Yamaha DPX-1100 User Manual
Yamaha
DPX-1100
Hi g h - Contrast HD2+ DL P
™
Di gital Ci nema Projec t or
G r e g R o g e r s
Best DLP™On-Off Contrast Ratio
& Black Level
The DPX-1100 is Yamaha’s newest and finest DLP™projector. It
combines and refines the best features of its predecessor the DPX1000, with Texas Instruments’ latest 720p HD2+ Digital Light
Processing™technology, a seven-segment color wheel, and a new
three-position iris. It not only sets new performance standards for
Yamaha, but it delivers the best on-off contrast ratio and black level
I have ever measured for a fixed-pixel projector.
Description
The new DPX-1100 ($12,495) shares the same case design as
the DPX-1000, and that makes it one of the quietest 720p DLP projectors. The innovative Color Adjustment system has returned with
more resolution; the gamma curves are improved; and the gray
scale is excellent right out of the box. Faroudja deinterlacing is still
included; scaling is better; and an HDMI input has been added for
digital video signals.
Set Up
A 1.78:1 (16:9) screen should be used to match the projector’s
native aspect ratio. The 1.6x zoom lens provides an unusually wide
lens-to-screen throw range between 9 feet, 10 inches and 15 feet,
10 inches for a 100-inch diagonal (87- x 49-inch) screen. Lens
focus and zoom are adjustable from the remote control, so you can
stand at the screen and optimize the focus based on the appearance of individual pixels. The ver tical lens shift function can also be
adjusted from the remote control.
The lens shift function permits the projector to be mounted at
any height between the top and bottom of the screen. If the projector must be mounted above or below the screen, the projector can
be tilted, but that will cause the picture to keystone. A Digital
Keystone adjustment is provided, but digital keystone correction
systems produce moiré patterns on closely spaced vertical lines, so
it should be avoided if possible.
Fan noise is especially low. At the maximum lamp power I measured 51 dB, C-weighted, 12 inches from the exhaust side of the projector. The sound level dropped below the 50 dB sensitivity of my
meter when the lamp power was set to 90 or below.
“The Ya m aha DPX-1100 Di g ita l
Ci nema Projec t or produ c es
exceptional DVD and HDTV
pi c ture qu a l ity.”
Projection System: Digital Light Processing
(DLP™), 1,280 x 720, 0.8 inch DMD™HD2+
Projection Lens: F=2.7-5.0, f=24.3-38.9mm,
Electronic zoom (x1.6),
Electronic Focus and Electronic Lens Shift
Vertical Up/Down: 50%
Iris (Motorized): 3-Step
Projection Ratio: 1.355-2.168 (3.0-4.8m, 100-inch
16:9/1.78:1)
Screen Size: 60-200 inch 1.78:1 (16:9)
Lamp: 270W SHP, 2,000 hours
Brightness: 800 ANSI lumens (White Boost On,
Iris Off) 400 ANSI lumens (White Boost On, Iris:
Fully on)
Contrast Ratio: 4,000:1 (White Boost On, Iris Fully
on) 2,000:1 (White Boost On, Iris: Off)
Color Format: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, NTSC 4.43,
PAL-M, PAL-N and PAL60
Inputs
Video: Composite
S-Video: S-video
D4 Video: YPbPr
Input A/Input B: YPbPr/RGB
HDMI: Digital RGB/YCbCr
Power Consumption: 375W
Dimensions (WHD In Inches): 19-1/2 x 7-7/16 x
18-5/16
Weight (In Pounds): 30.4
Price: $12,495
Manufacturered In Japan For:
Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA
6660 Orangethorpe Avenue
Buena Park, California 90620
Tel: 714 522 9105
www.yamaha.com/yec
EquipmentReview
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Connections
There are six video inputs on the rear
panel, including two analog component
video inputs (15-pin D-sub connector and
five BNC jacks) that accept standard and
high-definition YPbPr and RGB video. There
is one composite video input (RCA jack)
and one S-video input (4-pin mini-DIN).
T h e re is also one HDMI digital video input. A
D-4 input, which is primarily used in Japan,
is also included for analog YPbPr signals.
The composite and S-video inputs are
compatible with NTSC, PAL, SECAM,
PAL60, NTSC4.43, PAL-M, and PA L - N
interlaced-video signals. When the analog
RGB inputs are set to RGB-PC mode they
a re compatible with a variety of PC formats, including VGA and SVGA signals up
to 85 Hz, and XGA (1024x768) signals at
60 Hz.
The rear panel includes a 12 V trigger
output to control a screen, and jacks for an
optional wired connection to the infrared
(IR) remote control. There is also an RS-232
connector, which according to the manual is
used for service. The power cord plugs into
the rear panel.
DVI Compatibility
This is the first projector that I have tested that has an HDMI input instead of a DVI
input. If you have a DVD player or set-top
box with a DVI output, they will work just
fine through the HDMI input. You simply
need an HDMI to DVI cable, or a passive
adapter. Monster Cable (www.monstercable.com) provided a DVI to HDMI adapter
($29.95) that plugs into the projector, so that
I could use my existing DVI cables. Monster
also has an HDMI to DVI adapter ($29.95)
that allows HDMI cables to be connected to
DVI sources, and they have a full line of
HDMI and HDMI to DVI cables.
The HDMI input accepts digital video
signals in the RGB, YCbCr (4:4:4), and
YCbCr (4:2:2) formats. The YCbCr (4:4:4)
format is part of the DVI standard, but is
seldom used. The YCbCr (4:2:2) format is
new to HDMI. A menu item is provided to
select the digital video format—Component
(YCbCr), RGB, or Auto. The latter automatically selects the format provided by an
HDMI source. There is also a menu selection for RGB-Video (16-235) or RGB-PC (0
to 235) levels, which accurately maintains
the black level and white level without readjusting those controls. The HDMI (DVI) input
is compatible with 1080i, 720p, 480i/p, and
576i/p digital video formats, and VGA
(59.94 Hz) digital-RGB signals. HDCP
decryption is provided for HDMI (DVI) signals that include copy protection.
I used the DPX-1100 with 480p, 720p,
and 1080i DVI signals from a Samsung SIRT165 HDTV Receiver and a V. Inc. Bravo-D2
DVD player (which will be reviewed in a
future issue of Widescreen Review). The former produces RGB-PC levels, while the latter produces RGB-Video levels. I also tested the YCbCr (4:4:4), RGB-Video, and
RGB-PC formats with 1080i, 720p, 480p
and 480i signals from an AccuPel HDG3000 HD/SD/DVI Calibration Generator.
Controls
The remote control includes a springloaded toggle switch to illuminate just six
of its buttons. On-screen menus are cont r olled with Menu and Escape buttons, a n d
a tilt-pad that provides cursor and Enter
functions. There are dedicated buttons for
the Zoom, Focus, Ve r tical (Lens) Position,
and Iris functions. There are also d e d i c a t e d
buttons to select each of the six inputs and
six memories. Other buttons include
Aspect (ratio), Pattern (calibration), Hide
( p i c t u r e), Still (picture), Input, Auto (sync
adjust), and Reset. There are three built-in
test patterns. The crosshatch/focus pattern
is useful to adjust vertical lens shift, focus,
keystone, and zoom size. There is also a
10-step grayscale pattern and a color bar
p a t t e r n .
A large control panel on the top-rear of
the projector duplicates the menu navigation controls, and provides Input, Pattern,
Lens Adjustment and Aspect buttons in
addition to a Standby/On button and indicator. There are also lamp, temp, cover and
fan warning indicators. The lamp warning
indictor blinks after 2,000 hours of lamp
operation. The 270W SHP lamp is user
replaceable and priced at $649.95.
Menu Functions
The DPX-1100 reprises the excellent onscreen menu system of the DPX-1000. The
Menu window has four menu groups that
open below the menu bar. The menu
groups are Image, Signal, Initial, and Setup.
The menu window also displays the current
Input and Memory number. The entire Menu
window can be moved anywhere on the
screen while making adjustments.
The Image menu includes Black Level
(Brightness), White Level (Contrast),
Gamma, (Color) Saturation, Hue, Sharpness
Type and Gain, Color Adjustment, White
Peaking, Iris, and Level Adjustment.
Individual parameters can be reset to the
factory setting by pressing the Reset button
on the remote control when an item is
selected in a menu. If the Enter button is
pressed when the Menu window isn’t on
screen, the Image menu items can be
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selected and adjusted in a single line at the
bottom of the screen.
The Signal menu provides Display
Aspect (ratio), Overscan, 3D Y/C
Separation, Noise Reduction, Video Type
(DVD or VCR) for composite and S-video
signals, Progressive Mode (Auto or Video)
for standard-definition signals, Color Space
Conversion (Auto, SDTV or HDTV), Setup
Level (7.5 IRE or 0 IRE) for SDTV and HDTV,
(Digital) Signal Level (Video 16-235, or PC
0-255), Clamp Position, and Signal Status
(HDMI source, signal format and sync information). When analog RGB PC signals are
used the menu also includes Sync
Adjustment, Tracking, Horizontal Display
Position, and Vertical Display Position.
The Initial menu includes Color System
(Auto, NTSC, PAL, etc.), Input A Signal
(YPbPr, RGB-PC, or RGB-TV), and Sync
Type (Auto, HV sync, composite sync, or
sync-on-green), Input B Signal and Sync
Type, HDMI Signal Type, Auto Power Off,
Auto Input Search, Display Language,
Lamp Running Time, and Reset. The latter
provides a submenu to reset the current
memory, all memories, or all projector
parameters to the factory settings.
The Setup menu includes Location
(table/ceiling, fro n t / rear projection), Keystone
Correction, Remote Control Sensor, Remote
Control ID, Lens Adjustment Lock, Lamp
Power, Menu Color (Monotone or Color),
Menu Mode, Message, Trigger Out, and
Baud Rate.
T h e r e are six memories for each of the six
inputs (36 total memories), plus each memory
saves separate settings for SD, HD, or RGB-PC
signals if they are applicable to a particular
input. Nearly all of the Image and Signal
menu settings are stored in each memory.
This is a valuable feature, but an additional
function to copy the settings between mem-
ories would save the user a lot of time. It
would also be beneficial if the memories
could be named to identify their purpose.
Like many projectors, whenever a setting is changed it is immediately saved in
the current memory, which makes it a bit too
easy to accidentally change a saved setting. The DPX-1100 has wisely added a
Memory Lock function that permits the user
to lock or unlock individual memory numbers.
Gamma
There are ten selectable gamma modes
that are labeled a-e and A-E. The a-e
gamma modes have a relatively constant
gamma from 10 to 40 IRE, and then the
gamma decreases as the brightness
increases. The 10 IRE gamma values
increase from about 1.85 for mode ‘a’ to
about 2.2 for mode ‘e.’ At 90-IRE the
gamma value varies from about 0.8 for
mode ‘a’ to about 1.65 for mode ‘e.’ The
gamma values of the A-E modes are relatively constant from 10 to 60 IRE and then
roll off more gently. The 10 IRE gamma values vary from about 2.0 for mode ‘A’ to 2.4
for mode ‘E.’ At the highest brightness levels the gamma values vary from about 1.0
for mode ‘A’ to 2.2 for mode ‘E.’
The video signal gamma standard is
0.45, hence a display gamma of 2.2 is
required to produce a system gamma of
1.0. (System gamma is equal to the signal
gamma multiplied by the display gamma.)
Gamma selection is always a subject of
controversy, but research indicates that a
system gamma of 1.1 to 1.2 is advantageous when viewing a picture with a dark
surround. I usually prefer a display gamma
of about 2.4 to 2.5, which produces a system gamma of 1.08 to 1.125, so I preferred
gamma mode ‘E’ for most of my viewing.
The gamma values in the DPX-1100
don’t roll off as much at high brightness levels as they did in the DPX-1000. Hence
there is no longer a problem differentiating
bright details, which there was in the previous projector.
Lamp And Iris Modes
There are three iris modes that can be
selected with a button on the remote control
or in a menu. As the size of the iris aperture
is reduced the brightness is reduced, but
the contrast ratio is increased.
The lamp power adjustment now has
five steps instead of two. This is an excellent new feature that makes it easier to initially adjust the projector for the desired
brightness, and then to maintain a more
constant brightness as the lamp ages.
Black Level And
Contrast Ratio
An AccuPel HDG-3000 Calibration generator (www.accupel.com) was used to generate test patterns to measure light output,
contrast ratio, gray scale and color accuracy. Light output and contrast measurements
were made using the HDMI input with the
white reference calibrated to D65. The projector was adjusted for maximum calibrated
light output (Contrast control) with a peakwhite PLUGE pattern (98 IRE stripe against
a 100 IRE background), and optimum black
level (Brightness control) with a conventional PLUGE pattern.
The DPX-1100 produced the best on-off
contrast ratio that I have ever measured
from a fixed-pixel projector. With the lamp
power at 100 and the iris at minimum aperture, the projector produced 14.2 footLamberts (fL) from my 1.3 gain, 85.3-inch
wide, 16:9 Stewart Filmscreen Studiotek 130
screen. The record setting on-off contrast
ratio measured 3590:1.
I prefer about 11 to 12 fL for critical
viewing (SMPTE recommends 12 fL for digital cinema), so I reduced the lamp setting
to 90, which produced 11.8 fL—about 83
percent of the full brightness in the minimum aperture mode. That gave me an
exceptional black level of only 0.0033 fL.
With the middle iris aperture and the
lamp power at 100, the projector produced
14.8 fL with an on-off contrast ratio of 2500:1.
I rechecked this several times because it
was somewhat puzzling that the contrast
ratio changed significantly between the minimum and middle iris aperture modes, while
the light output changed so little.
With the lamp power at 100 and the iris
at maximum aperture, the projector produced 554 lumens, which is equivalent to
G R AY S C A L E T R A C K I N G
HDMI YPbPr RGB
Fixed Fixed Calibrated
IRE °K dE °K dE °K dE
10 6731 6 6679 6 6464 3
20 6644 4 6610 1 6477 2
30 6451 2 6506 2 6437 1
40 6437 1 6499 1 6492 0
50 6377 2 6499 1 6430 1
60 6437 1 6570 2 6506 2
70 6437 1 6562 2 6499 1
80 6424 2 6506 2 6437 0
90 6370 2 6506 2 6437 1
100 6430 1 6529 4 6522 4
Yamaha DPX-1100
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