sxrd lcd panel free sample

The last--and most impressive--were the OLED samples on display. Small organic light-emitting diodes are already in use in some phones and music players, but manufacturers are constantly working to enlarge them in the hopes that they"ll eventually be a viable alternative to LCD and plasma TVs. Sony"s showing a decently sized 27-incher with a thickness measured not in inches but in millimeters. It may not yet be ready for prime time, but it"s certainly a tantalizing view of what the flat-panel future may hold.

**The 2005 3LCD models are unique in that they are the only models between 2003 and 2007 that have not had a Sony warranty extension.***The expiration date of the extended warranty was originally 10/31/2008, but, based in part on the settlement of a class action lawsuit, on 11/12/2007, Sony extended the expiration date to 6/30/2009.

****The expiration date of these extended warranties was originally 6/30/2010, but, in mid-June 2010, Sony extended them to match those in the pending Cardenas SXRD2 class action lawsuit settlement.

liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology ("SXRDTM" models).All of the 2002-2006 and some of the 2007 modelsuse the WEGATM video processing engine and are generally known as Grand WEGAs. The remaining 2007 models use the newer BRAVIATM engine and branding.

SXRD models (green, yellow, purple, pink, or magenta blob, stain, haze, halo, or tint, and other discolorations)Image of a yellow stain (lower-right of image) by Mightyp on AVS Forum:

The optical blocks in SXRD models appear to have defects that cause predominantly green blobs, green haze, and/or yellow stains, although other discolorations (e.g., magenta-colored tint) also occur.An Opinion and Order from a class-action lawsuit on the 2005 models provides unique insight into the causes of the discolorations. A majority of the green issues that appeared in the 2005 SXRDs (the green blobs) arose almost immediately after they were put into service, often occurring near the middle of the screen, sometimes being donut-shaped. Sony claims that they identified and fixed that issue ("temperature fluctuations at the calibration stage of the assembly line") within a month of the start of production. Sony claims that this only affected the first ~7,000 TVs to be produced.Sony also claims that other minor causes of green issues (the green haze) were identified and fixed by 1/2006, although no details were provided.

Most likely, all of the green discolorations occurred due to the presence of improperly polarized light in the green channel, arising from defective green polarizers and/or SXRD panels. There is more recent evidence from a subsequent SXRD class action lawsuit that green haze can be caused by skin oil or debris introduced during the manufacturing process (presumably, optical block assemblers touching the parts with their bare fingers). However, Sony claims that they cleaned such optical block parts in a clean room prior to releasing them.

Sony further claims that the yellow stains in the 2005 SXRDs, which tend to start in the upper or lower right corner, were caused by a "microscopic material" in the liquid crystal panels, disrupting their uniformity over time during prolonged exposure to UV light produced by the projection lamp. Sony claims that the extent of the discoloration depended on the amount of microscopic material present in the panel, which varied from TV to TV, and the frequency of usage by the consumer. They also claim that service records indicate that the issue always appeared within the first 3,000 hours of usage, if it was going to happen.

Sony convinced the Plaintiffs counsel and judge in the class-action lawsuit that virtually all of the defective TVs that were subject to the problems would have exhibited them by the optical block warranty extension expiration date (6/30/2009), given the claimed 0-3,000 hour time period to appearance. However, inconsistent with Sony"s claims, many 2005 SXRD owners have experienced the same failures on the allegedly re-engineered optical blocks. In addition, original optical blocks have continued to fail after the extended warranty date and the claimed 3,000 hours of usage. Furthermore, similar issues are now being reported by owners of both the 2006 and 2007 model year SXRDs, which were largely produced after the alleged 10/2006 fix on the 2005 models.

A variety of other discolorations also affect SXRD models, including magenta or purple or other colors "tinting" various parts of the image. Some discoloration may be evident when the TV is first turned on, but then it may change or disappear after a period of time. SXRD technology is highly reliant on precise light polarization, so smaller degrees of degradation of the parts in the optical block and/or temperature changes can affect the image in these ways.

The blue discolorations seem to be the most common, particularly in the earlier (2003-2005) 3LCD models, although they are also observed in the more recent 3LCD models, as well as the SXRD models. These discolorations can take the form of blue blobs, haze, lines, bands, dots, star pattern, etc. In some cases, the discoloration is centered around an oval-shaped anomaly in the middle of the screen. In many cases, the discoloration (e.g., haze) is most visible on a gray background, but in other cases, the discoloration is visible on a black background (e.g., blobs). Once they become evident, the discolorations tend to accumulate and spread across the entire screen over the course of a few weeks to months.

The precise cause(s) of these discolorations have not been revealed by Sony, but the problem is well-known in the industry.Thediscolorations tend to be bluish in color,because the parts in the blue light path (particularly the blue polarizing filters and liquid crystalpanels) aresubject to the highest energy light (including UV) and heat. Photochemical and heat-based degradation of the blue polarizing filters can allow stray, improperly polarized blue light to pass through the blue LCD panel and onto the screen, leading to blue blobs on images that should be black. Photochemical and heat-based degradation of compounds in the blue LCD panel (e.g., the liquid crystal itself and/or alignment layers) can cause irregular distribution and/or alignment of the of the liquid crystal. This can lead to improper polarization of blue light as it passes through the damaged areas of the panel, resulting in the projection of stray blue light onto the screen.

images--typically called burn-in on older CRT and plasma displays. For example, this can occur in areas of black bars (e.g., letterboxes), in news ticker areas, or when pausing a program on a DVR.As the liquid crystal panels degrade over time, the

While the 2003-2004 3LCD models tend to have primarily blue discolorations, as described above, they can also suffer from stains in the yellow range, and this seems even more common in the newer 3LCD models (e.g., 2005-2006), particularly the A10s. These discolorations tend to start on the edges or appear within oval-shaped anomalies, and to spread over time. Similar to the yellow stains in the SXRDTM models, the yellow color arises due to light being completely blocked in the blue light pathdue to photochemical and heat-based damage (e.g., darkened areas on the orange-colored polarizing filter in the blue light path). The improper blockage of blue lightleaves the predominantly yellow light from the combined green and red light paths. TriState Module sells the orange-colored polarizing filter for the blue light path and reports that it can fix yellow discolorations.

On top of the high risk for blue discolorations described above, some2003-2004 3LCD modelsare also susceptible to developing an opaque, non-moving pattern on the screen, which is particularly evident on white or light backgrounds. This is referred to variously as stationary scribble, squiggly, random line, or road-mapping, and tends to be a solid color such as yellow, purple, or blue-green on a white background, but it varies somewhat depending on the specific color of the image on the screen.The problem tends to grow worse over time.

For the most part, this problem seems to have been caused by defective materials in a specific lot of LCD panels that were installed in the optical blocks, whichare particularly sensitive to damage arising from hot-cold (on-off) cycling. The color of the scribbles likely correlates with the light path with the damaged LCD panel. For example, damage to the blue panel may selectively block blue light in the damaged areas, leading to a yellow scribble (green plus red), damage to the green panel may lead to a purple scribble (blue plus red), or damage to the red panel may lead to a blue-green scribble. In some cases, different colored scribbles appear in different areas on the same TV, suggesting damage to multiple panels.

There is some evidence that leaving the TV on for an extended period (e.g., several days) can, at least temporarily, resolve or reduce this issue, perhaps by causing the defective panel to heat up, but this is not a complete or permanent fix.

For reference,in addition to liquid crystal projection technology (3LCD andLCoS/SXRDTM), othernewer technologies at the time included digital light processing (DLP) projection,plasma flat-panel,and LCD flat-panel. In the large screen market, DLP and plasma were in direct competition with liquid crystal projection in its heyday, and LCD flat-panels have overtaken the market as prices have come down on larger panels.

An industry group of LCD projection manufacturers called the "3LCD Group" was formed in 2004 to help market the 3LCD microdisplay technology. Sony is a member of this marketing group, and, along with Epson, accounted for most of the production of the LCD microdisplay panels used in the projection models. Although the current 3LCD Group web site refers only to front projectors, it included rear-projection TVs when they were in production. For example, see this version of the 3LCD Group web site archived in January of 2005. Here is an excerpt from a 1/7/2005 3LCD Group press release:

“As the U.S. market leader in microdisplay televisions, Sony has always been committed to providing consumers with video products that exceed their expectations,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president in Sony Electronics’ Home Products Division. “3LCD technology fulfills this role by offering an ideal balance between superior performance, overall reliability and manufacturing efficiency.”

Liquid crystal projection TV sales and marketing efforts attempted to steer customers away from competing plasma TVs by citing a short 10,000-20,000-hour lifespanof the plasma tubes (less than 10 years at 3-6 hours per day).In addition, the longevity of competing DLP projection TVs was questioned based on the use of moving parts (DLP technology uses a spinning color wheel with millions of hinged micromirrors). Consistent with this, Sony and its 3LCD Group have released marketing statements such as the following:

It is generally accepted that liquid crystal flat-panel displays have an expected life span of about 60,000 hours(about 27 years at 6 hours per day)(e.g., site 1, site 2, site 3). The liquid crystal microdisplay panels in Sony"s 3LCD and SXRDTM TVs are a bit different than flat-panels. However, Sony and the 3LCD Group do not differentiate LCD flat panels and microdisplays when speaking about reliability. For example, the following statement can be found on the 3LCD Group web site:

Reliable, Road-Tested Tecnology: LCD technology surrounds us – HDTVs, PDAs, mobile phones, monitors and more...this powerful and road-tested technology is an optimal way to achieve sharp, beautiful images. 3LCD systems are reliable and use a simple optical design: 3 chips and 1 prism.

Furthermore, the estimated 60,000-hour lifespan of an LCD flat panel is actually based more on the longevity of the fluorescent back-lighting than the liquid crystal components themselves. So, if the lighting systems were replaceable on these units, the lifespan could, theoretically, be much longer.In liquid crystal projection systems, the lamps are, in fact, user-replaceable, and Sony has exploited this to further promote the longevity of the technology. They strongly promoted that their TVs only needed a lamp change every several years to restore the TV to a like-new condition. Here are some quotes from some of Sony"s marketing:

The Fountain of Youth - User-Replaceable UHP Lamp. In the past, the gradual loss of picture quality was just part of owning a TV. Once the picture got to a point where it was unwatchable, the TV was replaced and the process started over. Sony recognizes the investment in time and money that a TV represents. That is the reason that Grand WEGA comes with an ingenious user-replaceable UHP lamp. After countless hours of enjoyment, simply replace the lamp and your Grand WEGA is as good as the day you bought it. In fact, with Sony"s renowned quality, Grand WEGA may be the last TV you ever own.The implication from these quotes is that liquid crystal rear-projection TVs could have an even longer life than a liquid crystal flat-panel display, and even CRT-based TVs, due to the user-replaceable lamps. In fact, a "white paper" from Sony on their projection systems directly suggests that liquid crystal microdisplay (fixed-pixel) projection panels offer "far longer life" than CRT-based TVs (e.g., see page 23):

CRTs have phosphors that are subject to burn-in when an image stays on the screen too long...Fixed-pixel projector display panels are immune to burn-in, offering far longer life. And the SXRD panel is particularly robust.However, unlike flat-panel liquid crystal displays with non-damaging fluorescent back-lighting, the UHP lamps in Sony"s rear-projection TVs create substantial direct heat, direct light (e.g., ultraviolet), and indirect heat (produced by conversion of reflected light). This damaging energy is focused on the small filters and liquid crystal panels within the optical block, significantly reducing lifespan.

SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) is Sony"s proprietary variant of liquid crystal on silicon, a technology used mainly in projection televisions and video projectors. In the front and rear-projection television market, it competes directly with JVC"s D-ILA and Texas Instruments" DLP. Sony has discontinued the production of all of its rear-projection televisions, including those that used SXRD display chips, in favor of flat-panel sets utilizing LCD and OLED displays. Sony has now concentrated SXRD on HD home front-projectors and next generation 4K digital theater projection.

The VW1025ES, like the VW995ES it replaces, comes bundled with an ARC-F lens, an ultra-high-quality multi-element all-glass lenses assembly. This type of lens is also utilized on the VW5000ES and the flagship GTZ380 home theater projectors. This ARC-F lens is a significant upgrade in optical quality compared to the very good lenses used on Sony’s other, less expensive native 4K SXRD projectors.

So while upgrading to the VW1025ES is an expensive proposition, due to the unit’s premium lens, it may be worth it to those who want to extract every bit of detail from Sony’s native 4K SXRD panels.

First, all Sony 4K Home Theater projectors (including the VW1025ES) use Sony’s 4K SXRD (4096 x 2160) panels which is Sony’s version of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). This three chip 4K SXRD imaging system is very similar to what is utilized in Sony 4K cinema projectors that are found in the best movie theaters in the world.

It delivers more native contrast than the standard LCD panels or DLP chips used in most consumer projectors. These three SXRD panels eliminate the possibility of the Rainbow Effect (Color Breakup) seen on many single-chip DLP projectors and it also minimizes the “screen door effect” (blocky image distortions) compared to most 3LCD projectors.

Superior processing separates Sony’s video displays from the competition. While the processing in Sony flat-panel TVs evolves every year, it has been a while since they updated the brains of their home theater projectors. Way back in the fall of 2016, Sony’s highly rated flagship Z9D flat-panel TV featured the brand new X1 Processor, and last year Sony began equipping their new 4K home theater projectors (like the VW1025ES) with a version of the same X1 Processor that has been optimized for projectors.

Unlike most flat panel TVs, Sony home theater projectors like the VW1025ES still support 3D. The projector’s built-in RF transmitter is compatible with third-party Active RF 3D glasses for wider coverage and greater stability.

This video processor is based on the original X1 Ultimate Processor used for Sony‘s top of the line BRAVIA TVs. While the processor was originally designed for Sony’s Master Series LCD and OLED flat-panel televisions, this version has been optimized for projectors with the goal of enhancing the picture quality of projected images.

The X1 Ultimate Processor not only improves the detail and resolution of any source, but it also provides a noticeable improvement in the HDR performance compared to the old Sony 4K SXRD models. HDR content will be brighter with richer colors, deeper black levels, and bright highlight detail will be more visible.

So, the lessons Sony learned from the GTZ380 were incorporated into multiple components in the new XW-Series including the new SXRD panels, Z-Phosphor laser light, and video processing. Regardless of whether it is a flagship projector like a GTZ380 or an entry-level 4K SXRD model like the XW5000ES, proper control will extract maximum performance from the quality components being utilized.

Unlike most flat-panel TVs, Sony home theater projectors like the XW7000ES and XW6000ES still support 3D. The projector’s built-in RF transmitter is compatible with third-party Active RF 3D glasses for wider coverage and greater stability.

The new 0.61-inch native 4K UHD (3840×2160) SXRD panels used in the XW Series projectors delivered a sharp picture with noticeably better contrast. The XW-Series also include better lenses more powerful video processing, and more brightness than the units they are replacing.

The ACF lens is also available on the XW6000ES ($12,000 SRP) gives owners access to optical quality that was previously only available on Sony 4K SXRD projectors costing 3X more,

1. Explore Sony’s New 4K SXRD Projectors: VPL-XW5000ES, VPL-XW6000ES, and VPL-XW7000ES2. Explore Sony’s New 4K SXRD Projectors: VPL-XW5000ES, VPL-XW6000ES, and VPL-XW7000ES – Page 23. Explore Sony’s New 4K SXRD Projectors: VPL-XW5000ES, VPL-XW6000ES, and VPL-XW7000ES – Page 3

for a thorough look-see. The company also included a server with a limited but useful selection of true 4K content. Unfortunately, what wasn’t fully cooked in this early sample was the 3D section. Sony reported that our projector’s panel driver and lamp had not yet been calibrated for 3D, but full production samples should be available by January. We’ll be doing a follow-up on the projector’s 3D performance, both online at HomeTheater.com and in print, as soon as Sony can provide one.

Three 0.74-inch SXRD imaging chips, each with 4K resolution, comprise the heart of the projector’s optical engine. SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) is Sony’s take on LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). These latest SXRD devices are said to offer an improved native contrast over earlier designs.

The precise alignment of the imaging panels in any multi-chip projector is critical. The VPL-VW1000ES offers the same (global or multi-zone) convergence that’s been a regular feature in Sony’s other recent and current high-end projectors. Sony is the only manufacturer we know of that offers panel adjustments to within a fraction of a pixel. The alignment out of the box was good but not perfect; minor adjustments pulled it into line.

The last--and most impressive--were the OLED samples on display. Small organic light-emitting diodes are already in use in some phones and music players, but manufacturers are constantly working to enlarge them in the hopes that they"ll eventually be a viable alternative to LCD and plasma TVs. Sony"s showing a decently sized 27-incher with a thickness measured not in inches but in millimeters. It may not yet be ready for prime time, but it"s certainly a tantalizing view of what the flat-panel future may hold.

Sony didn"t make any official announcements about new SXRD-based rear-projection HDTVs, but it did say that the current KDS-A2000 series will be replaced by the KDS-A2020 series. The only difference between the two is that the newer models, available this March and already detailed on Sony"s site, will have black cabinets. Details on successors to the company"s 2006 XBR2 lineup were not revealed.

Projector image discoloration is one of the most common issues, and is not resolved by replacing your projector lamp.  If your projector shows a yellow, red, purple, or blue tint along all or part of your image, it needs to be professionally serviced.  A discolored image means that there is an issue with the color wheel (DLP projectors) or polarizing plates (LCD projectors). If caught early on LCD projectors, this repair only requires cleaning, labor, and recallibration of the color module.  If you wait too long, this repair involves replacement of the polarizing plates or prism assembly which can be quite expensive.

Projectors require cleaning and maintenance.  Failure to do so on an annual or semi-annual basis can lead to dust within the optical section which will show up as dots or specks on your projector image.  If the dots are a tinted color or hue, this means that the dust has settled on the color module, which means that the polarizing plates need to be cleaned (lcd projector) or the color wheel needs to be cleaned (dlp projector).  Less commonly, this could also be a result of a damaged dlp chip (from being dropped or otherwise), or a damaged section in the prism assembly or optical block.

As an example, there are 2.07 million pixels (full HDTV: 1920H x 1080V) arranged on the 0.37-type SXRD, which has a rectangular shape with a 0.37 inch diagonal (and 16:9 display aspect ratio). The size of a single pixel is 4.25μm square and the pixels are arranged with extremely narrow gaps, with only around 0.2 μm between the pixels. This realizes a smooth image with no feeling of mesh like a screen door.

In general, on microdisplays for projectors, the narrower pixel pitch is, the more likely it is that light will leak to the pixel driving element and that the performance of the pixel driving element will be degradess, which can easily lead to deterioration of the image quality. However, on SXRD, the addition of a light shielding layer and the optimization of the pixel structure have greatly improved the light shielding characteristics. It is even possible to maintain the image quality performance when there is strong incident light.