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Sony puts 4K Ultra Short Throw projector up against the wall

Sony puts 4K Ultra Short Throw projector up against the wall
Sony's 4K UST projector sits on the floor alongside any wall with enough space to accommodate its considerable projection size
Sony's 4K UST projector sits on the floor alongside any wall with enough space to accommodate its considerable projection size
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The Sony 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector will be available mid-2014
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The Sony 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector will be available mid-2014
The device will support current video content from internet, satellite and cable providers along with services such as Netflix and Sony's own Video Unlimited 4K
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The device will support current video content from internet, satellite and cable providers along with services such as Netflix and Sony's own Video Unlimited 4K
A 1.6x power zoom allows for the Ultra-High Definition image to be adjusted to anywhere between 66 and 147 inches
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A 1.6x power zoom allows for the Ultra-High Definition image to be adjusted to anywhere between 66 and 147 inches
Sony's 4K UST projector sits on the floor alongside any wall with enough space to accommodate its considerable projection size
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Sony's 4K UST projector sits on the floor alongside any wall with enough space to accommodate its considerable projection size
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After first bringing 4K resolution to lounge room walls in 2012 with its VPL-VW1000ES projector, Sony is making another run at the Ultra HD home theater market, though this time over a much shorter distance. At CES, the company is demoing a prototype of its 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector that has the ability to cast images up to 147-inches in size from a distance of around 20 in (50 cm).

Designed to look like a piece of furniture, the unit measures 43.3 x 10.4 x 21.1 in (110 x 26.5 x 53.5 cm) and sits on the floor alongside any wall with enough space to accommodate its considerable projection size. A 1.6x power zoom allows for the UHD image to be adjusted to anywhere between 66 and 147 inches in size. Sony says the device boasts 3D capability and will support current video content from internet, satellite and cable providers, along with services such as Netflix and Sony's own Video Unlimited 4K.

Like the VPL-VW1000ES, the device uses an SXRD panel and boasts 4096 x 2160 pixels with 2,000 lumens of brightness, but does so with the inherent convenience that an Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector offers.

In addition to minimizing shadows and removing the need for complex installation or mounting, Sony's UST home projector includes four HDMI ports and two speaker terminals, with separate speaker units able to sit nicely alongside the projector by modeling the same sleek design.

Light is sourced from a laser diode, which the company says will see the display reach and maintain superior peak brightness and color accuracy compared to typical lamp-driven projectors.

At last year's CES we saw the unveiling of the LG UST Laser TV projector, which similarly looked to remove the issues posed by traditional home theater systems. However, LG's version is only capable of offering a 1080p image up to 100 inches in size – although, it is also much cheaper.

The Sony 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector will be available mid-2014 for approximately US$30,000 to $40,000.

Source: Sony

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5 comments
5 comments
Jerry Rotondaro
Now this I agree with. A unique approach that delivers what people are after. Who wouldn't want 147 inches?
Mel Tisdale
Unless there is a new breed of plasterer involved in the construction industry these days, I imagine that there will be a call for extra-rigid plasterboard of a size to suit the maximum this device is capable of projecting, unless a wobbly image is acceptable around the edges, of course.
Lewis M. Dickens III
Beautiful packaging.
Outrageous price.
bergamot69
@ Mel Tisdale,
Anyone with the disposable income to be able to afford a projector like this probably lives in a properly built house- which by definition does not have wobbly plasterboard (sheetrock in US speak) walls.
More importantly, the house would need to have concrete floors ideally, and that is something that quality older houses don't often have- otherwise the image will shake, especially if there is a subwoofer close by. Or use a custom made plinth such as the Townshend Seismic Sink.
A remedy for shaky plasterboard walls would be to sandwich a layer of stiff board, such as Stirling Board (oriented strand board) covered in another layer of plasterboard- preferably acoustic grade, over the original plasterboard, using plenty of fixings.
Nibblonian
Projection onto a wall in a room with that amount of ambient light? Um, no, it won't look like that.