Review: Sony VPL-FHZ55 Projector

A few years back when we started to hear about the potential of laser-based projectors I got all nostalgic for the early ’80s when I had the dubious privilege of working with a Dwight Cavendish laser projector.

At the time the unit was revolutionary and while it was on the edge of impracticality due to an enormous thirst for water-cooling and power, it showed huge potential for development and the future. Unfortunately, it went the way of a lot of UK inventions of the ’80s: nowhere.

The latest laser-based projectors use a different methodology to those early machines and in the case of the FHZ55, Sony has gone back to its CRT roots and employed excited phosphor to produce the image/light.

LASER FIRE

Sony has taken what appears to be an already proven projector chassis and ‘simply’ replaced the lamp module with a blue laser module. The laser is fired at a spinning phosphor disc, which in turn produces enough white light through the three WUXGA LCD panels to generate the claimed 4000 lumens output.

For us, this means 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation when using the auto light dimming feature, which when enabled, drops the light source by approximately 15 per cent after 10 seconds of a static image. In testing, it is fair to say it was not very noticeable and for long-term installation and 24/7 operations, I would probably leave it enabled.

Removing the lamp also reduces the amount of heat generated and consequently the number of fans required to cool it, resulting in a very quiet unit. Other ‘green’ claims include no mercury and reduced power consumption.

Lamp-free is probably the biggest selling point but for me clearly in second place is the projector’s flexibility. This FHZ55 can be mounted at any angle and in any position without compromising projector life or image.

Based on its physical design, lens functions and running cost claims, the FHZ55 is targeted at the install and digital signage market. It is a very clean and tidy looking unit and would be unobtrusive mounted in classrooms, meeting rooms or retail environments. Its relative small form factor for a 4000 lumen unit is also a plus.

The FHZ55 comes with just the one lens option with 1.6x zoom, according to the product literature.

HANDS-ON FUNCTIONS

All the lens functions are manual so ladders are required to zoom and focus. The projector does allow for horizontal and vertical shift but, again, this needs to be done manually by using the adjustment dial on the front of the projector. Vertically you can shift your image optically up to 60 per cent, and horizontally by 32 per cent.

We ran a series of signal formats and signal types including MAC and PC sources, BluRay and cameras. The FHZ55 acquired all signals cleanly and simply, and the resulting images were very good at both native and scaled resolution.

Colour reproduction was as good as you would expect from a three-LCD unit, with the full range of colour displaying true. The image was bright and colorful, though I would not describe it as punchy or dynamic.

We only had the unit for a day so we didn’t get to spend hours in the menus. That said, every digital and analogue signal we put into it came up first time and looked fine.

STOP MOTION

The motion, however, was so good that two of our crew had to be pulled away as they sat watching the test movie for too long.

Menu navigation and structure was simple and easy to work and the projector comes loaded with extras such as advanced geometry correction, edge blending, picture-by-picture DICOM simulation (for medical imaging), and horizontal and vertical keystone.

With only one unit we could not truly test the edge blending but we did work through the geometry correction and it was okay for basic corrections. I would use it in a tricky install situation but probably not for creative purposes such as curved screens.

In summary I would look to use this projector in any 24/7 signage operation that suited its specifications, or a boardroom install. The low maintenance, running cost and heat generation are a big plus in those situations. The build quality and aesthetics are good and it produces nice images. The only criticisms I have are the limitations around lens and the manual-only adjustment.