Investing in your home cinema system requires both careful consideration and safeguarding for a hi-res future, so equip yourself with the knowledge that to select one of JVC’s premium 8K laser projectors is to welcome a world-first, cutting-edge device to your home and usher in the dawn of the New Ultimate.
JVC's D-ILA range is packed with all-new laser light source tech, pioneering brightness levels, dynamic HDR standards, class-leading contrast ratios, next-generation gaming support and, of course, the company’s legendary build quality.
The rise of new devices has always been driven by innovation. In late 2021, JVC proudly introduced the world’s first projector with 8K/e-shift technology, a proprietary BLU-Escent laser diode light source (to project the high-resolution 8K image with full depth and dimensionality) and the latest HDR10+ format compatibility.
8K, Laser and HDR are the keywords to describe where we stand today, poised at the cutting edge of home entertainment technology, and all of these words feature prominently in JVC’s latest line up. So let’s consider the range-topping DLA-NZ9, NZ8 and NZ7 8K propositions, as well as the new NP5 JVC 4K lamp projector.
The D-ILA range heralds the world's first selection of projectors with 48Gbps-rated 8K HDMI 2.1 ports. These can handle up to 60fps gaming at 8K resolution or 120fps at 4K, but movie-watching purists will note the arrival of HDR10+ support for the first time, meaning industry-standard dynamic HDR to ensure the best possible picture on a frame-by-frame basis, while JVC's Frame Adapt HDR system still offers a similar solution for other HDR material.
The company’s proprietary next-level BLU-Escent laser light source is the game-changer in terms of picture quality. It is capable of up to 3000 lumens and boasts a lifespan that takes owners well beyond the 20,000 hours mark. The laser diode delivers greater precision and dynamic range by taking control of the output at source, rather than using a mechanical iris at the other end. Combined with all-glass Ultra-High Contrast Optics, JVC’s latest projectors offer greater detail, higher contrast and better brightness than ever before.
JVC has implemented its new 8K e-shiftX pixel-shifting technology to the core 0.69-in panels of these home cinema devices, thus increasing the on-screen pixel density four-fold to create a stunning 8K resolution picture. At its beating heart is a four-way, 240Hz driver which moves the panel diagonally, as well as a three-chip solution to process the pictures at much higher speeds.
With an effortlessly beautiful picture, the DLA-NZ9 is quite simply “home cinema projection at its very finest” – and that isn’t marketing, it’s a direct quote from our five-star What Hi-Fi? review.
With sublime colour production and exquisite shading and dark detail, the projector’s near-flawless HD upscaling is, frankly, ridiculously fine. Part of the reason that the picture looks so easy and natural is because of that wonderful control of light, and that’s what brings this projector’s real A-game of texture and three-dimensional depth. In the close-ups, it’s the former that will wow you – and if you’d like to see it for yourself, simply visit a JVC approved dealership.
The range-topping JVC DLA-NZ9 features the firm’s flagship 16-group, 18-element all-glass lens with a 100mm diameter plus 2x optical zoom, which can be adjusted 100 per cent vertically in either direction or 43 per cent horizontally. The NZ9 can throw a huge 8K picture of 60-300in and has a native contrast of 100,000:1.
We don’t recall ever seeing a projector with this kind of skill. More to the point, you won’t find many top-end TVs that can handle dark detail quite as expertly either. As we said under intense review, it’s difficult to imagine that anything much better than this projector exists for home cinema right now.
JVC DLA-NZ8 (pictured, above) and NZ7 boast a 65mm diameter all-glass lens made with 17 elements arranged in 15 groups, but zoom is still 2x. Lens shift is a very flexible 80 per cent and 34 per cent, still with motorised control, naturally. These optical set-ups allow for a very large 60-200in screen size.
The main differences between the DLA-NZ8 and NZ7 (pictured, above) models is simply light output and native contrast. The NZ8 is rated at 80,000:1 and 2500 lumens, while the NZ7 gets a 2200 lumen laser and 40,000:1 contrast as well as JVC's 2-way 8K e-shift system for the company’s most affordable 8K performance.
The new JVC DLA-NP5, available in either black or white finishes (pictured, above) to complement your home decor, sports the same 65mm all-glass lens, 2x zoom and motorised control as JVC’s midrange 8K projectors and is capable of throwing a 1900 lumen, 40,000:1 contrast ratio 60-200in picture, all in glorious 4K resolution.
For further information and to shop the entire JVC D-ILA range, head to uk.jvc.com, and stay in touch with the company on Facebook.
