn't anyone bother proof-reading:
"The fans this shape can relax"
"I ended up forcing the it manually"
"The image below" - it's not below
"When uscaling"
And how useless is the zoom option to see the two(!) Star Ratings?
LOL!@! At first I thought that coin was a condom!!
A very wordy review. This needs metrics to compare each model if this is going to prove of any use.
Nic topic coverage. Bit weird as I have just persuaded the wife that our front room would make a great home entertainment room.
First purchase required.... Projector. Think I'll pop down to my local Sony shop and see for myself just what they are like. The reviews here have done nothing more than give me a starting point. Nothing that allows me to proactively compare the products.
I have the same prob, Firmware update doesn't help me use AC charger while projecting..HELP PLS!!
now my aiptek pocket cinema is dead.i've upgraded the firmware, now it won't turn on...pls help...