Sony cracks $3K mark with 1080p front projector

Sony this morning has offered up the VW40, the lowest-cost projector yet to draw on the company's SXRD (liquid crystal on silicon) technology. The home theater unit bridges the gap between less expensive 3LCD projectors and more expensive SXRD models by supplying most of the features of the latter while withholding a few features. The VW40 can generate a full 1080p image with a 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio; in exchange, it sheds pixel alignment and constant vertical height features that save movie viewers from having to adjust the image for different sources or movie titles.

The projector is designed for low light with a 900-lumen brightness but compensates with a longer lamp life than earlier models and a quiet 22-decibel fan system. Projections are also ghost-free with just a 2.5ms pixel rise or fall time, Sony claims. The VW40 is ready for pre-order at $3,000 -- $2,000 less than the next-closest VW60 model -- but is not expected to ship until late January. [via SlashGear]