In a private suite, Sim 2 showed its newest projector model, the Supercube. The lamp-based projector which uses a single chip 0.65” DLP engine produces 3,000 ANSI lumens and has been available since November 2015. This new model retails for $5,000 and is a piece of art more than a typical projector. The outer box is made from glass with a silk screened color on the inner surface to give the projector housing a very unique appearance. Available in four different colors, the rear glass panel also covers all connector cables to make it look more like a piece of furniture than an actual projector. The Supercube is very quiet and produces only 27db of fan noise.
Sim 2 also showed its Nero 3 RGB LED based projector, which is also based on a single 0.65” DLP chip and produces 1,400 lumens according to their website, which equates to the brightness of a 2,000 lumens lamp-based projector. This projector produces a color gamut closer to DCI than Rec. 709, and could be considered as a wide color gamut projector.
Then the firm showed their idea of an HDR-type projector solution based on two home theater Lumis projectors. The demonstration was very impressive even though it was shown in a darkened room, of course. Sim 2 has shown this approach before and it seems simple enough to combine two projectors to push the upper brightness. This unique solution provides a mechanical approach for aligning the two projectors stacked on top of each other. Surely, this is a piece of art for the technology-loving prosumer? In addition to the special alignment, one of the projectors features a modified light engine to avoid bumping up the low level brightness in dark scenes, but still increases brightness in very bright scenes.
Sim 2 achieves a contrast ratio of about 12,000 to 1, which equates to 14 f stops, not quite fulfilling HDR requirements, but coming very close. The demo showed not only a very good image, but also no pixel misalignment visible in still images from video content. The content was coming from a standard BluRay disk, increasing the dynamic range through image processing.
While this solution is not new, the real news is that SIM 2 is planning of bringing this solution to the high end home theater projection market in 2016. The heavily engineered solution is most likely to end up in the home of an enthusiast that is willing to invest heavily in such a solution. One can expect to pay some extra above and beyond the cost for two Lumis projectors for the solution. – NH
