February '04 issues of Projection Monthly and Microdisplay Report
Dear Readers,
The February issues of Projection Monthly and Microdisplay Report
are done and being distributed to subscribers.
With this issue, we will now start to sell individual copies of Projection
Monthly for $499 USD. The current issue is 140 pages and contains full
coverage of CES and much more, so we figure there is value in each edition.
(Click here for Table of Contents)
CES was clearly a watershed of information in many segments of the industry.
A couple of weeks ago, we captured some of the highlights by issuing the "Best
Buzz" awards. These were the products and technologies that people in
our circles were talking about the most - hence the buzz part (Click
here for link). We highlighted:
· Thomson/InFocus DLP-RPTV that is only 6.85 inches thick
· Intel's formal entry into the LCOS supply chain
· Epson's LCD-RPTV/printer combination product
· The reawaking to the importance of women in CE product purchasing
· The emergence of the Media Server/Entertainment PC
These still top our list, but after further analysis, we would like to add
more that are just as worthy of mention:
· TI/Samsung's 1080p DLP-RPTV prototype
· The DLP juggernaut
· LG.Philips DLP-RPTV/DVR combo product
· Pixa's DLP front projector/DVD player combo
· The commoditization of LCD-TVs
· The bragging rights battle for biggest TV continues
On display in the Texas Instrument booth was a prototype of a 1920 x 1080 resolution DLP-RPTV built by Samsung. This is important on two fronts. For one, it establishes 1080p on TI's roadmap for integration into RPTVs, paving the wave to move from 720p to 1080p in the future. And, TI revealed that this DMD is only 0.9 inches in diagonal and can be used in single-chip RPTVs and front projectors. This is a big size-reduction for the 1.25-inch DMD that is currently used in 3-chip Digital Cinema platforms with 2048 x 1080 resolution. The new DMD, called xHD3, will enable far less expensive projection systems.
Samsung's proof of concept prototype offered impressive performance too. "We have not published specs (other that they will be digital cable ready) but contrast ratio will be significantly better than HD2+," noted Jim Sanduski, Samsung's director of marketing, visual media products. Samsung's HD2+ DLP-RPTVs will offer 2500:1 in the 2004 line up. "Look for a late 2004 introduction in 61- and possibly 73-inch screen sizes."
While the 1080p development lays the foundation for 2005 products, DLP is on a roll in microdisplay-based RPTVs. Samsung and others will also field a new line of DLP-RPTVs that use the new HD3 DLP chip set. This is the follow-up to the HD2/HD2+. It offers the same 1280 x 720 resolution but the size has been reduced from 0.8 inches to 0.55 inches. We don't have to emphasize the potential cost savings this will enable.
And the stampede to add a DLP-RPTV to big-screen TV line up is in full swing. Panasonic is back in the game with a new set. Toshiba is giving up on LCOS for 2004 and will go with a DLP line up. Skyworth, Daewoo, TCL, SVA, ViewSonic and more are jumping on the DLP-RPTV bandwagon.
Nevertheless, we still think LCOS has a lot of renewed vigor - especially with Intel's entry. These new sets, especially ones powered by the UltreX-3 architecture designed by Advanced Digital Optics and manufactured by JDSU/OCLI, are offering very powerful performance levels. Brillian, Intel, OCLI, 3M and others showed sets that were awesome. JVC is back in the LCOS-RPTV game with new panels and a new (undisclosed architecture). And the Taiwanese are making progress too as eLCOS was the lone LCOS player to demonstrate a 1080p prototype.
While Epson's new LCD-RPTV looked very good, Sony had no new TVs. LG Electronics offered several new screen sizes, as did some Chinese players. Sanyo's LCD-RPTVs will later, but there were not a lot of other sets to be seen.
CES also saw a resurgence of styling in RPTVs and the debut of combo products. Samsung has its "vertical mount" design that places the DLP engine in the pedestal offering a different looking display. The super thin RPTVs have been mentioned but slimmer bezels and newer ways to augment the picture and make the set more aesthetically appealing were seen at CES.
Which brings us to the combo trend. Already mentioned was the Epson RPTV/printer combo, which will offer the dual appeal of a big-screen TV and a digital image management system. It will be marketed with special attention to women.
LG Electronics took a different tack and built-in an HD-DVR into a 60-inch LCD integrated (ATSC/digital cable and NTSC tuner) HDTV. The DVR adds an video content management aspect to the TV set and includes a 120 gigabyte hard drive for almost 13 hours of HDTV recording time, 60 hours of SD digital recording time, and more than 120 hours of analog recording time.
In front projection for the home, Pixa is the first to offer a DVD/DLP projector combination. The unit has an SVGA chip set, DVD player for multiple video, image and audio formats, support for HDTV and multiple memory formats and an optional wireless audio capability. And, it will retail for only $2K. We can't wait to see the next generation with better DLP chip sets and wireless audio and video. This is exactly the kind of innovation that will make home projection easy for consumers to understand and install.
On the LCD-TV front, the news is who isn't going to offer an LCD-TV? It seemed like every other booth was using an LCD-TV or selling one. Based on the panel discussion from an Insight Media moderated session, most are conceding the 30-inch class range to LCDs as they steadily erode CRT set sales. But it gets real messy in the 40-inch class, as LCD, PDP and RPTV will all view for market share, especially after 2005 as big LCD capacity comes on-line.
Meanwhile the game of "I've got the biggest display" continues. We think Sharp now holds the title to the biggest LCD-TV at 57 inches with 1920 x 1080 resolution. But 45-inches is the largest production model today.
In PDP-TVs, LG Electronics claimed the title of the biggest displays at 71 and 76 inches, but then Samsung trumped that with an 80-inch unit. LG will bring its two 1920 x 1080 resolution giants to market probably as integrated HDTV sets by the end of 2004. Samsung's set offers the same resolution, but increases the size by four inches while boosting contrast 2000:1 vs. 1000:1) and brightness (1000 cd/m2 vs. 800). The company notes that this is the largest panel that can be pattered on the new motherglass used in its third PDP line. However, it will likely opt to make 4-up 40-inch displays instead and bring the 80-inch set to market "sometime in 2005."
So far, we have just covered the highlights of the current 140-page Projection Monthly. There is also coverage of lamps, screen and engines. For example, we have started to hear talk about an upcoming lamp shortage, but is it real? We'll give you more on this for next month.
And don't forget our data summaries from other market research firms, reports of progress in the U.S. and worldwide DTV transition, news from the distribution channels, business and strategic developments and financial information for reporting companies. Plus, we have all the news from electronics chip set makers, design wins for these chips, activities in wireless/networking and some standards development updates.
Want to get it all in one well-organized report? Buy the February edition if you are not already a subscriber.
In Microdisplay Report, we capture the some of the more important news stories from Projection Monthly and add in news from the near-to-eye sector. Electronic viewfinder maker Displaytech for example, reports several new design wins that will roll out in digital camera starting next months. And, it is working on a lower-cost lower resolution microdisplay.
In headset news, we note new viewfinder display solutions for racecar drivers and cyclists will be available soon from Motion Research. And for laptop users, you should soon be able to buy a monocular head-mounted display system that plugs into the monitor out port on the PC and draws power from the USB port. User can then switch off the power-hungry LCD screen and see an SVGA resolution virtual image. The DataGlasses2 can be bought for around $1,400.
Meanwhile, Ingenio will offer is Eyetop Centra for about $399. The monocular display has lower resolution and performance, so you get what you pay for in this case. Meanwhile, Leadtek has jumped into the headset arena with two new designs (monocular and binocular) powered by OLED microdisplays from eMagin.
Well, that's all for now. Until next time…
Chris Chinnock
President, Insight Media
chris@insightmedia.info
February '04 Issue of Projection Monthly Table of Contents
February '04 Issue of Microdisplay Report Table of Contents
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Monthly or Microdisplay Report, then please email Dave Torromeo,
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