Mitsubishi Lasers in on Large-Screen Rollout

While prototypes of some of its large-screen laser HD units were on display at a couple of Las Vegas trade shows earlier this year, Mitsubishi said a timetable to release its 65- and 73-inch models using its laser technology remains on track for late summer or fall. In other words, some units will be at retailers in plenty of time for the important holiday season in the final quarter of the year.

The 65-inch model is expected to be released first, sometime near the end of the third quarter, the company said, which (as of now, anyway) would make it the first commercially available laser HD unit on the global market. No pricing numbers have yet been announced.

Mitsubishi said at a late-June press briefing that its research and development of red laser technology has helped accelerate its laser-based line of HD units to early market. It said its laser technology process will result in reproduction of at least 80 percent of the visible color spectrum. (By comparison, typical plasma screens reproduce less than 50 percent, it said.)

And as for the never-ending quest by set makers to consistently reproduce the blackest of black tones, Mitsubishi said its lasers literally shut off to produce true black, thus creating a more realistic, higher dynamic contrast ratio.