Basing their new home theatre solution on SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) technology, Sony is unveiling the VPL-VW50, a high-definition projector that boasts 1080p resolution and a contrast ratio of 15,000:1. What this means is that you’ll get brighter whites and darker blacks (sounds like I’m talking about a laundry detergent, doesn’t it?), and in the end, a much crisper, truer image.

The HD projector achieves this incredible contrast ratio by including an iris “that opens up to flood light through its lens when you’re watching brighter scenes, and dialing it closer to closed when viewing dark ones.” In this way, you can’t exactly achieve the brightest whites and darkest blacks at the same time, unless I’m reading that description wrong.

Naturally, there’s a couple of HDMI connections in the back (what’s the point of a hi-def projector without hi-def input, after all), and it stays pretty quiet as it’s whirring along at 22db. No word on pricing on this Sony Europe release, but we expect this to be less expensive than the VPL-VW100 with its 400 watt xenon bulb (the VW50 only boasts a 200 watt bulb).