Comparison of microdisplay-based rear-projection televisions

During the past decade the performance and price of projection systems based on microdisplays have demonstrated dramatic improvements. Ultraportable front projection systems can deliver nearly 1000 lumens of light at XGA definition and street prices of such systems are rapidly falling to $2,000. The market leading low priced presentation projectors use two alternative microdisplay technologies: transmissive liquid crystal with a high temperature poly-silicon on quartz backplane (HT p-Si) or the reflective digital micromirror device (DMD1' , made with CMOS. These incumbent microdisplay technologies are now being challenged by several new approaches, including reflective liquid crystal on a silicon backplane (LCOS) and transmissive liquid crystal with a low temperature poly silicon on glass backplane (LT p-Si). In addition to new microdisplay technologies, developers have been demonstrating new single imager projector architectures that have the promise of leading to even lower systems costs. While the color field sequential DMD system and the larger 3 to 6 inch spatial color transmissive liquid crystal with an amorphous silicon on glass backplane (a-Si) are the only commercial single imager designs, single microdisplay projectors have been demonstrated using color field sequential LCOS1, spatial holographic microlens LCOS2, and a spatial system than employs color scrolling and a LCOS imager3. While the presentations market continues to offer a major growth opportunity for the projector developers, the potential use of microdisplay technology in the television market offers, at minimum, an incremental market opportunity, and at maximum, a huge potential additional market. But for the home market to amount to much, the microdisplay based televisions will have to offer much better value to consumers than the current rear projection CRT TVs. Otherwise, rear projection televisions will remain a North American niche market with demand of 1 million units per year and modest growth. Unless the new microdisplay televisions offer better value, their makers will be fighting for a share of a modest market against deeply entrenched competitors What does better value mean? Published market research as well at several studies completed by McLaughlin Consulting Group4 (MCG) indicate a hierarchy of consumer preferences for NTSC televisions. Not surprisingly, for the American market two characteristics lead all consumer preference lists: price and size. As shown in Table 1 ,secondary preferences include brightness, contrast, image quality, tuning options, cabinet depth, weight, and sound system. Well down the list are features such as power and safety.