Texas Instruments Creates New Home Cinema Standard With HD DLPô Technology

Sharp Electronics Corporation Announces First Product To Feature HD-1 DMDô In Home Entertainment Projector

10-Aug-01

In support of its strategy to make DLPô technology the technology of choice for home entertainment projection/display systems, Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) announced availability of a new version of the Digital Micromirror Deviceô (DMDô), the semiconductor chip which is at the heart of Digital Light Processingô technology. The new DMD is a version of the previously-announced HD-1, but optimized for front-projection applications. Concurrently, Sharp Electronics Corporation has announced the XV-Z9000U front projector for home theatre based on the new technology. The XV-Z9000 is the world's first single-panel DLP technology-enabled, high-definition front projector for home theatre. It was first previewed by Sharp at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. ""This announcement has long been awaited by home theatre enthusiasts around the world,"" said Adam Kunzman, Manager of Home Portable Entertainment Products for TI's DLP Products division. ""Everyone values the outstanding image quality for which DLP technology is renowned, but want true HD, 16:9 capability in addition. Now, they can have it."" The HD-1 features an array of 1280 x 720 pixels, allowing it to deliver both native support for 720p as well as 16:9 aspect ratio, giving it true high definition (HD) capability. The HD resolution of the new device offers improved sharpness for all picture formats and sources such as NTSC- and PAL-originated DVDs. Graphics applications -- such as PC games -- are also supported, thus providing home users a ""best of all worlds"" solution, featuring both outstanding video and exceptional graphics performance. ""TI has enabled Sharp to develop a groundbreaking high-definition front projector which delivers images which will satisfy even the most ardent videophiles, but at a consumer-level price point,"" said Frank DeMartin, Director of Product Marketing, Sharp Electronics Corporation. ""We're excited about the potential for the XV-Z9000, which we believe will set a new standard for performance in consumer home theatre."" The HD-1 also benefits from a new production process which has enabled the XV-Z9000U to achieve a contrast ratio of 1100:1, enabling it to deliver markedly superior image quality. This, together with the greatly reduced pixelation which is a key feature of DLP technology, is expected to make projectors featuring DLP technology the solution of choice for discerning home theater buyers. ""This new version of the DMD is the first we have developed specifically for front-projection video applications,"" said Dale Zimmerman, Manager of DLP Home Entertainment Products, ""and is indicative of our strategic commitment to making DLP technology the market-leading technology for all home entertainment applications, whether front- or rear-projection. We're delighted by Sharp's early commitment, and expect other companies to follow in the near future."" A version of the HD-1 has previously featured in rear projection home entertainment systems featuring DLP technology from Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Panasonic. This announcement follows closely on an announcement TI made on May 4 of a new version of the DMD which would provide native support for 480p and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Today's announcement extends the family of DMDs that have been specifically designed for home entertainment applications, and demonstrates TI's commitment to establishing DLP technology as the technology of choice in the consumer projection/display market. ""Our high-definition DLP display technology simply provides the best contrast and image quality available today,"" continued Kunzman. ""Advances in DLP electronics -- including faster operation of the DMD -- together with the increased 300+ Hz speed of the color wheel have virtually eliminated color separation artifacts, enabling projectors based on DLP technology to deliver image quality which is unsurpassed."" For more information about DLP, visit www.dlp.com. For more information about Sharp, visit www.sharp-usa.com.

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