May 16, 2003

Hi folks,

If you are looking for a great little inexpensive DVD player that outputs DVI, then check out the V Bravo D1 review just posted yesterday. If you've got a projector with DVI input, this may be the least expensive way to get the best possible picture onto your screen.

We are still working on the new Home Theater Buyer's Guide. This will answer a lot of the questions we get every week about how to weigh the benefits of one projector model against another. But in the mean time, a quick comment about projector specs. I just received an email asking why a particular projector with great specs was not on the Highly Recommended list. It had a higher contrast rating, higher lumen output, lower fan noise, and a lower price than a competing model that we rate as Highly Recommended -- how does that happen?

The answer is simple. There is far more to video quality than is discernable on a spec sheet. Color balance and accuracy, color saturation, black levels, and deinterlacing and scaling capabilities all are important elements in the final video image. You can't tell anything from a spec sheet about any of them. So if there is one important message we'd like to get out to everyone, it is this: when it comes to home theater, don't buy a projector based on the specs on its spec sheet--odds are you will get burned. Especially if you buy a product that is specifically designed for the mobile presentation market. You will end up with great contrast and lumen output. And due to extremely high color temperature, you'll get lousy color.

Many have written in asking about reviews on the Marantz VP12, the DWIN TV3, the Sim2 HT300, and the Sharp Z10000, all models featuring the Texas Instrument Mustang/HD2 1280x720 chip. There will be a lot of news on these models next month. So sit tight just a couple more weeks. We will have much more to say about these high-end $10,000+ units after June 1.

Best regards,

Evan Powell