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Editor's HDTV Pick

HP 47 inch MediaSmart 1080p LCD HDTV "Out of the box" digital media platform. Enjoy videos, pictures and music from home network + digital media delivered over your broadband Internet connection + 3 x HDMI

The Sharp Z20000 DLP projector is one a number of projectors released recently which have full 1080p high-definition display capability provided by a 0.95” (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) version of the DarkChip3 DLP Chip by Texas Instruments.

The Z20000 DLP projector has a home theater suited brightness level of 1,000 ANSI lumens and an impressive contrast ratio of 12000:1.

Features

Dual-Iris Mechanism with Three Modes

The XV-Z20000 (XV-Z21000, and DT-5000 also) have a Dual-Iris Mechanism for their optical engines. One iris is for projecting images and the other for adjusting illuminating conditions. Also, the remote control can be used to select from the Quick set modes (via remote control) high-contrast, middle, and high-brightness are available adjust for screen conditions for watching movies, sports, or other video feeds.

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BenQ’s new W10000 DLP projector is BenQs first full 1080p HD home cinema projector. It shares many features with higher specification models such as the BenQ MP770 DLP.

Quick Summary:

• Native 1080p high definition (1920 x 1080 resolution),
• Latest Texas Instruments DarkChip3 DMD microdisplay chipset,
• BenQ’s proprietary Senseye color enhancement technology,
• High contrast ratio of 10000:1,
• Whisper quiet (23dB) design,
• 1,100 ANSI lumens brightness.

Texas Instruments DarkChip 3 DMD Microdisplay Chipset

The BenQ W10000 digital projector is based on microdisplay technology with a single Texas Instruments DarkChip 3 DLP chip. The chip has millions of tiny mirrors that switch on and off some 15,000 times per second to create the video output required. This sort of speed is required for delivering sharp pictures for sport and other fast movement video.

One of the features obtained with using the DarkChip 3 DMD is BrilliantColor which is a Texas Instruments trademarked technology for delivering improved brightness and a wider range of colors. Traditionally, most display devices render images using a combination of the three primary colors red, green and blue. The full gamut of colors visible to the human eye cannot be reproduced using this approach, with the color space subset covered not including vivid colors such as yellow and cyan commonly seen in nature. By processing up to six color channels BrilliantColor allows vendors, such as Benq, to create multi-primary color systems by adding colors such as yellow, cyan and magenta colors for color rendering. As well as increasing the color space which can be rendered with the added color filters the system also utilizes the light source more efficiently with a 50% increase of 50% brightness. In the case of the W10000, BenQ is using an 8-segment NDG color wheel specifically designed to reduce green noise that commonly occurs in dark scenes.

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Vizoo describe themselves as, “an advertising film company, developing and producing new media with edge.” Their creative goal is to produce “something that has never been seen before”. Vizoo produce their patented “Free Format” holographic films intended for product product launches, demos, and branding in general.

Vizoo’s holographic films are displayed by another of their patented products “Cheoptics 360” which can display revolving video images which can be seen from the full, surrounding 360 degrees in any ambient light conditions. Cheoptics 360 can be for permanent structures or portable use such as exhibitions.

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One could say that e-book readers have been tried before and that the Sony Reader will meet a similar fate. Yet, there were mp3 players before the iPod set the mp3 player market on fire. Sony have improved on both the reader technology and the after purchase content availability (think iTunes as an analogy). Time and market forces will determine if Sony’s Reader becomes a similar revolutionary device for mobile literature.

The Device

The Sony Reader weighs less than 9 ounces, has a 6 inch display and is ½ and inch thick – comparable to the size of a paperback. The anti-glare treated display has a resolution of 170 pixels per inch with a 4 level gray scale. The display is e-paper technology by E Ink. Unlike an LCD screen it does not require a backlight as the text reflects ambient light. This makes the display visible in bright light. The displays viewing angle is near 180 degrees.

The text (pixels) remains static (drawing no power) except for during page changes. The page changing takes a nominal one second. On a single battery charge the Sony Reader can turn up to 7,500 pages. Charging the rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery takes 4 hours from an AC adapter and 6 hours from a USB connection.

Sony’s Reader has 64MB built-in memory and a removable memory card slot. It will hold up to 80 electronic books in internal memory alone.

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October 23, 2006 – Lumininus Devices, Inc has announced that samples of their new PhlatLight PT120 LED chipset are being shipped to microdisplay projection television manufacturer customers. Several leading brand television and consumer electronics vendors are currently selling PhlatLight based products.

The new chip has been specifically designed to maximize the amount of its 1,500 white lumens output a Texas Instruments 1080p DLP microdisplay chips can project onto a screen. Each DLP chip has array of up to 2.2 million microscopic mirrors which switch incredibly fast to create a high resolution, highly reliable, full color images.

The PhlatLight PT120 is a tri-color (red, green, blue) LED built as a single, large area monolithic chip. According to Luminus Devices, the brightness available from a PT120 chip will be enough to illuminate a 62 inch rear projection television (RPTV).

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Sharp Aquos and LG.Philips LCD Televisions both utilize 3M’s Vikuiti Display Enhancement Films to achieve greater display brightness.

Vikuiti is a 3M brand covering its innovative line of optical technologies. When incorporated into LCD TVs, Vikuiti optical display enhancement films increase brightness, reduce glare and improve durability of the screen. The films can also be used to repair slight surface scratches.

How Enhancement Films Work

The majority of the backlight passing through a liquid crystal display is absorbed before reaching the viewer. Typically only 8 to 10% of an LCD displays backlight output makes it through the LCD displays layers. Half (50%) is lost passing through the polarizer and a further 34% through the color filters.

Vikuiti Dual Brightness Enhancement Films MF1-650 (DBEF/MF1-650) and D550 (DBEF-D550) were developed specifically for application in LCD-TVs. The Vikuiti enhancement display technology recycles light to achieve greater brightness. The Vikuiti films can have hundreds of reflective layers in a sheet less than 1 millimeter thick. Light performace is also improved by optimizing the angle of light toward the viewer (rather than having it dispersed and wasted).

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Sony’s KDS-50A2000 and KDS-55A2000 HD RPTV have a native resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080). They incorporate Sony’s SXRD microdisplay technology as well as its video signal processing WEGA Engine. Sound quality has not been ignored as they come with SRS TruSurround XT audio enhancement technology.

If compared to Sony’s XBR line, the A2000 series lacks only front panel HDMI input, detachable speakers and a CableCARD HD tuner.

Technology Features

Sony’s SXRD Microdisplay Technology

Sony’s SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) could be considered as an evolutionary development of LCoS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) technology. Among its competitors are Syntax-Brillian’s Gen II LCoS, and JVC’s D-ILA (Digital Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier).

LCoS, the predecessor technology, is a combination of both the reflective approach of DLP (millions of actuated micro-mirrors on a chip reflect light required for the display) and the transmissive approach of LCD (millions of liquid crystals act as valves passing through light required for the display). In LCoS, liquid crystals are applied to a reflective mirror substrate with the polarization of liquid crystals being used for light transmission control and the mirror below reflecting the light or not as required for image display. LCOS microdisplays are mostly of a three-chip configuration for the three primary colors. As with DLP microdisplays, LCoS relies on projecting the three primary colors rapidly enough so that the eye combines them into a single color.

Sony’s SXRD technology differs from LCoS competitors in that the liquid crystal cell gap measures less than 2um which is far thinner than conventional high temperature Poly-Silicon liquid crystal or LCOS(Liquid Crystal On Silicon) microdisplay devices. Additionally, the TN (Twisted Nematic) liquid crystal, commonly used in projection devices, is replaced by Sony’s unique “Vertically Aligned Liquid Crystal” material where liquid crystals molecules are aligned vertically to the cell substrate. This is a significant technology development overcoming a long-standing challenge. It will improve alignment layer durability and ensure longevity of the high resolution.

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Toshiba have announced their new DLP TDP-FF1AU mobile projector which at close at close to the size of a paperback book is one of the smallest projectors on the market. Fitting easily into a suitcase, this battery powered unit is designed as a portable projection solution for the mobile professional. Being battery powered adds to its flexibility of use.

The projector is native SVGA resolution (800 x 600) and has a 1500:1 contrast ratio. The TDP-FF1AU can project an 11- to 68-inch diagonal image and comes with a foldable 23 inch diagonal display screen, rechargeable battery, battery charger and carrying case.

With a brightness of 400 lux the unit will require limited background light for presentations with an image size larger than the included 23 inch diagonal screen.

Toshiba have designed the TDP-FF1AU to be compatible with many mobile devices including, cell phones, portable DVD players, digital cameras, laptops, game consoles and USB memory sticks. The USB connection allows PC less presentations.

Having an energy-efficient light emitting diode as a light source gives the TDP-FF1AU a number of advantages;

• a light source life of 10,000 hours,
• very quiet operation with limited heat production negating the need for a cooling fan rapid power up and power down times,
• Toshiba are offering a two year warranty on parts and labor and one year on the battery.

Further Reading

Read Toshiba’s full press release

Compare this with the recently reviewed Casio XJ-S35 and XJ-S30 super slim mobile projectors.

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Casio’s YC-400 “multifunctional camera system” is compact document camera system for projection of non digital materials such as text books, catalogues, product samples and even items not on the mounting platform such as a whiteboard. The YC-400 has a 4.0 megapixel CCD high resolution camera captures fine detail. As well as being projected images captured can be saved to a PC.

The YC-400 integrates with Casio’s XJ-S35 super slim projector for a fully featured mobile presentation system. The YC-400 has a lightweight aluminium frame.

CASIO’s XJ-S35 and XJ-S30 super slim projectors are part of Casio’s Cassiopeia Pro series of data projectors. Casio intended to reproduce the good features of the Cassiopeia PRO series in an even smaller package.

Both the super slim projectors are DLP projectors using a Texas Instruments 0.55 inch DLP microdisplay chip for an XGA (1,024 x 768) display.

With specifications including; dimensions of 270(W) ×199 (D) × 43 (H) mm, weight of 1.8kg, contrast ratio of 2,000:1 and brightness of 2,000 ANSI lumens they intend the super slim projectors to be a briefcase portable data projector with a brightness making it suitable for business or educational presentations in venues with a fair amount of ambient light. The projection range from a minimum of 0.84m to a maximum of 5.6m for a 100 inch screen provides setup flexibility. The projection range is aided by a wide-angle 2X zoom lens. Digital vertical keystone correction of Auto: +30 degrees and Manual +/- 30 degrees also adds to setup flexibility.

The key difference between the projectors is the USB(1.1) connection available on the XJ-S35 model which enables a user to make a presentation without a PC. Still images (JPEG/BMP), video files (AVI format compatible with MPEG 4 or Motion JPEG) and Microsoft PowerPoint files (after conversion with bundled software) can be presented simply by plugging in the portable USB memory. An optional USB wireless adapter is available to allow users to deliver presentations remote from the projector. A Casio YW-2S USB Wireless Adapter can used with connect up to four (Windows 2000 or XP) PCs wirelessly.

For a more complete mobile presentation suite the XJ-S35 can be combined with CASIO’s YC-400 multi-functional camera system, which can project non-digital documents and three-dimensional objects on a screen and can also be directly connected without using a PC.