As for industry news, we are headed off to ShoWest this week, but our March issue gives you a heads-up on what to expect from this show. For example, Barco and Christie Digital will introduce new Digital Cinema projectors that feature the new m15 board set from Texas Instruments. This 3-board set adds security features such as encryption, watermarking and fingerprinting; an electronic aperture plate for better sizing and text overlays; an increase from 14 to 15 bits per color and better black level and contrast management. Christie Digital's new Digital Cinema projector boasts a 1350:1 contrast now (before color correction).

While TI still expects competition in Digital Cinema from alternative technologies like JVC's D-ILA, this latest set of enhancements shows that the picture quality has reached acceptable levels for most and that the integration of other system-level issues is starting to drive development efforts. We hope to have more after ShoWest.

JVC, for its part, has now started to ship its QXGA projector that features resolution of 2048 x 1536. It is targeted for Digital Cinema as well as applications in the simulation market, but carries a hefty $200K+ price tag.

Meanwhile, Sony is fine-tuning its microdisplay production lines to lower costs and help balance demand. We suspect it is starting to feel the heat for DLP technology.

On the LCOS front, Three-Five has signed a deal with China Display to supply panels and to help develop engines for rear-projection TVs. China Display is also working with Aurora systems on an off-axis engine design, while the deal with Three-Five is for a ColorQuad engine design.

In illumination systems, Wavien presented a paper at Photonics West which highlighted development efforts with their 1:1 dual paraboloid collection design. This should be able to shrink the size of the illumination stage in projection engines and help with coupling light onto next-generation 0.5-inch microdisplays. We also have news from several LED suppliers for the near-to-eye microdisplay side of the industry.

The March issue also has article on Mitsubishi's new headset, called Eye Vision, and a description of its new sRGB color space technology implementation. We also have a preview of 3-D displays that will be shown at CeBIT in Germany later this month and news from wearable computer makers Xybernaut and would-be maker, IBM. This latter has a new wearable PC core concept that is similar to Xybernaut's, but different, says a spokesperson. It will be doing field trials with the unit in Q2.

And there's more as can be seen from the Table of Contents.

Don't forget to check out the Projection Industry Summit Conference (PISC) information on the new web site too. If you register now, you can save $300. Also, we will have a tabletop exhibition and networking area, which is an ideal way for projection industry component suppliers to meet with key decision makers. Tabletop booths are $1,000 and a table and 2 chairs will be provided. All you have to do is show up with a bag full of show and tell!

Until next time.....


Chris Chinnock