For Immediate Release:

March 21, 2001

 

Development of Ultra-high Resolution (QXGA) Large-screen Projection Technology

JVC takes the lead in commercializing QXGA

Victor Company of Japan, Limited. (JVC) is pleased to announce the successful development of elemental technology for QXGA large-screen projection systems. QXGA is the highest level of projection resolution in the world, and JVC with D-ILA reflective liquid crystal technology is the first in the world to achieve it. The new QXGA development represents a continuing stage in the evolution of JVC's large-screen systems and will be available commercially within the year.

JVC QXGA D-ILA technology takes advantage of an innovative, original signal processing technology (using a new digital platform and high precision optical engine) developed by JVC from its large-screen projection technologies, an area in which the company has been a leader for many years. It also uses a new 3.2 million pixel "QXGA" *1 resolution D-ILA device that was developed in July 2000. The device boasts the highest resolution in the world for "LCOS" *2 reflective liquid crystal panels, an awaited technology for the next generation of projectors.

QXGA has sufficient resolution to display full-quality, full-spec HDTV *3. It provides for precision graphic display in applications like design, research, simulation and health care. To meet the needs for high resolution "e-cinema" displays, the next generations of film screening technologies will also draw on the film-like properties of D-ILA *4; high contrast, vivid and smooth movement, finely graded gray scales and pure colors, and more.

D-ILA technologies will be the focal point for even further development in the high-resolution projection area, a field in which JVC's strong reputation is second to none.

JVC will follow up on this announcement with technology demonstrations at the CeBIT show starting March 22 in Germany and the INFOCOMM show starting June 13 in United States.

JVC plans to commercialize the technology by the end of the year. At that time JVC will make D-ILA devices and finished projectors available for sale around the world.

Background Information

The broadcast media are preparing the spread of digital HDTV as the twenty-first century begins. Package media are also moving to such high-resolution formats as DVD and D-VHS. The spread of broadband Internet infrastructure, distribution and high-performance personal computers, workstations will make it possible to transmit high-resolution video over the networks as well. Finally, new efforts will utilize satellite technology to transmit live feeds and cinematic offerings, and create new demand for a "digital cinema." Virtually every form of media is quickly moving to digital, and large amounts of high-quality digital content are becoming available. High-resolution, large-screen systems are already becoming the norm in the twenty-first century.

JVC is meeting this demand by improving its renowned D-ILA technology to develop QXGA devices and a new technology for other large-screen projectors.

Main Features

1. New QXGA/D-ILA device (7 patents pending)

This device was developed for projectors from JVC's original D-ILA technology. It is the first QXGA (2048 x 1536) 3.2 million-pixel resolution device in the world, offering more than double the resolution of conventional SXGA (1365 x 1024) D-ILA at 1.4 million pixels.

The technology makes it possible to display full specification, real-resolution high-definition (1920 x 1080 pixels), something impossible before. The technology will find applications in ultra-high resolution computer graphics and computer-aided design systems.

2. New digital platform (6 patents pending)

JVC has developed a new digital platform consisting of a "Card Input Interface" *5 compatible with a variety of formats, a "New DPC Circuit" *6 to convert formats, and a "dedicated device driver LSI" *7 to drive the QXGA device. LVDS is used to connect boards.

This configuration enables 10 bit digital input and uses digital signal processing all the way from input to device drive, so there is no degradation of the picture and a high-resolution, film-like quality is maintained.

3. High precision optical system (35 patents pending)

JVC has developed a 1.3-inch size high precision optical system that improves device heat emissions while achieving high degrees of brightness and a contrast of 1000:1.

 

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 Click here for a technical presentation (slides & speaker's notes) on JVC's QXGA technology.

Reference Materials

Explanation of Terms

  1. QXGA: 2048 x 1536 pixels (3,143,728 pixels)

  2. LCOS: Liquid Crystal On Silicon

  3. HDTV: High-Definition Television

  4. Film-like properties: A general description of picture quality, including smoothed resolutions without pixel outlines (absence of an outline for each pixel), excellent signal to noise ratios, high-speed processing for vivid video performance and high contrast (see announcement), and fine levels of gradation for gray scales and dark areas.

  5. Card input interface: A card slot compatible with different input signals. Options include a 10 bit analogue to digital converter for analogue RGB input, and YPbPr analogue input and HD-SDI digital input for HDTV signals. The interface utilizes I/P conversion to automatically transform scanning of signals ranging from 1080/24p to 1080/60i to progressive flicker-free high-resolution display.

  6. New DPC circuit: The new Digital Pixel Conversion circuit expands, contracts and positions input image and frame size formats to correspond to the device pixels. JVC has developed a new DPC Circuit that is compatible with signals all the way through QXGA at 10 bit input. This is the first device for which QXGA keystone correction is possible, and it will find easy application in a wide range of areas.

  7. Dedicated device driver LSI: JVC has developed a new dedicated device driver LSI to drive QXGA devices. The LSI is compatible with RGB 10 bit input and has a 420 MHz pixel clock. The LSI has three bitmap tables for correction of screen and image evenness, and three look-up tables for gamma correction. This 12 bit arithmetical processing enables it to display high-resolution pictures. It also contains an FIFO control circuit and a timing circuit to help rationalize peripheral configuration. While conventional 8 bit input achieves 16.77 million colors, 10 bit input achieves more than 1 billion colors, for precise color reproduction and rendition.

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