JVC extends D-ILA offering

Victor Company of Japan Ltd (JVC) announced that it has extended its D-ILA (Direct-Drive Image Light Amplifier) lineup with the development of a new microdisplay device. The 0.7-inch D-ILA full HD liquid crystal device is smaller than its predecessor 0.8-inch device, yet offers full HD resolution (approximately 2.07 million pixels: 1,920 horizontal X 1,080 vertical).

According to JVC, they plan to release full HD projection televisions in Japan and North America that will use the new device and the company's next generation high-resolution imaging technologies. The 0.7-inch D-ILA full HD device is the same size as JVC's 720p (approximately 920,000 pixels: 1,280 horizontal x 720 vertical) 0.7-inch diagonal D-ILA liquid crystal device. The development of an identically sized device enables JVC to standardize production equipment and manufacturing processes to achieve high quality and reliability, as well as cost savings due to enhanced production efficiency, said the press release.

The latest device also makes use of new pixel surface smoothing technology that delivers high reflectivity to achieve the brightness demanded from devices used in consumer projection televisions. When combined with the high resolution of full HD technology and the high aperture ratio of reflective liquid crystal devices, the technology makes possible the development of high performance projection televisions that offer smooth, exquisite images from screen edge to screen edge.

Despite its compact 0.7-inch diagonal size and full HD capability, the new device delivers a high 89 percent aperture ratio. The microdisplay product also uses reflective pixel flattening technology for the first time to deliver high reflectivity equivalent to JVC's 720p device.

Volume production of the new device will commence this month (August 2005). JVC is also developing the next generation of high-resolution imaging technologies for use in full HD displays.