Ed's view - DLP

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Ed Milbourn
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Ed's view - DLP

Post by Ed Milbourn »

I first saw a DLP (Digital Light Processor)* demonstration in 1989 at a Society for Information Display (SID) conference in San Jose. The domo was given by Texas Instruments, Inc., the inventor of the DLP. Demonstrations at SID conferences represent the very cutting edges of new display technologies. Therefore, the demos are comparatively crude exhibitions of concept prototypes. However, in this instance the DLP demo was particularly crude. It exhibited a comparatively dim, low-resolution projected monochrome image with several black areas caused by "stuck" pixels. Of all the prototypes shown, DLP seemed to have the least promise. A few years later, at the urging of Dr. Jim Carnes, then Director of the David Sarnoff Research Center, I traveled to Washington, DC, to see another DLP demo at a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) conference

[url=http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2006/02/eds_view_dlp_i.php]Read the Full Article[/url]
snidelyw
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Re: Ed's view - DLP

Post by snidelyw »

[quote="HDTV Magazine"]I first saw a DLP (Digital Light Processor)*

IMO - DLP used to be almost unwatchable. Never could understand why people bot it. It has improved to the point where it is watchable - but - is nowhere near the movie screen quality of plasma. Even LCD has surpassed DLP by a wide margin.
My opinions have been formed by looking at displays at CES where every mfr. has their wares displayed in the best possible way. Now that large plasmas are 65", there is no real need, at least in a home environment, to even consider DLP. As LCD improves and screen become bigger, i would assume DLP would simply become a nitch player in the home.

...mike
hdtvjim
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Ed's View - DLP

Post by hdtvjim »

DLP has been the mainstay for digital cinema for several years. It's reliable and rugged. The main difference between home theater, RPTV and digital cinema is the amount of light poured onto the digital micromirror device (DMD) the heart of the DLP. A lot of light is needed to fill the large theater screens.

DLP is purely digital using pulse width modulation. There isn't any motion blur and it is repeatable. Tests have shown that what you see today is what you will see next week, next month or next year.

LCD displays are not purely digital as the change in state from "on" to "off" is to slow leading to motion blur.

LcOS or SXRD (Sony's version of LcOS) are fast becoming a competitor for DLP.

Plasma on the other hand do not have the extended color gamut that the DLP and LcOS has, due to the phosphors used in the plasma display.

In some DLP displays which use a "color wheel" some people have a tendency to see the "Rainbow Effect" but for the most part it is not a factor to the majority of people. The "color wheel" does keep the price down and the DLP operates fast enough to make registration a thing of the past. In the future, because of the DLP's speed, stereographic (3-D) presentations will soon be available.

Another feature of the DLP is "No Burn" which means you can watch the content as the cinematographer captured it in the "aspect ratio" of his choice.

DLP has a great track record but it is only one of many of the new display technologies.

If you want great color, no motion lag, reliability and a bright picure go DLP. If you want a 2" or 3" thick display to hang on the wall then DLP might not be the right choice.

Keep an eye on what LcOS competion will do in the future. Right now I agree with Ed's View and favor the DLP.

HDTVJim
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