Texas Instruments' new LED-based DLP projection shines in person, due Q4

Delta Electronics might've jumped the gun a bit with its claim of firsties on Texas Instruments' new "PhlatLight" HD LED DLP projector tech. Delta hasn't brought even a prototype to IFA, but over at Texas Instruments there's a Vivitek version of the lamp-free projector tech, which TI claims will be the first to market sometime in Q4 of 2008. The specs they rattled off are undoubtedly impressive: 50% better color range, 500,000:1 contrast ratio, 30% less power draw, and of course 1080p to put a feather in the cap. In TI's darkened viewing room the image was certainly impressive, but we're guessing specs like these could carry over nicely into our less-than-ideal bedsheet setup back home.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Gallery: Texas Instruments' new LED-based DLP projection shines in person, due Q4

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[nDee @ Aug 30th 2008 8:37AM]

No more rainbow!

[Rick @ Sep 2nd 2008 11:03PM]

I was going to ask that. So switching to LED will eliminate rainbows and headaches/eye fatique? If true, that's good to know.

[todd @ Aug 30th 2008 9:26AM]

So.... who cares about the specs, i assume it will look good.

What I want to know is if this means no more replacing bulbs every 3000 hours.

[Moises @ Aug 30th 2008 9:43AM]

rtfa....leds dont burn out like bulbs hence no replacing of lights after 3k

[Muhammed @ Aug 30th 2008 9:38AM]

Texas Instruments FTW!

[Mike @ Aug 30th 2008 9:56AM]

Totally agree with todd. Also, any word on $$$$?

[SuperDre @ Aug 30th 2008 9:59AM]

Well, it's all nice talk, but we all know that even LED's diminish in color/intensity, so what to do if your red LED is diminishing faster as your blue or green LED? can you just replace the specified LED, or do you need to replace the whole unit..

Also how long before you need to recalibrate the projector? WIth bulbs they claim for example 3000 hours lamplife, but for perfect viewing you need to calibrate your projector every so hundred hours, and with 1000 hours on the lamp you already notice a very big difference in intensity compared to the first few hours (so by the time you arrive at 3000 there is no visible image left)..

I certainly do applause these kinds of beamers (especially since they claim to be even much more quite than the current bunch (not that I notice my own beamer (optoma h79) when viewing a movie and sitting only about 1 meter from it))..
My next projector probably will be a LED based projector (since my current one isn't full HD 1080p), BUT I'd also like to see a LED replacement for my current bulb...

Also one of the most important information hasn't been revealed yet, and that's how much (real) lumens the frontprojector is producing.

[jon @ Aug 30th 2008 10:52AM]

i think this is becoming an old wives tale. read the specs on some modern, super-bright LEDs. cree LEDs are pushing 1000 lumens now and specify 70% of initial brightness at 50,000 hours.

[andres @ Aug 30th 2008 3:07PM]

why were old wives making rumors about led's?

[Information Central @ Sep 3rd 2008 3:46AM]

Apparently old wives don't know that an apostrophe + S doesn't make a plural.

LEDs

[Bill @ Aug 30th 2008 10:08AM]

It will be a tad expensive, and a little dim, but colour and contrast will be better than we have yet experienced, and no bulbs to replace. These big bruiser LEDs do not last as long as the small ones we see everywhere, but they seem to degrade gracefully, and after about a decade, you may notice its not as bright as it used to be. At this point you will want a 4k display anyway.

Brightness will get better on LED-based displays, the theoretical peak efficiency is about three times what we are achieving at present.

[Spencer @ Aug 30th 2008 10:58AM]

I'm confused - this projector clearly has fans and vents for heat; but I was under the impression that the heat generated in projectors came almost entirely from the bulb - an issue that shouldn't crop up with LEDs. So why the fans?

[madgamer @ Aug 30th 2008 11:33AM]

Two possible reasons. This is a prototype, so it is likely just using an existing projector housing. Also, high end LEDs do produce some heat and are usually attached to some form of heat sink, so maybe they will need some venting or even a low rpm fan, as this is going to be using at least a couple of them crammed together.

[John @ Aug 31st 2008 1:14AM]

Spencer, there is a very big misconception out there about LED's and heat. True as Adam said, they do not get as hot as Incandescents or HID's (thousands of degrees). Those lamps are made from materilas that can handle the intense temperatures. The fans in conventional projectors are not there to protect the lamp, they actually keep the lamp from melting everything around it.

LED's though almost as efficient as an HID or flourescent, still generate a good amount of heat. They are basically silicone and will quickly destroy themselves at temps around 150 C (slightly more than boiling water). They need cooling to protect them.

As LED's transition to conventional lighting uses, expect to see very large heatsinks when LED's show up in your household lighting. They may try to disguise it and build it into the fixture, but it won't be small!

[Adam @ Aug 30th 2008 11:10AM]

Big LEDs like in this projector produce lots of heat, they are nothing like their low powered counterparts. This Probably uses something like a Cree P7, it is actually 4 LEDs on the same die producing 500-900 lumens. LED's don't produce nearly as much heat as a incandescent but they can't stand being run at 500º either.

[David Cruz @ Aug 30th 2008 2:01PM]

It isn't just LED heat, Some projectors have processing circuitry that can generate quite an amount of heat (not to mention keeping cool the DLP panel/s.)

Here's hoping that this equates to "maintenance-free" use of this kind of projectors (we've busted quite a few bulbs in school recently.)

[whatsdamattau @ Aug 30th 2008 4:26PM]

This can't come fast enough!

[c. thomas @ Aug 30th 2008 10:09PM]

NEW GEARS OF WAR 2 VIDEO FEED FTW!!!!

[Crooked Style @ Aug 30th 2008 11:54PM]

yay they made my 7 dollar calculator.

[kevin @ Aug 31st 2008 1:28PM]

NO MORE REPLACEMENT BULBS EVER, 130 000 HRS LED LIFE. NO ECO MODE EVER. OVER 2000 LUMENS.


This is the best news i have ever had if you love projectors like me. Last week I replaced my bulb (only 1500 LUMENS and 2000hrs bulb) for my Panasonic PT-AE2000 for £250 quid, thats expensive yo especially when i use that projector as the main TV for everything not just movies.

I CANT WAIT FOR THESE LED PROJECTORS TO COME OUT ON THE CHEAP BEFORE MID 2009.

[Eric H @ Sep 1st 2008 12:21AM]

Need a price on this quick, was about to buy a projector.

[slarity @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:42PM]

Looks like exactly what I want. Unfortunatly if its anything like the rear projection LED DLP sets it will be a little too pricey to begin with.