OLED-TV|Laser-TV|SED|Display|FED|

Optoelecronics manufacturer Arasor and laser specialist Novalux unveiled a working "laser TV" prototype a modified 52-inch Mitsubishi WD-52627 using Arasor's optical chips and lasers to drive the display.

Compared to LCD or plasma TVs, the benefits of rear-projection laser televisions are twice the colour range reproduction, 75 percent less power usage and half the weight of similar sized sets, according to Novalux CEO Jean-Michel Pelaprat. For the demonstration, 1080p high-definition video was simultaneously played through the prototype laser TV and a 52-inch Samsung plasma, both featuring 1920 by 1080-pixel native resolution displays.

Our impressions of the laser TV were that colours certainly seemed extremely vivid. We did notice some colour bleeding between the red and magenta bars in test patterns during the demonstration and a "Rainbow Effect" similar to some DLP rear-projection units. The colour wheel had been taken out of the prototype TV and that Mitsubishi and other manufacturers will have eliminated this flaw when commercial sets are released. As it is a rear-projection set, the laser TV was much thicker than the Samsung panel, but Novalux expect release units to come down in size to between 10 to 15 cm deep.

"Laser televisions will be in shops in time for Christmas 2007," Pelaprat said, but declined to comment on availability in specific markets.

Laser-TV vs Plasma TV example