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Sanctuaries, especially those with large windows, can present a challenge when it comes to displaying visual images. The size of the space demands an image that’s large enough for a congregation to see and read clearly and bright enough to compete with any ambient light. Most often, any potential display solution will also have to be in fellowship with a conservative budget.
One option might be flat panel displays, which are bright and becoming less expensive all the time, but for a large center image, panels are often not big enough. Turning to projection has traditionally meant a Goliath-sized chassis and a financial commitment to match. However, Hitachi’s new CP-X10000 projector tries to buck those trends with high brightness, a relatively small enclosure, and a price that looks meek compared to most projectors in its class.
The CP-X10000 is part of Hitachi’s new Professional Series of three large-venue projectors that all share the same modest chassis design and a commitment to low overall cost of ownership. Hitachi estimates 10,000 hours of maintenance-free operation thanks to a new dust-resistant cooling system that dramatically reduces routine filter maintenance and increases the longevity of the imaging engine and LCD panels and color filters. Indeed, 10,000 hours is such a big improvement that it’s the source of the product’s model number, and a feature that should appeal to any house of worship that relies on part-time staff or volunteers for AV equipment maintenance and assistance.
An XGA resolution and a 7500-lumen brightness specification makes the CP-X10000 the Professional Series flagship. A higher native SXGA+ resolution (1400x1050) actually lowers the brightness specification of the sibling CP-SX12000 to 7000 lumens. The native widescreen CP-WX11000 has a 1280x800 resolution and a rating of 6500 lumens.
I tested the CP-X10000 with the standard medium throw lens, although Hitachi offers five other lens options ranging from a 0.5-0.6 Ultra Short Throw to an Ultra Long Throw with a ratio of 5.0-9.2. That affords great set-up flexibility to accommodate the large variety of sanctuaries and other house of worship room spaces that exist. Surprisingly, the standard lens is included in the base price and other lenses increase the cost dramatically. That could be an awkward step in the wrong direction for a house of worship, although perhaps individual dealers or installers will be smart and offer greater flexibility. All lens options have powered focus and zoom and only the Ultra Short Throw lens lacks vertical and horizontal lens shift.
The AV and control ports all reside on the back panel of the CP-X10000 chassis, beginning with data inputs for DVI-D, two 15-pin RGB inputs and one output, and one set of 5-BNCs for RGBHV. If needed, that BNC set can be configured for component video, although Hitachi has also included a set of 3-RCAs for component video; connectors for BNC composite and S-Video are also included. An included HDMI port -- a somewhat surprising feature -- can be used to connect a DVD or Blu-ray player.
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Jeff Sauer has covered the professional video and A/V industry for a dozen years and is an independent video producer and consultant in Massachusetts.
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