3LCD SPR 2005 der

LIQUID CRYSTAL MICRODISPLAYS3LCD - AT THE HEART OF PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY

SPECIAL REPORT

2 I CLEVERDIS SPECIAL REPORT I August 2005 www.cleverdis.com

3LCD - AT THE HEART OF PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY

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EditorialWe have entered the digital era. An era when digital convergence and the use of digital displayshas become part of daily life, whether at the office, outdoors, or in the home. But does digitalliving make us all happier? In most cases yes, however what has stemmed from the multiplicationof technologies, and applications we hadn’t even thought of even a few years ago, is that people,for the most part, are becoming confused. Very confused.

To circumvent this, a few of the top manufacturers in the world are putting extra efforts intoeducating installers, resellers and the public about how to differentiate and choose in this newjungle of technological marvels.

This education has also entailed the establishment of such things as promotion of 3LCDtechnology. This technology is endorsed by several manufacturers and was officially announcedat CES Las Vegas in January 2005. It consists of industry-leading projector manufacturersdedicated to educating consumers and video imaging professionals about the benefits and uniquefeatures of 3LCD technology. Participating manufacturers use the 3LCD logo, currently underlicense from Epson, positioning it prominently on their products and marketing materials.

The aim of those using the 3LCD logo is thus to “all sing the same song” about the virtues of 3LCDcompared to other technologies available on the market today.

This Special Report has the goal of giving potential buyers and resellers the clear facts about 3LCDin such a way that they may make intelligent decisions based on fact, rather than sales pitches andrumours. We hope it will be a useful reference!

A CLEVERDIS publication • 116 avenue Eugène Mirabel, 13480 Cabriès - France • Tel: +33 4 42 77 46 00 - Fax: +33 4 42 77 46 01 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.cleverdis.com

SARL capitalised at 128,250 € - VAT FR 95413604471 – RCS Aix en Provence B 413 604 471 00024• Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre • Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait • Editor-in-chief: Richard Barnes

• Editorial Coordination & Page Setting: Valentina Russo • Printing: Imprimerie Audry (Marseille - France) • With the participation of: Hélène Beunat, Tatiana Gerassimato, Anne Michalczyk, Arnaud Monge,

Raphaël Pinot, Marie-Armel Raut, Bettina Spegele. © Cleverdis 2005 – Registration of copyright August 2005

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Introduction by Luc Bureller

The Hearth of 3LCD

PolySilicon (HTPS)

Advantages of 3LCD indifferent applications

3LCD – A Brand is Born

Coming to Grips with 3LCD(HTPS)

Richard Barnes Editor in Chief

Contents

Conclusion by Gérard Lefebvre


CLEVERDIS SPECIAL REPORT I August 2005 I 3www.cleverdis.comwww.cleverdis.com

IntroductionSuccessfully used in over 13 million products worldwide, 3LCD is the world's leadingmicrodisplay projector technology, allowing for bright, natural images that are easy-on-the-eye.This Special Report is aimed at educating customers and improving awareness of the ever-evolving 3LCD technology that is used by so many of the world's leading manufacturers. Whileconcentrating on our current offering, exciting new developments are in the wings, with today’sresearch focusing, among other things, on the use of a so-called inorganic alignment layer. Thisdevelopment allows even higher levels of contrast, silky images and a degree of deep black thatwas unattainable until now. It is a forward looking technology that might well define the standardfor home projection applications in years to come. Many well-known manufacturers use 3LCDtechnology at the heart of their projection devices, having done so for many years… to such anextent that the term “LCD Projector” has virtually become the generic term for micro-displaybased video and data projectors. Given the growing number of devices and solutions available tothe public, we felt it was essential to educate the market to a greater degree in order that peoplebe able to make decisions based on facts rather than promotional documents and hearsay. For thisreason, we asked Cleverdis, world renowned for their expertise in explaining displaytechnologies, to compile this Special Report. We trust it will be invaluable in helping you betterunderstand the true value and meaning of 3LCD technology.

Luc Bureller 3LCD Epson Branded ProjectorBusiness Manager

Model: EMP–TW600



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3LCD – A Brand is Born!

“The 3LCD projection system uses three LCD (High-Temperature Poly-Silicon) panels for bright and natural images that are gentle on the eyes”

It was at the CES show in Las Vegas in Januarythat the official announcement was made.Leading projector manufacturers joined forceswith Epson to educate the market aboutbenefits of three-panel liquid crystal displaytechnology, launching the brand “3LCD”. Notlong after, the official logo was also launchedin Europe and the rest of the world.

3LCD TECHNOLOGYDOMINATES

3LCD is clearly the dominant microdisplaytechnology worldwide when you look at thetotal number of customers who have purchasedfront and rear projection products so far. Basedon the calculations over various analysts, over13-million projection products using 3LCDtechnology have been purchased to date,surpassing any other microdisplay technologyon the market, and that figure continues togrow at a rapid pace.So what’s different about 3LCD? According tothe 3LCD partners, “Using Three ProjectionPanels Instead of One, 3LCD Delivers BrilliantPictures with Natural Image Quality, Razor-Sharp Detail and Rich Colour that is Free ofColour Break-up.”

CORE BENEFITS OF 3LCDPRODUCTS AS EXPLAINEDBY THE 3LCD PARTNERS:

Natural imagesWith 3LCD projectors, the three basic coloursof red (R), green (G) and blue (B) are carefullycontrolled and then recombined to ensureaccurate colour reproduction to the single dotlevel. Full-time colour along with 12-bitprocessing also makes some 3LCD productscapable of producing up to 68.7 billioncolours. 3LCD products also provide a broadrange of neutral grey tones. In fact, one of thelatest 3LCD-based front projectors on themarket produces up to 10 quintillion steps ofgreyscale gradation.

The Importance of True ColoursAs explained, 3LCD systems' wide colourproduction area reproduces primary colours inall their vividness. Especially in darker parts ofimages, smooth movement in the microscopicliquid crystals in LCD panels allows forsmooth, natural colour changes. Also, due tolimited gradation of darker shades, manysingle-chip projectors cannot faithfullyreproduce subtle colour changes, resulting in avisual distraction called 'Dither Noise' that isnot an issue with 3LCDs.



Bright images3LCD projectors divide the light emitted fromthe lamp into the three basic colours of red (R),green (G) and blue (B), and then shine eachcolour light through separate liquid crystalpanels (HTPS type) that give shape andmovement to the final image on the screen.Light efficiency is excellent because the threebasic colours are projected the whole time theprojector is on. This ensures that users watch animage that is both bright and sharp. Many3LCD business products currently on themarket are capable of achieving brightnessratings as high as 5,000 ANSI lumens andabove. 3LCD projectors can project bright,vivid images with a low output lamp that usesless electricity. And that means less heat andless cost to run. That's technology that is alsofriendly to the environment.

Gentle on the eyesSince colours are reproduced with three LCDs,the images reproduced are gentle on the eyes."No Colour Break-up" – since this technologysimultaneously projects three full-time red,green and blue images, there is no colourbreak-up or "rainbow effect" to potentiallycause viewers eyestrain or visual fatigue.

High contrastIn addition to these advantages, the 3LCD alsoboasts of excellent contrast ratios. They claimdozens of models routinely reach 1000:1 ormore. Most recently, 3LCD technology hasbeen able to achieve up to 6000:1.

Smooth video playbackThe fact that 3LCD projectors use threeseparate liquid crystal panels - one red, oneblue and one green - to form a continuousimage containing all colours, means evenrapid-motion video appears smooth. Singlechip projectors are colour-sequential, meaningthat red, green, blue (or other) colour versions

of the image are projected one after the othervery rapidly, thousands of times per second.The human brain cannot process images thatquickly, so it merges the colours - for example,if an image alternates red and blue rapidly, theeye sees the combination of those colours,which is purple.

However, when there is rapid motion on thescreen, the image may have changed positionvery slightly in the time it takes to change fromthe red version to the blue version, forexample, so the two versions might not line upperfectly. While the difference will be small,with colour-sequential single chip projectors,viewers may see multiple lines or blurry imagesin rapid motion video.

Highly ReliableThe high reliability of 3LCD projectors is amatter of great pride. The 3LCD partnersbelieve that the reason their products are sodependable is at least partly because theycontain no moving mechanical parts in thelight control system. The actual 3LCD unit atthe heart of the projector has no spinningmotors or moving parts, which means a brokengear or burned-out motor will never be thecause of a 3LCD breakdown.

3LCD SUITED TO ALLAPPLICATIONS:

According to 3LCD pundits, three-chip designshould not only be limited to top-of-the-linemodels, but is suitable for all applications. Theyunderline that every major microdisplaytechnology realizes picture qualityimprovements by employing a three-chipdesign, adding that some technologies reservethis design for only their highest end products,but 3LCD-based display manufacturersingeniously pack this powerful imaging maximinto every 3LCD projection engine they build.



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At the heart of the 3LCD system one finds three “micro-displays”.In effect, these microdisplays are tiny (down to 0.5”) transparent LCDscreens with very high resolution.

The efficient manufacture of these tiny screens is made possible by thedevelopment of what’s known in the business as HTPS.

High-temperature polysilicon TFT-LCDs featurehigh electron mobility— that is, their electronscan travel quickly. This makes it possible tointegrate TFT driving circuits directly on theglass substrate. It is also possible to achievecompactness and high resolution with a finepitch and to effect very fine processing, whichis necessary to create small transistors for thepixels. The resulting small transistors allow forthe design of LCDs with enhanced luminanceand larger aperture ratios, just thecharacteristics necessary for projectors.

THE HISTORY OFMICRODISPLAYS

When Epson began developing TFT LCDs, itoffered only 1.3-inch displays. Today, it hasabout 10 varieties of TFT LCDs in its line. Theserange in size from 0.5 to 1.65 inches and areavailable in two aspect ratios: 4:3 and 16:9.Resolutions range from VGA mode (310,000pixels) to high-definition mode (HD, 2.07million pixels). These LCDs appear in a wide range of frontprojection applications, includingpresentations, entertainment, advertising,home cinema, education, games, karaoke

systems and photo labs. When such displayswork in rear-projection systems, they serve ininformation boards, control room displays,rear-projection TVs and monitors. These LCDshave thus fostered the wider use of projectors,and market demands are likely to lead to theemergence of more applications.

HOW HAS QUALITY BEENIMPROVED?

LuminanceTo raise the luminance of projectors, engineerscan seek improvements in three technologicalareas. They can make the use of light moreefficient, they can improve measures to resistlight, and they can improve technologies fordispersing heat.

Improving Aperture RatiosIn the quest for increasingly efficient use oflight, one approach is to raise the apertureratios. The most straightforward way to increaseaperture ratios is to reduce the area of thewiring and the size of all elements in thedisplay, except for the aperture, as well asreduce the area of the capacitor, but here the

The Heart of 3LCD PolySilicon (HTPS)


CLEVERDIS SPECIAL REPORT I August 2005 I 7www.cleverdis.com CLEVERDIS SPECIAL REPORT I August 2005 I 7www.cleverdis.com

greatest problem is the over-shrinking of thecapacitor area. This capacitance is basicallyproportional to area, and if the capacitance isinsufficient image quality will suffer from, forexample, vertical cross talk or flicker fromstrong beams. In conventional designs, thisspace occupies a single flat surface. Thisstructure made it difficult to shrink the areawhile maintaining the necessary capacitance.Epson overcame the problem by abandoningthe conventional design in favour of aninnovative capacitor having a two-layerstructure that cuts the area in half. Thus wasborn the Dream Panel, as it was called duringdevelopment. Thinning the insulating layer ofthe capacitor forming area enabled furtherreductions in the area without compromisingcapacitance, resulting in an improved apertureratio.

Improved MicroLens Technology Another way to raise light efficiency is throughthe use of microlens technology. Microlensesimprove light efficiency by refracting orpermitting the passage of light that is otherwiselost by absorption or reflection. This technologythus in effect increases the aperture ratio.

Avoiding Flicker through LightShieldingThe issue of resistance to light becomesincreasingly important as projector sizesdiminish and as luminance rises. As theamount of irradiated light increases per unit

area, a greater proportion of light leaks fromaround each pixel element. Light intensitybeyond a threshold level can affect thecharacteristics of the element and causeleakage. Under such conditions the devicecannot maintain its potential. As a result, itsflicker level worsens.

Light-shielding technology improves theresistance of the element to light. Whereasformerly only a single light-shielding layer wasused on the incidence side, Epson has alsoadded a light-shielding layer to the emittingside as a precaution against returning light.Moreover, engineers have added one moresuch layer to the incidence side in places nearthe element in order to completely block thelight.

Higher contrastAn important way to improve the contrast ratiois to reduce the area of light leakage. This means minimizing the effects of“disclination”, a disturbance in the normalorder of the liquid crystals around the pixels.With the expanded aperture ratios andincreasing pixel densities of the latest high-temperature polysilicon TFT LCDs forprojection devices, the gaps between pixelelectrodes are now narrower than thosebetween liquid crystal layers. Epson uses apartial levelling structure, in which heightdifferences are incorporated to narrow the gapbetween liquid crystal layers in areas unrelatedto display characteristics. This inhibits theeffects of the electric field in the horizontaldirection. Without changing the conditions thatproduce the best liquid crystal characteristics,this levelling structure reduces the area wherethe horizontal electric field generatesdisclination and improves contrast by reducinglight leakage.

Improving image qualityOne key to improving image quality is to raisethe level of image uniformity. Lack ofuniformity can be particularly troublesome inprojection devices that use three RGB panels.Irregularities in the characteristics of thesepanels, especially surface irregularities, can

8 I CLEVERDIS SPECIAL REPORT I August 2005www.cleverdis.com


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cause uniformity to deteriorate in such ways ascolour non-uniformity. Irregularities in theoptics and insufficient allowances in parts maycause similar problems. While it is important tocorrect the irregularities of individual parts, forthe sake of ultimate uniformity it is even moreimportant to compensate for overallirregularities, including the irregularities in theoptical systems after technicians haveassembled all parts. In this connection, Epsonemploys an electric compensation method thatthe company regards as especially effective.With this method, engineers can compensatefor irregularities and even for streaks and crosstalk, resulting in significantly improved imagequality.

THE FUTURE IS C2 FINE

How does the future look? It looks “just fine”,according to Seiko Epson.

Thanks to Epson’s constant efforts to improveTFT technology, they have developed new hightemperature poly-silicon (HTPS) paneltechnology incorporating an inorganicalignment layer for use in 3LCD projectors. Inaddition to maintaining the bright imagesachieved in existing D series panels, thistechnology dramatically enhances apertureratios, definition, and image quality to enablethe development of projectors offering an even

more realistic HDTV experience. Reflecting thecrystal clear images made possible by this newinorganic alignment layer HTPS technology,Epson has called it "Crystal Clear Fine (C2Fine)."

The new C2 Fine technology has beendeveloped to make 3LCD projector imageseven brighter, more natural, and easier on theeye, as well as meeting market demands forproducts with higher aperture ratios, definition,and picture quality.Use of this technology in projectors and large-screen projection TVs will boost performancein the following areas:

• Key points of improved picture quality withinorganic alignment technology

1. Vastly improved contrast (several timesexisting levels)

2. Superb alignment

3. Enhanced reproduction of dark colours(capable of reproducing jet black)

• Production schedule

This technology will be used in productsstarting from 2006. The new HTPS technologywill be used in various product types, andcontinuing development efforts will lead toeven higher performance levels in the future.

PIXELS “PRINTED”BY INKJET ONNEW D4 CHIPS

D4 technology:This new HTPS panel

produces XGA (1024x768)

resolution using a smaller 0.6-

inch panel. To achieve

improved display performance,

the alignment layer is formed

on the glass substrates using

inkjet technology. This is the

world's first use of inkjet

technology for this process.

Through the introduction of

this innovative technology,

Epson has realized high-

definition images surpassing

those achieved by any

preceding product.

Micro Piezo print headtechnology:In becoming one of the

world's leading manufacturers

of inkjet printers, Epson has

accumulated a great deal of

information and knowledge in

its proprietary Micro Piezo

print head technology. Epson

has been conducting extensive

research into industrial

applications of inkjet

technologies in order to apply

its Micro Piezo print head

technology to production.

These efforts have resulted in a

new production method that

uses inkjet technology capable

of forming patterns by means

of direct writing and laying

thin uniform layers by ejecting

precise drop sizes in the

picoliter (1 trillionth of a litre)

and nanogram (1 billionth of a

gram) range, onto a precise

location.

Model: EM

P-S3



Coming to Gripswith 3LCD (HTPS)

Cleverdis: What is HTPS?

Stefan Hartmann: This termstands for High TemperaturePolysilicon. LCD displays aremade up of two glass platesbetween which the liquidcrystal is sandwiched. Indifference to Passive MatrixLCD's, Active Matrix LCD’shave an additional smalltransistor on each single pixel,

which leads to contrast and speedimprovements of the display. During the HTPSproduction, the amorphous silicon sputteredonto a special glass substrate is then melted atmore than one thousand degrees Celsius inorder grow the silicon grains and thus toincrease the electron mobility. This leads to ahigher switching speed of the on glasselectronics and thus higher integrationpossibilities allowing us to achieve XGAresolution on a glass with 0.6” diagonal size.In our newest factory we perform this processon 12 inch glass wafers.

Cl.: What are the basic principles of a 3LCDengine, and how is it different from singlechip technologies?

S.H.: Just like in other projector technologies,we use a very powerful lamp to generate whitelight. In most cases it is an ultra high pressurelamp (UHP) which generates the white light,which is then separated by using a dichroicmirror into its red, green and blue colourcomponents rather than filtering it as is done insome other technologies. This means we have atheoretically loss-free system in this casebecause of the separation of the light beam asopposed to filtering; and, then, the threeseparate colour beams are guided by mirrorsonto three monochrome HTPS panels whichmodulate the light separately andsimultaneously for the different colourcompounds green, red and blue. After this lightmodulation, the three colours are thenrecombined inside a prism which then passesthe remodulated image through optics onto the

screen. The fact that we use this ‘recombiner’prism to put together the three colours meansthat the eye, and thus the brain, receives thefull colour image, as opposed to single chiptechnologies which use time sequential coloursystems. We don’t need the human brain, oreye, to do the work of integrating the colourimage which makes our images more smoothand gentle on the eyes.

Cl.: So the human eye doesn’t have anywork to do, the image has already beenprocessed?

S.H.: Exactly right. In a single chip system, thehuman eye is receiving only one colour at anygiven time. In addition, because the single chipsystem uses colour filtering, it is less efficientand thus the brightness suffers. To boostbrightness, single chip manufacturers may usewhite segments in the colour filter in additionto the red, green and blue, which againcompromises the colour depth, thus thenumber of grey scales they have. Once theimage is received by the human eye, the brainnormally reacts slowly enough to integratethese time-sequential colours into one singlecolour image. But sometimes, depending onthe scene shown, the human eye is fast enoughto recognise this difference and this is whatcreates the so called “rainbow” effect.

Cl.: Where can we mostly notice the“rainbow effect”?

S.H.: When you have a dark background andwhite or grey object moving in front of itquickly, the edge of this moving object is not ina consistent position from picture to picture. Sothe red, green and blue colours are in differentpositions. This moving object will appear as if ithas a rainbow behind it. A more neutral termwould be ‘colour break-up’.

Cl.: What are some of the other advantagesof 3LCD?

S.H.: Other advantages of 3LCD are, of coursedepending on the actual setup, less power

Stefan Hartmann has studiedtelecommunication inGermany and partly inAustralia. After joining EPSON in theyear 1995, Stefan Hartmannwas responsible for thetechnical support of Europeancustomers forMicrocontrollers, LCDDriver/Controllers anddifferent types of LCDModules for several years in,various positions. Over theyears, his focus was shiftingmore and more to EPSON'sHTPS-LCDs for projectors.Today Stefan Hartmann holdsthe position of a SeniorManager for Display Productsand focuses his work onEPSON's product line of HT-p-Si TFT-LCD's used in 3LCD-based front- and rear-projection systems.

Stefan HartmannSenior Manager LCDMarketing Engineering and Sales EEG (Epson Europe Electronics GmbH)

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consumption, or higher light output, so morebrightness. The images are also more “natural”.Due to the fact that we have red, green andblue light valves to modulate the three lightbeams continuously, we have, on each singlelight valve, 10 or 12 bit resolution to producegrey scale, so you have 3 x 10 (or 12) bitresolution, whereas a single chip system doesthis time sequentially which means so thegradients are not as good. It means that, esp.compared with single-chip systems using socalled “white segments” in the colour wheel,the colour depth and colour (grey shade-)reproduction of our 3 chip system isoutstanding – this is the natural imagecomponent.

Cl.: Could you tell us about the differencesbetween LCOS and “normal” 3LCD?

S.H.: Liquid crystal material is used in boththese technologies, filled between twosubstrates. 3LCD HTPS technology uses atransmissive LCD panel which means we havetwo glass plates while LCOS replaces one ofthe two glass plates with a silicon chip whichmakes it a purely reflective technology. In aLCOS system, you have to separate incomingand outgoing light, for which polarising beamsplitters are used, adding some additionalcomplexity to the system. In other words, whenyou send the light to the LCOS chip, it comesback the same way. So you have to differentiatebetween this 2 parts before projecting themodulated part of the light out through theprojection lens.

Cl.: What is a Micro-Lens array and howdoes this improve image quality?

S.H.: The micro-lens array is a small array oftiny lenses that sit on top of the LCD panels. Inother words, there is a small lens on top of eachsingle pixel, focusing the light onto the actualopening of the pixel – the actual area in use.We have certain aperture ratio on thetransmissive HTPS-panel, which means that apart of the actual pixel area can be used totransmit light, and another part is used for theelectronics to drive this pixel. This is whatpeople call the grid, because it blocks somelight. The micro lens actually focuses the light

only onto the usable area, meaning you gainbrightness by adding a micro-lens to the HTPSpanel. The visibility of the grid is also reducedby this technique.

Cl.: The micro-lens array requires smallerlamps which in-turn means lower powerconsumption. Is this a selling point?

S.H.: It really depends on which market youaddress. There are certain markets that are verybrightness driven and for these markets I wouldrather add a micro-lens. Other markets wherebrightness is less critical, are usually notapplying this additional lens-array whichobviously adds costs.

Cl.: Is this helped by the new generation D4panel?

S.H.: Newer technologies enable us to shrinkthe electronics on each single pixel, thereforeincreasing the aperture ratio. Consequently itallows us as well to reduce panel sizes such asthe recently announced 0.6 XGA inch panel,whereas before, the smallest XGA panel was0.7inches. Shrinking the panel, the pixel pitchis reduced accordingly (size of each pixel), butusing newer panel technologies, the apertureratio remains the same or is getting even larger.Using new technologies, we are thus able toshrink the whole panel giving us a productioncost advantage.

Cl.: We sometimes hear arguments abouthow to calculate the total cost of ownership(TCO) of a front projector system. Whatfactors do you think should be taken intoaccount when calculating TCO of projectionsystems, and how does 3LCD stand up?

S.H.: The important thing when consideringTCO is not just the unit itself, but also, veryimportantly, the elements that need to bereplaced occasionally. This is one of the bigadvantages of HTPS technology, because theprojectors are able to use smaller lamps for thesame brightness levels. This in turn means thatthe lamps are cheaper and last longer. As lampsare one of the major cost considerations whencalculating TCO, this really tips the scales forpeople who use projectors regularly.

“Other advantages of 3LCD are, of course, lesspower consumption, or higher light output, somore brightness. The images are also morenatural.”



Here’s the “official line” from the 3LCDpartners as to what their value-added is in bothcommercial and consumer situations:

The Education Sector –Projectors in Schools andColleges

3LCD technology uses images that are already“colour finished” when they’re projected. Inother words, all the colours are projected at thesame time. The picture is thus easier on theeyes and images are more stable with respectof real colours. When users are young, it’s evenmore important that projected images are “easyon the eyes”, meaning they will be less proneto tiredness and subsequent loss of attention.

Mobile Sales Force

The main advantage of 3LCD is that it projectsnatural and bright images. These bright imagesrespect colours. In business, logos will benefitfrom real colour at the right brightness.Brightness and respect for colours do not comeas a compromise. You can have both at thesame time.

Meeting Rooms

In multi-purpose meetingrooms, you often don’t knowin advance what customerswill want to project. For thisreason it is essential to have awide range of colour andbrightness coverage –adequately delivered by3LCD projectors - which canbe RGBs compatible in termsof colour reproduction.

Point of SaleApplications

When one produces a posteror other publicity material for

shops or shopping centres, all the colours mustbe respected, and this measure of respect iscalculated and called “Delta E”. This is themeasurement of the variation of colours on aprinted document compared to the originaldocument. If the Delta E is too high, in general,the customers will reject the printed documentand have it done again. In other words, therespect of colour is vital. In such anenvironment one also needs high brightnessprojectors, because ambient light in publicareas is usually very high. Thus, as highbrightness and excellent colour reproductionare essential in PoS, 3LCD projectors are verywell adapted to these kinds of situations.

Home Cinema

The average human eye can only discern acontrast ratio of 800:1, anything over this willgenerally be perceived as perfect, and 3LCDprojectors are often easily able to surpass this.A ratio of 1000:1 is now what is often called forin home cinema. The other main advantage isthat of image stability, with no artefacts or so-called “rainbow effect”. Users can see moredetail, and the picture is easier on the eyesbecause all colours are projected at the sametime, not mixed by the eye. Less likelihood offalling asleep in front of the film!

Advantages of 3LCD in Different Applications

What are the advantages of 3LCD projectors in various “verticalmarkets” or types of application?



Epson Projects the Future at IFA

The general school of thought has been that3LCD technology is not well adapted tomaking the smallest projection products. Today,Epson proves this is not true, with a dazzlingprototype of what’s possible with 3LCDtechnology. This product will be demonstratedat the EPSON and the 3LCD booths during IFA,Berlin.

“There is no plan to release such a projector,”says Luc Bureller, 3LCD Epson BrandedProjector Business Manager. “This is just fordemonstration, but to our knowledge, thepostcard projector is thinner than any otherproduct shown to date anywhere in the world.”

The palm size of the “Postcard Projector” willallow for new applications. This product uses3LCD technology and includes a very similaroptical engine to other 3LCD projectors. Themain difference concerns the light source,which is LED instead of a common lamp. Thereare several advantages to using such an LEDlight source:

• low power consumption, and consequentpossibility to produce a mobile batterypowered products,

• low temperature of the projectors (less heatin the light system),

• life-span of the light source: 20000 hours (nomore need to buy exchange lamps)

• more ecologic light source

• no need for a power button

This projector size will be ideal for individualviewing at home or in other locations, althoughin the production model, the brightness willneed to be improved to fit user requirements.Current brightness is over 20 lumens, and tocover real-life applications, at least 80 to 100lumens will be needed.

Thanks to 3LCD technology, the product is ableto produce a bright and vivid image, which iseasy on the eyes.

Come to see the future in action at the EPSONand 3LCD booth - IFA 2005.

Prototype “Postcardsize” Projector – aFistful of Colour in aPalm-size Beamer


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New 3LCD Projectorsfrom Epson

Cleverdis: Epson’s has a new star for HomeCinema Use. Tell us about this new “littlejewel”…

Sophie Layer: We have a unit for the enthusiastwho demands the best… the new Epson EMP-TW600. The TW600 is HD ready, featuring W-XGA resolution (1280 x 720 pixels) and HDMIinput ensuring that it is able to truthfully displayHigh Definition content. Image quality(contrast ratio of 5000:1 and brightness of 1600ANSI lumens) is one of the best in its class,thanks to the pioneering projector technologiesdeveloped exclusively by Epson. The EMP-TW600 is also handsomely designed with afresh, sleek finish ensuring it adds style andquality to your home. The innovative EpsonCinema Filter ensures you can benefit from ahigh-quality image whatever the ambiance ofyour room, for example, you can enjoy a brightimage in a light room and optimum contrast ina dark room. The Epson Cinema Filter alsofaithfully reproduces a wide range of colours.There are seven colour modes with the EMP-TW600, ensuring you can select the mode thatbest suits your needs. For example, you canchoose Dynamic mode for light rooms orTheatre Black for a darker environment. TheEpson EMP-TW520 is also HD Ready.

Cl.: People who are tired of clumsyprojector installations will be happy to knowabout your very innovative “all in onesolution”…

S.L.: Yes. Epson has come up with a coolsolution for this kind of problem. The EpsonEMP-TWD1 is an Epson projector combinedwith DVD player and speakers from JVC, in onestylish, compact solution. You simply plug in,insert your DVD, sit back and enjoy the show.The EMP-TWD1 brings together the renownedprojector experience of Epson with the superioraudio and DVD capabilities of JVC to create ahome entertainment solution for movies,games, sports and music. The Epson EMP-TWD1 has been designed to be easy to use andto ensure that you achieve high quality resultsquickly. The Auto Detect feature means that theEMP-TWD1 will automatically recognise thedisk that you are using. When you insert a DVDyour movie will be projected onto your screen,insert a CD and your music will play. You caneven use your EMP-TWD1 to view your digitalphotos on the big screen.

Cl.: Low-priced projectors are common, butnot with the kind of features of your newTW20.

S.L.: The EMP-TW20 is a 1200 ANSI Lumen3LCD Home Cinema for under 1000 Eurosnew entry-level projector designed especiallyfor the home. Featuring a true 16:9 aspect ratioyou can watch your favourite movies, play yourgames console and enjoy all the latest sportingaction on the big screen. Offering 1200 ANSIlumens, the EMP-TW20 is the brightest home

Model: EMP-TWD1

Sophie Layer – Le NalbautMarketing Product Manager Video Projectors

Sophie Layer attendedbusiness school in Germanyand France and graduated witha DESS in marketing andcommunication. She spent 2years in Austria as projectmanager for Peugeot, thenworked 3 years in the Frenchsubsidiary of NEC in charge ofplasma and projectors as PM.In September 2004 she movedto EPSON Europe as EuropeanPM in charge of 3LCDprojectors (HC and business).

Mod

el: E

MP–

TW60

0



www.cleverdis.com

cinema projector in its category and ensuresyou can enjoy the big screen in a wide range oflighting conditions. A high contrast ratio of1000:1 means that image quality is bright,clear and vibrant. You don’t need a big room tohave a big screen. The EMP-TW20 will projecta 60” screen from just 1.5 metres. The lens willshift both up, down, left and right, helping youto find the perfect position for your image.

Cl.: Tell us about Epson’s new Professionalprojectors…

S.L.: Epson has introduced two new 3LCDprojectors for the classroom and businessenvironments. The EMP-62 and the EMP-82offer high-quality projection and ease of use ina stylish, compact and affordable package.

The EMP-62 features a SVGA resolution of 800x 600 pixels. It is ideal for projecting a rangeof multimedia applications, for example,presentations and education softwareprogrammes.The EMP-82 features a XGA resolution of 1024x 768 pixels. It is ideal for presentations thatrequire the highest quality output.

For example, Excel spreadsheets with largenumbers of data or corporate videos can beprojected with superb clarity, suiting manybusiness situations. Both projectors are designed specifically foruse in a professional environment when time isof the essence. The Quick Start function meansthere is no need to wait for warm-up time. TheEMP-62 and EMP-82 will display yourinformation within 4 seconds, and, when youhave finished, Epson’s Instant Off featureenables the projectors to be switched off andunplugged immediately.

Cl.: Again here, you have launched a new“affordable” business projector with a lot offeatures: the EMP-X3. What are its strongpoints?

S.L.: The EMP-X3 offers superb brightness,clarity of images, a simple user interface andaffordability to make it the ideal projector forthe business and education markets.The EMP-X3 is a new entry-level projector fromEpson catering to all user’s multimedia needs,at an affordable price. Offering a combinationof winning features, it is suitable for bothbusiness and personal use. The EMP-X3 boastsXGA resolution and a brightness level of 2000ANSI lumens. A Quick Start function means theprojector needs only four seconds to startdisplaying information, making it one of thequickest on the market. Epson’s Easy Offfeature is particularly important for busypresenters, who when finished, can turn it offand pack it away without the need to wait for itto cool down. The EMP-X3 offers a verticalkeystone of 30 degrees, ensuring that anypicture distortion is quickly corrected via theremote control, or from the controls on the topof the projector.

Model: EMP-X3

Model: EMP-82



The role of Cleverdis since its creation has been to give buyers objective elements of appreciationand genuine decision-making tools. This Special Report has been compiled in this spirit.

When several great technologies clash, as is the case in the field of projection systems forexample, there is no question of us of taking up the cause of one or the other, or of declaring onebetter than another. Our role is to inform and bring our savoir faire in the field of informationmanagement to make it possible to better comprehend the fundamentals of one or the other.

3LCD Technology has for a long time suffered from a lack of communication on the part of itscreators. This situation proved to be prejudicial as certain purchasers began to believe that thistechnology had arrived at the end of its lifetime!

During 2004, the main companies employing this technology decided to react and give themarket a counter-weight to the flood of information provided by competing technologies.

The CES show in Las Vegas at the beginning of 2005 saw the first major marketing presence of3LCD in the form of a booth intended to educate the market about the benefits of Three-PanelLiquid Crystal Technology Display as well as a large billboard advertising campaign. This firstinitiative was followed by marked presences at Integrated Systems China in April 2005, Infocommand China International Consumer Electronic Show in June 2005 and IFA Berlin in September2005.

Epson and the leading projector manufacturers using 3LCD technology are thus making aconcerted effort to let the market know that there is a true choice, explaining to purchasers thereality of their technological, commercial and marketing know-how.

This initiative should further stimulate the market and this, to the greatest benefit of all users!

Gérard LefebvreCleverdis President & Founder

Contact details

Conclusion

Luc Bureller3LCD Epson Branded Projector Business Manager

European Marketing Department (Paris)68 bis rue Marjolin, F-92305 Levallois Perret Cedex

Tel. : +33 (0)1 40 87 38 41Fax : +33 (0)1 40 87 67 20E-mail : [email protected]

Stefan HartmannSenior Manager Display Division

(Epson Europe Electronics GmbH)

Riesstrasse 15 80992 München - Germany

Tel: +49 (0)89 14 005 342 Fax: +49 (0)89 14 005 4342 E-mail : [email protected]

Sophie Layer – Le NalbautMarketing Product Manager Video Projectors

European Marketing Department (Paris)68 bis rue Marjolin, F-92305 Levallois Perret Cedex

Tel. : +33 (0)1 40 87 67 28Fax : +33 (0)1 40 87 67 20E-mail : [email protected]

www.epson-europe.com

FOR INFORMATION

This year, Epson achieved the

rank no. 1 in the projector

market for the 5th year on the

world-wide level and the 3rd

year at the European level

(source DTC worldwide):

World-wide Market Share -

2004 - 11.08% No. 1

2005 - 12.68% No. 1 (1st half yr.)

European Market Share -

2004 - 9.31% No. 1

2005 - 10.33% No. 1 (1st half yr.)

Look reality in the eye.

The 3LCD-technology in Epson projectors provides the perfect reproduction of reality for anunforgettable experience. An optimal light output,crystal clear sharpness and lifelike colours definethe picture quality. No more colour-flickering andjitter strains on your eyes.More information on Epson projectors and 3LCD-technology under: www.epson-europe.com

3LCD SPR 2005 der

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