Digital Projection arguably won ISE 2014 with the new HIGHLite Laser 12k, apparently the first ever laser projector with 12,000 lumens of output.

The WUXGA-resolution unit can go 20,000 hours before needing a phosphor wheel replacement. That compares to about 1,500 hours of lamp life for traditional-based projectors, according to Mark Wadsworth, international marketing manager for DP.

How much does it cost to replace a phosphor wheel?

DP hasn’t firmed up a price yet, but Wadsworth says, “It will cost a whole lot less than 20,000 hours of lamps.”

Besides their long lamp life and associated labor savings, laser projectors beat out lamp-based projectors when it comes to mounting options, says Wadsworth.

Typical video projectors employ fancy thermal systems to cool off hot lamps. For proper heat dissipation, the projectors must be mounted in a specified orientation – typically vertically or horizontally – with maybe 12 degrees of wiggle room.

Since there are no lamps to cool in a laser projector, it can be mounted any which way, as DPI demonstrates at ISE with a series of units fanned out.

The projector is surprisingly affordable, expecting to retail for about $45,000 USD includingthe lens, Wadsworth stresses, when it ship in Q2 2014.

Although plenty of vendors are showing laser-based projects at ISE, Wadsworth says he knows of no other commercially available projectors that exceed 6,000 lumens.

“You’ll not see anything else like this,” he says.

So what is the downside of the product? Wadsworth thinks before answering: “There is no downside. Why wouldn’t you buy it? It lasts 20,000 hours.”

At ISE, the company announced LANG AG, one of Europe’s largest supplier of professional video equipment, ordered a “fleet” of the new projectors.

By Julie Jacobson***See Full Story on www.commercialintegrator.com