Sony has expanded its line of ultra-high resolution 4K SXRD projectors with a new SRX-T420 model that provides 8.8 million pixels at 21,000 ANSI lumens - the highest brightness to date of any Sony projector. The new projector is aimed at large-venue commercial applications such as entertainment, auditorium/lecture hall presentations, virtual reality, and simulation.

The new model provides the same 4096 x 2160 resolution of its SXRD predecessors with many similar design and control elements. However, in addition to its high brightness, it delivers an enhanced contrast ratio of 3,000:1, as well as a range of updates in performance, interface, control software and installation capabilities. The unit also offers a vertical tilt angle of +/- 30 degrees, ideal for dome configurations.

"The desire to take advantage of our 4K projectors’ resolution and contrast on very large screens and domes has continually increased," said Andre Floyd, marketing manager for SXRD systems at Sony Electronics. "The SRX-T420 was created specifically to meet that demand. Whether you’re projecting images for a theme park, planetarium, mega-church or 3D/stereo virtual reality environments, the enhancements we’ve made with this new unit more than fit the bill."

As with other T-series models, the new model provides 95 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, and supports various other color gamuts, including ITU-R T.709 and DCDM, which is compatible with the Digital Cinema Initiatives standard. A user-defined register is available in addition to the 2.2 and 2.6 gamma presets, where the user can set values from 1.8 to 2.59 in steps of 0.01. Pre-installed, exchangeable boards customize the signal interface, including Dual-link HD-SDI and DVI with High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP).

The unit uses three 1.55-inch 4k x 2k SXRD panels, with an inter-pixel spacing of 0.35um, and a 92 percent fill ratio, which are the same characteristics as the panels used in the 11,000-lumen SRX-T110 and 18,000-lumen SRX-R220 models. The projector is scheduled for availability in the United States this month; no price has yet been announced. With the T110 listed at over $110,000, and competitor JVC’s DLA-RS-4000 (with a mere 3500 lumens) at $175,000, you do the math.

This realm of projectors is certainly in the stratosphere, considering performance, price, size, weight, and power consumption. To achieve this light output and improve contrast at the same time is no small feat, given the physics involved - everything doesn’t just scale up linearly. (Consider the light flux on the LCOS devices alone, and you can appreciate the magnitude of the thermal management issues.)

While Sony has not specifically described digital cinema as a target for this unit (which would at least require the addition of a secure media block for transferring content), such an application should be feasible. With the pull of 3D content seemingly providing an added jolt to the deployment of large-venue digital projectors, the recovering economy may provide an increasingly fertile ground for this kind of ultra-projector, supporting more consumption of high-quality content. -agc