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Ed's View - A New Light | |
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By Ed Milbourn Correspondent Posted on June 1, 2007 Category: Technology |
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As I have expressed many times in my various articles, I am not a fan of rear projection HDTV, least of all being the single panel DLP variety. Oh, yes, one can get from such DLP applications a bright, high-contrast image with definition a little bit better that SDTV, but certainly not HDTV. That added with the spinning color wheel with its whirling noise, motion artifacts, and poor (very poor) color tracking makes a mockery out of the perceived "definition" of HDTV.
But, now, there is new light shining that ameliorates many of these deficiencies to a great extent. Enter the elegant Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminance technology called "Phlatlight," an acronym for Photonic Lattice Light Source, developed by Luminus Devices Inc, Woburn, Massachusetts.
Physically, the Phlatlight technology is deployed as individual panels, one for each primary color, red, green and blue. The light output from each panel is sequentially switched and focused on a single DLP. The DLP then generates the full color HDTV image that is, in-turn, projected to the viewing screen.
Individual Phlatlight LED Light Panels
Advantages of this type of solid-state, micro-panel light source over arrays of separate LED's are numerous. But, arguably, the most salient characteristic offering the key to these advantages is the "lattice" structure of the emitting surface. This type of nanostructure fabrication allows the emitted light to be self-collimating, meaning that parallel rays are emitted from the surface without light loss from the panel edges. Self-collimation also eliminates the need for additional collimating lenses, thereby further increasing efficiency.
Other significant advantages accrue from such single panel color light sources, including customized light-engine design, allowing the light panel to be matched precisely to given display chip parameters, simplified optical paths and enhanced reliability. The benefits to the users of this combination of advantages are bright, noise-free HDTV images with high contrast and superior color depth all in a very compact enclosure. Add these benefits to greatly enhanced system reliability, and the result is compelling.
Manufacturers such as Samsung and NuVision are now marketing DLP RPTV's with PhlatLight technology in several screen sizes. Many of these models are even brighter, thinner second generation PhlatLight units. In addition, LG is employing PhlatLight chipsets in its HS101 pocket (front) projection unit.
The PhlatLight system is also being developed for LCD flat panel display applications. In these applications the PhlatLight light emitting panels are located on the edge of the LCD display panel array, with the light being distributed to the array by light pipes. All of the advantages of Phlatlight sources described for RPTV are realized with flat-panel LCD applications. Look for these units in the market next year.
It's getting better every day.
Ed
Posted by Ed Milbourn, June 1, 2007 08:35 AM
Reader Commentary Jun 8, 8:33am :idea: Ed, My experience with single chip DLP RPTV displays has been quite different from the assertions and perceptions in your openning paragraph. Most especially, the HLP and HLS series of Samsung HD DLPs can be calibrated to nearly perfect color Jun 9, 6:48am I have yet to encounter a perfect HDTV design. Each display type has unique imaging strengths and weaknesses. Frequently, it's the specific application and viewing environment that determine which display type is best suited Jun 10, 6:45am Today, for RPTV, it is LCoS technology. For flat panel, it is LCD. Tomorrow, both will be better with LED lighting. Ed Jun 11, 5:26am Thank you, Ed, for your straightforward response. I happen to concur with your choices and prognosis. Jun 11, 9:07am People reading this thread should be aware that the statements made here are simply the opinions of individuals and not necessarily shared by others who do not necessarily have the same experiences voiced by the original poster(s). A lot of times some of Jun 11, 8:39pm Robert, It is interesting you mentioned the key word “view” because that is the reason I did not comment about this “view” article earlier, with which I disagree as well as you and Alan, and some others that were puzzled with this “view” and contacted Jun 12, 7:34am Rodolfo, Thank you for your response. Your opinion and mine are on the same page here. It's just that you stated it far more eloquently and with considerably more substance than I did. Your analysis, as usual, makes for quite a compelling "view." More on Technology
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About Ed MilbournAfter graduating from Purdue University with degrees in Electrical Engineering and Industrial Education in 1961 and 1963 respectively, Ed Milbourn joined the RCA Home Entertainment Division in 1963. During his thirty-eight year career with RCA (later GE and Thomson multimedia), Mr. Milbourn held the positions of Field Service Engineer, Manager of Technical Training and Manager of Sales Training. In 1987, he joined Thomson's Product Management group as Manager of Advanced Television Systems Planning, with responsibilities including Digital Television and High Definition Television Product Management. Mr. Milbourn retired from Thomson multimedia in December 2001, and is now a Consumer Electronics Industry consultant. |
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