February, 1999

News & Analysis

LCD-Based HDTVs Are Coming

One of the most impressive HDTV offerings at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was a 60-inch rear-projection system from Sharp Electronics. Publicly shown for the first time in the U.S., the unit uses Sharp’s continuous grain silicon (CGS) LCD technology. It was impressive because of it’s brightness (280 ft-L), contrast (300:1), color fidelity, uniformity, and wide viewing angle (over 130 degrees horizontally). However, there were still some noticeable artifacts, in particular, sparkling.

Photo-Addressed Light Valve Unveiled

Claiming to have solved speed of response and resolution limitations in current photo-addressed light valve systems, LightSmith Corporation, has developed a new photoconductive material, a light valve, and a demonstration projection system to prove it’s merits.

MicroDisplay Corp. Tests SVGA Device

The MicroDisplay Corporation has successfully tested two new SVGA microdisplays based upon their liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) design. One, a 0.30-inch device (MD800G4) was apparently fabricated as a proof of concept and will not be for sale at this time. The other unit (MD800G6), a slightly larger 0.49-inch device, will be available by the end of the first quarter, 1999 at single unit prices of $600, or with an evaluation kit for around $2,000.

Nichia Readies Violet Lasers

The race to develop a blueish-wavelength laser diode got a little hotter last month after Nichia Chemical Industries, Ltd. announced it would start shipping violet lasers this February. The devices emit 5 mW of light at 400-nm (violet) and have lifetimes of 10,000 hours running CW (continuous wave) at room temperature, the threshold needed for consumer devices.

FED Corporation Awarded SBIR

Seeking to develop an analog interface to emerging organic light emitting diode (OLED) display technology, the U.S. Army has awarded a $70,000 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant to FED Corporation (Hopewell Junction, NY). The six month program will develop and confirm the circuit design for a low power, RS-170 compatible interface for an active matrix OLED display - all integrated onto a single chip. The company has already demonstrated an Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) video display built on a silicon integrated circuit, and has built a new fabrication line for its production.

Applications

News and product Table summaries from Sharp Electronics, Hitachi Home Electronics America, Thomson Consumer Electronics, Sony Electronics, Philips Electronics, Toshiba America Consumer Products, Samsung Electronics America, Zenith Electronics, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, Sanyo Consumer Electronics, Pioneer New Media Technologies, Victor Co. Of Japan Ltd., Faroudja, Inc., Vestel, Konka Group Co. Ltd., and Go-Video, Inc.

Market Intelligence

Market news from The Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA), Cahner’s In-Stat Group, The GSM Association, Strategy Analytics, DisplaySearch, IDC Japan, Frost & Sullivan, and Strategy Analytics.

Bottom Line

Financial news from Planar Systems, Microvision, Three-Five Systems, Genesis Microchip and Paradise Electronics, Inc.

Movers & Shakers

Personnel changes from Colorado Microdisplay, Three-Five Systems, DisplaySearch, and FED Corporation.