Big TVs aren’t anything new, but if you’re keen to get that movie feeling at home, a projector might be the way to go, and Sony’s latest are focused on that.
With Australian cinemas opening back up and life gradually returning to normal, you mightn’t feel the need to bring a movie experience back home in quite the same way. And yet, a cinema at home might also be exactly what you want, because it means you can relive that experience whenever you want.
The idea is simple enough: grab a projector, a bare wall or a proper screen, and plug it into a sound system worthy of your favourite films. Then grab a comfy couch, popcorn, and chill out with your movies.
The space can be hard to figure out, but the couch, popcorn, and even your movies are pretty simple. You might want to opt for a Dolby Atmos sound system, and if not, a decent surround system, but then you also have to find a projector made for the movies, and that can get difficult.
While a small projector might get you there, if you’re after the cinema experience, you might want to look at a projector especially focused on recreating a big picture with big detail, and that’s where 4K comes in. Even though 8K is the new benchmark for detail, there’s still not much 8K content out there, so 4K is still largely where people look, and also the fact that 8K projectors are largely non-existent.
Sony has a couple more in the 4K department, though, launching two that offer improved HDR technology with changes to upscaling, albeit catering to very different price points.
In the VPL-VW290ES, Sony has a $9K projector that delivers a native 4K picture with the upscaling technology, while a little over four times that cost at $39K the Sony VPL-VW890ES aims for that proper cinema experience with an edge-to-edge technology that aims to make sure the image is clear across the screen regardless. Both should be good, but one is clearly better than the other, provided you have near $40K to spend on a 4K projector.
“Whether experiencing movies or plunging into a game, customers are increasingly looking to enjoy immersive entertainment experiences from their own homes,” said Anna Tan, Home Cinema Product Manager for Sony Australia and New Zealand.
“With the introduction of the VW890ES and VW290ES, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to developing solutions that provide big screen and dynamic viewing experiences in the home,” she said.
Sony’s projectors look set to arrive in May in Australia, with the VW290ES retailing for $8,999, while the VW890ES will cost $38,999.
