|
What is Laser TV?
This is the first rear-projection TV
powered by a laser (digital light processing ) instead
of the mercury lamps typically used in other projector
TVs. DLP, a registered trademark of Texas Instruments,
traditionally uses white-light mercury bulbs.
Mitsubishi's new system, instead, uses separate red,
green and blue semiconductor lasers in combination with
an HD chip.
The red, blue and green lasers are used to
generate images. Lasers purportedly shut off totally
when not needed, frame-to-frame, creating a more natural
blackness. Today's DLP mercury bulbs do not completely
blink off, according to Mitsubishi which will not give
you the real black color that laser will.
The TV will consume a third
of the power and be roughly the same price as plasma
when they hit the streets. Mitsubishi's new lasers,
which are based in semiconductors, turn on and off when
needed to reduce power consumption.
Video Quality
“If you look
at any screen today, the colour content is roughly about 30-35
per cent of what the eye can see,” he said. “But for the very
first time with a laser TV we'll be able to see 90 per cent of
what the eye can see. “All of a sudden what you see is a
lifelike image on display.” The advantages are bright and deep
images on large, thin, lightweight screens. greater color
range than plasma or LCD sets.
Mitsubishi
contends that lasers also prompt a more realistic
manifestation of "black" than current DLP, plasma, LCD or CRT
screens. "The color gamut is significantly larger because the
lasers are so intense," Zanfino said. He compares its optimum
video quality as being equal or superior to 35mm film.
Laser
technology can produce twice the color content that can be
generated by LCD or plasma, said Greg Niven, vice president of
marketing at Novalux
Advances in Plastic
the 62-inch diagonal screen will
boast a depth of only about 10 inches and not require very
much framing around the screen because advanced plastics will
replace glass components in the rear projector, making the
large unit lighter.
Today's typical heavy-duty screen
frames will not be necessary, and may be no wider than an
eighth of an inch. The lighter overall weight will allow for a
lower center of gravity; nearly the entire frontage can be
devoted to screen surface. Thus, the Laser TV units will
occupy a more compact footprint and allow sleeker cosmetic
designs that could set the product apart from the rest. The
screens will be so lightweight that the need for frames will
be significantly lessened. This will give the television a
cleaner, practically all-screen look.
|
