Topping the SID list was the 65-inch LCOS-RPTV shown by Brillian Corporation
June issues of Projection Monthly and Microdisplay Report
I don't know how we did it, but the June issues of Projection Monthly and Microdisplay Report are done. May was a busy month - and June promises to be just as crazy. In the June issues of these newsletters, we have our usual coverage of all aspects of the microdisplay-based industry as well as some highlights from the recent SID conference and exposition.
First, let me sum up my impression of SID. Every year at SID we see new innovations and technical achievements in many aspects of microdisplay devices, projection or near-to-eye components and finished products. But this year was particularly strong for LCOS rear-projection TVs. The quality of the RPTV demos from OCLI/ADO and from 3M/Three-Five was impressive - and pricing for engines is now competitive with alternative solutions. This assessment was echoed by others we spoke with including a major projection manufacturer who has been on the LCOS sidelines to date, but who will now re-evaluate LCOS technology. 2004 should start to get interesting for LCOS fans.
Topping the SID list was the 65-inch LCOS-RPTV shown by Brillian Corporation, the new Three-Five Systems' microdisplay spin-off company name. On-screen on/off contrast was 2000:1 - the highest reported for an RPTV using LCOS technology. This clearly levels the playing field in terms of DLP's contrast advantage, and with an engine bill of materials estimated to be around $1,000 for production quantities, it is competitive. Brillian has developed new LCOS panels for the set and it uses 3M's high-quality Vikuiti Optical Core.
A competitive LCOS color management system developed by Moxtek, ADO and OCLI will likewise offer very high contrast performance when coupled to LCOS panels. Called UltreX, a 3-panel RPTV demo produced panel-limited contrast of around 1000:1 using JVC panels, but should be able to reach 2000:1 with the Brillian panels.
OCLI is also changing its strategy and will now manufacture complete light engines including LCOS and DLP models. In fact, expect production of its first DLP engine to begin shortly for a 56-inch RPTV.
Another innovation unveiled at SID was a novel five-color projection architecture that can produce colors that cannot be seen with conventional RGB systems, like turquoise and gold. Pioneered by an Israeli company called Genoa Color Technologies, it has developed algorithms to convert RGB to an RGBCY color space. Color wheels can then be modified to add the yellow and cyan color bands. This was effectively demonstrated in a front projection pair with and without the expanded color space.
All of the above innovations will be on display at the Projection Summit Conference.
Philips is impressed with the five-color technology too and has signed an exclusive deal with Genoa to use the technology in RPTV systems. A modified LCOS-RPTV attracted a lot of attention on the SID show floor. Offering more colors may be one way that Philips hopes to energize future LCOS-RPTVs following their launch this summer.
SpatiaLight was also at SID showing several LCOS-RPTVs. While not yet at the performance level of the Brillian set, image quality was still pretty good - and it is shipping engines to Skyworth to launch an RPTV set soon. Meanwhile, Coretronic has begun to ship its 50 and 65-inch DLP-RPTVs and Delta is close to shipping 41- and 56-inch models. Microdisplay-based RPTVs will definitely start to grab some market share in 2003.
In microdisplay device news, Kopin pushed the frontier for pixel pitch by introducing three new displays. A new color VGA panel uses spatial filters over sub-pixels that are only 4.7 x 14.1 microns. It also has introduced what we think are the smallest microdisplays too at 0.16 inches in diagonal. Wow!
We were also impressed with the progress that MicroVue is making in the fabrication of their F-LCOS panels for single-panel projection systems. Many view single-panel LCOS as the next best way to lower costs and grab market share, and MicroVue should be one of the companies that will be there supplying panels.
The home theater and cross over front projection market had some very interesting developments too. First, Epson launched an SVGA-resolution cross over projector (S1) for $999. InFocus responded by lowering the price on its DLP-based X1 projector to the same price. It followed up with a home theater version of the same unit, the ScreenPlay 4800, at a slightly higher price tag, but with more features for home video use. This is certainly the cheapest way to get a 100-inch home theater, but how to sell this to consumers remains an open question.
We also report on a demonstration of Sony's LCOS front projector we saw recently. It offers very high contrast and appears to be in development for the high-end of home entertainment market using Sony's 1920 x 1080 panels. Runco and Toshiba are gearing up with new HT models too.
In business projectors, we thought Mitsubishi's new anti-theft device was pretty cool. Once armed, if you move the projector a very loud siren will go off. Bet that will work. Hitachi also announced a projector with components whose lifetime have doubled, but when we asked them to tell us which ones, we didn't get a response. This may be important given the current debate about HTPS-LCD panel reliability, but we don't know.
The visualization/simulation segment gets more pixels from a single projection now that Fakespace has introduced a model with UXGA resolution. In these applications, very low black levels, high contrast and low latency are essential, which is why CRT projection continues to have a hold on this market. But microdisplay-based projectors are starting to make headway now. Will CRT projection disappear from this market within two years?
Meanwhile, videowalls and control room display systems seem to be selling well and new products keep improving performance. Here, cube to cube color image quality needs to be well matched. Mitsubishi says it will now begin US distribution of a 60-inch DLP wall that is only 10 inches deep. This is so thin it is startling to see. Look for it at InfoComm. Also, check out the Stewart Filmscreen booth. They are now getting into multimedia wall products.
SID also provided a preview for a more robust debate that will commence at the Projection Summit. In an evening round table debate, moderated by Chuck McLaughlin, six panelists agreed that the big-screen TV market was big and getting bigger. While the PDP-TV representatives figured they will own the above 40-inch segment, the LCD-TV enthusiasts had another opinion. By 2005, they figure to lead in the 40 to 50-inch class range pushing PDP-TVs to the 60-inch segment.
The microdisplay proponents countered by saying this will be the low cost alternative that even more consumers will gravitate toward, but that issues with viewing angle and lamp life and replacement will not get solved anytime soon.
Perhaps most interesting is the huge disparity in forecasts from analysts covering this market. The June 2 afternoon session at Projection Summit, where 10 analysts will present and debate the RPTV and other projection markets, will provide even more news to report next month. And there certainly seems to be no shortage of exciting news each month.
For example, in the headset arena, which we cover in Microdisplay Report, we ran into another Israeli company at SID called Lumus. It has developed an optical light guide technique to couple the image from a microdisplay, which is mounted on the temple of a pair of eyeglasses, to an optic in front of the eye. Wide field of view virtual images can be created without the thick and bulky optics that characterize today's solutions. This could be a groundbreaking innovation. Like we said, there is always great new stuff out there to report on.
Anyway, enough fun for now. We will have news from SID, Projection Summit, InfoComm and other sources next month. Links to the table of contents for the June issues of Projection Monthly and Microdisplay Report are shown below.
Until next time…
Chris Chinnock
Sr. Analyst
Insight Media
chris@insightmedia.info
If you would like information about a subscription to Projection Monthly or Microdisplay Report, then please email Dave Torromeo, dave@insightmedia.info, or call 203-831-8464.
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