April 6, 2007

LCOS TV from MicroDisplay for Under $1500 Coming Soon

Looks like we might be seeing a sub $2000 56inch LCOS TV real soon. If you're not familiar with LCOS, it's basically a reflective technology similar to DLP projectors but uses liquid crystals instead of individual mirrors. According to CNET News:

MicroDisplay, a Fremont, Calif.-based company, will begin manufacturing a 56-inch liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) television this summer that will sell a few months later for between $1,300 and $1,500.
A type of so-called microdisplay technology, LCOS is a silicon chip covered in liquid crystals. Light is reflected off the chip and through a projector to produce an image on a TV screen. MicroDisplay plans to use its own proprietary liquid crystal-covered chip, which it has dubbed "Liquid Fidelity," in rear-projection televisions that it will sell to mass-market brands, such as Akai and Memorex.

One of the big advantages of LCOS is that the TVs cabinet depth is shrinking and they're more energy effecient:

Most rear-projection TVs now measure less than 20 inches deep, though many flat panels measure a mere 8 inches from front to back--MicroDisplay's will be 16 inches deep. Another benefit of rear-projection sets is that they consume half the power of flat panels, which can mean lower electricity bills for owners.

If you're interested in a large screen TV for a reasonable price you might want to start looking at LCOS from MicroDisplay.

At News.com

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