Market Momentum and Manufacturer Innovation Support 3LCD #1 Position
At InfoComm 2007, 3LCD technology was the star of the show with strong momentum and innovation at both the technology and product level. Manufacturers of 3LCD products continued to push the envelope by introducing projectors with cutting-edge brightness, portability, price, functionality and design. With more than 40 million chips shipped worldwide, 3LCD remains the leading technology in the projection display market.
InfoComm caters to the professional AV (Pro AV) market, a segment of the market that 3LCD held 80 percent market share of in April 2007 according to Pacific Media Associates (PMA). Attendees at this year’s show learned of new 3LCD innovations such as the “nano” engine, which will enable pico-portable 3LCD projectors with significantly more brightness than current market models. And, a new chip was introduced to the market with a sub-0.5 inch diagonal and a greater than 20 percent increase in aperture ratio for even smoother images.
3LCD technology uses 3-chip color processing in every projector to deliver brilliant, full-time images and video. By using 3-chips and avoiding the use of a color wheel, 3LCD does not suffer from any distracting color break-up which some users experience with single-chip, mirror-based solutions. In 2006, 3LCD held over 98 percent of the 3-chip only projection market, where users buy the industry standard for incredible color performance and amazing levels of grayscale detail.
Manufacturer innovations at InfoComm include:
- Epson introduced the PowerLite S5, the follow-up to the its top-selling S4 with SVGA resolution and 2000 lumens for just $649. In addition, Epson sent waves through the industry earlier this year when it introduced its 1080p Home Cinema 1080 projector for a groundbreaking price of $2,999.
- Hitachi introduced the CP-X300, focused on portability, affordability and reliability for education. The CP-X300 offers high brightness at a light weight, and addresses security concerns in education with a security bar, Kensington security slot and transition detector (a sensor located inside the projector that recognizes when the projector has been moved).
- Sanyo introduced the PLC-XF47, the brightest professional-grade 3LCD projector in the industry with 15,000 lumens and wireless uncompressed HD networking, and the portable PLC-XP100L, which throws extra-large images with an astonishing 6500 lumens. Sanyo also introduced the PLC-XL50, with the world’s shortest throw distance of just 3 inches for an 80-inch image. The PLC-XL50 can be ceiling mounted, or placed in front of a wall.
- Sony introduced eight new 3LCD business projectors: the 2100-lumen, XGA VPL-EX4 and the 2200 lumen, SVGA VPL-ES4, as well as the new VPL-C Series. This new series includes six models, one with WXGA resolution and the others delivering XGA resolution, ranging in brightness from 2700 to 3500 lumens. These new projectors are designed for a range of commercial applications, especially classrooms and conference rooms.
Also revealed at InfoComm:
Total 2006 shipments worldwide for projectors with 3LCD technology surpassed 2.5 million units, which is a new record for overall 3LCD annual sales. Worldwide, over time, 3LCD has been used in more projectors than any technology by a wide margin, since its introduction to the market in 1989.
About 3LCD Technology
3LCD is the world’s leading projection technology, delivering unbelievable color, amazing detail and road-tested reliability. Using an advanced, 3-chip design, 3LCD offers full-time RGB for brilliant quality images without the possibility of color break-up. 3LCD is based on LCD technology, which is used by leading manufacturers worldwide for the ultimate viewing experience in a variety of products. For the latest list of companies using 3LCD technology in projectors and large screen TVs visit the 3LCD website at http://www.3LCD.com
