Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 20, 2012. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Despite the proud price of 45,000 EUR, the new SRX-R515 cinema projector is 15,000 EUR less expensive than its predecessor model. The price drop in particular is intended to make it easier for smaller cinemas that operate independently of cinema chains to switch to digital technology. In order to be able to make a reduction at all, Sony selected a specific sub-area. Instead of xenon gas-discharge lamps, mercury high-pressure lamps now provide the light. Six of the mercury high-pressure lamps are installed in a specially made cassette and can be replaced individually in the event of failure. Should one of these lamps actually fail, the projector is still operational, but with reduced brightness.
High-Pressure Lamps and Color-Space Specification?
Cinema projectors must reproduce a color space specified by the DCI (Cinema Consortium). To be able to reproduce this DCI color space as well, Sony further developed the optical system. Sony currently does not reveal to what extent this was done. In addition to the purchase price, replacing the lamps is also somewhat reduced. A set of mercury high-pressure lamps is intended to cost 800 EUR, but operate 1,000 hours longer than equivalent xenon lamps.
Technology
For image generation, the manufacturer’s own LCoS technology with the abbreviation SXRD is used and operates with a brightness of 15,000 lumens as well as a contrast ratio of 5,000:1. Images with dark black tones are thus intended to be displayable on a screen width of 12 meters. The illumination for 3D films using dual-lens technology, on the other hand, is sufficient only for 10-meter screens in 2K quality, with images for the right and left eyes projected simultaneously using RealDor Panavision 3D technology. To ensure judder-free transmission, HFR technology also operates.
Media Block
Integrated into the SRX-R515 film projector is a film server with a capacity of 4TB storage (RAID6) that can be upgraded to 8TB if required. Operation fundamentally takes place through the 15-inch control panel, but remote control is also possible by means of an iPad or Sony Adroid tablet. The dimensions of the SRX-R515 amount to 546 x 570 x 1,015 mm.
The Sony 4K projector will be available to buy in November 2012, but the price has not yet been officially confirmed.
