new CRT projector resolves 4 million pixles

[draganm]

Dean this post is just for you and i'm glad to say that no, CRT is not dead and still under developmnent :T . Heck, when your training pilots to fly military aircraft that costs Billions of dollars, a bulb machine just wont do. :B

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VDC Display Systems, a division of Video Display Corporation (NASDAQ:VIDE - News), today announced the development of the first in a new series of high resolution projection systems for the simulation and training industry.
In close cooperation with Lexel Imaging Systems, a sister division of Video Display Corporation, VDC Display Systems has completed design and initial production of an 8" CRT-based projection system which displays up to 4 million resolvable pixels. The new Marquee Ultra 8500HR is available today in production quantities.

"Development of the Ultra 8500HR is an important milestone for VDC Display Systems, as well as Video Display Corporation," commented Marcial Vidal, Vice President of Operations for VDC Display Systems. "In response to requests from our integration customers as well as the marketplace in which they operate, we've taken the initiative to provide the next generation of very high resolution projection displays."

David Mutchler, President of VDC Display Systems states, "Announcement of the new Ultra 8500HR is one of a series of product announcements to come from VDC Display Systems in the coming months. Our new product developments are based upon proven and readily-available CRT technology, for which VDC is the industry leader, as well as newly developed non-CRT technologies such as the new Sony SXRD high resolution LCoS projector. Our goal is to provide and support our customers with a choice of high resolution displays that meet or exceed expectation."

Please stop by Video Display Corporation's Booth #1573 at this year's I/ITSEC Conference held on Dec. 4-Dec. 7 2006 at the Orange County International Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Or contact mraines@vdcdisplaysystems.com for more information.

About Video Display Corporation

Video Display Corporation designs, develops and manufactures unique solutions for display requirements for military, medical and industrial uses with emphasis on high-end training and simulation applications. Its product offerings include ruggedized CRT and AMLCD displays as well as complete projection display systems utilizing VDC's Marquee(TM) and ESCP line of projectors. Video Display Corporation operates eight design and manufacturing plants plus additional sales facilities throughout the United States and Europe. For more information, visit the Company's web site at http://www.videodisplay.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein.

[crackyflipside]

When the CRT manufacturers start to come out with 1080p machines that don't cost $15,000 new, maybe I'll bite.

[draganm]

you certainly don't need to spend $15k to resolve a measly 1080P, the 8500HR is fully resolving 2048 x 2048 (2048P). Even The older Marquee's will resolve 1080P with a few simple mods. Of course it would require a pro install, most hobbyist/individuals will easilly get a good 720P out of an 8" machine like an 8500.

[BlazeMaster]

how much is this 4k CRT FP going to cost? I can't imagine CRT projectors still being retailed when there are digital PJs w/ 1080p at the $5k price range.

[draganm]

how much is this 4k CRT FP going to cost? I can't imagine CRT projectors still being retailed when there are digital PJs w/ 1080p at the $5k price range.

they're not aimed at the HT market, actually CRT's never were really. To Being or Lockheed Martin the price isn't that important.
The unmatched ability of this technology is full dynamic range from true off (Black) to peak white and the whole point of this is a true life-like experience in a multi-million dollar flight simulator. Not sure why they need 2048P but obviously the market was there.
Then there's the small group of enthusiasts like me who still follow this technology religiously and hang these 160 pound beasts in our theatre's. ;x(
I posted this for another forum member who said "CRT is dead, there is no further development being done" . sorry Dean, we're like tube amps and vinyl records, refusing to die. :-y

[Chris D]

Well, if this (or any other product) is for flight simulators, I'm all for it. Our flight sims are so realistic, they are certified as equivalent for logging flight time as the actual aircraft. The visual graphics have gotten more and more realistic over the years, which makes our training just that much better.

[Dean McManis]

This is of course cool for specialty displays. But Sony and JVC have already had 4K resolution projectors out since 1998, they are just very expensive, and mostly used in scientific, medical and E-Cinema applications. 8)

The biggest issues of CRT displays are not fixed by optimal higher resolution capability. Their large bulk, vast complexity, high cost, higher maintenance and convergence issues, and relatively low light output at peak resolution.

I'm expecting this high tech CRT display to cost between $50K and $140K, weigh well over 150lbs, have at least 6/7 fans (meaning it's loud), and provide under 2000 lumens.
And it will require an expert at least 8 hours to properly converge the CRTs once it's installed, and tweak it again every couple months to keep it somewhere near the unit's theoretical resolution.

It's definitely cool, but it doesn't really change anything in the evolution of display technologies. There are 16K resolution digital displays in the pipeline but the holdup (beyond cost) is that the bandwidth for supporting full 1080p recordings is just coming about now, let alone 4 times that resolution with 4K displays, or 16 times that resolution with 16K displays.

It's coming, but very slowly because it's not a big market given the restrictions in being able to record and transfer super high res media.