INTRODUCTION

Today, big screen TV`s are more popular than ever, the days of those high priced
projection sets which took up half of your living room with their bulky cabinets and had
screens viewable only in total darkness, with everyone crowded around the centre of the
screen, are gone.

Big screen projection sets basically came in two types :one using cathode ray
tube(CRT) and the other based on liquid crystal display(LCD).The more economical sets
are real projection types in which the CRT or LCD generated images are placed inside a
‘box ‘,reflected off a mirror and projected onto a screen. Another type of projection TV
consists of a CRT or LCD based projector that is mounted on a ceiling or placed on table
and projected onto a wall-mounted screen. These systems allow for large images, but can
suffer from dimness in lower end systems.

A box system is less expensive for the consumers, while the separate projector
screen systems are meant for high end home theater systems in which an entire room is
devoted for viewing films or TV programs.

Although CRT and LCD technologies have improved over the year and the sets
have become more viewable and affordable, the picture contrast is still not up to level of
traditional directview tube TV’s. In last few years,however,plasma screens have entered
the market as an alternative to both projection and tube TV,and although very
expensive,these are making their way into more and more homes.The plasma screens are
flat enough to be well mounted,thus eliminating the need for that ’box’ or separate
projector.

A yet another technology has arrived on the scene that may change the whole big
screen TV concept forever termed as “Digital light processing”(DLP).It is the
revolutionary way to project and display information.Based on the digital micromirror
device(DMD).It creats the final link to display digital visual information.In the same way
as compact disk revolutionize

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 HISTORY

The DLP Products division creates world-class digital technology that empowers leading
electronics manufacturers, scientists, and engineers to innovate.

1977

Texas Instruments scientist Dr. Larry Hornbeck begins exploring how the principles of
reflection can be used to manipulate light.

1987

Dr. Hornbeck develops the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD: an optical

semiconductor capable of steering photons with unparalleled accuracy.

1992

Texas Instruments forms the Digital Imaging Venture Project to explore the commercial
viability of the Digital Micromirror Device.

1994

Prototype projectors are used to publicly demonstrate Digital Light Processing

technology for the first time.

1995

The DLP Products division of TI announces its first customer agreements.

1996

DLP business projectors make their first debut in Japan through PLUS Corporation.

The Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences chooses DLP technology to project
the Oscars.

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1999

The first DLP projector specifically engineered for home theater is shown by
DreamVision.

2000

TI announces agreements with Christie and Barco to manufacture digital cinema

projectors with DLP Cinema technology.

The world's first sub-3-lb. DLP projector is introduced by PLUS Corporation,

demonstrating DLP technology's capability to lead the market in portable projectors.

2002

Samsung announces their first DLP HDTV, priced at $3,999.

HP enters the projector market with DLP technology.

Dell enters the projector market with DLP technology.

2003

DLP Cinema 2K resolution chip is introduced at ShoWest.

RCA introduces a DLP HDTV.

DLP Products receives 2nd Emmy Award for Technology and Engineering in Consumer

2004

DLP becomes number one supplier of microdisplay technology, according to TSR.

InFocus becomes first TI customer to ship 1 million DLP projectors.

2005

HP, Optoma and Radio Shack introduce the first "Instant Theater" projectors,
incorporating sounds system and DVD player with DLP projection into one, consumer-
friendly unit.

The first sub-1-lb.projectors are announced and introduced by Mitsubishi, Toshiba and
Samsung. The "Pocket Projectors" create new category of micro-projection.

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2006

DLP technology achieves greater than 50% market share in the worldwide front
projection market for first time.

TI introduces DLP HDTVs with LED technology.

DLP Cinema projectors surpass 1,000 deployed milestone; 1,200 projectors deployed
worldwide. d the audio industry,DLP is yet to revolutionized video projection.

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CATHODE RAY TUBE:-

• Cathode Ray Tube is basically a “hot-cathode device”. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
is known to be a beam of electron emitted from a heated cathode inside a vacuum
tube and accelerated by a potential difference between the cathode and anode.

• An image is produced by modulating the intensity of the electron beam received

by the video signal.

• . Due to high voltage recruitment it consumes more power and difficult to

maintCRT is still finding a useful device in computer gaming due to the high
refresh factor and higher resolution per initial cost.

• The flicker in the monitor or screen causes headachesain.

LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY:-

• A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is a thin, flat display device made up of many no
of colour or monochrome pixels arrayed in front of a light source or reflector. It
uses very small amount of electric power then other system ,so can be used in any
powered electronics devices.

• Drawbacks of LCD:-

1) Low contrast ratio.

2) Longer responses time then plasma and CRT.

3) In capable of viewing very low resolution images.

• Applications:-

Television screen, LCD projector, monitors

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PLASMA TECHNOLOGY:-

• Plasma technology is different from all other technology, here in each pixels a
source is of light is produced.

• The main attraction of plasma screen is the fact they are flat enough to be wall
mounted, thus eliminating the need for that box or separate projector.

• Advantages of Plasma:-

1) Flat enough to be well mounted and eliminating box or separate projector.

2) It provides a viewing image which can view from any angle with in 160
degree.

3) No magnetic disturbances.

4) Multimedia flexibility.

• Disadvantages:-

More expansive then CRT & LCD.

DIGITAL MICROMIRROR DEVICE(DMD)

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 • A Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) is simply a semiconductor switch.

• A DMD chip has on its surface several thousand of microscopic mirrors arranged
in a rectangular array which correspond to the pixels in the image to be displayed.

• The mirror is made up of aluminum and around 16 micrometer across.

• Each one is mounted on a yoke which in turn is connected to two support posts by
compliant torsion hinges. The hinges can’t be damaged by normal shock or
vibration, since it is absorbed by DMD super structure.

• The advantages of this are more accurate timing and more filmic moving image.

• The advantages of this are more accurate timing and more filmic moving image.

• Applications:-

Television and HDTVs

Holographic versatile discs.

Head mounted displays.

ORIGIN OF DLP:-

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 • First DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) was invented by Larry Hornbeck in
1987.

• In year 1994 Texas Instruments demonstrated the DLP (Digital Light Processing)
projector.

DIGITAL LIGHT PROCESSING(DLP)

• Digital light processing (DLP) is a technology used in projector as well as in

video projectors.

• It was invented in Texas instruments in 1987 by Dr. Larry Hornbeck, which

creates the final link to display digital visual information.

WORKING

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• DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) is the cornerstone of DLP (digital light
processing) as CPU is the heart of computers.

• It includes:- 1. A light system

2. A color filter system

3. A cooling system.

4. A projection optics.

• Depending upon the application a DLP will accept either digital or analog signal.
When it receives an analog signal it converts the analog signal into digital form in
DLP’s front end processor

• The signal received goes through DLP video processor and becomes progressive
red, green and blue (RGB) data. Then like other digital devices the progressive
colors are formatted into entire binary bit planes of Data.

DMD PIXEL

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DMD is an optical semiconductor device which enables the modulation of light digitally.

The above figure shows the construction of a single DMD Pixel. The chip is composed of
4 stages. The first one contains the CMOS SRAM memory that will, after removing or
applying the bias voltage (0, 1), move the mirror. The second stage is composed of the
metal address pads and of the landing sites. The third one contains the torsion hinge that
will allow the rotation of the mirror because of its small size and the address electrodes
that effectively make the mirror move. The final stage is the mirror itself and allows the
reflection to be effective.

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As you can see in figure, the mirrors can rotate around a unique axis defined by the
torsion hinges from 10° to –10° whether the electrode on the right side or the one on the
left side is engaged. Each electrode has its controller so that each mirror can be controlled
independently. The DMD chip is a micromirrors matrix. Each micromirror is16 μm
square and there’s a gap of 1 μm between them.

DLP FEATURES:-

• Clarity (by minimizing the gaps between pixels in projector image,DLP projector
system creates a seamless digital picture that’s sharp at any size).

• Brightness (Due to the mirror system, they use light more efficiently).

• Color (eight time greater then analogue projection system.) Reliability (DLP is
totally digital and it’s not susceptible to heat, humidity, vibration and any other
environmental factors).

• Minimum maintenance.

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 • Life span (the DMD is very reliable, no maintain or alignment is required. DLP
lamp can work for 8000Hr.costs around $250 to replace).

SINGLE CHIP DLP PROJECTION

The above image shows the actual processing of light. The light is projected from a light
source. Projected light is then passed through a convex lens to condense the light rays.

It is then passed through a shaping lens to the DMD chip. Each pixel in DMD is
addressed with the proper instructions with digital signals. When a digital signal enters
the DLP it activates the tiny electrode beneath the DMD mirror. The mirrors either tilt
towards light source or away from the light source. When a mirror is tilted towards light
source it reflects the light falling on it creating a bright pixel. And the mirror tilted away
from the light source creates a dark space corresponding to its area. Each DMD mirror

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can switch on and off thousands of times per second. Varying the time of on and off, the
mirror reflects different shades of gray. A single DMD chip can reflect 1024 shades of
gray creating a highly detailed grayscale image.

The next step in Digital Light Processing is to convert this

grayscale image into a colored image. The monochrome light is converted in to color by
adding a color wheel. This wheel is placed between condensing lens and shaping lens.
The wheel spins at a high rate and cause Red, Green and Blue colors to fall on the DMD
chip. The colored light falling on the DMD is then processed and projected on the screen
creating a high resolution picture. A single chip DLP system can produce up to 16 million
colors coordinating with the color wheel. These wheels are referred to as 2x, 3x or 4x
wheels. For example, a six segment wheel (RGBRGB) rotating at two revolutions per
frame would be a 4x wheel.

The auxiliary circuit of DLP system consists of a processor and a

memory unit. The processor processes the image and calculates which mirror is to be
kept on or off.

In this image only yellow part is the output of the DLP. The blue squares should be kept
off so as to see the image “C” clearly. So the processor calculates that the micromirrors
corresponding to yellow pixels should be kept tilted towards light source when yellow

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light is falling on them through the colored wheel. And other mirrors should be tilted
away from the light source.The memory unit is used to store the processed information so
as to avoid the lagging of the images due processing time.

CLOSE VIEW OF DLP CHIP

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 3 CHIP DLP PROJECTION

A 3 chip DLP Projection system is shown in above figure. In movie theaters 3 chip
projection system is used. In 3 chip DLP system white light from the light source is

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passed through a Prism. This prism divides the white light in to the three primary colors
that are Red, Green, and Blue. Each DLP chip is dedicated for these three primary colors.
Then these three individual lights are processed in different DLP chips. The colored
lights are processed same as in single DLP chip system. Then these processed lights are
combined in a projection lens and are projected on the screen. Together they create a
High Definition Video. Three chip DLP systems give more resolution than single chip
DLP system. Single chip DLP system can create up to 16 million colors whereas three
chip DLP systems can create up to 35 Trillion colors for the ultimate movie experience.

From home systems to the movie theaters DLP Technology is setting new standards in
light projection systems.

PRODUCTION OF COLORS

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The colors are produced in DLP Technology using basic principals of mixing of colors.
In normal practice also we create a color by mixing two different colors; the same
principal is used here. The concept of color production is described by following
examples.

Production of yellow color –

As we can see in above image yellow color is created by mixing green and red colors.
The corresponding mirrors are tilted towards the light source when green and red light is
falling on the mirrors. These lights are reflected by the mirrors towards the projection
lens. The projection lens project the two different lights separately, our eyes then
combine these primary lights to produce yellow color light. Similarly by changing the
time of on and off of the mirrors different shades of yellow color are created.

Production of white color-

As explained above every color can be produced. White color which is one of the major
colors is created by mixing all three basic colors. Unlike other color and shades white
color requires mixing of all three basic colors which are Red, Green and Blue. Even
different shades of white color can be created. Similarly 35 trillion colors can be created
using this technology.

Co-Ordination of Color wheel and Mirrors-

To produce yellow color only green and red colors are mixed, so the third basic color
which is blue should not fall on the mirror at the time of production of yellow color. So
when blue color is getting produced by the color wheel corresponding mirrors are tilted

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away from the light. Due to such synchronization of mirrors and color wheel only red and
green color falls on the mirror and they get reflected producing yellow light.

CINEMA IN DLP:-

• The DLP projector has the refresh rate double as the analog system. Films are
recorded at 24Hz, which is sufficient to achieve the effect of motion but it has
flickers. To avoid this DLP projector has 48Hz refresh rate, hence greatly
mitigates flickers.

• DLP cinema projection technology allows us to display images at any

frame rate. This is done using the control versatility of DMD, which allows
independent control of every bit. Thus human eye can’t judge the flickers.

DLP VS LCD

 DLP has much higher pixels then LCD called “fill factor”. Due to this fill factor
the DLP gives a much good image as original image and it gives a good
resolution to the image.

 DLP produces much smoother image as compared to the LCD system.

 DLP has high contrast ratio and efficient use of light.

Light efficiency of DLP is more then LCD

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 ADVANTAGES

1. Brighter: DLP projectors are among the brightest available because DLP
technology brings more light from lamp to screen, resulting in more effective
presentations –even when ambient light is difficult to control.
2. Sharper : DLP projection`s unique reflective technology comes closest to
producing the exact mirror image of an incoming video or graphic signal
,resulting in projection that’s seemless at any resolution.
3. Versatile : DLP technology allows projectors to be small and light often weighing
as little as 1 kg- making them versatile enough for use in conference
rooms,leaving rooms and class rooms.
4. More Reliable : Display systems using DLP technology are able to recreate their
incoming source material with each projection, ensuring a full-impact projection
experience that will not fade over time.
5. Consistent Picture Quality : It delivers consistent picture quality because, being
all digital it recreates its image source everytime of use.The semiconductors that
make DLP projection possible is virtually immune to heat, humidity, vibration
and other factors

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 DISADVANTAGES

1: The rainbow effect: The use of a spinning color wheel to modulate the image has the
potential to produce a unique visible artifact on the screen that is referred to as the
‘Rainbow effect’, which is colors separating out in distinct red, green and blue. Basically,
at any given instant in time, the image on the screen is either red, or green or blue, and
the technology relies upon eyes not being able to detect the rapid changes from one to the
other. Not only can someone see the colors, break out, but the rapid sequencing of color
is thought to be the culprit in reported cases of eye strain and headaches. only one-chip
DLP TVs are susceptible to Rainbow Effect.

LCD projectors deliver a constant red, green and blue image simultaneously,
viewers of LCD projectors do not report these problems.Texas instruments and the
vendors who build projectors using DLP technology have made strides in addressing this
problem. The doubling of the refresh rate reduced the margin of error, and so reduced or
eliminated the visibility of rainbow for many people. DLP projectors incorporate a six
segment color wheel which has two sequences of red, green and blue. This further
doubling of the refresh rate has again reduced the number of people who can detect them.
Nevertheless, it remains a problem for a number of viewers even today.

2: Just as with LCD, each DLP chip has a finite number of pixels.

3: Just as in LCD projectors, the light source must be changed every 1,000 to 2,000 hours

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 APPLICATIONS

1: DLP cinema: Texas instrument`s solution to digital cinema is called DLP cinema.
Film based projection technology has its limitations, including the inability to provide
live content to the audience; inconvenient updation of previews and advertisements;
difficulties with simultaneous release; inexorable deterioration of the film with repeated
screenings; also film is recorded at 24 Hz, which is sufficient to achieve the effect of
motion but is well within the flicker sensitivity of the human visual system(HVS).DLP
cinema allows us to display images at any frame rate, we can match the 48Hz refresh rate
of film projectors. This is done using the DMD. The result is an overall image signal that
is beyond the HVS temporal sensitivity curve, resulting in removal of flicker. DLP
cinema gives solid and stable appearance that standard film projection does not provide.

2: DLP TVs: DLP TV will perform exceedingly well under most ambient light
conditions. DLPs can achieve deeper, more realistic shadows and blacks than other fixed-
pixel display technologies because DLPs create blacks by reflecting light away from the
screen. And you don't have to worry about eyestrain, since DLP TVs don't flicker the way
old-fashioned TVs do. The picture is also smooth , colorful, and impeccably realistic.
Because of the high speed with which the micromirrors on a DMD switch on and off--
approximately 50,000 times per second--DLPs display moving images with ease and
virtually no motion artifacts or image streaking. Which means that DLP TVs are well
suited for gaming DLP TVs deliver strikingly clear, non- pixelated images with perfect
geometry. You can watch your new DLP TV right out of the box because the tuner is

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built-in. These displays are multi-functional and extremely long-lived. This could literally
be the last television you'll ever buy!

3: DLP projector: The fastest growing type of video projector in use today is the DLP.
Like LCD, the actual image is displayed on a chip, however, the chip used in a DLP
projector is different. The chip in a DLP projector is referred to as a DMD.DLP projector
include excellent color accuracy, no "screen door" effect(as with LCD), due to its micro-
mirror construction, compactness, low power consumption, and high contrast and
brightness (although typically not as bright as LCD types but much "smoother" looking).

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 CONCLUSION

DLP projectors for business applications (conference rooms) are available in the
market. DLP projection system prototypes for professional (high brightness) applications
have been demonstrated at up to 3000 lumen brightness for SVGA resolution. With
anticipated improvements in short arc xenon lamp technology, it is expected that
brightness levels in excess of 10000 lumens should be achievable in DLP products of the
further approach HDTV standards.

DLP is rapidly becoming a major player in the rear projection TV market, with
sales of two million systems. Over 70 manufacturers offered models during the year
2006, up from 45 the previous year. DLP was the top selling 1080p HDTV technology
through November 2006 as well as the leading micro display projection technology with
43 per cent of the market share.

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 REFERENCES

1: 4 styles of HDTV. CNET.com (March 13, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-13.

2: CBS Field Sequential Color System. Novia Internetworking (1997). Retrieved on

2007-08-13.

3: HDTVs and Video Game Lag: The Problem and the Solution.AVS Forum (July 11,
2005). Retrieved on 2007-08-13.

4: DLPTVReview.com.

5: The free:www.encyclopedia.mht

6: www.DLP.com

7: Electronics for you magazine of July 2007 , also www.efymag.com

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 ACKNOWLEGEMENT.

I am glad to submit the report entitled “Digital Light Processing”.

I express my sincere thanks to my guide Prof .V.K.Kadam for the invaluable guidance
which has immensely helped me in preparing and submitting this report .His vast
knowledge in the field has been a boon to me for gathering the technical information on
the subject as well as understanding the subject basics.

I also would like to extend my thinks to the staff of our ELECTRONICS

DRPARTMENT for the co-operation and the support given to me throughout the
semester. This has helped to me to complete this report in time and also has helped me to
enjoy the presentation of this report.

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