Laser TV

At the CES next month in Las Vegas, Mitsubishi will be unveiling its long-awaited and long-promised laser-powered projection TV. If all goes according to plan, we could be seeing the first commercial versions of Laser TVs hitting the market within the next few months.

The incorporation of laser technology in televisions is particularly exciting on many fronts. Laser TV promises to bring the brightest, sharpest and most colorful picture the HDTV market has ever seen. The secret lies in the use of a compact trio of colored lasers, replacing the traditional light lamp. Lasers are inherently stable, very bright and energy efficient, also making these models “green” and environmentally friendly, requiring less energy to operate than a plasma or traditional lamp-based television. As an added bonus, Laser TVs also weigh less than plasma sets, will cost less to manufacture and have a very long-life package.

Until recently, solid state lasers have been too expensive to develop for mass production in televisions. Novalux has developed an inexpensive and tiny laser dubbed NECSEL (Novalux Extended Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) for use in microdisplay-based devices, including home theater front projectors and rear-projection TVs. As more manufacturers and consumers realize the potential of laser light sources, 2008 could be the dawn of a new age in HDTV and display technology centered on laser applications.

There is an intriguing article over at CNNMoney.com which validates that the television market is gearing up towards big changes. Here’s just a little sample:

“It’s been nearly a year since TV makers first showed off early laser TVs, but tech-savvy couch potatoes will have to wait a little longer to watch one in their living rooms.

The long-awaited display technology won’t be ready until early 2008 at the earliest, industry experts say. When Mitsubishi and Canon CAJ demonstrated laser TVs at January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, both hinted that they’d have models ready for this holiday shopping season.”

Click here to read the full story.

News of television manufacturers striking long-term deals with laser component firms and chip makers, for use in laser lit televisions, is starting to occur with more frequency. QPC Lasers, Inc. just announced an initial $12 million deal with an “international manufacturer of consumer electronics.” According to QPC co-founder and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Ungar, “Utilizing our highpowered, compact, and cost effective semiconductor laser technology,these rear projection laser televisions will offer a dramatically improved viewing experience compared to other older and/or more expensive technologies available today such as those based on lamps, plasma, LCDs, and conventional cathode ray tubes.”

Read more here.