The "technical battle" of the projector circle entered the second half, and the nut projection action was frequent, first holding an offline blind test on June 8, and then releasing an industry "open letter" on June 9, publicly calling for healthy competition among peers and should not be maliciously smeared. On June 10, Sohu Finance spoke with Wang Xiaoyi, CPO (Chief Product Officer) of Nut Projection, who explained the reason for the offline blind test event on June 8, and reviewed the entire projection technology dispute. Talking about why he would openly say in the circle of friends that Jimi is a "shoddy cheap technology", Wang Xiaoyi said: "What we don't accept is that under the optical architecture of the product is all LED, a little laser is doped, and then it is said to be super mixed light and the next generation of light source." ”
He also reiterated his position on the technical debate, stating: "Tricolor lasers are definitely the future of projection display technology. ”
Nut projection CPO Wang Xiaoyi (left) (Image source: Nut
Talking about blind testing:
The machine does not have any screen debugging
The evaluator is also a pure passerby Sohu Finance: What invariants are mainly set in the "boot" + "objective picture quality parameter test under the same conditions" link to make the test more objective? Nut: We didn't do any commissioning, both machines were purchased by a third party. On the same day, the media teacher opened the box on the spot, and the boot was also completed under the witness of the media teachers, after the projector was turned on, the direct test began after the novice guidance was done according to the machine prompts, and everyone was carried out under factory default settings. From our point of view, we do not do any debugging on the machine, we turn off the keystone correction of the product, ensure that it is a completely forward angle, and do this test in all lighting conditions and other conditions without any favoritism. But we found a rather interesting phenomenon is that the default image quality of the machine before the boot was "standard" mode, but the Jimi product (Jimi RS PRO3) purchased by a third party that day, after booting, the default mode became "bright" mode. That is to say, it is not ruled out that Jimi may have temporarily pushed a new software version before our test, because it knew that we might have to test with factory default settings, but this still had little impact, and the final test was still crushed results. Sohu Finance: In the evaluation and R&D process, what elements did Nut choose in terms of image quality parameters? Nut: In the test environment, we made sure that there were fair environmental conditions, and both sides were cast on a white wall, without any curtains. Because frankly speaking, adding a curtain may weaken the shift, we all use the most common white wall, which is also the most common use in the user's home. In the research and development process, in addition to brightness, we pay more attention to the resolution, color gamut, contrast, uniformity, etc. of the lens, which are all emphasized by us and are also the core key image quality parameters that affect the user's comprehensive experience. Sohu Finance: Why did Nut choose Nut N1 Ultra RS Pro3 for evaluation? What is the basis for selection? Nuts: First of all, these two products represent the two most flagship products, and secondly, the two most representative products under two different technical routes. Jimi's mixing is now the only product, and our Nut N1 Ultra is also the best flagship product in tricolor laser technology. The third is that the product price segment is also similar, which can represent the best level of their respective technical routes. Sohu Finance: There is a blind test for users after the test session, what are the considerations for setting this link? Nut: Actually, we're mainly for blind testing. The front is actually under everyone's common supervision and witness, set up debugging, to ensure our openness, objectivity and fairness, but also invite media teachers to witness the test, then in fact, the core link behind is actually blind testing. It is random passers-by who come in and truly "see is believe". Blind testing is actually very simple, because the results are already very clear - all parameters are hanging. Competitors may have some means to discredit you, so I think the simplest is that users see is believing, right? We also don't talk about anything, don't do any guidance, put the actual playback screen of the two products there and you can see it yourself, in the hope of restoring the truth and letting everyone know what technology is good. Frankly speaking, the difference between these two products, from my point of view, is the degree of difference between color TV and black and white TV, which can be seen at a glance. So that's why the final vote is 83% vs. 10%. But if you have to say, "black and white screens are more eye-protecting, color screens will be tired after looking for a long time", then it must be the same, because indeed the amount of information on color screens is larger, and the product is more vivid. If someone feels that "[competing products] look a little lighter but more comfortable, while nut products are more colorful but may be more tiring", this is also a good indication of user preference, and we respect it. Just like ink screens are more comfortable, but not all mobile phones should use ink screens. But the so-called "tired or not", "eye protection", at least from our point of view, there is no (problem) at all, including we have also communicated with some experts in the medical community, including laser associations and academicians who do laser and laser display, everyone believes that laser display is the future. Sohu Finance: When nuts were looking for review users, how did they look for them? How are they found, and what are their attributes? Nuts: Pure passers-by come to participate in the blind test. The blind test location is set in Vientiane Tiandi, the largest business district in Shenzhen, and from Thursday afternoon to Saturday night, covering the time period with the largest flow of people, the purpose is to ensure that the flow of people is highly random and the fairness of blind testing, a total of more than a thousand people participate in three days, we cannot control, so there is no way for us to find passers-by, it is completely random.
Talking about technology:
Tricolor laser comprehensively crushes super mixed light Sohu Finance without suspense: Not long ago, you mentioned on Weibo that "three-color laser comprehensively crushes super mixed light without suspense", can you start talking, from insider feedback, in what aspects is it "crushed"? Nuts: From the final evaluation results, you can also see that the picture quality is a difference that can be seen at a glance, why can it be 80 to 10: not 55 open, not 64 kai, not even 73 kai, but 82 kai or more, is because these two things are not a thing of the era at all, this has actually been very clearly reflected in the consumer's senses.
If we go back to technical indicators, why do we keep talking about "total crushing"? It is because in terms of technical indicators, there is no indicator that does not far exceed the so-called "super mixed light" of competitors: from the most important luminance efficiency of projection, to color, contrast, uniformity, it is all comprehensively crushed. Therefore, some voices think that "the three-color laser color is too bright, and you may be tired after looking at it for a long time", because this color gamut is more than all current display devices, and it takes a certain amount of time for the human eye to get used to. Just like when people see color TV for the first time, they feel a little unused to it. I used to watch black-and-white TV, but now I have a brighter TV. But this (color TV) must be better, and this direction of development is beyond doubt. If you have to say that the human eye is not completely accustomed to such a gorgeous picture, it is not, because the light, brightness and vividness of nature are higher than this. So the human eye is completely adaptable to see brighter and more vivid pictures, because this is the case in nature, but people are not used to seeing the same bright and vivid picture from the screen as in nature, which requires time for the brain to adapt. This is also why when the technology of competing products is comprehensively crushed, it can only find some points that are not painful. For our friends, it may indeed be that its marketing resource costs are relatively high, so the other party grasps these views that are impossible to stand in the industry, and then continues to amplify, which may still have some impact on consumer cognition. So this is why this time we nuts feel that we have to stand up and measure this matter clearly: all the things on the indicators, the data on the bright side, none of the indicators of competing products can exceed, and even each item is crushed by several times, such as the color gamut is two to three times, and the contrast ratio is five to six times. But even in the case of more than several times crushing, the other party has to reverse black and white, then we can only say "see you offline". It can also be seen from the actions of both sides that when it comes to talking about data and technology during the debate, the other party does not talk about it; When he asked for "meet offline", and when he was about to "meet offline", the other party canceled the offline meeting. Therefore, judging from a series of actions, as long as the students who are paying attention to the development of this matter, they must know which side is tall and which side is untenable. But helplessly, the other party's marketing resources and so-called brand voice are greater, so the influence may be greater. When we put the blind test offline in the hope of returning justice to everyone, what is the other party's response? The other party posted a Weibo in the usual way of spokesperson public relations. So in fact, everyone is not taking a route, we hope to say that technology, product innovation, bring user value, then the opposite may hope is: I have money anyway, I smash marketing, right? Sohu Finance: Sohu Finance has been paying attention to this matter since the beginning of the incident, and has made analysis from many aspects such as industry observation, company analysis, executive voice, and technical dimension, and would like to take this opportunity to ask you to talk about the position and attitude of nuts on related issues on this matter. Nut: In fact, it has been very clear, that is, "three-color laser is definitely the future of projection display technology", not only my view, but also the consensus view of the industry. We believe that friends can do some mixing processing, and these treatments are no problem. But based on the fact that the product is a three-color laser, if you want to do some mixing or do some other processing, then it is still a three-color laser route, which we think is desirable. What we don't accept is that under the optical architecture of the product is all LED, doped with a little laser, and then talk about itself as a super mixed light and the next generation of light source. This is what I call "shoddy cheap technology." Here's an inappropriate but graphic example. At a wine tasting conference, I brought a bottle of Moutai, everyone thought that Moutai was very delicious, the wine aroma was very strong, but drinking too much was a little on the head, a little dizzy, what should I do? Can you create a delicious and non-topless Moutai? Then at this time the friendly merchant ran out and said, I sucked a drop of Moutai, dripped it into a large basin of water, and finally scooped up this water and said, my Moutai is a new type of Moutai, this product will not have the problem of Moutai's dizziness. But this is not Moutai, there is no content of Moutai at all, and there is no advantage brought by Moutai at all. Then the other party kept staring at Moutai and "hit", saying that "Moutai is not as good as this bottle of boiled water, because boiled water is not on the head, and drinking boiled water is not dizzy". But this is not a thing, compared to what? This is my view, that is, the so-called "shoddy marketing" and "reverse black and white marketing", the cognitive impact on consumers is very large, so why we must stand out, this time with relatively drastic means to explain this matter clearly. Whether the other party wants to come out and talk to me about technology, parameters, live debates, or let's do blind tests offline... Either way, we can stand up and without any problems. What I can't accept is that everyone ignores the facts, plays some "tricks" under the countertop, brushes some bad reviews here, and returns the goods after buying products there. I myself come from other industries, making mobile phones and wearables, which are relatively larger tracks, and there is also competition in it, and the competition is fierce and even sometimes miserable. But everyone has a bottom line. First, people don't do things that go to the edge of the law; Second, people will not reverse black and white on technical issues, I think this is the biggest awe of technology practitioners for an industry - at least you have to respect science, respect technical facts, which is the basic bottom line of a technology company. If some scientific and technological facts and technologies can actually reverse black and white, then it cannot be called a technology company from the bottom? Sohu Finance: What is the current technological progress of nuts in three-color laser? Nuts: We are definitely at the forefront of the research and development of three-color lasers. Now only Hisense, because Hisense has done laser TV before, so it also has a certain accumulation in the field of laser display, but after all, there is still a certain difference between the laser display of laser TV and the display of micro-projection, although many of its technologies are homologous. So in fact, in this area, we think that compared with Hisense, although the other party may be established longer and have more patents in all aspects of the optical laboratory, we think we still have a unique advantage in micro-projection laser display. Our current Krypton laser technology is confident that it is the best three-color laser micro-projection display technology, which is why we can achieve high, medium and low three-color laser product coverage very quickly. At present, the sales of the three products are very good whether they are in Jingdong or Tmall, and they should be the first in sales and praise rate of laser projection products. We will continue to move forward in the development of the three-color laser of Eye Krypton. Last year we launched the first generation, which actually took us three years to develop. I joined Nut in 2020, and we started laser research and development as soon as I joined, and in three years we released the first generation of Mekr tricolor laser, and we will update Mekr tricolor laser technology every year in the future. At the end of this year we will probably release the second generation, by next year there will be a third generation, and then a fourth, fifth generation ... We will continue to upgrade the three-color laser technology, hoping to popularize it, so that consumers can enjoy the image quality experience brought by the three-color laser, and at the same time let the industry use the three-color laser technology.
Produced | Sohu Finance
Author | Li Baoming
Edit | Wu Ya
Operations Editor | Gao Yixin