Laser Projectors by Sony

According to Sony, there’s been a resurgence in the use of projectors for business and higher education applications – because the lamp-free, lower TCO (total cost of ownership) advantages of the new generation laser projectors are clear. And many applications need the larger-screen-size-for-the-budget and portability advantages of laser projectors. But all laser projectors are not created equal. Sony laser projectors – both the Sony 3LCD series and the 4K Pro SXRD line-up – have proven themselves in the most rigorous business use cases.

The Sony 3LCD projector series – the powerful Z-Phosphor laser light source is teamed with Sony’s advanced 3LCD projection and Reality Creation image processing to deliver extremely bright, rich, and stable colors with great clarity. For the most demanding users, Sony SXRD projectors deliver native 4K resolution along with stunning high contrast and incredibly accurate colors.

Let’s look at two possible applications and excellent Sony projector choices for each:

If your customer needs a bright and compact projector for a small classroom or conference room, we recommend the Sony VPL-PHZ50 (5000 ANSI lumen WUXGA 3LCD projector). With a sleek and compact chassis, the VPL-PHZ50 is designed to fit into almost any space by blending into the background. Sony has created a functional, aesthetically-pleasing product that is durable, easy to set up, and easy to use.

Sony’s exclusive Z-Phosphor™ laser light source allows the VPL-PHZ50 to start up in seconds and shut down just as quickly, saving both time and energy. The VPL-PHZ50 laser light engine is designed to last up to 20,000 hours. That translates to about ten years of use.

The VPL-PHZ50 laser projector includes Sony’s exclusive signal processing technology, Bright View. This unique technology brightens images without sacrificing color in high ambient light environments. Sony Bright View processing technology ensures a more consistent color even as the projector’s brightness automatically adjusts up or down in response to changes in the room’s lighting. Bright View creates bright and sharp images while maintaining color balance (High, Middle, Low). The image can be bright without color loss even in well-lit environments. It is ideal for applications like classrooms or boardrooms where it’s not feasible or safe to dim the lights completely.

There is also a new feature called Reality Text which improves the visibility of characters and is ideal for presenting in conference rooms and classrooms. This is perfect for the kind of data-driven, results-based Excel deep dives adored by all C-level executive types.

Finally, in some boardrooms or classrooms, your customer may have 4K flat TV panel TVs on the wall and an HD projector installed in the ceiling. In some cases, the source will “dumb down” the resolution to match the resolution of the lowest input source, causing a real headache. Solving this issue might require a costly external scaling solution. No such worries here! Although the unit is a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) projector, it offers a 4K60p input to simply integration with 4K flat panel TVs. For supreme ease of operation, customers can split the 4K signal to drive all displays, with no scaling or conversion needed.

If your customer needs a projector for midsize auditoriums, conference rooms, and classrooms, we recommend the bright, powerful, and compact VPL-FHZ80 and VPL-FHZ85 laser projectors. The VPL-FHZ80 is rated at 6,000 ANSI (6,500 Center) lumens and the step-up VPL-FHZ85 is rated at 7,300 ANSI (8,000 center) lumens. Sony states that the VPL-FHZ85 is the smallest and lightest 3LCD laser projector available in its brightness class.

The first thing you might notice about these projectors is how bright they are for their size. The VPL-FHZ80 (6,000 ANSI lumens) and the VPL-FHZ85 (7,300 ANSI lumens) can deliver the higher brightness needed to enjoy a large screen image while overcoming ambient light.

Another important consideration is the ongoing pandemic and the need for the public to socially distance in most indoor situations. High brightness ensures a vivid picture even in a room with some ambient light, like a lecture hall. A bigger, brighter projected image makes it easier for audience members to maintain a safe distance from other participants, as needed.

In addition to high brightness, the FHZ85 and FHZ80 include several features to ensure that their brightness capabilities are optimized based on the room environment. Some other projectors use conventional signal processing that can raise the signal level to make a projected image brighter, but the color tends to wash out. In a strongly lit room, these other manufacturers may achieve a bright picture, but it’s not vivid or dramatic. And that might be okay for a classroom with a bunch of algebra equations projected on a big screen, but it won’t be compelling for an art show at a museum or brand pitch in a corporate boardroom.

The VPL-FHZ80 and VPL-FHZ85 laser projectors include Sony’s exclusive signal processing technology called Bright View that helps maintain exceptional color, even while projecting a bright image. This unique signal processing technology brightens images without sacrificing color in the high ambient light environments typically found in business and higher education environments. To facilitate this technology, a small sensor is built into each projector that continuously monitors lighting conditions.

Like the VPL-PHZ50 we mentioned in the last section, these units also include Reality Text which improves the visibility of characters and is ideal for presenting in conference rooms and classrooms.

It’s not very effective to try to cobble together projector, display, video, and audio solutions from random vendors. It’s definitely best practice to optimize the entire AV ecosystem. Choosing Sony as your technical partner will allow you to leverage the latest audio and video advancements to enable better student and faculty engagement.

In addition to traditional AV technologies including displays, projectors, remote cameras, presentation tools, and microphones, Sony also provides specialized equipment as part of complete end-to-end solutions. With a long history in the consumer and professional spaces, business customers can also rely on Sony’s AI and AR technologies; broadcast, studio, and cinema cameras; switchers and professional monitors; speakers and headphones; gaming devices; cloud-based workflows; and content storage, archive, and management tools.

Courtesy of Jennifer Mash at Projector Reviews