Lamp-Free Projectors!

[Pirate]

Texas Instruments demos 'lamp-free' projector

At today's ongoing InfoComm expo, Texas Instruments is demonstrating a new projector technology (not pictured) which it claims will significantly improve home theater setups. Combining a PhlatLight LED with a BrilliantColor chipset, the TI arrangement completely omits a lamp, instead relying on mirrors and the LED itself to provide enough light. The major advantage is said to be a lack of lamp replacements and filter changes, which can potentially be expensive for home viewers.
Other advantages should include a 50 percent larger color gamut, reaching 200 trillion shades, and a 30 percent lower power consumption. Despite this it should achieve an extremely high 500,000:1 contrast ratio, maintaining 1080p resolution. The first lamp-free LED projectors should ship in "late 2008" from companies such as Optoma.

Electronista | Texas Instruments demos 'lamp-free' projector


I think I just changed from projector upgrade plan.

[Iguana Man]

How much?

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

How much?

It'll probably depend on how much the technology costs, what features it has, etc. I would expect intro models to be in the $2,500 range.

[Wirehed]

Originally Posted by Pirate

It'll probably depend on how much the technology costs, what features it has, etc. I would expect intro models to be in the $2,500 range.

Where do you get that figure from?

I would expect these to start in the $12k range.

[plissken99]

Very exciting news indeed. I figured after I bought a projector some new innovation would come about. Still the RS1 provides a breath-taking image, so I plan to wait another 4-5 years before upgrading. By then we should have 5,000,000:1 contrast lol. Speaking of which, I wonder if their 500,000:1 ratio figure is native or dynamic contrast.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by Wirehed

Where do you get that figure from?

Out of my ass.

That's why I added the "technology cost" buffer. I figured that if the technology was comparable to what we have now for budget 1080p PJs that we might see some budget LED PJs. Again, though . . . I really have no idea. I am really excited about this technology, though.

[No6PackJoe]

The first commercially-available LED-based DLP screen was the Samsung HL-S5679W in 2006, which also eliminated the use of color wheel. Besides long lifetime eliminating the need for lamp replacement and elimination of the color wheel, other advantages of LED illumination include instant-on operation and improved color, with increased color saturation and improved color gamut to over 140% of the NTSC color gamut. Samsung expanded the the LED model line-up in 2007 with products available in 50", 56" and 61" screen sizes. For spring 2008, the third generation of Samsung LED DLP products are available in 61" and 67" screen sizes.

Ordinary LED technology does not produce the intensity and high lumen output characteristics required to replace arc lamps. The special patented LEDs used in the all of the Samsung DLP TVs are PhlatLight LEDs, designed and manufactured by US based Luminus Devices. A single RGB PhlatLight LED chipset illuminates these projection TVs. The PhlatLight LEDs are also used in a new class of ultra-compact DLP front projector commonly referred to as a "pocket projector" and have been introduced in new models from LG Electronics and Samsung electronics. Home Theater projectors will be the next category of DLP projectors that will use PhlatLight LED technology.

I guess now they have squeezed it down to a small front projector.

[SilentBob]

Hmm if this works out the way they say it should then maybe i too will soon adopt this new Technology. That is if it doesn't cost a shit load of money first

[Ruined]

Just as a warning the first generation of LED based HDTVs had lesser picture quality compared to lamp equivalents. You might want to wait a few generations before investing.