Cineversum BlackWing MK2011 3D Projector First Look

The thing to remember about the Cineversum BlackWing line is that they name all their projectors basically the same. There are Cineversum BlackWing One, Two, Three, and Four. The way to tell them apart is the model number. In this case, Cineversum has released MK2011 versions of their BlackWing One, Two, and Three. That said, there is very little information on their website about the differences between the three projectors other than the One seems to be the least advanced of the three. We presume this is the projector that starts off just south of $9600 and the others are more expensive. But what do you get for that money?

Let's start with what we know Blackwing One MK2011 doesn't have. It doesn't have a PC VGA input. It doesn't have the 7-axis gain and saturation color management system with an accompanying preset for storing that calibration. It also is missing the True Cinema Black function of the other two presumably indicating a reduced ability to maintain detail in dark scenes (according to the specs, expect 50,000:1 native contrast ratio BlackWing One, 70,000:1 BlackWing Two, and 100,000:1 BlackWing Three contrast ratios). But what does the Blackwing series boast?

Of course, 3D is on the menu. All three projectors sport 3D projection capability. Frame sequential (with active shutter glasses) Frame Packing, Side by side and Above-Below are all supported with their own glasses. The glasses have the latest ergonomic innovations and technologies. Fast-response liquid crystal lenses create the best image quality without ghosting, wherever you sit, and provide higher brightness, more natural colors and great durability. Weighing only 2 oz, the ergonomic design offers optimal comfort for everyone. No word on the cost of the glasses or on how many you get with each projector but, given the price of the projector, you probably aren't real worried about what the glasses cost.

The Blackwing line has a 3-chip LCOS, 0.7" panel giving you full-HD 1920x1080. It has motorized zoom, focus, and lens shift (vertical and horizontal) making installation a breeze. The 2x's (1.4-2.8:1) throw ratio makes the Blackwing line very amenable to various rooms. For projection on cinemascope aspect ratio screens (2.39:1) the BlackWing projectors can also be easily retrofitted with their proprietary CineTwist kit. Thanks to a bespoke motorized anamorphic system, the user will be able to switch from the classic 16:9 aspect ratio to Cinemascope format for both 2D and 3D content. The exclusive Cineversum Theatre Mode makes this possible.

The Blackwing projectors are super quiet (<19dB) and sports a unique deep metallic-black ABS plastic chassis designed by the famed French designer Antoine Béon. According to Cineversum, "The design celebrates the concept of speed and precision with an unforgettable futuristic shape reminiscent of the Stealth Fighter; hence, the name BlackWing." Because, you know, everyone will be looking at the projector, not the screen.

Each projector is individually checked and calibrated before shipping. They are calibrated for D65 so should be plug-n-play ready. The color temperatures and the white field uniformity are optimized to provide very natural picture quality with HD sources like Blu-ray and broadcast HD.

Each of the projectors sports two HDMI 1.4 inputs and a component input. They have a proprietary internal video processor/scaler that adapts for wide range of film and video cadences plus enhances the input signal and removes video noise. The new MK2011 models have a lamp with longer lifetime (up to 3,000 hours in normal mode) and more power (brightness, 1300 ansi lumens, increased by 50%) over the MK2010 models. 

Conclusion

We're sure there are more features here that we are missing. Frankly, these projectors are probably so good that you could pair them with terrible sources and still get a decent picture. But for the money you're spending on the projector, surely you didn't skimp on your Blu-ray player or TiVo. The Blackwing projectors are a beauty to behold and they seem to have the technology under the hood to support all those looks. If we had the money, we'd want one.

For more information, please visit www.cineversum.com.

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