Tokyo – Facing the rapid growth of big-screen LCD and plasma TVs, four leading Japanese companies deeply invested in the production of micro-device display-based projection TV systems and technologies announced the formation of the Micro Device Display Consortium (MDDPC) to publicize and promote the features and benefits of digital projection TV products.
The founding members of the MDDPC include Texas Instruments’ Japanese company, which markets DLP micro-devices; Arisawa Manufacturing, which is a maker of Fresnel lenses for projection TV systems; Seiko Epson, which is the leading supplier of LCD micro devices for projection TV systems; and Victor Company of Japan (JVC), which developed and markets LCoS micro devices and sets.
The group will take its message to consumers, retailers, industry experts and the mass media, aiming to promote the growth of micro-device display projection TVs (MDDP) and boost public awareness of the technology, according to a statement announcing the group’s launch.
Mike Guillory, Texas Instruments’ North American marketing communications manager for DLP, who has contact with the consortium, said the group was the brainchild of Japanese executives looking to drive greater awareness of micro-device displays around the world. As the effort begins to grow and take shape, it will encompass North American companies with interests in promoting the technologies.
“As it starts to develop and form a little bit more formally, then they will start to announce activities in the U.S. and the additional formation of the group,” Guillory told TWICE. TI is “bullish about promoting our technology in the market, and if we see an opportunity to collaborate [with competitive technologies] with the end result of it benefiting TI, then obviously we want to participate. The opposite would be to not participate at all, and I think there are advantages to our involvement.”
The founding members said they will be joined in their effort by endorsing members: 3M, Luminus Devices, Samsung Japan and SCRAM Technologies. The group will “seek to bring other firms into the consortium from related industries,” according to the statement.
Planned public relations activities include preparing marketing materials for consortium members to share in promoting the common advantages of MDDP, and the launch of an information Web site, www.md-display.com.
The site will include detailed descriptions and illustrations showing how MDDPs work and their advantages. The site will also contain information on MDDP products and key devices from consortium member firms, as well as relevant news and other product information.
Other planned activities will include acquiring energy efficiency performance labeling and add products to energy-efficient catalogs.
According to an MDDPC statement, MDDP TV sets “offer high value cost performance based on their high image quality and large screens. They have gained a particularly strong following in North America. An estimated 4.1 million sets have been sold to date worldwide, while global demand for MDDP is forecasted at 3.5 million units in 2006,” according to data supplied by Techno Systems Research.
The group said common advantages of MDDP TVs include:
- High quality, large screen images in a lightweight and stylishly designed package.
- Low power consumption savings on household utility costs and a lower lifetime cost of ownership.
- Long product life (with capability to restore screen brightness through lamp replacement).
- Runs cooler and saves on air-conditioning costs.
- Low energy consumption from total energy for manufacturing.
- Reduced CO2 emissions from total energy for manufacturing (MDDP as well as plasma Display and LCD TVs).
- Less waste for disposal of set, parts and materials.
Group directors include: Shintaro Nakagaki, associate director, general manager, Display Unit, Technology Development Division, JVC; Masahide Iesaka, Executive Operating Officer, Arisawa Manufacturing; Satofumi Koike, general manager, Seiko Epson TFT Design & Engineering Department, TFT Operations Division; Kazuhiro Ohara DLP Products, senior manager, Product Marketing & Technical Support Center, Texas Instruments Japan, Takakazu Hayashi, Technical Marketing Manager, 3M APAC, Mikiya Kuroda, Senior Manager, Samsung Japan Business Development Department.
