CEDIA 2010: VPL-VW90ES – The $9,999 Sony ES 3D HD Projector With 240Hz

Sony has announced the VPL-VW90ES projector at CEDIA 2010 for the US market, and it has become Sony’s flagship device for an incredible HD and 3D cinematic experience in the home. The projector is unique because it is a model of two firsts; it is the first front projector from Sony to feature 3D capability, and it is the first Elevated Standard (ES) projector ever. The price is reasonable at $9,999 – which seems high at first glance but is actually quite competitive. Several other manufacturers have released 3D projectors this year and also simultaneously with Sony at CEDIA 2010, but they simply do not compare in quality.

There are several advantages for Sony right now with this projector compared to the competition (aside from 3D capability), incredible quality, an early release date of November, and a 240Hz refresh rate. The 240Hz technology, which is not available in any other 3D projector, “minimizes cross talk for minimal image distortion” according to Sony. Other noteworthy features include two active shutter 3D glasses and transmitter included with the projector, which is capable of 1,000 ANSI lumens and a dynamic contrast ratio of 150,000:1.

Looking at some of the competition, the VW90ES will do well because there isn’t really much out there that can rival it. Mitsubishi has a 3D DLP front projector called “Diamond 3D” that also has SXRD technology like the VW90ES, with 120,000:1 contrast ratio, 120Hz SXRD technology, 1000 ANSI lumens, and will come with one pair of active shutter glasses. There is no price or release date for that projector, though, with some mumblings of a 2011 release. Don’t forget about LG’s recent release, the CF3D, which uses passive 3D glasses and has some key advantages, namely brightness, but costs five thousand more than the Sony VW90ES. There is also competition from Sharp, which has announced a somewhat similar projector (XV-Z17000) that has lesser features, but there is also no indication of price and a confirmed 2011 release. Then of course is the Runco D-73d, which is a super high-end 3D projector which uses passive 3D glasses and costs $50,000. I won’t even bother discussing that beast.

CNET’s Crave has a good comparison of specifications for the currently available 3D projectors.

I watched some 3D content on the VW90ES, including PS3 gaming clips, exclusive film footage of Green Hornet, and so forth. The experience was very impressive, and there was indeed less crosstalk on motion scenes. In some ways, it almost feels like this 3D revolution is really made for projectors, because when I think about all of the 3D I have seen, its only great for me when its on a large display. If we were talking about 3D TV’s, it only has a wow-factor if its at least on a 52′ set. As for the projector, I am holding off on giving further impressions at the moment because I want to check out the competitor’s products mentioned above at CEDIA 2010. Based on seeing projectors from other companies in the past, though, I could most certainly tell that Sony has set a very high standard in its price range that will be very difficult for any other company to surpass this generation. I find it very hard to believe that the competition will have 3D movement as fluid as the VW90ES.

The VW90ES joins an elite list of Sony products that integrate easily with leading home automation systems including Control4, Crestron, AMX, Savant, Ultimate Remote Control, RTI, Vantage, and others. The projector is also Control4 Certified and includes an AMX Device Discovery Beacon.