While the VZ1000ES looks good by itself when set up on a low table, third-party companies are developing furniture to house the projector. It would be cool if the door were motorized and synched with the projector’s power on/off control, but that action happens manually with the VPLVZ1000ES. ![]() A panel on the top slides in to reveal the lens when the projector is in use, and then slides back to keep dust out when powered off. (An earlier Sony ultra-short-throw model, the LSPX-W1S, measured 43 inches wide-and cost twice as much.) A row of vertical slats lining the projector’s front give it a stately look, and the sides are capped with removable gloss-black panels. The low-profile black case stands 8.5 inches high by 36 inches wide and 19.5 inches deep. Since an ultra-short-throw projector like the VZ1000ES is designed to sit out in a room as opposed to being mounted on the ceiling, Sony put effort into making it look furniture-like. If you’re among the remaining 3D enthusiasts out there, Sony will sell you its optional TDG-BT500A active shutter glasses for $50 a pair. The projector is compatible with both the HDR 10 and HLG high dynamic range formats, and it also does 3D. Not only does the laser light engine provide the benefit of quick startup compared with a traditional projector (I clocked it at 25 seconds), but it’s spec’d by Sony to last for 20,000 hours, so it doesn’t need replacement or require frequent calibrations the way regular projection lamps do. The VZ1000ES uses a laser light engine instead of a traditional lamp to beam pictures with up to 2,500 lumens brightness. Sony’s ultra-short throw is a native 4K (4096 x 2016 resolution) SXRD model that’s capable of projecting an image ranging from 80 inches diagonal when positioned only 2 inches out from a wall, to up to 120 inches when positioned 10 inches out. A new generation of high(er)-performance UST projectors is emerging now, along with new ambient light rejecting (ALR) UST screens that allow them to function in place of a traditional TV. But these have traditionally been low-performance projectors (by Sound & Vision standards) not intended for dayto-day TV or home theater movie viewing. Ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors have been around for years-they’re popular in business and classroom settings where placing a projector at the front of the room near the screen is convenient and keeps late-arriving students (or marketing VPs) from interrupting the picture as they settle into their seats. If the idea of both a traditional projection setup and a crazy-expensive flat-panel TV put you off, you might want to consider an ultra-short-throw projector like the new Sony VPL-VZ1000ES ($25,000) instead. Suddenly, that custom drop-down ceiling lift doesn’t seem like a bad idea after all. Buying a huge flat-panel TV is another option, but getting one that delivers the 100-inch-plus picture that even budget projectors provide puts you in the $100,000-plus price range. ![]() While there are tricks that custom installation outfits perform to minimize the impact of such setups, including projector lifts that magically drop down from a hidden compartment in the ceiling, and framed pictures that slide out to reveal a hidden screen-all of it voice-controlled by an Amazon Echo speaker, of course-there will be no getting around the reality that your living space has become a movie theater.
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