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Thanks to these features and additional refinements to the SXRD panel
structure, contrast is substantially improved over H-LCD designs. The contrast
ratio of Sony's 4K SXRD panel alone is better than 4000:1, when measured with
a conoscope, a tool for analyzing the optical properties of bifringent materials.
Total contrast ratio of Sony 4K projectors, when viewed on a screen with unity
gain is greater than 1800:1. That's comparable to other digital projection
technologies.
Long operating life
CRTs have phosphors that are subject to burn-in when an image stays on
the screen too long. Projection CRTs are particularly susceptible, because they
run at higher output to achieve high brightness. Fixed-pixel projector display
panels are immune to burn-in, offering far longer life. And the SXRD panel is
particularly robust.
Two thin sheets of material hold the liquid crystal in alignment. Typically
this material is organic polyimide film. This generally works well but has less
than optimal operating life in the stressful, high-heat environment of a digital
projector. Sony's inorganic thin-film alignment layer not only maintains vertical
liquid crystal alignment but also exhibits exceptional thermal stability. This
extends the operating life of the SXRD panel.
In addition, H-LCD panels are squarely in the light transmission path,
making them relatively difficult to cool. Because light reflects off the SXRD
panels, their "dark" side is out of the light transmission path, making them easier
to cool. This prolongs the panel life further still.
Minimum artifacts
There's more to picture quality than just the microdisplay panels.
Electronic and electro-mechanical systems associated with the microdisplays can
add artifacts not present in the original picture. These artifacts may be visible
depending on picture content and viewing circumstances. When comparing
microdisplay projection systems, three potential sources of artifacts stand out.
• Color wheels are used in consumer and affordable business-class projectors
to generate multiple colors from a single microdisplay panel.
• Optical actuators are used to double the native resolution of the
microdisplay panel.
• Spatial dithering is used to conceal limitations in a microdisplay panel.