InfoComm is in full swing down in Vegas, and Texas Instruments isn't wasting any time showcasing its latest gear. First up is a prototype 1080p beamer hailed as the industry's first with a lamp-free design. Said unit also utilizes a PhlatLight LED light source and a BrilliantColor chipset, and if TI is to be believed, certain vendors will be shipping wares based on this stuff later this year. Moving on, we're being (re)treated to the planet's "first" 3D front projector (also known as the F10 AS3D), designed in cooperation with projectiondesign. Hidden beneath the big boys is the DLP Pico chipset for mobile applications, which will unsurprisingly pop up in pico projectors from companies like Optoma in late 2008 (Europe and Asia) / 2009 (the rest of us). Peek the full release after the break.

Aw yeah, those svelte Sony XBRs that were leaked back in mid-April have just been confirmed by Sony, and it's going to be a long, sweaty summer waiting for the whole load to land this fall. Kicking things off is the XBR8 series, headed by the 55-inch KDL-55XBR8 and 46-inch KDL-46XBR8 models, which incorporate the outfit's TRILUMINOS three-color LED backlight technology, 10-bit processing, BRAVIA Engine 2, Motionflow 120Hz and Advanced Contrast Enhancer PRO. The 70-inch KDL-70XBR7 and 40-inch KDL-40XBR7 headline the XBR7 lineup, while the XBR6 features sets range from 32- to 52-inches in size. All the gritty details are waiting below -- if you feel like waiting 'til tomorrow for Sony's glacially slow servers to load, that is.

Today, Samsung is the only TV maker with sets containing Luminus Devices' PhlatLight, but according to a new report detailing the technology, that could be a-changin'. We heard that this stuff was taking home some fancy award earlier this year, but now we're getting a real in-depth look at what all it can do to make our lives better. Aside from having the potential to last the entire lifetime of the TV (over 60,000 hours) and "deliver a consistent picture without fading," PhlatLight essentially "combines the benefits of both LED and laser technologies." There's plenty more on the technicalities waiting in the read link below, but those focused on end products will be delighted to know that this system is slated to arrive in front projectors and pocket projectors in the not-too-distant future.

Honlai may not be a household name just yet, but if it can up the resolution on its minuscule projectors just a hair, there stands a decent chance for it to become one. Details are pretty scarce right now, but we do know that the MP100 LED mini-projector utilizes LCoS micro-projection technology and can throw up a 640 x 480 image between 5- and 37-inches. We're also hearing that it packs a modest 200:1 contrast ratio and a lamp good for some 20,000 hours of use. Not a peep on pricing / availability, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more on either.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Just like a George Orwell flick gone awry, OMDM's movable E-K50 II LED display is downright frightening. The gargantuan display is basically one with a car, and it comes complete with built-in speakers to really get the message across. We can hear it now: "Please deposit your mobile communication devices here, telepathy is the new unlimited plan." Yikes.

Samsung's stream of 82-inch monsters packing the company's latest technology continues unabated, this time a minor update to the QuadHD behemoth we saw at CES brings so-outdated 120Hz motion processing and LED backlighting to keep blur and judder far, far away. We know what you're thinking, its 3840x2160 resolution is no good unless you can write on it, luckily Samsung also has an 82-inch ultra high definition e-Board in its SID 2008 booth. OLED fans take heart, Samsung has reached economies of scale, hopefully meaning reasonably priced (and longer lasting) thin screens are due sooner instead of later. The Korea Times notes LG's at the show as well, showcasing LCD roll-printing technology to replace the photolithography process that currently births the flat panels on our walls, but we simply can't be bothered with a company that's only the number two LCD manufacturer in the world.

[Via TV Snob]

AUO's back again, displaying what new flat panel technologies are trickling down to its OEM televisions, and soon to hit shelves in more reasonably-priced models (albeit wearing another company's name) near you. Hitachi and others are at the forefront of the thinner, lower powered LCD movement, and AUO promises an "ultra-slim" 10mm thick 42-inch LED backlit model next week at SID 2008. The new technology gives power savings of 44% over current models, as well as a 46-inch display with 50% power savings, 500 nits of brightness and 5,000:1 "ultra static high contrast ratio". While we'll wait to find out how that compares to other HDTVs with questionable claims to high contrast rations, the company also plans to show technology that provides 200,000:1 contrast ratio with LEDs. Besides just using less power, we can look forward to LCDs built with using less raw materials and resulting in less chemical waste, which due to our extensive comic book research, we can unequivocally say is a good thing.

No doubt, emissive displays like plasma and OLED get lots of oohs and ahs, but for right now, LCD dominates the market. With plasma moving to the niches and OLED still on the horizon, we're happy to see that innovation in LCD performance keeps on coming. No doubt the biggest innovation we saw last year was the introduction of LED backlighting. Fashion being what it is, though, Luminus Devices' PhlatLight technology -- which puts LEDs along the display edges as opposed to directly behind the panel -- makes it possible bring LED backlighting to increasingly thin cabinets. Personally, we'd go for a slightly thicker display to get HDR capability from our LEDs; but we're on the fringe like that. For its contribution to making thin, evenly backlit, energy efficient LCDs, Luminus will be given the Society of Information Display's Gold Award next week alongside two other gadgets familiar around these parts: the Apple iPhone and Sony XEL-1.

Well, would you take a look at that. Right on cue, Dolby and SIM2 are collaboratively showcasing a 46-inch 1080p display built around the former firm's high dynamic range technology. The HDR-enabled LCD HDTV boasts 1,836 LED-based backlight units (designed / developed by SIM2), a full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, brightness level greater than 4,000 cd/m2, an "infinite" contrast ratio, 16-bits of luminance and a Xilinx Virtex field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) chipset. Additionally, the prototype employs a design created by Giorgio Revoldini, and while we can't imagine hearing of a release date anytime soon, the two firms aren't wasting any time putting the new set on a world tour to presumably wow onlookers. Hey SED, you taking notes here?

As if you didn't have enough display technologies to wrap your noggin around, here comes yet another dark horse around turn three. Reportedly, researchers in California have "developed a hybrid light that is cheaper, longer lasting, more energy efficient and is as bright as traditional light emitting diodes (LEDs)." Interestingly enough, the resulting light actually blends the aforementioned LED technology with newer light emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) in order to create a hybrid light that would play nice in flat-panel HDTVs. LECs by their lonesome have experienced lifetime issues in the past, but the new combination seems to nix that quirk altogether. Not surprisingly, there's no word on when this discovery could actually find its way into the commercial display realm, but here's to hoping it fares slightly better than the ill-fated SED.

[Thanks, bitguru]

Simmer down -- it's not like you haven't seen advancements in blue laser technology before, and even though the current format war may still be raging when either's successor rolls into town, Kaai and Soraa are already looking to the future. Reportedly, Khosla Ventures has invested in both of the aforementioned firms, and while company representatives aren't disclosing much at the moment, we do know that the duo is exploring ways to "exploit gallium nitride, which is also the basis for existing blue LEDs and blue lasers." Apparently, they'd like to concoct suitable replacements for conventional LEDs in the lighting market and make a showing in the optical data storage arena, too. But seriously, with 200GB Blu-ray discs, who needs to worry about the next best thing?

[Image courtesy of DigitalHomeMag]

In yet another example of a weak product just totally enhanced by an iPod dock, Geniesys Technologies has announced a tiny 2.6-pound LED projector that rocks a whopping 8-watt bulb, a 480x240 resolution, and the ubiquitous dock for your 'Pod powered by 1-watt speakers. At least the OptiMax i can run for 50,000 hours on one bulb, has a wireless remote, and, of course, sweet iPod dockage, so hold onto your wallet until April when it can be yours for only $299.

Believe it or not, ViewSonic actually is nearly done with its CES outpouring, but if you're somehow able to stomach more, the 22-inch VLED221wm LED display is fairly impressive. Hailed as the first LED display to rock a 12,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, this thing is also able to display 118-percent of the NTSC color gamut. Furthermore, you'll find a five-millisecond response time, a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution and a Windows Vista certification that's practically meaningless. Right down your alley? Check it out next month for $799.

DLP is finding new life with the latest advances in illumination technology. We've already seen LED backlights, and now the technology is taking a page from the LCD world. Say "hello" to 240Hz display mode DLPs, with a 100% increase in motion reproduction -- diminishing returns for Hz increases, indeed. Working with LED manufacturer Luminous has produced contrast ratios of 500,000:1. But the ride doesn't stop there, as demonstrated by Mitsubishi's laser HDTV with a DLP heart. We'll be checking that one out, so stay tuned for the details.

While the rest of the world seems to be bailing on RPTVs, Samsung is using CES to showcase a pair of all new DLP rear-projection sets. Up to bat first is the 61- / 67-inch HL67A750A, and here's a look at what it's packing:

• Next-generation LED light engine: no color wheel, longer set life (30,000 hours)
• Full HD 1080p resolution and 10,000:1 contrast ratio
  
• 3D Ready integration with 3D accessory kit (sold separately)
  
• Four HDMI 1.3 ports with CEC
  
• USB 2.0 socket for PMPs, cameras, etc.
• Single-tuner picture-in-picture (PIP) can display two separate sources without an external tuner

But wait, there's more! Click on through to see it.