SXRD vs LCOS, SED, DLP, LCD - review and comparison of Sony HDTV and Blu-ray

SXRD front and rear projection TV (RPTV) technology sets a new standard

I often see people searching for 'SXRD vs LCOS' or 'compare SXRD to LCOS vs SED', but this technology actually IS Sony's rendition of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). You could think of LCoS as the broader generic term for this type of display technology; the main point being that the reflective liquid crystal 'shutters' are controlled, on a pixel by pixel basis, by the base layer of silicon transistors underneath. Like the DLP chip in my BenQ projector, it is a reflective device which theoretically never deteriorates due to heat. 

At this point, Sony has created a powerful adversary to the DLP system, but the new 1080p DLP chips have arrived too (see our review on 1080p LED DLP sets). Also, keep an eye on the similar LCoS projectors from Canon (see our Canon SX-50 review), and the upcoming SED technology from the Toshiba/Canon alliance (see our SED article). They may not have quite as much much resolution as the Sony products, but they are much less expensive.

The high picture quality exhibited by SXRD is due to the large number of pixels in the image area of the device, accomplished by minimizing the size of each individual pixel and the space between pixels. This results in a chip with 2,000,000 pixels with a pitch of 9um (center to center distance between pixels), and a gap of 0.35um (1 um = 1 micrometer = one millionth of a meter = really really small). So far, this represents the world's smallest inter-pixel spacing, thus enabling full HDTV resolution @ 1920Hx1080V, in a 16:9 widescreen format. The actual image area measures about 3/4 inches across (diagonal).

Two other important points about the design of this chip: it produces a picture with a high contrast level of 3000:1, and a rapid 5 milli-second response time (1 millisecond = 1/1000 second). The response time is an important factor regarding its ability to handle fast motion content on the screen. Although the new Sony chips have a much improved response time, they are no match for DLP chips which have a response time in the micro-second realm (1 microsecond = 1/1,000,000 second), with no motion lag (see the new DLP 1080p chip). The new SED technology from Toshiba/Canon also has excellent response time.

Response time is an industry standard that specifies the total time that it takes a pixel to make a transition from black to white. Some manufacturers publish an average of the rise and fall times instead of their sum, which makes them appear to be twice as fast as they really are. Be careful when considering response time specifications, and check to make sure you know which method is being used. The picture on the left above ('other') exhibits motion smear as a result of poor pixel switching response time; it is a fairly extreme example of an older LCD screen. You are unlikely to see that much smear on any of the newer screens, but remember, specs don't always tell the story, the proof of the pudding is in the picture. 

Previously only available in the $30,000 Qualia series, the SXRD chip is available in the front projection VPL-VW100 (left). With an enhanced dynamic iris system, it is said to have a contrast ratio boost to 15,000:1). 

The SXRD technology is also available in the new Grand WEGA SXRD (right) rear-projection microdisplay television series, with screen size ranging from 50" to 100" (KDS-R50XBR1, KDS-R60XBR1, KDS-R70XBR1, KDS-R100XBR1).

There is also a new SXRD rear projection TV model (right); the Sony Qualia 006 (KDS-70CQ006). This Qualia 006 model series has much the same specifications as the Grand WEGA KDS-R70XBR1. 

AS we move on into the decade, the HDTV home theater systems just get better and better, with more bang-for-your-buck value every day. The SXRD systems from Sony certainly fall into the top performer category, and I look forward to see how other companies such as Toshiba and Canon respond to the challenge.

For the sake of clarity, here is a repeat of some acronym and terminology definitions relating to the various display technologies, used in the other table below to compare the various screen types: