LCOS is a reflective LCD display panel with high open area ratio. Basically, by placing the wiring area and switching elements under the reflection layer, there is no black matrix area – so it is possible to view a near-seamless image. LCOS systems can be created as 1 chip and 3 chip systems.

At the moment (meaning the next 15 minutes), LCOS technology is fairly competitive in terms of price and performance advantages compared to HTPS and DMD systems. Pixels on LCOS panels can be made smaller than is possible with other microdisplay technologies, without compromising picture quality or manufacturability. LCOS displays can be scaled to 1080i/p resolution (1920x1080 pixels) and beyond, without increasing the size and cost of the panel and other optical components in the light engine.

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What’s Next

The future. Better, faster, cheaper. LCOS technology is still relatively expensive compared to LCD and DLP, but with Intel stepping up mass production this year that can be expected to change. According to Intel, in 2005 it will be possible for the cost of a single-panel LCOS light engine to drop below the cost of DLP and LCD light engines. This means that HDTVs based on Intel's LCOS technology may be less expensive than the competition.