Laser TV

2010 may be a watershed year for Laser TV as the entertainment market looks for new and exciting products to entice consumers and help the market forget lackluster sales in 2009.  Sony actually lost money for the first time in over 50 years.  2009 saw Mitsubishi on top as the sole manufacturer of Laser TV with its Laservue, which halted production earlier in the year, and now retails for less than $5,000 in some areas.  HDI Ltd. of Los Gatos, California introduced a giant Laser TV prototype which may someday give Mitsubishi its first real competition.

The 3D film, Avatar, represents decades of planning and waiting by the filmmaker’s for technological advances sufficient enough to allow expressive 3D rendering.  3D cinema and 3D TV are poised to change the way we view entertainment, and high-efficiency and low-power consumption laser-powered electronics could help drive the technology for 3D goods and content.

The market for three dimensional television has been slowly heating up the past few years.  3D movies have proven to be extremely popular and even in a weak economy, the research and interest in personal 3D TVs has remained quite strong.  Laser TV could prove to be an important piece of the puzzle as televisions grow larger, along with the refresh rates and power demand.  As seen below, the use of low-powered lasers could help spawn a new 3D industry in the home.

Several sites are reporting the average retail price of Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue laser-powered Laser TV have been slashed by $500. (Update: Amazon.com has for a few weeks offered varying discounts, so perhaps the ultimate in high-tech big screen pleasure is on the verge of becoming a little more affordable.)

Debuting in 2008, the LaserVue was billed as a hip 3-D-ready TV boasting a color range twice as broad as a typical HDTV, while using less energy than a plasma or LCD HDTV. Sales have obviously been disappointing, and production numbers for the Laservue’s first two full quarters of sale have not been publicly released. Given the economic climate, the production plans of a previously announced 73-inch model ‘Vue have been stalled as Mitsubishi re-evaluates the market.

Since its debut in late 2008, Mitsubishi’s Laservue laser television has been met with three universal comments: stunning, expensive and reclusive; the respective third keeping this a still relatively unknown technology.  Will laser display technology ever meet the demanding expectations of the TV mainstream?

Stunning is for the picture quality.  Gushing reviews followed the Laservue immediately after debuting at the 2008 CES.  Engadget called the colors sensational and the contrast extremely intense.  Powered by three lasers projecting a seamless array of pure color, the Laservue is capable of projecting hues and life-like colors normally viewed from your living room window.  When the laser engine is switched off, true black levels are achieved, creating an insane contrast ratio previously unseen in video displays.

Expensive is for the price.  Early proponents predicted a laser television would be far less expensive to produce than plasma and LCD, because of less “internal parts” and cheaper substrate materials.  As with most new emerging technologies, the Laservue primarily caters to the luxury end of the market.  Currently selling for $6,999 at commercial sites, some fans were left feeling jilted and betrayed as the entry prices were actually two the three times early predictions.  The whole economy thing didn’t help either.

Reclusive is for the availability.  Mitsubishi is the only tv manufacturer actively manufacturing laser displays and curious onlookers have to travel to a limited number of high-end retailers to view or review one in person.  The Laservue is also packaged in what is quickly becoming a display antiquity – a rear projection box.  Mitsubishi has been overly protective and stingy with information concerning the availability and details on the Laservue (including a recent manufacturing glitch), with apparently only one demo model making the review rounds.  (Ed. note: We have been trying for over a year to obtain one for a detailed review).

In a apparent viral-inspired video appearing on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Frank DeMartin, Mitsubishi’s Vice-President of Marketing, explains why the LaserVue laser tv is the perfect technology to tout carbon neutrality. For the first 5,000 Twitter and Facebook followers to join its Carbon Neutral Campaign (CNC), Mitsubishi will purchase $5000 worth of Carbon Offsets from Bonneville Environmental Foundation.  In the video seen below, DeMartin explains laser technology can power a huge 65-inch high definition television screen using less than 100 watts of power.  Plasma and LCD models require four or even five times that amount of power, according to DeMartin.

Mitsubishi revealed through back channels today that its laser powered Laservue TV has resumed production.  After a lackluster debut in Q4 of 2008, several media outlets have reported on a halt in Mitsubishi’s production of the Laservue, from a still undisclosed manufacturing defect.

Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue is a rear-projection TV boasting a color range twice as broad as a typical HDTV, but consumes significantly less energy than a plasma or LCD. The Laservue is 3-D-ready and is available to purchase for around US $7,000 .  No plans for a European or Australian debut have been announced. A 73-inch set was scheduled for release last year, however, these plans have been delayed.  Undoubtedly, the downturn in the world economy has played a role in stifling the market for premium big screen TVs, but proponents of laser technology still tout the Laservue for its picture quality.

View Laser TV – The Next Step in Flat Screens, a video on integrating lasers in existing video technology.

Due to what Mitsubishi is calling “a problem with manufacturing equipment,” the production of Laservue laser televisions have been temporarily halted.  The whiz kids at Engadget HD are reporting production will resume in early 2009.  This news is a continuation of what has become a tradition of Mitsubishi vagaries surrounding its first generation laser tv.  Details regarding the original Laservue release date, price and technical specifications were closely held by Mitsubishi and only released with the debut of its 65-inch laser display in late 2008.

Despite global economic woes, news continues to trickle in regarding the development of laser tv techology and 3D TV.  The following article from one year ago, recalls SpectronIQ’s foray into the laser tv market, and its plans to introduce a 72-inch model in 2009.  It remains to be seen if any new laser technology will be showcased at the 2009 CES running from January 8-11.  However, you will want to check out Mitsubishi’s booth at South 1/20333 as they will be showing off plenty of 3D TV and 3D gaming on Laservues.

CES: The Laser Cutting Edge

While the reviews for Mitsubishi’s 65-inch Laservue laser tv have been overwhelmingly positive, they have also been relatively sparse.  A 73-inch version was supposed to ship in late 2008, but obviously these plans have changed.  Hopefully more reviews will be forthcoming from this year’s CES.

All rights reserved. Wired Magazine 2008

It’s getting close to the end of the year, so brace yourself for those best-of-the-year lists. Time recently listed the Laservue as the second best gadget of 2008, with the Optima PICO micro-projector coming in first.  The development of laser technology is also timely for pocket projectors, as laser engines are compact, very bright and energy efficient.

Wired Magazine listed the Laservue as the 5th “Top Product Which Helped us Forget 2008.”

Until we get our hands on a demo LaserVue (Mitsubishi says demand is strong and they only have 2 demo sets to pass around until Q2 2009) we must rely on others for reviews.  The thetechlounge guys are at it again, and this time they came armed with a few Blu-ray discs to compare Mitsubishi’s LaserVue L65-A90 with a similarly priced Pioneer Kuro PRO-151FD 60 inch Plasma.

“At the end of the day, I think this tech is going to make a significant impact on future generations of DLP sets. The advantages run across the board, and the only real limiting factor at this point is price.  It’ll bring you Grade-A, bona fide HD satisfaction. Once the price inevitably drops, it’s going to be even more attractive.”

Read the tech-laden and very positve HD Guru review of the LaserVue.