Projectors

It says much that JVC’s entry-level projector comes in where other brands' high-end offerings sign off. Priced at £2,900, it looks a veritable bargain when viewed alongside the company's £10,000 bespoke DLA-X95R flagship.

The 4K world is confusing for punters. Is it 4K or UHD? Do you need an HDMI 2.0 socket for proper 4K playback? Is ‘true’ 4K 4,096 x 2,160 or 3,840 x 2,160? What compression/coding format will eventual 4K discs use? And so it goes. Frankly, the last thing the burgeoning 4K world needs is a projector that can take in 4K content, uses a technology called e-shift 4K but isn’t actually a 4K projector. Except that in some ways it sort of is.  

It used to be fairly easy to predict what each new generation of JVC projector would give you. A bit more brightness, even more contrast, and maybe a new calibration tool or two. It’s starting to look, though, as if JVC has gone as far as it can in contrast and brightness terms with its proprietary D-ILA projection tech. The new DLA-X5900 reviewed here claims the same 1,800 Lumens brightness and 400,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio figures delivered by its predecessor, the X5500. 

With 3D’s appeal apparently fizzing out for some, our geekometers are pointing towards 4K resolutions as being one of the next big things in AV.

While we rapturously praised JVC’s decision to turn its traditional D-ILA projection trio into a quartet this year when reviewing the outstanding DLA-X55 addition to the range, it occurred to us that that model's excellence potentially caused the brand a problem. In previous years the step up from JVC’s entry-level projectors to the mid-range equivalents of this year’s DLA-X75 was clearly defined. Now, though, you may wonder if the DLA-X75 can up the ante enough from the DLA-X55 to justify its extra £1,500 or so cost.

If you invite the neighbours to watch Turning Red on your new LG 'CineBeam' HU715Q projector, will they leave an envious shade of green? I reckon so. The Korean company's take on the (slowly) evolving 'laser TV' market is delightfully impressive.