Laser TV

Laser TV has finally arrived, in San Antonio, Texas at least.  A kind reader tipped us off to an very early review from thetechlounge guys at the Laservue World Premier from Bjorn’s.

“Our experience with Mitsubishi’s newest tech was great, but we’re reserving judgment until we do some in-depth testing with some different source material and in a more suitable viewing environment to get a better idea of real-world performance.”

It’s very quiet on the Laser TV Front.  Mitsubishi is still scheduled to release its LaserVue model in the 3rd Quarter of 2008 in North America.  The initial models will be huge; a 65-inch model will debut in the Fall, and a 73-inch model is scheduled to be available by the end of the year.  Why such large screen sizes many people ask?

Rear-projection TV (RPTV) is a dying breed. Mitsubishi probably realized it would be suicidal to introduce a new line of RPTV in the mainstream TV market, which is already flooded with scores of affordable flat screen TVs. A first production LaserVue will not be cheap, so Mitsubishi’s plan to initially target the big screen TV market could be brilliant.  Big screen TV consumers probably don’t analyze cabinet depths or even worry about getting the best overall value.  They simply want the biggest and the best picture.

If LaserVue delivers the stunning picture quality we’ve all read about, look for laser engines to be integrated into smaller TVs and other products such as cell phones, computer monitors, projectors, etc.  As the manufacturing costs of laser engines begin to fall rapidly in the next year or so, laser lit displays could become commonplace.

Engadget is reporting a rumor that LASERVUE may be the designated brand name for Mitsubishi’s forthcoming line of Laser TV. Their anonymous tipster is also reporting an announcement from Mitsubishi may come as early as April. This corroborates with our own recent intelligence suggesting new information from Mitsubishi will be “coming in the next month or so.” LAZRTV and LAZRTELEVISION have also been reported as potential brand names for the Laser TV line.

Since its debut at the 2008 CES Show, Mitsubishi has closely guarded the details surrounding the release of its laser television. Hopefully, release date, price, and availability details will be shared soon.

Laservue Trademark Application

Microvision Inc.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microvision Inc. is a leading developer of miniature display and imaging engines based on integrated photonics modules. Microvision is marketing a standalone microprojector called a Pico Projector, and this technology will be affordably embedded into cell phones and PDAs in the very near future. While this company does not produce parts for Laser TV, the use of laser engines in portable electronics could have a significant impact on the television and display market.

Microvision’s portable projector is laser based and uses a single mirror system, which is purportedly more affordable than the competition’s (TI) multiple micromirror system. Microvision has contracts in place with Motorola and two unnamed parties, an automotive supplier and Asian electronics manufacturer, for use of Microvision’s proprietary technology in cell phones, digital cameras and personal media players.

Microvision’s stock is coming off of highs near $6 a share last summer, and currently trades near $2.50 a share. According to one recent report “Companion and integrated pico projectors are now forecast to reach nearly 30 million units in 2012.” If this report is true, now may be the time to start looking at some of the key and novel players in laser engine technology.

Arasor International Ltd.

Arasor International Ltd. recently acquired Novalux, Inc., which focuses on laser technology, for $7 million in Arasor stock and the assumption of $13 million in debt. Sydney, Australia-based Arasor is an optoelectronics firm, specializing in chips for use in laser based displays. By acquiring Novalux, Arasor said the acquisition will let it provide an end-to-end solution in the manufacture of light sources in the laser display industry.

In November of 2007, Arasor entered into a $300 million joint venture with ZTE Corp. (Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Co. Ltd.) of China to develop and manufacture up to six million laser engines for use in Asian displays in televisions, projectors and mobile devices including cellular phones, PDAs and notebooks. Arasor will own 51 percent of the joint venture.

Arasor’s stock has been pummeled recently, it trades publicly on the Australian Exchange, but is trading under $1 on the Pink Sheets in the U.S., off of highs over $3 only one year ago. Arasor may have made some early PR blunders, but it does appear revenues are growing handsomely, and this company is certainly well positioned if Laser TV and laser based monitors become the new market standard.

*Any information contained in this article should not be construed as investment advice, but strictly as the thoughts and opinions of the author.*

Very little escapes the public eye these days, as our friends over at Trademork recently broke the news that Mitsubishi has filed for trademark protection with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for LAZR, LAZRTV and LAZRTELEVISION. In keeping with trendy vowel-light sites like Flickr and Sqeez, these terms are the expected brand names to be used by Mitsubishi in its line of laser powered televisions to be introduced later this year. Will LAZRTV be PWNED by OLED or SED? Come back and visit our site for the latest news.

November 27, 2007 Trademark Filing for LAZR

January 24, 2008 Trademark Filing for LAZRTV

January 24, 2008 Trademark Filing for LAZRTELEVISION

$1,000?

$1,800?

$5,000?

What will Laser TV actually cost? Nobody knows, but everyone seems to have an opinion. Mitsubishi has been vague about the details on its forthcoming launch of its Laser TV brand, which debuted at January’s 2008 Consumer Electronic Show. The exact release date is even a mystery. Here’s what we do know:

Mitsubishi’s Laser TV will be released in 2008.

“It’ll be competitive with flat panel prices.” Quote from Frank DeMartin, General Manager of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America.

“Large screen laser television is expected to be competitively priced with plasma television in sizes of 52 inches and larger.” Quote in The New York Times from Marty Zanfino, former Director for Product Development of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America.

Mitsubishi has been surprisingly tight-lipped on the particulars of its Laser TV. The speculation about Mitsubishi’s silence has ranged from a corporate attempt to gauge the market reaction to a “premium” alternative to LCD and PDP, or simply that a fixed MSRP has not been set. Mitsubishi is not a rookie in emerging technology markets, so perhaps it has learned not to offer too much, too soon. Your average consumer might not recognize Mitsubishi as a leading innovator in TV technology, despite having invented the first rear-projection television and the first complete HDTV in the U.S. market.

On the other extreme, Arasor, the blustery Australian optoelectronic chipmaker, has made some bold and premature predictions relating to the price and availability of Laser TV, much to the dismay of disappointed investors and consumers. Arasor does not manufacture televisions, but it promised too much, too soon, in a feverish quest to attract shareholders and funding for its Laser TV technology. This article details the strained relationship between Arasor and Mitsubishi, which wasn’t invited to Arasor’s 2006 public demonstration of a Laser TV, even though a modified Mitsubishi TV was used. We still don’t know if Mitsubishi’s Laser TV will be using Arasor chips or laser technology from Novalux, a laser manufacturer recently purchased by Arasor.

Mitsubishi is keenly aware that the LCD and plasma markets have matured, and that pricing for these units have fallen to very affordable levels. Laser light may be technically superior in all aspects of brightness, color gamut, etc., but Laser TV will have to be at least competitively priced to succeed, something Mitsubishi appears to be focused on. Much of Mitsubishi’s hush-hush campaign may be linked to laser component manufacturing delays and Arasor’s overeagerness. No emerging technology has the luxury of being competitively priced right out of the gate, so Mitsubishi may be stimulating just enough interest its Laser TV (nee tidbits of information) to keep us interested, while ironing out its pricing strategy and laser component licensing deals.

It takes more than just innovation to succeed in today’s market, and the glitzy debut of Laser TV at the Moon Nightclub at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas may be Mitsubishi’s way of telling us it is ready to be step into the limelight. Laser TV is the new standard in HDTV, however, Mitsubishi may be forced to, at least initially, target only to the high-end market with a $5,000 (my guess) 65-inch unit debuting this fall. This may be followed up in early 2009 by a smaller model costing half as much. As laser engines become incorporated as the preferred light sources in cell phones, movie theaters, navigation screens, projectors, and televisions, classic economies of scale will cut costs, and fuel demand, beckoning the age of laser based monitors.

Mitsubishi Electric is going after the bigscreen HDTV market. “Bigger and thinner” televisions may be in vogue, but Mitsubishi has decided to go in an entirely different direction. Under the mantra of “Believing is Seeing,” Mitsubishi plans to unleash an entirely new line of HDTV in 2008 – Laser TV.

Benefits of Laser TV:

- Wider color gamut, capable of reproducing twice the colors of LCD and plasma displays.

- Increased longevity, as the laser engines will last the life of the television.

- Lower power consumption than bigscreen LCD and plasma displays.

- True black levels, high contrast ratios, and very large screen capabilities.

- Less bulk and cost than a traditional lamp based rear projection televisions.

Laser TV has been a concept for several decades. The same properties which enable lasers to cut through steel, make it aptly suited for display lighting. Laser light is monochromatic, extremely focused, and is the purest source of light available. Laser based display units have been used in flight simulators for years. However, the commercial application of laser displays have been too cost prohibitive, until now.

Mitsubishi Electric is among the world leaders in laser manufacturing and television innovation, thus allowing them to market the first commercial Laser TV. Although not official, the price is expected to be in the $5,000 range. Several firms are perfecting low-cost laser diodes, so we expect the price of Laser TV to quickly be competitive in the open market. There is no question the picture quality, longevity, and energy efficiency is superior to that of LCD and Plasma, so we anticipate more TV manufacturers will be announcing their own line of Laser TV.

Sony showcased its own laser powered SXRD model at the 2007 CES, but plans for commercializing it have not been announced. Novalux, vying to be the world leader in laser optics, has announced several pending deals with TV makers, including a venture with JVC for a laser based front projector. In Asia, China’s ZTE Corporation has teamed up with Novalux (now owned by Arasor) to ambitiously produce millions of laser handsets for cell phones. A North American fall release for Mitsubishi’s LaserTV is expected, however, the exact dates have not been announced.

The Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Laser TV

10. Immediately close any Laser TV article that references Austin Powers, frickin’ laser beams, or sharks, the author does not know what they are writing about.

9. You cannot buy a Laser TV yet, and nobody knows the exact release date.

8. Laser TV can harm you (if you crack open the cabinet and stare directly into the laser engine).

7. Laser light is the purest and brightest light source.

6. There are no specs available for Laser TV videophiles. Wake up Mitsubishi.

5. Mitsubishi’s LaserTV will probably cost around $5,000.

4. Porn displayed on a Laser TV will be disturbingly realistic.

3. Laser TV will pave the way for stereoscopic 3-D TV programming.

2. Laser TV can produce “90% of what the human eye can see.” This means it has a damn nice picture.

1. Laser TV is not an Australian invention. The last innovative thing to come out of Australia was Men at Work.

We want our televisions big, but slimmer. We want amazing brightness and color saturation, but with more energy efficiency. Naturally, we want this technology now, and we want it cheap.

Like most consumers, I have been waiting expectantly for something remarkable, something revolutionary, something which will make watching TV a truly immersive experience. HDTVs have been around awhile, but I’ve only been mildly impressed with the current market of flat panel displays. Then I heard about Laser TV.

Laser TV employs lasers, which Mitsubishi claims is “the purest light source available today.” Mitsubishi showcased its Laser TV, scheduled to be released later this year, at the 2008 CES with very positive reviews. In fact, I think most of the audience was left a little befuddled, because the images were unlike anything they had ever seen from a TV before.

Mitsubishi plans to take this technology a step further with 3D TV. The LaserTV model on display at the CES 2008 was 3D compatible, sending synchronized signals to viewers wearing RealD shutter glasses.  Viewers were able to watch 3D versions of Beowulf and other special programming.  It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi is also developing a scalable system whereby 3D images can be viewed without the need of special glasses or goggles. 3D Laser TV is on the horizon, folks. It’s worth repeating again, three dimensional laser television is on the horizon.  Mitsubishi is really going after the full immersive television experience.  What’s next, 3D laser smell-o-vision?

Mitsubishi’s proposed 3D TV will be stereoscopic, meaning the images won’t really be 3D, but your brain will think so, just like seeing the sailboat in those “Magic Eye” pictures we all saw in the mall a few years ago. The technology has been around for years, but the superior imaging of Laser TV promises to harness its full potential. Look for Laser TV (with 3D signal compatibility) this fall and stereoscopic 3D TV later in 2009.

Image Copyright 2008 Engadget.com

The personal reviews from those lucky enough to attend the unveiling of Mitsubishi’s Laser TV at the Palms in Las Vegas have been overwhelmingly positive. Laser TV promises to usher in a new era of high-definition television displays, offering the brightest and most vivid picture available, coupled with unheralded longevity and energy efficiency. Look for Mitsubishi’s LaserTV and its “Believing is Seeing” campaign coming Fall of 2008.

“Amazing looking blues, extravagant reds, brilliant yellows, and harmonic purples overwhelmed my sense. I stared, mesmerized at these TVs and the colors that it produced.” -PC World

“At first glance the colors were sensational and the contrast was extremely intense…” -Engadget

“The laser displays at the Palms looked impressive to me…” -Smarthouse

“I must admit, this rear-projection TV tech looks very good with deep color and great sharpness.” -DVICE

“The result is some of the most vivid colour we’ve ever seen on any TV, especially the primary colours of red, green and blue. The blacks were midnight-dark…” -Gizmodo