Welcome to the future. The first Direct Drive Image Light Amplification (DILA) projector made specifically for the home, the DLA-HD1 from JVC, has hit the UK - and we're thrilled to report that it's a veritable revolution in high definition viewing at an astounding price.

So, what's all the excitement about DILA? The dominance of LCD and DLP projectors is being put under pressure by two new challengers, both derived from Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) technology - SXRD (Sony) and DILA (JVC).

The DILA engine in the DLA-HD1 claims an astounding 15000:1 native contrast ratio, which can be delivered without any iris-induced reduction in brightness, unlike the highest contrast levels of practically all rival LCD projectors. That's quite some claim to make, we're sure you'll agree with us.

Looks the part

With the introduction of the DLA-HD1, JVC has gone for broke with a high-end projector that makes a visual statement, and only clocks in at around £4,500. It's bigger than we expected, though, and may well dominate a dedicated viewing room. Still, it's striking to look at, with its high-gloss finish and centrally positioned lens.

Connectivity is suitably in tune with the high-definition age. There are two HDMI inputs (enough to keep Sky HD and PS3 owners occupied), component video input, and an RS-232 port, as well as the usual S-video and composite video back-ups (although we'll wager that they'll be seldom used). There's no VGA input for PCs, however.

The DLA-HD1's specification is also striking. Firstly, its 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution hits the 'Full HD' bull's eye. Secondly, its aforementioned contrast ratio of 15000:1 is nothing short of mind-blowing. Brightness is 700 ANSI Lumens, and the DLA-HD1 is able to create a 100in image from a throw distance of 3m-6.08m, essential if you're planning to install this projector in a large-sized room.

Befitting a fulsome-looking projector, the DLA-HD1 is jam-packed with neat features. JVC has reinvented its optical system to help the DLA-HD1 claim such an impressive specification. New smoothing technology has been introduced to the DILA engine to reduce light-spilling irregularities.

Also on board is JVC's innovative Wire Grid Optical Engine, which crucially ensures less light leakage while showing dark scenes. Also featured here is Gennum's acclaimed GF9351 video processor.