“While honey lies in every flower, it takes a bee to get the honey out,” claims the DreamVision press release. Despite this tenuous and somewhat ludicrous statement, we're not going to hold it against the French projector specialist because the DreamBee, distributed in the UK by Absolute Sounds, is the company's answer to the swathe of high-end full HD projectors swarming onto the market. And first impressions are sweet.
Though it may look like a 1950s blender, the DreamBee is actually a very serious bit of kit. Outputting a full HD 1080p 1920×1080 pixel image, it harnesses three-chip D-ILA (Direct-Drive Image Light Amplifier) technology optimised to the absolute max. DreamVision's idea here is that the D-ILA engine is simpler and thus cheaper to engineer than a traditional three-chip DLP version, while the trio of 'liquid crystal on silicon' panels means the flickering associated with the spinning colour wheel of single-chip projectors is absent.
There's plenty more stuffed into that glossy coloured chassis too, namely a touted 20,000:1 contrast ratio, myriad picture processing technologies and connectors including dual HDMI, component, composite and S-Video. Retailing at £7,000, the DreamBee looks like a decent proposition, and that poncey styling will no doubt tickle the fancy of numerous AV enthusiasts with a taste for the fashionista. And if you've got a little more spare cash lying around, £9,500 will upgrade you to the DreamBee Pro that includes an external 10-bit HD video processor. This opens up an exciting new world of video source management and professional adjustment options like VRS video processing, film-grade de-interlacing methods and dedicated gaming modes, with connectivity options doubled.
Specification:
Resolution 1920×1080 pixels (Full HD)
Projection system 3x 0,7" D-ILA chips
Image processing F9351 video processor featuring VXP™ technologies
Projection lens 16 full glass elements by Fujinon
Integrated optical zoom 2x (1.4 – 2.8:1 distance/width)
Contrast ratio 15,000:1
Brightness Typical 1,000 ANSI lumens
Displayable colours 16.7 million colours, 256 shades of gray
Colour temperature User adjustable
Lamp 170 W in Normal mode (200 W in High brightness mode)
Lamp life 2000 hours in High brightness mode
Vertical Offset +/- 80 %
Horizontal Offset +/- 34 %
Video compatibility HDTV : 480i/p, 576i/p, 720p/50/60, 1080i50/60, 1080p50/60/24
SDTV : NTSC, NTSC4.43, PAL, PAL-N, PAL-M, SECAM
Inputs 2 x HDMI (rev 1.2 with HDCP)
1 x Composite Video RCA
1 x Component 3 RCA (also supports Scart via adaptor)
1 x S-Video
Home automation Yes (through RS-232C serial port)
Power consumption Max 280 W
Standby mode <3 W
Humidity and temperature 20% to 80% humidity non condensing 5°C to 35°C
Standard accessories AC power cord
Remote control (with batteries)
Audible noise 22 dB (Normal mode)
Dimensions (WxHxD) 585 x 205 x 470 mm – 23.0" x 18.5" x 8.0"
Weight 11,0 kg / 24.5 lbs
More information: www.dreamvision.net
