Marantz VP-15S1 DLP Projector First Look

By Clint DeBoer — September 18, 2007

Marantz VP-15S1 DLP Projector

Summary

Product Name: VP-15S1 DLP Projector
Manufacturer: Marantz America
Review Date: September 18, 2007 15:10
MSRP: $8999
First Impression: Pretty Cool

Specifications

Display Device	TI 1080 DLP
Panel Size	.95"
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Brightness	1000 ANSI Lumen (at Iris = F3.0)
Brightness Uniformity	90.00%
Contrast Ratio	10,000:1 (at Iris -1)
Projection Size	17" - 250"
Throw Distance 100"	127 1/2" - 185 1/4"
TV System	NTSC, PAL, SECAM
Computer Signal Capability	VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA
DTV / HDTV Capability	480i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p/24/30/60
Video Processor	GENNUM GF9351 VXP Processing
3:2 Pull Down	Yes
Optics	Custom by Konica Minolta
O.R.C.A Filter	(integrated into color wheel)
Life Lamp	2000 hours (Average)
Keystone Correction	(V)
Fine Picture Menu	Yes
Picture Modes	(4)
Picture Memories	(18)
Color Temperatures	(5 steps)
Preset Gamma	( 3 + 5 )
Black Level Selection	Yes
Optical Zoom	(1.45X)
Lens Shift	(V: +165% / -85%)
Dust-Free Sealed Optics	Yes
Noise cancel Structure	Yes
Chassis	Aluminum Diecast
Iluminated I/O Terminal Panel	-
Auto Color Temp. Calibration	-
FCC	Class B
Composite Video In	1
RGB/HD In	1 (D-Sub 15-Pin)
Digital Video In	2 (HDMI 1.3)
Component In	2 (RCA)
S-Video In	1
DC Trigger Out	2 (3.5 mm mini jacks)
External control (RS232C)	Yes
D-Bus Remote (RC-5) In/Out	1/1 (3.5mm mini jacks)
Color	Black / Dark Silver
Remote Control	(backlit)
Power Requirement	AC 100-120 V/ 220-240 V, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption	<350 W
Dimensions W x H x D (Inchs)	15 15/16 x 18/16 x 5 3/16
Weight (lbs)	28.6

Executive Overview

Marantz has once again released another iteration of its high-end “True View” DLP projectors. This time, the VP-15S1 features 1080p single-chip DLP action and a host of options for anamorphic lens options - including two each of the motorized and manual flavors. The VP-15S1 features Konica Minolta Optics, Gennum Processing, and a pair of HDMI 1.3 inputs with full support for Deep Color 12-bit color depth. The true 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution is something that ensures the image will be smooth and true to life. For video processing and scaling duties, the Marantz projector features a Gennum GF9351 VXP system, a completely programmable video processor that can do calculations in the order of 500 million floating point operations per second.

Looking under the hood, we find support for full 1080p - including 24p 30p and 60i/p modes (there are no 1080p/60 sources but the projector handles the format nonetheless). It does not, according to sources, support 480i - a major lapse given the on-board Gennum processing which would do wonders for standard definition signals sent via HDMI (think cable boxes and upconverting AV receivers). Whether firmware can remedy this is unknown at present. Full RS-232C support, dual 12V triggers and a host of clear programming instructions for Crestron systems and IR codes make this an installer's product that is suitable for very high-end systems.

The remote is fully backlit, and has access to most of the controls you'll ever require or desire. Direct access to inputs is available - for all inputs and there are even discrete On and Off buttons for powering up and down the unit. The Marantz VP-15S1 video projector, which joins Marantz’ other True View projectors (VP8600 and VP-11S1) is now available and retails at a price point of $9,999. Ouch, that's a lot of clams, but Marantz is not known for putting forth anything but high end and we can't wait to get our hands (and eyes) on the custom optics to see just how rich and clear the picture on this projector is.

Read the Full Audioholics Review of this projector

More information can be found at the Marantz website.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.

Like This? Check out our other Home Theater Projector Reviews!

Discuss This Article

BMXTRIX posts on October 01, 2007 22:35

Dan Miller, post: 315136
You should check before you make your comments though…

I did, I just didn't check close enough as I stopped at the PWR? query and didn't catch that there was a separate POW? query. My bad.

Dan Miller, post: 315136
We have a policy of “never best, only better” and have continuous improvement meetings every two weeks via teleconference with our engineers from all over the world.

Excellent, care to quit Marantz and go to D&M Pro? They could really use your help and mentality.

Dan Miller, post: 315136
There are slight improvements in the control for the VP-15 from the VP-11 previous, and the VP-11 from the VP-12 before it. For example in stead of asking the programmers to wait to issue the input select command until the projector can actually change states (after warmup) we buffer the command now if it is issued during this period and issue it internally after warmup is complete. Was this necessary? Nope. But we realized that saving an installer from having to remember that there was a period that needed attention seemed like an improvment that was warranted.

Since this is something that is often required of programmers to do after the fact in programming, it is great to see!

Dan Miller, post: 315136
Writing software for a product is BY FAR the most expensive part of the manufacturing process. Even so, we have these meetings on a regularly occurring basis as well as quarterly meetings with Crestron engineers and twice a year our engineers visit our top install accounts around the country, just to find out what they think is necessary, as opposed to what WE think. And as much as I got a kick out of your comments about the gender of the connector, I sent it over to Japan and it will go into consideration.

I appreciate it, and I hope you see from the list above, that there really is something that approaches a standard that many manufacturers do follow. The gender isn't as important as the pinout, and the pinout should follow with EIA DB9 standards.

Dan Miller, post: 315136
We are always looking to improve. But everything gets weighed according to real world importance and cost of the change.

Dan - seriously, I will always look at any product and be able to find a way to improve it or ask “Why didn't they do this?” - but as I look over the protocols there is very little that I find at fault. If I were going to make a wish list for the protocols then I would ask for a warmup and a cooldown countdown timer which would provide accurate feedback of these times… which is, as my other statements have all been: nitpicks.

Also I would ask for the return number of hours to be decimal instead of hex so the conversion doesn't have to take place.

Give me a few days pulling the projector apart and I'll probably come up with half a dozen other things to complain about on a projector that IS ahead of much of the competition, but I would do so for one reason…

Dan Miller, post: 315136
Again, thanks for your comments…

…because you actually are here listening to the comments and I appreciate you doing so.

Next episode… why is it we don't get more DLP projectors without 2:1 zoom lenses and with lens shift that doesn't run in the 135% of screen height range?

BMXTRIX posts on October 01, 2007 18:11

Dan Miller, post: 315136
I've been out of the country for a week, so I didn't get a chance to respond…

That's fine - and I do appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Please see my further breakout of your list…
- Pioneer Elite = Male - straight through, similar to your projector
- Meridian = Male - Null cable, conforms to EIA standards
- Yamaha = Male - Null cable, conforms to EIA standards
- Denon = Female - Straight through (M->F) conforms to EIA standards
- Sony = Male - Null cable, conforms to EIA standards
- Onkyo = Female - Straight through (M->F) conforms to EIA standards

Dan Miller, post: 315136
I'm not point this out to be obstinate, but to show that it is truly all over the place.

I wouldn't think you are, but I wasn't sure if you were aware that of those 6 you listed, only one other company does not conform to EIA standards. Since manufacturers (I'm not calling you guys out!) often do not include serial protocols or solid documentation on their pinouts, or the guys may not have the actual equipment in the field when wiring up DB9 connectors, they have a rule they are trained to follow: If you are putting the same end on the serial cable, make it a null cable, if you are putting different ends on the cable, make it straight through.

Yes, there about 20% of product I have worked on does not conform to EIA standards, but 80% of it does, and I always encourage vendors to work towards EIA specifications. Including removal of such headache connections as mini-din-8 connectors (ala Panasonic and Sanyo!).

Dan Miller, post: 315136
But there is another point I wish to make. I have been the product manager for video for 3 years and the training manager for the previous 7; prior to that I also did training for Sony for 6 years. In the 17 years that I have been working closely with all of the best installers in the business (literally in the thousands), this is the FIRST TIME that this has been mentioned. Why do you think that is? Because any installer who didin't fall of the box van yesterday will check the configuration before wiring anything.

I'm really not sure why. I know that in the time that I've worked A/V that the standard installer response has been to simply shut up and not provide feedback on items of this nature and to act more like a tech rolling with the punches instead of an engineer trying to make the product better.

From my point of view, I nitpick all the details, and when those details are perfect, I then nitpick them again. Even if the details are my own work - in fact, especially when they are my own work.

Dan Miller, post: 315136
I take personal offense when you use the term rhetoric. Maybe you don't know me, if so I understand. But I do not spout the company line and that has gotten me in trouble more that I like to think about.

I understand and appreciate that statement more than you know.

(NOTE: Will edit a bit more of my response when I'm at home and have some time this evening)

Dan Miller, post: 315136
You should check before you make your comments though…

There is voluntary feedback and it can be turned off if you like.
There are four power states.
Failures are reported along with basic service codes.
Colors can be locked on for calibration.
Etc…
Etc…

We have a policy of “never best, only better” and have continuous improvement meetings every two weeks via teleconference with our engineers from all over the world.

There are slight improvements in the control for the VP-15 from the VP-11 previous, and the VP-11 from the VP-12 before it. For example in stead of asking the programmers to wait to issue the input select command until the projector can actually change states (after warmup) we buffer the command now if it is issued during this period and issue it internally after warmup is complete. Was this necessary? Nope. But we realized that saving an installer from having to remember that there was a period that needed attention seemed like an improvment that was warranted.

Writing software for a product is BY FAR the most expensive part of the manufacturing process. Even so, we have these meetings on a regularly occurring basis as well as quarterly meetings with Crestron engineers and twice a year our engineers visit our top install accounts around the country, just to find out what they think is necessary, as opposed to what WE think. And as much as I got a kick out of your comments about the gender of the connector, I sent it over to Japan and it will go into consideration.

We are always looking to improve. But everything gets weighed according to real world importance and cost of the change.

Again, thanks for your comments…

Dan Miller posts on October 01, 2007 15:16

It is definately a typo. I'm gettin it fixed…

Dan Miller posts on October 01, 2007 09:52

I've been out of the country for a week, so I didn't get a chance to respond…

Pioneer Elite = Male
Meridian = Male
Yamaha = Male
Denon = Female
Sony = Male
Onkyo = Female

I'm not point this out to be obstinate, but to show that it is truly all over the place.

But there is another point I wish to make. I have been the product manager for video for 3 years and the training manager for the previous 7; prior to that I also did training for Sony for 6 years. In the 17 years that I have been working closely with all of the best installers in the business (literally in the thousands), this is the FIRST TIME that this has been mentioned. Why do you think that is? Because any installer who didin't fall of the box van yesterday will check the configuration before wiring anything.

I take personal offense when you use the term rhetoric. Maybe you don't know me, if so I understand. But I do not spout the company line and that has gotten me in trouble more that I like to think about.

You should check before you make your comments though…

There is voluntary feedback and it can be turned off if you like.
There are four power states.
Failures are reported along with basic service codes.
Colors can be locked on for calibration.
Etc…
Etc…

We have a policy of “never best, only better” and have continuous improvement meetings every two weeks via teleconference with our engineers from all over the world.

There are slight improvements in the control for the VP-15 from the VP-11 previous, and the VP-11 from the VP-12 before it. For example in stead of asking the programmers to wait to issue the input select command until the projector can actually change states (after warmup) we buffer the command now if it is issued during this period and issue it internally after warmup is complete. Was this necessary? Nope. But we realized that saving an installer from having to remember that there was a period that needed attention seemed like an improvment that was warranted.

Writing software for a product is BY FAR the most expensive part of the manufacturing process. Even so, we have these meetings on a regularly occurring basis as well as quarterly meetings with Crestron engineers and twice a year our engineers visit our top install accounts around the country, just to find out what they think is necessary, as opposed to what WE think. And as much as I got a kick out of your comments about the gender of the connector, I sent it over to Japan and it will go into consideration.

We are always looking to improve. But everything gets weighed according to real world importance and cost of the change.

Again, thanks for your comments…

BMXTRIX posts on September 22, 2007 10:41

Dan Miller, post: 311852
I don't think that Radio Shack was responding to us when they started selling this: Model number 26-152 (I tried to post the link, but this system won't let me post links yet), but it is a 6' female to female straight through serial cable.

There are cables made for about all types of pinouts, and I'm not saying things to be a jerk, but because most CE manufacturers simply choose to ignore industry standards.

Dan Miller, post: 311852
Seriously, you talk about “should be” and “standards” where there aren't any. There are “conventions” but even then they are all over the board. If you talk to the engineers at Crestron (arguably they know more about this than most of us– also we are the interntaional distribution point for their products), they will agree that products are all over the board. This is why most installers just wire their own cables the way they need.

This is not correct. There are standards, and they are used by every single computer manufacturer in the world, as well as Crestron.
EIA-574 standard, as shown here:
https://www.arcelect.com/rs232.htm

Your competition, including Barco and Clarity as well as a long list of others utilize input and output RS-232 DB9 connections which follow industry standard: Input = DB9F TX2, RX3, Gnd5 - Output DB9M RX2, RX3, Gnd5

When 100% of PCs follow this standard, Crestron follows this standard, and your competition follows this standard, I would say that you are incorrect when you say that there is no standard.

It is more accurate to say that much of the industry doesn't care enough to actually understand the standards in place to follow through with them on their products.

Dan Miller, post: 311852
You should know that in the world of consumer AV and custom installation, we are one of the most highly regarded to work with. We were the first to the game with all discrete IR codes, DC triggers and more. We are one of the few that includes not only direct flasher inputs, but IR receiver inputs which can directly power a separate IR system with no connecting block necessary. And if you are to believe Crestron, we have one of the best 232 protocols in the industry.

So is it cocky, or is there room for improvement? Seriously, step back because I'm not going off on it as a bunch of crap product. It really bugs me when the rhetoric from companies emphasizes how great they are instead of recognizing areas they could actually improve upon.

Such as:

Does this projector actually have voluntary feedback, or must it be polled for status update?

Does this projector instantly turn on and then off? If not, why are there only two power states? Shouldn't there be four? At least? Power Off, Warming Up, Power On, and Cooling Down.

What if there is a lamp failure or some other problem that is preventing the projector from turning on? Is that reported via serial?

I'm not here to complain about the image quality, or other things which are good with the projector, or even to complain about the serial protocols that are there. It is just that if you think there isn't room for improvement, and that others don't have better, then you are incorrect, and I would consider how to improve as a company everytime a new model comes out so that it can be better.

FYI: In my years dealing with Marantz products, your projectors have stood out head and shoulders above other products I have used from the company for quality and controlability. Yet, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the controlability of the projector is better than many other companies out there. I would consider it close to average.

Dan Miller, post: 311852
Anyway thanks for the interest!

That's all it is man, interest in the product.

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