Brillian Gen II Three Panel LCoS RPTV - Page 9

Reviews of the Brillian 1080p amd 720p.

http://www.forbes.com/investmentnews...rtner=yahootix

From Forbes:

A Brilliant Spot In A Dim Market
David Mentley, 10.20.05, 10:30 AM ET

Shares of Brillian closed Wednesday at $5.71, up almost 18% as investors took notice of the revenue and earnings potential of the recent combination of Syntax and Brillian.

Brillian (nasdaq: BRLC - news - people ) was an undercapitalized, undervalued LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) TV-maker based in Tempe, Ariz. that languished around $1.50 a share six months ago. I added it to the "Core Display" portfolio in Mentley's Display Technology Investor at $1.55 in the May 2005 inaugural issue--and I'm certainly glad I did.

Two months ago, Brillian merged with Syntax, a Taiwan-based maker and seller of flat-panel and digital TVs with about $57 million in calendar-year 2004 revenue, growing to $167 million in 2005 with net profits of $7 million, according to C.E. Unterberg Towbin in a recent S-4 filing. These numbers are without Brillian's LCOS TV and light engine sales added in.

Brillian has been running at a rate of about $3.5 million in revenue for the year, without a full blown marketing effort as of yet. This will start to change in early 2006. Brillian's products have been on display at trade shows for the past 18 months and have received top marks from videophiles and casual observers alike. With limited funds, Brillian chose to market to the high-end of the market, but with the Syntax merger, we have already seen price drops and can expect more in the future. They will need to keep moving and move fast.

To be sure, Brillian's LCOS offering is one of the more promising offerings in display technology today, but they do have competition. Sony (nyse: SNE - news - people ) has its premium-priced LCOS Qualia line squared off against Brillian. JVC's LCOS products rate right up there with Brillian. And of course, the DLP rear-projection digital TVs from companies like Samsung and Mitsubishi (other-otc: MSBHF - news - people ) look especially good, now that they have full 1080-line resolution. Brillian, however, is up to the challenge. The company has spent tens of millions of dollars on product development over the past five years or so and finally has all the pieces in place to go to market.

The Syntax merger is expected to be finalized in late November 2005, at which time Syntax shareholders will receive 1.55 shares of BRLC and Brillian shareholders will maintain their shares. One possible reason for the flurry of recent interest in the Brillian story is that last week's S-4 amendment made investors suddenly realize several things: that the merger is really going to happen; the company is undervalued compared to competitors in the market; the merger may well provide benefits to the new entity in terms of manufacturing and capital; and the rise is squeezing some short sellers into rustling up some shares.

So far, it appears that the activity is mostly retail trading and few, if any, institutional buyers have bought in yet. If and when that happens there will be another bump up in value.

I think they also sell LCoS chips to other manufacturers.

Brillian to Showcase 65-Inch Gen II LCoS(TM) 1080P HDTV at Upcoming Electronic House Expo (EHX) 2005 Conference

TEMPE, AZ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 11/07/2005 -- Brillian Corporation (NASDAQ: BRLC) will showcase its new six-megapixel, 1080p Gen II liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) HDTV at the upcoming EHX 2005 Conference, November 9 - 11, 2005 at the Anaheim Convention Center and Marriott Hotel in Anaheim, California. Brillian HDTVs will be featured in the Syntax booth, #818, where prospective Custom Electronics Dealers can preview the product and sign-on to become Brillian authorized resellers. Brillian and Syntax signed a definitive merger agreement in July 2005.

Brillian's 6580iFB six-megapixel 1080p HDTV and Media Server video platform, the third in its family of UltraContrast HDTVs, provides on-screen contrast -- up to 4000:1 -- and highest fidelity images available today in an LCOS rear-projection TV intended for the home theater market. With its true six-megapixel light engine, 12-bit-per-color channel grayscale performance, professional-grade video processing, and custom calibration software, it was engineered specifically for custom home theater and ProAV applications.

Many years from now (hopefully) you can donate it to the Smithsonian because of its uniqueness!

Brillian Corp. Reports Third Quarter Results

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2005--Brillian Corp. (Nasdaq: BRLC), a designer and developer of rear-projection, high-definition televisions based on its proprietary liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS(TM)) microdisplays, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2005.

For the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2005, Brillian reported revenue of $659,000, down 10% from the year-ago quarter. Year-to-date revenue was $2.5 million, up 8% from the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2004. Net loss for the quarter was $9.6 million compared with a net loss of $6.3 million in the third quarter of 2004. Net loss for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2005 was $22.0 million compared with a net loss of $16.6 million for the comparable period of 2004. Net loss per share was $1.30 for the third quarter of 2005 compared with $0.91 for the third quarter of 2004. Year-to-date net loss per share was $3.10 compared with $2.69 for the comparable period of 2004.

Results for the third quarter of 2005 include inventory write-offs of approximately $870,000 in order to reduce inventory carrying amounts to the lower of cost or market, stock-based compensation charges of approximately $353,000 pursuant to SFAS No. 123(R), non-cash interest expense, consisting of amortization of debt discount and offering costs, of approximately $1.3 million, and a loss on investment in startup company of $1.1 million.

Brillian ended the quarter with cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments of $2.4 million, working capital of $4.9 million, stockholders' equity of $7.5 million, and $4.4 million of debt. At Sept. 30, 2005, Brillian also had $2.0 million of remaining availability under its loan agreement with Syntax Groups Corp.

"This is an exciting time for Brillian, our employees, and our stockholders. As we look forward to the stockholder meeting on Nov. 29, and completion of the merger with Syntax, we remain focused on production of our new light engine as well as our 1080p HDTVs," said Vincent F. Sollitto Jr., president and CEO of Brillian.

Separately, Syntax Groups Corp., one of the fastest growing manufacturers of TFT-LCD TVs in North America, today announced financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, 2005.

For the first quarter of fiscal 2006 ended Sept. 30, 2005, Syntax announced revenue of $27.4 million compared with revenue of $9.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, an increase of 183%. Gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 was $5.6 million, or 20% of revenue, compared with $1.2 million, or 12% of revenue, for the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Net loss totaled $658,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared with a net loss of $192,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Included in the net loss for the first fiscal quarter of 2006 was non-cash compensation expense of $2.2 million related to stock options granted and vested during the quarter.

Business Outlook

Brillian's efforts in the fourth quarter are centered around closing the planned merger with Syntax Groups Corp. Both Syntax and Brillian have shareholder meetings scheduled for Nov. 29, 2005, to vote on the proposed merger. Assuming both shareholder groups approve the merger, Brillian anticipates that closing can occur shortly thereafter. Upon closing of the merger, Brillian will change its name to Syntax-Brillian Corp. and will adopt Syntax's June 30 fiscal year-end. For accounting purposes, the merger will be considered a reverse acquisition application of the purchase method of accounting under which Syntax is considered to be acquiring Brillian. Accordingly, the historical financial statements of Syntax will become the historical financial statements of the combined company.

Assuming the proposed merger is approved and closes on or about Nov. 30, 2005, only one month of Brillian operations will be included in the combined financial results of Syntax-Brillian Corp. Based on this assumption, Brillian's current outlook for Syntax-Brillian for the three months ending Dec. 31, 2005, is for a range of revenue from $55 to $65 million and operating income ranging from a negative $700,000 to a positive $1.7 million.

Brillian Includes ISF Calibration With 720p and 1080p HDTVs To remedy the calibration issue and guarantee that the best image (November 21, 2005)

Brillian Corporation announced that calibration from Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) professionals will be included with each of its 720p and 1080p HDTVs purchased. Brillian is the first liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) HDTV manufacturer to offer free ISF calibration to HDTV buyers.

One of the key end user complaints about today's HDTVs is that the picture quality of their new HDTV is not as good in their home as it was in the highly controlled environment of a dealer showroom. This can be caused by a number of factors including variations in video signal quality, a weak link in their video processing chain, or poor calibration to the user's environment.

To remedy the calibration issue and guarantee that the best image is delivered for each environment, Brillian is now including ISF calibration with all 720p and 1080p HDTVs purchased. A professionally certified HDTV calibrator will assess the lighting, room dimensions and user preferences and then calibrate up two inputs on each Brillian HDTV installed. End users simply need to contact Brillian at its toll-free number (1-800-706-0154) or at sales@brilliancorp.com after purchasing their TV to be provided with an ISF calibrator in their area.

Brillian's HDTVs offer industry-leading calibration features to optimize performance for home theater and commercial applications. Gamma, color temperature control, RGB, and gain/offset are modifiable on a per-input basis with password protected access. Both PC Magazine, with its Editor's Choice Award, and Displaymate, with its Best Combination HDTV /Monitor Product award, have recognized Brillian HDTVs for their overall picture quality and ability to be fine-tuned for specific environments.

The ISF

ISF is the world's largest and most recognized organization of professional video calibrators. In order to receive certification, calibrators undergo rigorous multi-day course work, perform hands-on equipment calibration, successfully pass the certification test, and finally invest in a set of measurement equipment required to perform the work at the installation site.

"In order for the ISF to undertake this commitment, we first evaluate whether a product is properly designed to ensure that it can meet ISF Qualification standards. The Brillian product line exceeds the features required for ISF calibrators to do their work. Through this bundling of product and service, end users will receive the best possible viewing experience possible enabling their new systems to truly deliver on the promise of HDTV ," said Joel Silver, Founder of the Imaging Science Foundation.

Brillian will leverage the Imaging Science Foundation to provide these sophisticated calibration services for all of its products. The ISF has the resources and knowledge base of a nationwide network of trainers, advisors, and ISF trained calibrators to execute this program.

Syntax-Brillian Confirms LCoS(TM) Collaboration with Taiwan Kolin Company
Thursday December 1, 8:45 am ET
New Customer Relationship Bolsters Syntax-Brillian's Global Reach

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 1, 2005--Syntax-Brillian Corporation (Nasdaq:BRLCD - News; Nasdaq:BRLC - News), a designer and developer of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs, today announced that it is collaborating with Taiwan Kolin Company, Ltd. (Taiwan Stock Exchange 1606), a leading Taiwanese manufacturer of consumer electronic products and one of the earliest marketers of LCOS TVs, on the creation and delivery of new 65-inch LCoS(TM) Kolin HDTVs. This relationship represents a $10 million revenue opportunity for Syntax-Brillian in calendar year 2006.

Kolin has agreed to purchase 10,000 light engines from Syntax-Brillian in 2006 for production of 65-inch LCoS(TM) HDTVs destined for the Chinese and Taiwanese markets and also for distribution in North America by Syntax-Brillian under the Olevia brand.

"We have an excellent partner in Syntax-Brillian," said Kolin's President, Christopher Liu. "As a fellow LCOS pioneer, we're confident that Syntax-Brillian is the leader in delivering superior performance at an attractive price in the RPTV market and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration."

In North America, Syntax-Brillian will provide a broad range of LCoS(TM) platforms, including its high-end 720p and 1080p HDTVs, as well as value-priced Olevia-branded LCoS(TM) HDTVs, based on the collaboration with Kolin.

"With the Syntax-Brillian merger completed yesterday, we're very pleased to announce a great opportunity for Syntax-Brillian to leverage its LCoS(TM) expertise and continue to bring this compelling technology to the global RPTV market," said Vincent Sollitto, CEO of Syntax-Brillian. "Following meetings with our retail channel partners at the January 2006 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, we will determine appropriate volume forecasts of Olevia-branded LCoS(TM) HDTVs for the North American market."

Syntax-Brillian's merger was completed November 30, 2005. The Corporation's stock will trade for approximately the next twenty trading days under the temporary ticker symbol BRLCD, after which it will resume trading under the current ticker, BRLC.

Dec 13, 2005 08:46

Syntax-Brillian Begins Shipping Its 65-Inch 1080p LCoS(TM) HDTV/Media Center Server Display; Latest Platform will be Offered Nationally Through Network of Professional A/V and Custom Home Theater Dealers
TEMPE, ARIZ. --(Business Wire)-- Dec. 13, 2005 Syntax-Brillian Corporation (Nasdaq:BRLCD) (Nasdaq:BRLC), a designer and developer of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs, today announced that it has commenced shipment of its 6580iFB 1080p platform. The six-megapixel, 65-inch diagonal HDTV and Media Center Video Platform provides the highest commercially available native LCoS(TM) display on-screen contrast ratio(1) -- up to 4000:1 -- and the highest fidelity images available today in an LCoS rear-projection TV, including support for full-HDTV resolution 1080p input sources.

The first units of Syntax-Brillian's 6580iFB have commenced shipment to national distributors, including Starin Marketing and Electrograph, and to select regional distributors.

"The momentum behind our high-end LCoS(TM) offerings continues to build," said Vincent Sollitto, CEO of Syntax-Brillian. "Our 720p HDTV monitor recently was named product of the year for 2005 in the HDTV category by PC Magazine, topping a number of other leading brands, and our 1080p platform is generating tremendous interest for home theater, professional audio/video, Media Center server, and other applications where image quality and the highest level of HDTV performance are critical. We're pleased to have commenced shipment of the 6580iFB system and we're excited about its potential."

The Syntax-Brillian 1080p HDTV light engine uses three two-megapixel UltraContrast(TM) Gen II LCoS(TM) microdisplays that meet the highest (1920 x 1080) HDTV format. The 12-bit grayscale rendering delivers unprecedented precision of imaging accuracy. With an exceedingly fast average response time of 4ms, even the fastest sequences are projected without blurring or tearing artifacts. The 6580iFB supports 14 analog and digital inputs including ATSC-terrestrial broadcast tuner and Digital Audio (S/PDIF). It features a 170-degree viewing angle, integration for leading automation control providers, and free ISF Professional Calibration with each set purchased(2).

(1) Without special optical compensation.

(2) Terms apply. Contact Syntax-Brillian for additional details on this program.

I was looking at the Brillian internet site. In their specifications for their new LCoS chips they say the projected lifetime in RPTVs is greater than 20,000 hours. Now 20,00 hours is not bad (about 3 bulbs) but the half life of Plasma displays is over 30,000 hours and the projected lifetime of DLP chips is 100,000 hours. For a sizeable investment such as this 20,000 hours seems a bit short.

http://www.brilliancorp.com/products/projection.html

Ths page has a listing of the Brillian RPTV PDFs:

http://www.brilliancorp.com/products/hdtv.html

PC Magazine Names Syntax-Brillian's 6501m 720p Gen II LCoS(TM) HDTV Product of the Year

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2005--

"... it has the potential to be the perfect home theater centerpiece."


In its annual ranking of the year's best technology products, PC Magazine has named Syntax-Brillian Corporation's (Nasdaq:BRLCD) (Nasdaq:BRLC) Gen II liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS(TM)) 720p HDTV, Product of the Year in the rear-projection HDTV category.

The 65-inch diagonal 6501m received 4.5 of a possible five stars in the annual ranking of the year's best technology innovations. In the December 27 issue, now on newsstands, the review states: "With a three-panel LCoS(TM) light engine at its heart, the 6501m has great views from most angles and an outstanding contrast ratio. Though it's far from a plug-and-play TV, it has the potential to be the perfect home theater centerpiece."

"We are one of the pioneers and strongest proponents of LCoS(TM) technology for rear-projection HDTV," said Dr. Robert Melcher, Syntax-Brillian Chief Technology Officer. "We began shipping the 720p in February and are extremely pleased with the response of both our distributors and the technology reviewers and industry experts who have had a chance to evaluate its performance relative to other top brands in the RPTV category."

In another recent review of the Syntax-Brillian 6501m, Dr. Raymond Soneira, President of DisplayMate Technologies Corp. said, "Brillian produces the very finest 720p HDTVs available at any price and these same HDTVs make outstanding large screen living room computer monitors for surfing the web, digital photography, even fine detail work like spread sheets and word processing. It's the Holy Grail of convergence and we've awarded Brillian a special Five-Star DisplayMate Best Video Hardware Award and Trophy for this impressive achievement."

The 6501m HDTV monitor, based on Syntax-Brillian's proprietary Gen II LCoS(TM) microdisplay technology, features a three-megapixel light engine and a contrast ratio of up to 2000:1. The HDTV features exceptional grayscale performance, deep black levels, high brightness, a 170-degree viewing angle, an ultra-fine-pitch 16:9 widescreen, artifact-free full-motion video, outstanding audio performance, and an upgradeable hardware and software architecture, all in a sleek pedestal-mounted design. It also includes free ISF Professional Calibration with each set purchased.