Meridian Unveils New Projector, Processor

Posted Thursday, March 13, 2008

Meridian Audio Limited has chosen the 2008
Electronic House Expo (EHX), held March 11-15 in Orlando, Florida, to debut
its latest high-definition video projector, the MF10. Meridian, a British
firm long accepted as a world leader in advanced digital audio and video
technologies for music and home-theater systems, has already established
itself at the top of the high-end projector market; with the new model, this
position is sure to be enhanced.

“Over the last two to three years, core technologies for HD video projection
have advanced to significant new performance capabilities,” says Norm
Steinke, Chief Operating Officer of Meridian America. “With Meridian’s
unique engineering experience and proprietary design, and with our rigorous
hand-selection and calibration programs, we are now able to offer fully
reference-grade equipment at rational cost, enabling a new level of
home-theater excellence.”

Building on the success of the award-winning MF1, the new MF10 uses the
latest-generation D-ILA light-engine technology, in a maximum-performance
three-chip 1080p array. Based upon an all-new, 0.7-inch DILA device, the
MF10’s refined new optical package delivers an important reduction in stray
light, producing industry-best black levels (in excess of 30,000:1 native
contrast ratio) without the use of a servo iris. This means powerfully
stunning blacks and superbly dynamic visual “pop,” with no sacrifice in
light output—or of the MF10’s remarkable shadow detail. The result: rich,
film-like textures and depth, and an entirely involving, cinematic visual
experience.

Another key to the MF10’s unexcelled video excellence is its exceptionally
accurate, 16-element, all-glass lens. This ensures sharp, fully focused
imaging across the entire screen, edge to edge and top to bottom. Its 2x
zoom delivers a large, bright image even in smaller environments with
curtailed throw-distance dimensions, delivering image size from 60 to 200
inches. Like Meridian’s MF1 projector, the MF10 will feature the optional
2.35:1 (Cinemascop®) conversion kit from lab-quality optics maker Schneider.

While video performance is indisputably the MF10’s key feature, Meridian has
also engineered numerous intelligent design touches. An extremely low-noise
cooling system maintains quiet installations, with both intake and exhaust
located on the front panel, making location close to the rear wall
practicable, for tidy layout and maximal throw-distance. Lens-shifts of 80
percent horizontal and 34 percent vertical further enhance design and
installation adaptability, while the MF10’s side-access lamp compartment
makes renewal simple even for ceiling-mounted installations.

Meridian’s unequalled selection and calibration standards and stringent
quality control make the MF10 the most consistent high-end projector
available. This is an important point to system designer/installers offering
reference systems, and promising calibrated performance at multiple venues
or rooms.

The MF10 incorporates powerful DSP for high-performance video processing,
including deinterlacing and image scaling, making it a virtually
“plug-and-play” solution for high-end, full-HD image reproduction. For
installations requiring a range of fully state-of-the-technology abilities,
the MF10’s “pixel-for-pixel” unprocessed mode is tailor made to work in
tandem with Meridian’s newest digital video processor, the DVP2351. For its
part, the DVP2351 is specifically engineered to deliver maximum performance
when paired with the new Meridian projector, or with an equivalent model of
similar potential. The DVP2351 provides a full range of inputs including 4
HDMI ultra-high-bandwidth 1080p paths, with flexible switching and a host of
input/output aspect ratio options, taking full advantage of its powerful
scaling/deinterlacing digital-video processing abilities. Totally
programmable, and controllable via infrared or RS-232 communications, the
DVP2351 is equally adept optimizing the MF10 projector within an
all-Meridian system or in a multibrand layout.

Meridian is offering the MF10 Digital Projector and DVP2351 Digital Video
individually. Both models are available immediately.

 

MSRP: MF10 projector: $14,995; DVP2351 processor: $3,995.