The much-touted LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) microdisplay technology may finally have reached a confident level of production maturity. The advantages of LCoS technology have been known for several years and demonstrated many times. But, achieving the desired performance levels, reliability, and production yields has been elusive. However, this past year has seen several key manufacturers introducing or increasing their production of LCoS models. These include Sony, calling their version SXRD (Silicon Xtal Reflective Display), and JVC with their D-ILA (Direct drive Image Light Amplifier) – both derivatives of the basic LCoS technology.

So, what’s the big deal? What really is LCoS; how does it work, and what are its advantages to manufacturers and consumers? To answer those questions I’m going to walk you through a comparatively "high-level" view of this technology – say, from about 100,000 feet.

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ED: Thanks for your informative article. I work in the television business (albeit a "suit" not a techie) and I had been looking at HD display technologies for years, even as early as the late 1980's at some demos for congress. Last year at the Consumer Electronics Show I saw DLP and 3LCD and thought, "This is it." Fortunately, I waited and then saw the Sony SXRD LCoS teleivision w/ 1080p this fall, which I have now purchased and installed. I don't see how it can get any better than this. WOW! What a picture!

There are many comments/questions re: the inability of the new 1080p HDTVs to process or display true 1080p signals.

QUESTION: If one obtained a new HD DVD player, put in a true 1080p DVD program, and displayed it via HDMI on his 1920X1080 DLP or LCoS set, what would the display be? 1080p, 1080i or what?

The Hewlett Packard version is said to be capable of displaying 1080p. Would that display a true 1080p image?

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