Newsroom Home Newsroom Archive 2004 May 19

News Release

Epson Ships Two-Millionth HTPS TFT Panel for Consumer Projection

- TOKYO, Japan, May 19 -

Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") today announced that it recently shipped its two-millionth high-temperature polysilicon thin-film transistor (HTPS TFT) liquid crystal panel used in front projectors and big-screen liquid crystal projection TVs for the home consumer market. Meanwhile, the company is also bolstering its panel line for the still-growing data projector market and this month began shipping production quantities of three new models of HTPS panel featuring Epson's latest "D4" technology.
Epson, a projector pioneer and long the market leader, holds an approximately 55% share (*1) of the global market for projector light valves, as the panels are known. In 2001 the company signaled that it was branching out from the data projector market by launching a serious initiative to develop liquid crystal light-valves for consumer market applications—particularly front projectors and big-screen liquid crystal projection TVs for the home. As a result, by the end of April 2004, Epson had shipped a cumulative total of more than 2,000,000 HTPS panels, accounting for a 46% share of the consumer market (*1).
To answer needs in the data projector market, Epson has also added three new D4-technology panels to its product lineup: a 0.5-inch SVGA panel, a 0.8-inch XGA panel, and a 1-inch XGA panel. The use of D4 technology, which includes technology for achieving a high aperture ratio, makes the new panels even brighter than their predecessors. Faster response speeds, meanwhile, make both still and moving images smoother and sharper than ever before.
The home consumer market for front projectors and big-screen liquid crystal projection TVs is burgeoning, fed by the growing use of DVD players and the propagation of digital broadcasts. Meanwhile, the data projector market is further expanding, with growth being fueled by a rising demand for on-screen business presentation and, recently, the advance of information technology in the classroom. Epson, using its original state-of-the-art liquid crystal technology and high aperture ratio technology, will serve these markets with low-power consuming HTPS products that provide unrivaled luminous efficiency, outstanding brightness, and fantastic color reproduction while being people and environmentally friendly.

Specifications of new D4 panels in mass production

For more than a decade, Epson has driven the liquid crystal projector market by developing high-luminance liquid crystal panels. The company is committed to continued development to make the future of projection even brighter.

For more information
Click here for a detailed description of the features and benefits of HTPS panels, or here for a more general page.

*1 Epson estimates for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 based on data from Technosystem, Display Research, Fuji Chimera and others.

About Epson
The Epson Group increases its corporate value through its innovative and creative culture. Dedicated to providing its customers with digital image innovation, its main product lines comprise information-related equipment such as printers and projectors, electronic devices including displays, liquid crystal panels for projectors, semiconductors and quartz devices, and precision products such as watches. Epson products are known throughout the world for their superior quality, functionality, compactness and energy efficiency.
The Epson Group is a network of 84,899 employees in 110 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in which it is located. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., which is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Group had consolidated sales of 1,413 billion yen in fiscal 2003.

Contacts
Seiko Epson Corp.
Corporate Communications
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http://www.epson.co.jp/