Electrohome Ships 1000th 3-Chip Digital Light Processingô (DLPô) Projector, Solidifying Lead In High Brightness Market
NAB Las Vegas, April 21, 1999 - Electrohome Projection System, a leading manufacturer of high-performance projection solutions, announced at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention the shipment of its 1000th projector based on 3-Chip Digital Light Processingô (DLPô) technology, securing the companyís leadership in the high brightness, large venue projection market. ""As Electronic was one of the first vendors to embrace DLP technology, we are extremely pleased that the company has been able to establish itself so quickly within the high-brightness, large venue projection market,"" says Sherel Hosley, Senior Vice President and Manager of Marketing for Texas Instruments Digital Imaging division. ""With more companies advocating the superiority of DLP technology for their rental/staging, electronic cinema and other fixed installation applications, we are delighted that companies like Electrohome have been able to realize the technologyís value so soon after its creation."" What makes Texas Instrumentsí 3-Chip DLP technology so innovative, is its light modulator semiconductor chip, that has an array of 508,800 (SGVA) or 786,432 (XGA) hinged, microscopic mirrors mounted on a standard logic device. These tiny mirrors, known as Digital Micro-mirror Devicesô (DMDsô), operate as optical switches to create stunning high-resolution, full color, digital images. Electrohome is known within the industry for its visionary thinking, and announced its adoption of DLP technology for 3-chip digital projectors with the launch of its Vista line of projectors at INFOCOMM ë96. Since that time, Electrohome has launched eight projectors in the Vista family including its VistaGRAPHX 7000 Roadie. The Roadie, in less than one year, has redefined the standard for high performance Rental/Staging projectors and judging by the number of units sold, is now the worldís favorite Rental/Staging projector. With the shipment of its 1000th unit, Electrohome claims it represent approximately 30 percent of the market share of this segment. ""Itís a great testament to Electrohome, as well as Texas Instruments that this technology has been embraced so quickly,"" says Alan Caskey, Vice President, Sales, Electrohome Ltd. ""As the digital projection market continues to expand, we are confident that our leadership position will be strengthened as more and more companies use DLP technology in product planning and development."" Electrohome and Texas Instruments announced an official technology alliance in June 1995. Sine that time, Electrohome has adopted 3-chip DLP technology to develop products of high performance to meet the needs of professional, high-end, large audience projection displays. Electrohome was a believer in the technology from its inception, seeing its potential to become the leading tool used in high-brightness projection systems. Electrohome was also the first company to announce production plan for 3-chip DLP professional projection systems. At INFOCOMM ë96, Electrohome launched the worldís first professional market SVGA projection system: the VistProô. Introduced in the fall of 1997, the VistaPro 2000 SVFA model featured 2000 ANSI lumens, at NAB ë98, an entirely new light engine was introduced as the VistaGRAPHX 2500. This model compressed the XGA panel with 786,432 DMDs into an area the size of a thumbnail, making it the worldís only XGA, 3-chip DLP projector operating at 110-volt power. The VistaGRAPHX Roadie was then introduced at INFOCOMM ë98 as the worldís first purpose-built projector for the Rental/Staging market. In keeping with the companyís quality-driven mission to create the worldís best high performance projection solutions, Electrohome says it will continue to adapt Texas Instrumentsí optical light engines and create solutions for a digital-ready world. Today, Texas Instruments supplies DLP subsystems to more than 25 of the worldís top projector manufacturers, who then design manufacturer and market DLP-based projectors. Over the past three years, DLP-based projectors have consistently won some to he audiovisual industryís most prestigious awards, including an Emmy Award from the American Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. There are now in excess of 50 DLP-based products on the market ranging from portable desktop models to high-performance Rental/Staging models. About Electrohome Established in 1979 and headquartered in Kichener, Ontario, Canada, Electrohome Projection Systems represents the Visual Communications Division of Electrohome Limited, founded in 1907, Electrohome Limited supplies the high-performance projection solutions in visual communications to customers around the world, specializing in large-screen video/data/graphic projection market. For more information contact Electrohome at 519 744 7111.