Laser TV unveiled

[DeFett]

I want one

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20556832-1702,00.html

By Adam Bennett
October 10, 2006 04:04pm
Article from: AAP

IT'S being hailed by its developers as the next revolution in visual technology - a laser television that will make plasma screens obsolete.

Soon-to-be-listed Australian company Arasor International and its US partner Novalux unveiled what they claimed to be the world's first laser television in Sydney today, with a pitch that it would be half the price, twice as good, and use a quarter of the electricity of conventional plasma and LCD TVs.

Manufacturing company Arasor produces the unique optoelectronic chip central to the laser projection device being developed by Silicon Valley-based Novalux, which is being used by a number of television manufacturers.

And displayed beside a conventional 50 inch plasma TV this afternoon, the Mitsubishi-built prototype does appear brighter and clearer than its “older” rival.

With a worldwide launch date scheduled for Christmas 2007, under recognisable brands like Mitsubishi and Samsung, Novalux chief executive Jean-Michel Pelaprat is so bold as to predict the death of plasma.

“If you look at any screen today, the colour content is roughly about 30-35 per cent of what the eye can see,” he said.

“But for the very first time with a laser TV we'll be able to see 90 per cent of what the eye can see.

“All of a sudden what you see is a lifelike image on display.”

Combine that with energy efficiency, price advantage and the fact that the laser TVs will be half the weight and depth of plasma TVS, and Mr Pelaprat says “plasma is now something of the past”.

Mr Pelaprat predicted LCD TVs would come to dominate the market below 40 inches, and laser television the market above that screen size, displacing plasma.

The optoelectronic chip-laser technology won't be confined to TVs.

The technology is also being trialled in mobile phones, where it will be used to project images onto any surface, and in home theatres and cinemas.

The unveiling of the laser TV prototype was held on the eve of Arasor's public float on the Australian Stock Exchange next week.

 

[Kable24]

sounds promising.

 

[Man-Thing]

gonna buy some of that stock.

 

[Mr. Credible]

awesome-ness

 

[Mr. Credible]

oops... double post

 

[AndThePickles]

Sounds awesome, but this part makes me suspicious lol : "with a pitch that it would be half the price, twice as good, and use a quarter of the electricity of conventional plasma and LCD TVs"

 

[jaguarr]

Interesting. I'll have to do some research on this new tech.

jag

 

[Lightspeed]

There is also a new technology called SED (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display) that is supposed to be better than Plasma.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/736/736795p1.html

 

[SpiderB]

Is there anything lasers can't do??

 

[Fran]

Sounds good.

 

[Future Prez]

I wanna see some pics. Sounds cool.

 

[Leto Atrides]

Sounds awesome, but this part makes me suspicious lol : "with a pitch that it would be half the price, twice as good, and use a quarter of the electricity of conventional plasma and LCD TVs"

I don't doubt that will be true, but it needs a disclaimer of "eventually". I'm sure the first ones will still be as expensive as a plasma.

 

[Kable24]

There is also a new technology called SED (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display) that is supposed to be better than Plasma.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/736/736795p1.html

These are the ones I have heard about. I gues when the time comes to build my theater room, I will be looking at either SED or laser for my tv. I have a 55 inch rear projection right now, but that will stay in our living room.

 

[TKing]

Yeah, I'd like to see some pics. But still, sounds cool.

 

[Bat Attack]

Geez, I want to keep up with the joneses, not The Jetsons. pretty cool though, it will probably be really expensive.

 

[jaguarr]

After digging more on this, it smells like bunk.

Laser TV Beat Up

David Richards: Comment - Thursday, 12 October 2006

EXCLUSIVE: Serious questions are being raised about a Company that claims it will roll out Laser TV next year.

Advertisement

If you search Google for anything on Laser TV you will find very little as opposed to SED TV, or LCD TV or even Plasma. So when a bunch of guys tell you it is going to be the next big thing one has to be sceptical particular when they are spruiking to raise $35 million from Australian investors.

It appears that unknown Company Arasor International and its US partner Novalux has already been knocked back by several Venture Capital Companies but despite this they are attempting to raise money from Australian investors by holding an all singing all dancing PR event where they have claimed that Laser TV is set to be the next big thing after LCD, Plasma and the up coming SED TV which has two of the biggest technology Companies in the world behind it Canon and Toshiba.

This week in Sydney Arasor International and its US partner Novalux unveiled what they claimed to be the world's first laser television and apart from a slick demo the Company has not spelt out how they are going to turn the Laser TV into a commercial success on a mere $35 million when other TV technology such as LCD is sucking up billions of dollars for Companies like Sony, Samsung and LG.

Anyone investing in this Company is taking a massive risk as Laser TV is not a proven technology.



This is a Company that has no office in Australia other than via an Adelaide accountant's office HLB Mann Judd Stephens. They also claim that that they will only invest in Australia if the share offering to raise $35 million is successful in Australia. They have also failed to reveal which manufacturers have actually signed up to buy their technology but they do claim that they have $30million dollars worth of orders.

The fact is that if this Company were as good as they claim and the technology such a breakthrough Companies like Sony. Hitachi, Pioneer and others would be all over them to buy the technology or at least, invest in it.

A search of the Arasor web site reveals that the directors of the Company are Simon Cao Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Charles Mao Executive Director, Larry Marshall Executive Director, George SyCip Non-Executive Director and Parviz Tayebati Non-Executive Director.
Also listed is Anthony Surtees Non-Executive Director, Ian Neal Non-Executive Director, Laurie Kan Non-Executive Director and Zhu Xin Kun Non-Executive Director.

They claim that Arasor is a developer of integrated optoelectronic and wireless solutions and that their products increase the bandwidth and speed of the networks that deliver broadband data to consumers and enhance the image quality and performance of next generation laser-driven televisions that deliver rich content to consumers. But the trouble is nobody has the networks in place to deliver the laser content.

On the question of financial viability the directors of Arasor claim in their prospectus that that all projections are based on assumptions and that these assumptions may, or may not take place.

Professional Public Relations the PR Company hired to spruik the Arasors claims chose to only reveal the Laser TV to selected journalists such as radio and mass media journalists. This was quite deliberate said Gareth Llewellyn Group Director of Technology at PPR. Specialist CE media who had the knowledge and skill set to question the claims being made by Arasor directors were denied access to the demonstration or access to directors of the Company.


A promise by PPR to give SHN access to the directors of Arasor a Company that appears to operate more in China and India than Australia was not forthcoming. Directors of Arasor could not be contacted at their Adelaide agent's office. Arasor International Group Holdings Ltd which holds all the shares in ("AIG") is incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

When SmartHouse called Arasors head office in Australia the receptionist did not know any one of the listed directors for Arasor including the Company CEO Simon Cao. She said "Are you sure you have the right office. I have never heard of these people" When SHN finally tracked down the listed Company Secretary Donald Stephens an Adelaide Accountant he said "The directors of Arasor are hard to get. They are very transient. I have quite a lot of difficulty contacting them. When I do it is by email".

He added "The guy you need to contact is Peter Sandiland he handles publicity for the Company. I believe some of the directors were in Australia yesterday for some sort of launch so they must be around".

Right now Companies TV like Samsung, Pioneer, Canon and Toshiba are spending billions building Plasma and LCD TV production lines so an investment in a Laser TV production facility is a long way off claim industry analysts. Display Search who is one of the worlds leading TV display research Companies claim that they have never heard of Arasor or the Laser TV technology that Arasor are claiming will change the way we watch TV.


At the Australian launch Novalux chief executive Jean-Michel Pelaprat was so bold as to predict the death of plasma. "If you look at any screen today, the colour content is roughly about 30-35 per cent of what the eye can see," he said. "But for the very first time with a laser TV we'll be able to see 90 per cent of what the eye can see. "All of a sudden what you see is a lifelike image on display."

Combine that with energy efficiency, price advantage and the fact that the laser TVs will be half the weight and depth of plasma TVS, and Mr Pelaprat says "plasma is now something of the past".
Mr Pelaprat predicted LCD TVs would come to dominate the market below 40 inches, and laser television the market above that screen size, displacing plasma.


The optoelectronic chip-laser technology won't be confined to TVs. The technology is also being trialled in mobile phones, where it will be used to project images onto any surface, and in home theatres and cinemas.

Ironically he unveiling of the so called laser TV prototype was held on the eve of Arasor's public float on the Australian Stock Exchange next week. For investors being touted to invest in Arasor there are a lot of un-answered questions and an even bigger question mark over why they chose Australia to reveal the Laser TV when biggest money for this type of highly speculative technology is in Asia or the USA.

Sounds a lot like a tech-scam.

jag

 

[Lord Valumart]

Is there anything lasers can't do??

kill Bond

 

[CConn]

After digging more on this, it smells like bunk.




Sounds a lot like a tech-scam.

jag

Thank God.

I'll be damned if someone invents a laser TV before I build my lightsaber.

 

[Orko Is King]

Christ, if plasmas are 3-4 grand for a 50''...how much will this thing be?