The Economist has a great piece about researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a digital cinema projector that uses lasers as the main display technology. In doing so, these projectors are able to display a staggering 80 percent of the colour range visible to the human eye. Previously, the 60 percent range that 35mm film offered was considered the benchmark for other projectors and displays to measure themselves up against.

Read More »

The NTT DoCoMo prototype phone shown in the video above has an embedded DLP projector, presumably using an LED light source in order to project a respectable 20- to 25-in. video image on the wall a few feet away. The downside, as you can hear from the dude asking questions (AOL Switched's Tom Samiljan if I'm not mistaken) is that the phone is large, or at least small but strapped to a real brick of a projector. I guess we're supposed to admire the image, and wait for the actual mini-projector technology to catch up. [TechPertPanel - YouTube]

Read More »

Rear-projection may be deader than dead as far as the biggies are concerned, but the folks at nLighten are intent to squeeze a bit more life out of these 72-inch 1080p DLP sets by sticking an infrared camera inside next to the light source that detects cursor points from an IR-tipped pen, allowing for a simple (no multitouch) touchscreen interface. It can act as a standard Windows mouse allowing for 1080p touchscreen Google Earth, or any other app.

Read More »

With the ever-falling prices of flat panel LCD and plasma displays, it was only a matter of time before the rear projection television died a tragic death. Since 2007, their sales in the market under 60 inches have dropped by 32%, meaning that 84% of the rear projections sold today are now 60 inches or over. From what we understand, that includes newer DLP technology as well. Another interesting metric: Just 2 of the 40 HDTVs reviewed by CNet this year have been rear projections. But if you've got the space and don't mind the style, their quality per dollar quotient is still undeniably good. [Crave][image]

Read More »

DLP recently teamed up with former LucasFilms effects studios Kerner Optical and Tippett Studios to work on a stereoscopic 3D Trailer for their cinema projectors. Pushing this style of filmmaking (kinda like the 3D attractions at theme parks) forward was something they were all excited about, and they took me around Kerner Optical's facility and showed me the latest camera gear they used to make the 3D trailer.

Read More »

Hot on the heels of the Optoma pico-projector that uses a TI chipset, TI itself has announced the "industry's first home-theatre lamp-free projector." It uses a PhlatLight LED illumination source instead, and a Brilliantcolor chipset to give a 1080p display. This makes it capable of a 50% bigger colour gamut than traditional projector tech (that's over 200 trillion colors!) and a contrast ratio that can go up to 500,000:1. The lamp-free bit is the part that will interest consumers: as well as not requiring expensive new bulbs, the LEDs consume far less power so you'll pay for less electricity if you're a heavy projector user. Apparently "multiple DLP customers" are expecting to launch projector products with the tech late this year. [Digitimes]

Read More »

Samsung's new P400 Pocket Imager projector is designed mainly for businesspeople on the go, so it's pretty tiny. Inside, its DLP unit is a native 800 x 600 resolution and its LED lighting pushes out 150 lumens, resulting in a 30- to 40-inch display capability with 1000:1 contrast ratio. It takes the standard RGB, composite, S-video and audio inputs, and has two 1-watt speakers. Plus, though it's no pico-projector, it's just 12.7 x 9.4 x 5 cms in size and weighs 860 grams, so it'll carry nicely in your laptop bag. And you know what? Just coz it's businessy doesn't mean it has to look ugly or utilitarian: so Samsung has actually made this thing look pretty good. Available now for US$749, full press release below.

Read More »

A new DLP projector by Projectiondesign promises not only a 1080p image at 60Hz, but one that you can watch in 3D. But it's no simple feat. While most normal DLP projectors simply shine light through a colour wheel, this projector is driven by an unconventional two imaging chips (one for the left eye and one for the right) that each take turns controlling colour wheel rotation.

Read More »

If you have money to burn on a home theatre projector, but you are on the fence about the virtues of buying an LCD over a DLP, the guys over at PaNLoaD have thrown in their two cents. Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to both technologies, but in the end, the nod went to DLPs for a number of reasons: DLPs tend to be smaller and lighter, have better contrast and suffer less from pixelation issues. For a full breakdown of the LCD vs. DLP verdict, hit the following link. [PaNLoaD via AboutProjectors]

Read More »

How well equipped is your command centre? Mitsubishi is currently trying to woo customers to its 80-inch 1400x1050-pixel VS-80PH40U "MegaView Wall" display. My guess is that Mitsu may see it as the last market for DLP rear-projection sets, now that everyone is pulling out. Though Mitsu isn't talking prices yet, the extra bright, front-accessible screen could well be a fairly affordable way to line the whole CIC with dynamic data monitors (DRADIS showing incoming Raiders, comms waveforms, FTL drive status, etc.), not like Mayor Mike Bloomberg's single, solitary, donated 103-inch 1080p Panasonic plasma. [Mitsubishi via SlipperyBrick]

Read More »