Already having made projectors of the D-ILA high-end series, not least due to their overwhelming native contrast and their richness of detail, could convince the professional community and the general public. With the DLA-NZ7, the DLA-NZ8, and the DLA-NZ9, the manufacturer opens the way to the next generation of their proven D-ILA projectors and shows in this context once again why JVC has long been a favorite in the home theater projector sector. The pre-released DLA-NZ7 is, one might almost say, the “entry-level model” of the three new projectors. Contrary to what one might expect from this formulation, the DLA-NZ7 doesn’t have to hide behind its bigger siblings. Apart from a few, albeit decisive differences, especially in terms of light intensity, all three basically rely on the same technologies, such as the BLU-Escent laser light unit on the one hand and the newly revised 0.69-inch D-ILA panel on the other. Instead of the somewhat outdated high-pressure lamp, the aforementioned laser light source uses significantly more powerful – as the name already suggests – blue laser diodes. This technology, known as BLU-Escent, has been specially adapted for home cinema projectors and, in the case of the DLA-NZ7, achieves a light output of up to 2,200 lumens with a remarkable lifespan of 20,000 operating hours. Compared to its predecessor, the DLA-NZ7 is a good 300 lumens brighter.
Due to the increased brightness and the contrast ratio of 40,000:1, which is made possible thanks to the sophisticated lens, the display of HDR content has been additionally optimized. Content with a high dynamic range, as HDR literally translates, has an increased contrast range. Accordingly, bright image areas are brighter, while dark ones are displayed darker than with SDR. Colors also benefit from this and appear more vibrant. The D-ILA projectors support all HDR formats. While the previous models were already capable of reproducing HDR 10 content, the new D-ILA projectors now even support the new license-free HDR 10+ standard. HDR 10+ content is similar to licensed Dolby Vision content in that the maximum brightness is not stored in the metadata for the entire movie, as is the case with HDR10, but rather depends on the scene and even the frame. Thanks to the so-called Frame Adapt HDR function, the projectors are able to read this data using an algorithm developed by JVC and adjust the brightness and dynamic range of each frame accordingly in real-time. Frame Adapt HDR also increases the accuracy of gamma processing from 12 to 18 bits, enabling the reproduction of finer gradations. In the Theater Optimizer function, all additional projection parameters such as screen size and gain, as well as the automatic adjustment of the color profile, are included in the correction. The result is deep contrasts and great colors adapted to just about any setup.
Combined with the 65 mm all-glass lens, consisting of 17 elements in 15 groups and set in aluminum, a stunning home theater experience with true color and dynamic images is guaranteed. Inside the lens, five ED optical lenses are responsible for optimizing the different refractive index of the RGB colors, this way, unwanted reflections can be drastically reduced and as a result, crisp 4K images can be produced. Thanks to the unique eShift technology, all three of the new D-ILA projectors are capable of processing 8K signals in addition to native 4K output. Two HDMI inputs (48 Gpbs, HDCP 2.3) can accept up to 120 frames/second in 4K resolution and up to 60 frames/second in 8K resolution. Via double eShift, the 8K signal is then projected to the screen in slightly more than 4K resolution. At this point, the more elaborate quad eShiftX process remains reserved for the DLA-NZ8 as well as the DLA-NZ9. However, native 8K content is honestly rather rare at the moment. Therefore, the DLA-NZ7 will probably not miss this extra too much for the time being.
Final Thoughts
Even though the DLA-NZ7 is a bit slimmed down compared to its bigger siblings, it delivers exactly what the manufacturer JVC has been known forever since: a synergy of high dynamic range, brilliant images, and high brightness. Support for HDR 10+ as well as 8K content combined with BLU-Escent laser technology makes the DLA-NZ7 stand out from the crowd. The pre-released DLA-NZ7 serves as a harbinger, so to speak, for what can be expected in the more souped-up models. At a certain premium with additional performance as well as enhanced features, we expect the DLA-NZ8 and DLA-NZ9 in the coming months. The DLA-NP5 will also be released in the same time frame, but with a few fewer features and a 265 watt UHP light source, it will be a little less expensive and is especially suitable for home theater beginners with higher demands. The DLA-NZ7 and many other selected home theater projectors can already be found in our demonstration. We would be happy to welcome you and are happy to answer any questions you may have about home theater.
