Back in 2003: The JVC DLA-G20U

This article case studies the DLA-G20U and discusses how far projector technology has come since 2003. It also examines how far prices have dropped in that same two-year period.

Ah, 2003, the year of the invasion, the year of, well, the invasion. In 2003 the JVC DLA-G20U was hot, but back in the day we probably wouldn’t have used the word ‘hot’ to drape accolades on the G20, because our friend Paris Hilton had not yet risen to the top of the pop-culture trash heap. The DLA-G20U boasted some specs that were absolutely amazing for projectors back in 2003 (and are still impressive for that matter), but it also cost somewhere in the range of $20,000 USD (‘2 stacks of high-society’ for you “Rounders� lovers).

Let’s just quickly examine some of the eye-popping specs on this unit – it parades a 1365x1024 native resolution, a ridiculous 2000 ANSI Lumens projector lamp (ID# bhl5003-su), and a fairly average contrast ratio of 1200:1 (this ratio was achieved only after professionals tinkered with the settings). The JVC DLA-G20U also included its patented D-ILA technology for what JVC calls it ‘unsurpassed image quality’ and a cute little function called the ADPC, which adjusts and resizes XGA/SVGA/VGA signals so that they fit perfectly inside the full screen. The other things that this puppy utilizes are superfluous functions such as 6-language menu capabilities and accessories such as a remote control. Nearly every projector on the market today uses and includes these capabilities and they are no longer considered upper-crust or sheik.

The G20U looks like a behemoth by today’s standards and might be mistaken by a 2005er for one of Hewlett Packard’s nasty new LaserJet printers. It sits on four chunky plastic legs and to the best of my knowledge cannot be ceiling mounted.

So, how far have we come in two years? Well, the chunky plastic legs have still not, for the most part, given way on projectors that have a 1365 x 1024 resolution (probably because the are aimed at the ‘board-room’ market). But, the prices on similar units (to the DLA-G20U) have dropped dramatically. For example, Hitachi’s CP-SX5600 is selling for around $6000 USD on several websites (for more information search for ‘CP-SX5600’ in the reviews section of this website). With that example given, however, JVC is selling their DLA-M2000LU, which is a next generation G20U for $14000 USD. So, they must really believe in the D-ILA technology (which is really a digital CMOS chip) because the message they are sending to their customers is that the technology is worth around $8000.

Perhaps the technology is worth it, perhaps not, we would sure love to hear from owners of the G20U about their experiences. In hindsight it is difficult to say how far technology has come in two years. But, I for one was surprised by how slow things have actually moved considering all the ‘hype’ about the rapid advancements in the projector world. Bye for now.