A Digital Light Processing™ update -: status and future applications

Digital Light Processing(TM) (DLP(TM)) projection displays based on the Digital Micromirror Device(TM) (DMD(TM)) were introduced to the market in 1996. Less than 3 years later, DLP-based projectors (one-, two-, and three-chip configurations) are found in such diverse applications as mobile (ultraportable), conference room, video wall, home theater, and large-venue. They provide high-quality, seamless, all-digital (source-to-eye) images that have exceptional stability as well as freedom from both flicker and image lag. Marked improvements have been made in the image quality of DLP-based projection displays, including brightness, resolution, contrast ratio, and border image. DLP-based mobile projectors that weighed about 27 pounds in 1996 (the year of product introduction) now weigh only about 7 pounds. This weight reduction has been responsible for the definition of an entirely new projector class, the ultraportable. New applications are being developed for this important new projection display technology; these include digital photofinishing for high process speed minilab and maxilab applications and DLP Cinema(TM) for the digital delivery of films to audiences around the world. This paper describes the status of DLP-based projection display technology, including its manufacturing, performance improvements, and new applications, with emphasis on DLP Cinema.