Laser TV

$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.

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

January 08, 2008 12:30 AM Eastern Time

LAS VEGAS–Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. today announced the world premiere of the laser television category during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, unveiling a new large-format LaserTV that delivers as much as twice the color of current high-definition televisions.

Mitsubishi has harnessed its worldwide leadership in precision laser technology to produce the first-ever laser-powered television, delivering a range of color never before seen in home entertainment. Precise and focused, the purity of laser light surpasses current high-definition technologies. Today’s HDTVs display less than 40 percent of the color spectrum that the eye can see. Now, for the first time ever, laser produces twice the color. Laser beams provide the widest range of rich, complex colors, along with the most clarity and depth of field.

This LaserTV category introduction represents a significant milestone in Mitsubishi’s strategy to lead the large-format, high-definition television space and meet the growing consumer demand for a richer, entertainment experience. Mitsubishi has long led in large-format and high-definition television innovation with introduction of the big screen category in 1978 and, subsequently, the world’s first 50-inch rear projection TV, first 35-inch color TV, and first 1080p DLP® HDTV.

“Mitsubishi has delivered significant technology innovations in the large-format television arena, and the debut of LaserTV further strengthens our position and track record for HDTV leadership,” said Frank DeMartin, vice president, marketing, at Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America. “LaserTV technology creates a portal to an intensely real and vivid world – beyond ordinary flat TV. It’s a true dimension experience.”

A New Dimension in Home Theater: LaserTV and 3D

Mitsubishi LaserTVs not only provide the ultimate picture quality, they are also capable of delivering a true 3D viewing experience, demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to set the standard for entertainment viewing by partnering with Hollywood on next-generation entertainment solutions. At the LaserTV launch event at the Palms Hotel on Monday, Mitsubishi teamed with leading 3D digital technology provider REAL D to demonstrate the most advanced 3D content available today.

Environmentally Friendly

The Mitsubishi large-format LaserTVs provide the highest performance in HDTV, and they do so with low power consumption. While today’s flat panel HDTVs consume significantly more energy than the analog TVs that they replace, LaserTVs are energy efficient, consuming less power than comparably sized flat-panel sets.

The unique styling of Mitsubishi’s LaserTV allows for easy wall-mounting in a variety of home entertainment settings.

Mitsubishi will ship LaserTVs to authorized retailers in the United States later this year.

About Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc.

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc., an Official Sponsor of The PGA TOUR, manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of premium quality 1080p DLP^® HDTVs and 1080p LCD Flat Panel HDTVs. Recognized as the world leader and innovator of large display high-definition televisions, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America builds products that lead the industry in quality, performance and ease-of-use. For additional information about MDEA and LaserTV, visit www.mitsubishi-tv.com

DLP^® is a registered trademark of Texas Instruments.

SOURCE: Mitsubishi Electric

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.