Are 8K movies the thing we have to look forward to in the future? We don’t know. However, that’s definitely where the cutting-edge of TVs and other display systems seem to be going. Same goes with today’s 4K projectors, which will likely evolve to be 8K systems down the line. And if you want an entertainment setup ready for this high-resolution future, the JVC DLA-NZ900 just might be the ideal addition to your home theater.
An 8K-capable home cinema projector, the device is capable of reproducing 8K video at 60Hz, so you can use it to enjoy any 8K content you manage to actually find right now. However, this isn’t native 8K. Instead, it uses pixel shifting to create the 8,192 x 4,320 pixels, essentially offsetting two 4K images by a diagonal half pixel. Is that a good thing? We don’t know, but the images do look denser with a more cinematic feel. Sure, you’ll probably have to replace this thing by the time actual 8K content becomes mainstream, but it’s definitely a valid way to have an 8K-ready home theater if that’s what you’ve been wanting for your setup.
The JVC DLA-NZ900 uses the outfit’s latest BLU-Escent Laser engine, which delivers higher brightness and greater contrast over the previous flagship (NZ9), boasting 3,300 lumens and a 150,000:1 ratio, respectively. Both of those elements should make for massive improvements, considering the importance of both brightness and contrast when it comes to projected images. At those numbers, this will likely be usable even in well-lit rooms, instead of requiring a pitch dark viewing area.
Projection size starts at 60 inches and goes all the way up to 300 inches, so it can recreate a massive cinema-like display. Do note, the 300 inches is only available for a 17:9 aspect ratio. If you want to stick to traditional 16:9, the highest you can go is 280 inches. By the way, getting the full 280 inches will require a projector distance of 28 feet at wide setting (and 56 feet at tele setting). Yeah, you’ll need a cinema-size room for that.
While capable of pixel-shifting for 8K content, the JVC DLA-NZ900’s bread and butter remains 4K, as it’s part, after all, of the outfit’s D-ILA 4K Laser Projection series. It’s as desirable as any high-end 4K projector you can find today, as well, since it’s capable of receiving 4K signals at 120Hz at the full 48GB bandwidth, so you’re getting the full image each time out. It also has the second-generation of JVC’s Frame Adapt HDR system, which analyzes the maximum brightness of any HDR10 content per frame, then adjusts the dynamic range in real-time to achieve the optimum range for video projection. According to the outfit, this results in images that are brighter and more colorful with wider dynamic range.
Other features include a low-latency mode that enables high-framerate output for playing games, a Filmmaker mode that disables specific quality adjustment parameters to show images that are more faithful to the original material, and all the usual niceties you find in modern projectors (auto-calibration, auto-screen adjustment, and more). The laser engine, by the way, is rated for 20,000 hours of use.
The JVC DLA-NZ900 goes on sale in June. Price is $25,999.95.