The Miller Channel
Marantz VP12-S2
1-Chip DLP projector
$12,500 List
By Kevin Miller
(as appeared in Home Theater Magazine)
The Marantz VP-12S2 is the company's top-of-the-line 1-chip DLP projector with a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, and utilizes the latest Texas Instruments HD-2 DMD (Digital Micro Mirror) chip. This new chip offers a significant increase in the contrast ratio and black level performance over last year's VP-12S1 model. The VP-12S2's video processing also incorporates Faroudja's proprietary DCDi de-interlacing for video based sources, and 2:3 pull-down for film based material. In fact, Marantz is using the full Faroudja chip set, which includes the video decoder, 2D comb filter, DCDi, and the video enhancer. This latest Marantz DLP offering is definitely one of the top performers in its category.
The design or look and feel of the VP-12S2 is identical to last year's 12S1. The gray metallic finish is complimented by a sporty industrial design that is quite attractive. The projector is a compact slim-lined design measuring 15 15/16 inches wide by 18 9/16 inches deep by 6 1/8 inches high, and weighs a hefty 28.6 lbs. The build quality is exceptional. The remote is also identical to last year's 12S1, and leaves a lot to be desired. It is extremely small, and unfortunately not backlit, making use in the dark a real chore. Although all the buttons are illuminated, it is impossible to discern the function names with the exception of the left, right, up and down arrow keys. The inputs are all directly accessible from the remote as are the picture modes and aspect ratios. On the upside the commands are fully discreet, which makes programming the commands into a Crestron or AMX touch-panel remote system easily achievable.
The VP-12S1's connectivity options are not as comprehensive as I would like. The projector sports one 15-pin VGA style RGB input, only one broadband component video input (I would prefer two), one S-Video input, one composite video input, one RS-232 control port for use with Crestron or AMX touch panel control systems, one DVI (Digital Visual Interface) input with HDCP copy protection for use with new generation HDTV set-top boxes with DVI outputs, two 12-volt trigger inputs for electric drop and electric masking screens, and a remote input and output. I setup the projector using the RGB input for my HDTV source from Dish Network, and the component video for my Panasonic DVD-RP91 DVD player. The back panel can be fully backlit, which is convenient for making connections in a darkened home theater environment.
The VP-12S2 has several picture enhancing features worth mentioning. The video processing in addition to the now almost obligatory 2:3 pull-down for film based video sources, also has Faroudja's DCDi de-interlacing circuitry for video based material, making for exceptionally clean smooth images for both film and video based NTSC sources. There are three selectable color temperatures: Low, Middle and High. The Middle setting comes closer to the NTSC standard of D6500 from the factory, while the Low setting is warmer or redder, and the High setting has a distinctly blue overall cast to the picture. Selectable aspect ratios include: Full for anamorphic DVD and HDTV sources, Normal (4:3) for analog NTSC sources, and Zoom for letterbox non-anamorphic sources such as the occasional widescreen broadcasts on cable and Satellite TV systems. There are four picture modes: Theater, Dynamic, Standard, and User, and each mode has a total of three memories, which gives you the ability to customize your picture settings for any conceivable combination of video sources.
The VP-12S2 has a vertical lens shift feature that gives you a great deal of flexibility in the vertical placement of the projector relative to the screen. Although it does offer both vertical and horizontal Keystone correction, using these will degrade picture quality, because when Keystone correction is used on a fixed pixel display it is cutting off pixels thereby lowering the overall resolution on the screen, and it also distorts the light path. The Lamp is a 150-watt SHP (Super High Pressure) type with a rated life expectancy of 2000 hours, and a light output rating of 700 ANSI lumens. I was very pleased to find that the VP-12S2, unlike its predecessor, has a full compliment of grayscale adjustments in the Fine Menu section of the User menu.
The projector came from the factory with the Contrast set at 50%, which produced 12 footlamberts of light output. In the Middle color temperature setting 20 IRE measured 6185 Kelvin, and 80 IRE measured 6220 Kelvin. Post calibration resulted in a near perfect grayscale measuring 6460 Kelvin at 20 IRE, and 6460 at 80 IRE. Light output after calibration was 10 footlamberts. It's important to note that subjectively the picture was quite bright. All measurements were made using a Photo Research PR650 Spectraradiometer. There is an option for 7.5 and 0 IRE black level references in the User menu. I used 0 IRE for both DVD and HDTV sources, and used the component inputs for the DVD, and the 15-pin RGB input for the Dish Network HDTV feed.
My initial evaluation took place at fellow ISF technician and close friend Jim Doolittle's test facility outside of Boston. He and I have identical reference systems consisting of Runco DTV-991 CRT projectors, Runco VHD4404Ultra video processors, 72-inch wide Stewart Filmscreen StudioTek 130 screens, and Panasonic DVD-RP91 DVD players. Running the DVD-RP91 interlaced directly into the Marantz projector looked good, but images looked a little edgy, and there was some visible low-level noise, which I attribute to the internal video processing in the Marantz. Nonetheless, reference DVDs like "Charlotte Gray", and "The Fifth Element" did look quite good.
We then ran the DVD-RP91 DVD player through the Runco 4404Ultra processor and sent it to the Marantz at a 720p scan rate, and watched the same material (Chapter 31 of "Charlotte Gray" and Chapter 9 of "The Fifth Element"). This proved to clean up the low-level noise significantly, and it also smoothed the picture out reducing the edge enhanced look, which produced a decidedly more film-like look to DVDs. We also had the opportunity to run a Panasonic DVD-RP82 direct digital via its SDI (Serial Digital output to an HDPC, and sent the signal out at 720p via its DVI output to the Marantz, which also produced an incredibly clean picture. I attribute this mainly to the lack of D/A and A/D conversion that would typically take place with a component video connection. This was my first experience with a direct digital connection from a DVD player to a digital projector, and it was impressive indeed. There is obviously more to DVI then just copy protection.
The color decoder is excellent, and as a result the color saturation was superb. The Red and Blue primaries are fairly close to the NTSC SMPTE C specifications, but Green is not, which accounts for the slightly punchy or pushed looking greens. Black level performance on the VP-12S2, although not as good as my reference Runco DTV-991 CRT front projector, is really good, and significantly better than last year's 12S1. The contrast ratio, or dynamic range between black and full white, is also considerably better than last year's model. Both these advances in picture performance can be directly attributed to the new HD-2 chip with its 12-degree rotation.
While the Marantz VP-12S2 may very well be capable of the claimed 2600:1 contrast ratio, the "Full On, Full Off" method of measurement does not apply in real world. The reason for that is that the room is a major component of the contrast ratio achieved, and no one will have a black hole for a home theater. I measured a 460:1 Contrast ratio after a full calibration of the projector, which by the way is an excellent number. This was done measuring black and white areas of the Checkerboard Pattern with the circles around the corners where the black and white boxes meet on the "Video Essentials" test DVD. I measured four white and black areas and averaged them out (two in the center, and one on the left and one on the right side of the screen). This is a real world measurement in a darkened home theater environment with complete light control including covering the LEDs on all the equipment in the room.
The unit I had for evaluation is the stock projector with a short-throw Zoom lens with a throw ratio of 2.5 to 2.9 times the height of the screen, which is convenient for small room applications. Marantz offers a long throw lens option for an additional $3500 with a throw ratio of 4 to 5.4 times the height of the screen for larger rooms.
HDTV sources from both DirecTV and Dish Network as you would expect also looked awesome on the VP-12S2. HD Net in particular looked really three-dimensional. Again we had the opportunity to check out a DVI connection for the HD. We ran DVI out from a Sony SAT200 HDTV Satellite receiver directly into the VP-12S2, which produced pristinely clean HDTV pictures. There is no doubt in my mind that the DVI connection from the SAT200 looked much cleaner than my Dish Network HD feed in New York, which comes from a Dish Network 5000 Satellite receiver via its RF output into a Panasonic off-air set-top box, and out of the Panasonic component video into the Marantz.
The Marantz VP-12S2 thanks to the new HD-2 chip takes 1-chip DLP performance to a new level. While still not as good as CRT based front projectors in black level and shadow detail reproduction, the 12S2 comes frighteningly close to our beloved reference. The VP-12S2 doesn't reproduce subtle shadow details in dark scenes as well as a CRT, and like all DLP projectors has a harder, dare I say, digital look to it. CRT projectors produce smoother more film-like pictures. This is a subtle difference to be sure, and considering the cost differential, and the near maintenance free aspect of the Marantz VP-12S2, it is an extremely compelling product for big screen front projection home theater.
6/9/03
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