Technology update ISE 2018 report: laser projector highlights


It was of little surprise that ISE 2018 was awash with new laser pro- jector launches, but there were some real showstoppers. Here’s what stopped us in our tracks.


Laser, and particularly laser phosphor, has undoubtedly given projection a new lease of life, just as the bulk of industry attention has lighted upon flat screens and video walls. Laser technologies have accounted for much of the innovation in the sector, having dealt with the leading objections of lamp life and maintenance overhead. Even the market leaders, Ep- son, announced its first ever native 4K projector. The EB- L12000Q is a 12,000-lumen 3LCD laser projector, designed for high-end rental and fixed installations. The new mod- el was launched alongside a companion model, the EB- L20000U, Epson’s first entry in the compact 20k-lumen WUXGA category. Both models share a casing designed to fit into industry-standard tubular steel frames, so they’re easy to fit into existing infrastructure, and are said to offer fit and for- get reliability, as well as easy installation and projection from any angle, including portrait. In addition, Epson will be an- nouncing new Professional Pro- jector Tool software. This utility works with Epson’s installation laser projectors and makes it quick and easy to implement multiple projector installations and take advantage of tech- niques such as edge blending and projection mapping. Neil Colquhoun, executive director, professional displays, Epson Europe, explained: “An- nouncing our first 25,000-lu- men projector two years ago was a very big moment for Epson, but showing our first 4K-capable


projector at ISE


2018 may top even that. The EB-L12000Q is an outstand- ing piece of technology, which moves Epson into a new world


of pin-sharp resolution. It’s part of our strongest pro AV line-up yet, with a new compact 20k model, as well as innovative signage and meeting room solutions, and Epson software that makes advanced projec- tion techniques available to users straight out of the box.” Elsewhere, Panasonic used ISE 2018 to announce a “be- yond 4K laser-phosphor addi- tion” to its projector line-up aimed at live event staging, ex- hibitions, rental and permanent installations. The launch of the PT-RQ22K 3-Chip DLPTM Sol- id Shine laser projector meets the demands for a lightweight, high-brightness 4K+ projector. In addition, Panasonic’s new 12,000 lumens laser projector, that shares the same compact dimensions and light


as its existing 10,000 lumens class


projectors, joins


weight the


company’s line-up of filterless 1-Chip DLPTM dual-drive laser phosphor models.


8K laser


But top honours for break- ing resolution barriers at ISE 2018 must surely go to Digital Projection, with its announce- ment of the world’s first 8K laser projector: the INSIGHT Dual Laser 8K. Providing an ultra-high 8K resolution (7680 X 4320) of 33-million pixels through 25,000 ANSI lumens of solid-state laser-phosphor illumination, the new flagship projector is claimed to be the ultimate solution for the most elaborate medical, scientific and immersive visualisation and large-venue applications. In addition to the resolution and lumen performance, it uses proven DLP technology incorpo- rating 3x 1.38" DarkChip DMD


chips and Digital Projection’s ColorMax technology to ensure colour accuracy and black lev- els. These are especially vital imaging characteristics when matching projectors in tiled or blended applications.


From simulation and visuali- sation projects, to elite enter- tainment venues that demand the most immersive experience through large-scale imagery, the INSIGHT Dual Laser 8K is said to provide a new perfor- mance benchmark in the indus- try. By eliminating regular lamp replacement cycles, system operation is never interrupted, making long-term maintenance costs virtually non-existent. Other key benefits of laser illumination include the sim- plification of blending multiple projectors, as laser projectors are closely matched “out of the box” for colour and bright- ness, with predictable and sta- ble brightness providing close tracking in matched systems over the long-term. Featuring MultiAxis orientation capabili- ty of portrait or landscape use and every angle in between, the INSIGHT Dual Laser 8K also boasts a multitude of optional high-performance lenses, en- suring it serves as a powerful and flexible imaging tool for venues requiring the most in- credible projection solution, regardless


of the installation


footprint. The new flagship product from Digital Projection is expected to ship in Q3 2018.


Christie Crimson


Also in the 25,000 lumen class,


the Christie Crimson


series of 3DLP laser phosphor projectors combines 60Hz pro- cessing with Christie BoldColor Technology in a compact and


Christie’s Crimson series of 3DLP laser phosphor projectors combines 60Hz processing with Christie BoldColor Technology.


Digital Projection announced world’s first 8K laser projector: the INSIGHT Dual Laser 8K.


rugged package with a low cost of ownership for rental, staging and fixed installation custom- ers. For further cost savings, customers can upgrade from their existing Christie M Se- ries and J Series to experience the lamp-free technology of the Crimson WU25 and HD25 without needing to purchase new lenses.


"Audiences will see an ap- preciable difference in both colour richness and brightness with Crimson at ISE 2018," said Miles Donovan, senior channel development manag- er EMEA, Christie. "And with its long-lasting brightness, rock-solid


Electronics,


reliability, and


TruLife BoldColor


Technology, the Crimson Se- ries combines the best in laser phosphor technology with the brightness and colour that both fixed and live events stagers demand in today's ever-evolv- ing marketplace."


Users will appreciate the ul- tra-fast processing of Christie TruLife electronics and built- in warp and blend capabilities of Christie Twist. Moreover, by adding Christie Mystique, us- ers will reduce multiple pro- jector calibration times from hours to minutes, saving both time and labour costs. De- signed with the technician in mind, the Crimson Series


is


built-tough and is easy to ship, handle and install thanks to its compact form factor, qui- et operation and 360-degree orientation. Featuring an IP5X sealed, solid-state laser light source, Crimson projectors are said to provide years of reli- able, low-cost, and virtually maintenance-free operation while delivering vibrant, lifelike colours in theme parks, indoor and outdoor arenas and stadi- ums, entertainment venues, mega events, public spaces, and more.


Fast emerging


Of the other leading brands, NEC announced the PX1005QL at ISE 2018. The new laser projector provides outstanding picture quality resulting in an


engaging visualisation experi- ence with high brightness, up to 4K input signal, and unique picture and colour processing technology based on the latest NEC scaler chip. The result is a more detailed, ‘pixel


free’


image with greater detail than ever before, delivering on NEC’s promise to deliver endless im- pressions that connect, engage, and impress.


NEC has used its long heritage


in cinema projection to design a product that meets the rap- idly-growing demand for large digital canvasses in meeting spaces, boardrooms, and from conferences and education es- tablishments to digital signage in retail or leisure areas. The new projector features future-proof connectivity and processing, with numerous 4K resolution inputs including Quad 3G SDI, two DisplayPort and HDMI inputs each, plus an optional slot for 4K/UHD Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) Slot-in PCs. The PX Series pro- vides pixel-free viewing at large The laser light source enables new higher brightness levels combined with low operational cost for new applications, large screen sizes, less impact from ambient light, and lower power consumption. The devices are practically maintenance-free, with controllable lifetime colour performance without requiring panel or filter replacement. With typically 20,000 hours of laser life time, the PX1005QL further reduces the lifetime cost of ownership, and making it an impressive and highly af- fordable projector for organisa- tions ranging from large venues to colleges and schools. “Organisations of all sizes and budgets are looking for a way to display razor-sharp imagery for everything from presenta- tions to video conferencing,” said Gerd Kaiser, Senior Prod- uct Line Manager, Large Ven- ue Projectors at NEC Display Solutions Europe. “With the NEC PX1005QL enterprises unite the main advancements of modern visualisation in their meeting rooms and large venue spaces. The high brightness of


10,000 ANSI lumens allows very large and freely scalable images and provide the highest levels of detail and colour ac- curacy thanks to their 4K UHD resolution and cinema image quality.”


Competition


High brightness and advanced optics used to be the preserve of the established projector man- ufacturers, but new technolo- gies also present opportunities for emerging vendors. At ISE 2018, Vivitek showed its new and brightest single-chip DLP laser projector: the DU9800Z. The solid-state illumination source projector offers 18,000 ANSI Lumens with a native WUXGA 1920 x 1200 resolu- tion that delivers an impecca- ble standard of colour and de- tail. With 20,000 hours of laser light operation, this projector far exceeds the average lamp- based projector and provides great value for money. Traditionally, 3-chip DLP pro- jectors are used to reach such a high level of brightness, but Vivitek’s flagship projector de- livers an impressive 18,000 ANSI lumen resolution with 1-chip DLP technology, using laser-phosphor illumination to provide colour accuracy and durability.


Another example of innova- tion as shown at ISE 2018 by Optoma. Optoma’s new flagship ZU1050 projector, produces 20,000


striking display. This WUXGA projector featuring MCL tech- nology (Multi Colour Laser) forms part of the DuraCore range which combines


lumens for visually


lon-


ger-lifetime light source and an independent IP rated dust certification. What all this goes to show is that projection is not dead – in fact, it might just be coming into its own.


P12 AV News September 2017


P13 AV News April 2018


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