» JVC HD-58S998 and HD-65S998 Ultra SLIM True 1080p HD-ILA RPTVs Review

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Editor's HDTV Pick

HP 47 inch MediaSmart 1080p LCD HDTV "Out of the box" digital media platform. Enjoy videos, pictures and music from home network + digital media delivered over your broadband Internet connection + 3 x HDMI

JVC’s HD-58S998 and HD-65S998 Ultra SLIM True 1080p HD-ILA (Direct-Drive Image Light Amplifier) rear projections have a reduced depth compared to conventional rear projection televisions. Sony and Samsung have also been working on new slimmer rear projection televisions however, with a 40% reduction in depth, JVC’s Ultra Slim HD-ILA models are the slimmest. Both the HD-58S998 and HD-65S998 are slim enough that JVC offer a wall mounting bracket (TS-CP01WG).

Triple D-ILA (LCOS) Microdisplay Panel Design

JVC’s HD-58S998 and HD-65S998 rear projection televisions incorporate a 3 microdisplay panel design intended to eliminate the color separation and “rainbow” effects found in competing technologies eg. DLP. Each of the three 0.7 inch D-ILA chips has the full 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution allowing the full 1080p HD signal without scaling.

JVC’s D-ILA is based upon LcOS which is a combination of both the reflective approach of DLP (millions of actuated micro-mirrors on a chip reflect light required for the display) and the transmissive approach of LCD (millions of liquid crystals act as valves passing through light required for the display). With LCoS technology, liquid crystals are applied to a reflective mirror substrate with the polarization of liquid crystals being used for light transmission control and the mirror below reflecting the light or not as required for image display. The three-chip configuration is for the three primary colors.

D-ILA eliminates the “screen door effect”, which hinders LCD technologies, offering a high aperture ratio of more than 90 percent to ensure smooth, film-like images.

Genessa Video Processing Chip

JVC’s 32-bit CPU processor, the Genessa chip, provides all image processing, noise reduction and color management technologies. With every video source, D.I.S.T. (Digital Image Scaling Technology), onboard the GENESSA chip detects and up-scales the data (SD and HD) to display a full HD 1080p image.

Video Noise Reduction

A sad consequence of the life like detail of High Definition TV is that it magnifies and picture distortions making video noise reduction processing an important factor in producing a good picture. JVC include a comprehensive noise reduction suite of technologies.

• Digital Video Noise Reduction detects and stabilizes digital video noise to reduce any graininess.
• A 3D Y/C Digital Comb Filter w/Cross Color Eliminator is able to detect and reduce embedded dot and color interference from digital broadcast and component signals for crystal clear images.
• Natural Progressive Technology - an I/P scaling technology for smoothing images. It focuses on areas that normally blur, such as where there is fast movement or skewed lines exist, so images are always smooth.
• Natural Cinema (3-2 Pull Down) Technology is an edge smoothing circuit that samples and compensates for the jagged edges commonly found in videos that were converted from film.

Gamma Control

Another of JVC’s included video processing technologies on their GENESSA chip is Motion Adaptive Dynamic Gamma. This algorithm is capable of detecting areas of darker data, even in motion, and preserving the tonal details and gradations with those areas so that they remain rich with detail and never appear muddied.

5 Point Color Management System

The 5 Point Color Management System algorithm compensates for potential color range limitations with a pin-point sampling process, telling the GENESSA chip which colors need to be softened or toned down. Colors which interfere with each other are anticipated prevented from doing so.

Universal Remote

Showing some enlightened thinking, JVC have included an illuminated universal remote control which can be programmed to operate other brands and types of AV equipment such as DVD players and digital video recorders. The remote has dual infrared transmitters so that you can send signals to the TV while holding the remote in a vertical position to better see the control buttons.

Connections

JVC have included a USB input for use with a photo viewer application for getting a large view of your image files. The software allows images to be zoomed and rotated, viewed individually or played as a slide show.

A good range of connection options are provided including two HDMI v1.3 inputs, two component inputs, three composite inputs, three AV inputs, an S-Video input, and optical digital audio out, and a fixed audio out.

Audio

Features of JVC’s audio package include:

• 20W total audio power - 10-watts-per-channel amplifier
• Smart Sound - maintains a constant volume level between program changes
• A.H.S. (Advanced Hyper Surround) creates the illusion of a 3D soundfield without the need for a separate surround sound system

Preset Modes

The JVC LCD’s have five picture modes (6500K, standard, game, theater and dynamic) to provide quick select optimization for different viewing environments and video sources. However, it should be noted that you cannot set picture qualities independently across all the different connection types available.

There are nine preset video aspect modes to find the best presentation mode for a particular video source: Full Native HD, Cinema Zoom, Panorama Zoom, Full HD, Slim, Cinema, Panorama, Full and Regular modes.

View Before You Buy

“View before you buy” should be a mantra before any television or projector purchase. A television (or projector) should be viewed in similar lighting conditions to its intended resting place before purchase. In the case of JVC’s rear projection televisions it should include some careful observation of whether the set’s picture geometry is acceptable. Because of the optical contortions to project an image within such a slim casing, JVC have difficulty maintaining a straight horizontal line across the screen. It is something that is not particularly noticeable when video fills the screen however; it is when in a letterbox video mode. Most will probably not have a problem with the display but, it’s worth finding out before you make a purchase.

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

JVC HD-58S998 58-Inch Ultra Slim 1080p HDILA Projection HDTV

58IN REAR PROJ TV D-ILA-1080P HDTV SLIM

JVC 58 HDILA ULTRA SLIM 1080P

Further Rear Projection Television Reading

Mitsubishi have recently released a new range of RPTVs and the Sony KDS-60A2020 is a similar size (60 inch) Full HD RPTV. Samsungs HL-S5679W won the CNET Best of 2006 Award’s TV category at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

JVC HD-58S998 and HD-65S998 Ultra SLIM True 1080p HD-ILA Specifications