The Digital Display Technology of the Future



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Introduction

In this information age, we are surrounded by computers,
faxes, modems, pagers, and cellular
telephones. These products all rely on digital technology.
More recent advances have produced digital
cameras, digital camcorders, digital satellite systems
(DSS), and the widely anticipated digital video disk
(DVD) players, which play digital source material
of unprecedented image quality. And of course, who
could forget the Internet, the seemingly endless forum
of digitized information. Before long, digital
VCRs will make their way into the homes of millions
of consumers, offering yet another digital
solution.


Digital Light Processing (DLP)

When we compare DLP to today’s display technologies,
it’s easy to see why DLP has a promising future.
Because the technology is digital, DLP is able to
reproduce life-like color images with precision accuracy.
Seamless picture reproduction, high
brightness, inherent reliability, the ability to show
PC graphics and TV video, and other DLP advantages
are discussed below.


How DLP Works

Texas Instruments DLP display technology digitally
manipulates (or processes) light to produce film-like,
all-digital images. DLP integrates a projection lamp
and an electronic video signal from a source such
as a VCR or computer, and the processed light produces
an all-digital picture.



Reliability

DLP systems have passed a series of environmental
and regulatory tests to simulate thermal shock, temperature
cycling, mechanical shock, vibration,
moisture resistance, and acceleration conditions.
Most reliability concerns are focused on the hinges
that tilt the mirrors from one position to another. To
test reliability, DMDs were subjected to accelerated
life cycle tests simulating approximately 20 years
of use. Inspection of the devices after the testing
showed no broken hinges on any of the devices.
Texas Instruments has completed thousands of hours
of life cycle and environmental testing to conclude
that the DMD and DLP systems are inherently reliable.


Other Display Technologies

In addition to DLP, there are three other primary
display technologies: amorphous silicon (am-Si)
LCD, polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) LCD, and
cathode ray tube (CRT).


Summary
More and more of today’s information is created,
edited, and transmitted in the digital domain. The
majority of existing display technologies are analog
and limit the full potential of digital video. At
present, DLP is the only digital projection solution
available to produce an entirely digital video infrastructure.
As PCs and TVs converge and the digital
HDTV infrastructure begins to take form, DLP offers
consumers the maximum benefit of digital
source material by producing life-like, digitally projected
images of unprecedented picture quality.