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Looking at Sony's VPL-VW40 and VPL-VW60, it's pretty easy to guess where the newly announced VPL-VW80 is likely to sit in the company's line-up. While we'll doubtless see a higher price point, there's a pretty major increase in (claimed) contrast ratio over the VPL-VW60, as well as some nifty new processing features.

As ever, there's a list of specs to wade through:

• 1,920 x 1,080 resolution
• 60,000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic iris)
• Triple-SXRD panel
• 2.5ms response time
• 100hz, 24hz modes
• Bravia Engine 2 image processing
• Real Colour Processing (a system which has impressed us before)
• 800 ANSI lumens
• Screen size example: 80in from 8.6ft to 12.8ft
• Connections: two HDMI, one Component, one S-Video, one composite, one VGA, one serial
• 20dB operating volume
• Backlit remote (a small, but useful detail)

One less noteworthy, but still interesting, feature include an automatic lens cover, which oddly enough opens when the projector is turned on and closes when it isn’t. Sony's Motionflow Dark Frame Insertion is what allows the projectors claimed 100fps capability, and works by showing black and video alternately from a 50Hz source. It's not as elegant, or effective, as an interpolation system, but it's definitely better than nothing.

Sony being Sony, there's no pricing information as yet, but at a guess £4-5,000 seems a reasonable (if wide) ballpark. Hopefully we'll get one in for testing soon to see what's what.

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