Rear-Projection DLP TV: Texas Instruments Argues New DLP Chip Will Keep Rear-Projection TV Alive

Rear-Projection TV Alive And Well?
Despite the fact that monolithic giants in the TV manufacturing world such as Sony are leaving rear-projection TV's behind to focus on LCD's and plasma's, Texas Instruments is holding out, betting on smaller digital light processing (DLP) chips and other technological advancements to revive the rear-projection sector.

Definitely a brave move by Texas Instruments though, as their third quarter revenues last year dropped 21% from third quarter 2006 and research firm iSuppli forecasts a 25% drop in rear-projection sales over the next 2 years culminating in a paltry 1% market share by 2010. But Texas Instruments argues....

that analysts don't take technological advancements into account and a smaller DLP chip shown recently at CES in Las Vegas will stabilize their current market share. Some manufacturers still in the rear-projection business, such as Mitsubishi, still argue that DLP sets still have a price advantage over LCD's and plasma's in displays over 50 inches and expect sales in sets 70 inches or larger to double this year. To compare prices, the Mitsubishi 73-inch WD-73733 DLP set is priced at $2419 at Amazon.com while the 65-inch Sharp Aquos LC65D64U LCD set is priced at more than double the price at $5500.

While they may have a price advantage now, LCD manufacturers expect to be able to produce large screen LCD's economically enough in the next few years to continue slashing prices as has been the trend, at which time rear-projection manufacturers need to have a plan in place to continue competing. Another issue that has slapped rear-projection in the proverbial face over and over again is their inability to be mounted on the wall. Consumers unanimously agree that they want this option even if they never plan to actually mount the TV. But rear-projections are getting thinner, as demonstrated by Texas Instruments with a 7-inch thick prototype.

But despite points against rear-projection, Texas Insturments says with the development of their smaller DLP chip, business could be better than ever. The new chip delivers a contrast ratio of 500, 000:1, and was even embedded into a cellphone at CES to act as a DLP projector. New DLP sets will be LED-backlit or use lasers roughly doubling the current level of brightness and spreading it over the picture evenly, increasing the viewing angle both vertically and horizontally. We applaud the bravery of Texas Instruments, but rear-projection while still having a market share from which to grow has lost "mindshare" and without consumer recognition, no amount of new technology will bring rear-projection back into the mix with LCD and plasma high-def TV's.

Via New York Times

January 22, 2008

Rear-Projection DLP TV: Texas Instruments Argues New DLP Chip Will Keep Rear-Projection TV Alive