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Where are all the DLP projectors?

2K views 41 replies 16 participants last post by  Seegs108 
#1 ·
I see tons of JVC and Sony (LCOS) threads and Epson and Panny (LCD) threads but not many DLP threads. I personally like the look of DLP but man its getting harder to find any projectors that aren't just business or junk models. DLP has lots of strengths like 3D and motion handling but have we hit a rock with little progress at a reasonable price. So I ask anything new of quality that's affordable compared to its counter parts (LCOS or LCD) out there of coming soon?
 
#2 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by curtishd  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24389839


I see tons of JVC and Sony (LCOS) threads and Epson and Panny (LCD) threads but not many DLP threads. I personally like the look of DLP but man its getting harder to find any projectors that aren't just business or junk models. DLP has lots of strengths like 3D and motion handling but have we hit a rock with little progress at a reasonable price. So I ask anything new of quality that's affordable compared to its counter parts (LCOS or LCD) out there of coming soon?

It has been something like 7 years since we have seen a new DLP chip. No advancements is why you do not see much going on with DLP. If you got into this hobby 10 years ago, DLP was king, but not anymore.
 
#4 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Peer  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24390248


DLP is only " King " in high end 3 chip projectors these days - which probably don't fall under your " affordable " or " reasonable " price categories.

True, when it comes to light output, 3-chip DLP is king. Affordable, not to most people.


Anytime you want to give me yours, let me know.


It might actually work in my ambient light challenged family room.
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by b curry  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24391147


Or maybe just buried with a gun in your hand...

That would be no problem. He couldn't pull the trigger.
Maybe he needs a Claymore mine.
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Peer  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24390248


DLP is only " King " in high end 3 chip projectors these days - which probably don't fall under your " affordable " or " reasonable " price categories.

Just curious, but why is the the case? I assume it's just market driven in the "affordable" consumer world where more people are wanting lcos-based technology projectors?
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidHir  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24392243


Just curious, but why is the the case? I assume it's just market driven in the "affordable" consumer world where more people are wanting lcos-based technology projectors?

I think the problem is TI is the only manufacturer of the DLP chip, while you have some many LCD related manufacturers worldwide.


When TI is in trouble, or decided to retreat from this DLP market, it will come to a complete stop.
 
#12 ·
For TI it's a blessing and also a possible curse. As someone else pointed out, it's been close to a decade since TI has actually done any R&D on it's enthusiast .95" DMD. It's great for them that they don't have to take any risk with manufacturing entire projectors and that leaves them with less liability for "losing the game" and less of a chance that they'd end up leaving the market, but if they don't continue to offer companies a viable (annually updated) product that can truly compete in regards to potential image quality then TI is going to find that the companies who've been purchasing their products for many years will go out of business because they simply can't compete with companies like JVC, Sony, and Epson, all of whom, continue to further their own technology on a yearly basis and in many ways offer a superior product because of it. They've already lost Mitsubishi and Sharp. Both bowed out of the home theater segment this past year. How many more will it take for them to realize that DLP is becoming less and less of a viable product that companies will actually want to base a products around? Hopefully they'll realize this and will do something about it when UHD/4K DMDs come out.
 
#13 ·

How does TI view the home cinema market, if it is only a small niche market in comparison to other more lucrative markets why would they bother innovating for it. TI is not getting the market up on the whole projector like JVC, Sony, Epson,  just the market up on the TI chip which I assume is the same per chip regardless of who they sell it to. I would expect TI is more interested in sales of DLP chips than picture quality of home cinema projectors.
 
#14 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark77771  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors/0_50#post_24393063


How does TI view the home cinema market, if it is only a small niche market in comparison to other more lucrative markets why would they bother innovating for it. TI is not getting the market up on the whole projector like JVC, Sony, Epson,  just the market up on the TI chip which I assume is the same per chip regardless of who they sell it to. I would expect TI is more interested in sales of DLP chips than picture quality of home cinema projectors.

If companies can't sell projectors with those chips inside of them, then they are going to stop buying them from TI. TI should have a vested interest in how well their products can perform to the competition. Lately they've only been doing R&D on their smaller .65" DMD. TI realizes the market is better for them in the sub $1500 projector market so that's where they place their R&D. They've basically abandoned the high end market. With Sony and JVC about to devour the 4K market and no official word on a 4K DMD we might see the end of DLP pretty soon when it comes to referring it possessing "reference" picture quality. The gap in performance over the next few years may widen drastically. Only time will tell, but right now they (TI) aren't very interested in the high end market and how it competes with LCoS. I think that's plainly obvious to see.
 
#15 ·

TI might see its future sales  growth in pico projectors in mobile devices. TI has already seen the demise of rear projection displays despite its efforts for example wobulation chips. TI might see little point in trying to fight for the small high end home cinema market if the expected sales don't warrant the effort. TI still seem to have good market share in the bigger market for lower end home cinema and gaming projectors as well as the far bigger market for business projectors, and the smaller market for high lumen exhibition projectors and commercial cinema projectors. 

 

Besides what is the point of innovating in projector design if projector manufactures don't bother to implement the improvements because they would sooner build simpler cheaper projectors aimed at living room use or gaming. How many current DLP home cinema projectors use two cats eye irises one before the DLP chip and one in the lens? DLP is capable of native contrast far higher than most current home cinema projectors produce.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Seegs108  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors#post_24401674


You're talking about a 4K DMD? I've heard about that too, but we need more than just a jump in resolution for it to be truly competitive.
For those who want really big screens with close viewing ratio those 4K DMDs in a 3 chip projector could work well, given the higher light output 3 chip DLPs tend to have. I'm guesing you were referring more to the market on this forum and there I think a large portion of people will agree with you (although there will always be some variation in priorities).


For the Digital Cinema units I believe these 4K DMDs actually have less on/off CR than the 2K DMDs they replace. If that is the case when they hit home theater units it will of course disappoint many people.


--Darin
 
#26 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonHoyaFan  /t/1519108/where-are-all-the-dlp-projectors/0_50#post_24404466


The consumer micro display market died 5 years ago when the RPTV market died. There is not enough $$$ in the extremely small HT projector segment to spend any money on R&D.

That isn't true as there have been several R&D endeavors in the TI DMD word within the past 5 years. Also, I would wager the projector market as a whole sells/sold them more DMDs then the RPTV industry did. Other than Mitusbishi there wasn't any other major player in that sector meanwhile there are literally hundreds of companies trying to share the projector world. You have to remember that DLP is was and is still king when it comes to business, education, and commercial projection, though 3LCD is catching up. It's just the enthusiast .95" DMD that has "died". To my knowledge the enthusiast .95" DC3 and DC4 DMDs weren't used in RPTVs but rather the less performing .65" DMDs.
 
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