Microdisplay Rear Projection

Panasonic had interesting new entries into the rear projection market with a two series of LCD rear projectors. The LCX70 series is 1280 x 720 resolution with 3 (new) .69” LCD chips. The LCZ70 series uses 3 new .74” LCD chips providing full 1920 x 1080 HDTV resolution.

The big news is an all new lamp developed by Panasonic that provides just 10 seconds to full brightness (as opposed to current UHP lamps that take up to one minute to reach full output. Panasonic claims this new lamp technology will not get dimmer as it ages and will not need replacement.

Here are excerpts from the Panasonic press release with specifications

By converting HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps to LIFI, the models experience an especially long life span with brightness that will never fade, eliminating the need for lamp replacement. When the electrodes in HID lamps deteriorate and the tungsten evaporates, it causes diminished brightness, as well as damage to the lamp itself. The light source in the Panasonic LIFI HDTV does not use electrodes, resulting in more stable performance and a longer lifespan. Additionally, Panasonic’s LIFI technology projects a wide variety and spectrum of light, allowing for the most radiant reds, greens and natural skin tones.

The start-up time for a Panasonic LIFI HDTV is a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional LCD projection set to start-up. This is because the light source does not use electrodes and the LIFI bulb is 1/8 the size found in an HID lamp, so the temperature rises more rapidly, enabling a faster start-up. The actual time from the moment the set is turned on until there is a picture is now reduced from 60 seconds or more to approximately 10 seconds.

With a longer lifetime, the LIFI HDTV series offers the same performance as an LED model, but at a lower price point. The LIFI lamp generates less scintillation noise than traditional HID lamps, and the invisible speakers marry impeccable design with high-quality sound. Using the device’s remote control, users can easily enjoy EZ Sync™-enabled products such as Blu-ray players.

Additional features of the LCX70 Series include:

· LIFI Light Source
· New 0.69” 720p LCD Panel
· All Black Cosmetics
· 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target)
· 400cd/m2 Brightness (50” Target)
· Full Range Speaker System (20W output)
· HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
· PC Input
· SD Card Slot
· EZ Sync™

Additional features of the LCZ70 Series include:

· LIFI Light Source
· New 0.74” 1080p LCD Panel
· Piano Black Cosmetic
· 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target)
· 400cd/m2 Brightness (50” Target)

· Full Range Speaker System (20W output)
· HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
· PC Input
· SD Card Slot
· EZ Sync™

Panasonic LIFI HD MD-PTV 2007 Models
Model Description SRP Availability
PT-56LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV TBA April 2007
PT-61LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV TBA April 2007
PT-50LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV TBA May 2007
PT-56LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV TBA May 2007
PT-61LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV TBA May 2007

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